Italy's Greatest Hits, Strip-Side, Done Right
Las Vegas Strip · Las Vegas · Italian, Regional · Visit Website ↗
Updated September 2026
Reviewed April 17, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Balla Italian Soul’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Walking into Balla, the wine list feels like someone actually gave a damn — Italy front and center, California riding shotgun, and a sommelier on staff who can actually talk you through it. For a hotel restaurant on the Strip, that's already beating expectations. The mood is warm and lively, not stuffy, which matches a list built for drinking rather than impressing investors.
The Italian backbone is serious: Barolo from Piedmont, Brunello di Montalcino, Amarone, and a Super Tuscan section that goes straight for the heavy hitters with Sassicaia and Tignanello on the shelf. Chianti Classico Riserva and Alto Adige Pinot Grigio round out the range for those who want elegance without the prestige markup — or at least, less of it. Sicily gets a seat at the table too, with Nero d'Avola bringing something darker and more interesting than your standard Italian-American restaurant fare. The California side leans into Napa Cab and Sonoma/Santa Barbara Pinot Noir, which is predictable but well-chosen, and it gives the list real crossover appeal for guests who haven't made the Italian leap yet.
Twelve to twenty pours puts Balla well above the average Strip restaurant BTG program, and at $12–$20 a glass there's room to explore without committing to a full bottle. We'd love to see more rotation here — the list reads like it was set and hasn't changed much since opening — but what's there is quality, and having Jordan Garcia around to point you toward the right glass makes a real difference.
Nero d'Avola (Sicily) — $40–$60 (bottle estimate)
Sicilian reds are chronically underpriced relative to their quality, and on a list dominated by Piedmont and Tuscany prestige plays, Nero d'Avola stands out as the bottle that drinks well above its price point. Rich, dark, and built for the beef short rib.
Pinot Grigio, Alto Adige
Most people see Pinot Grigio and mentally clock out — but Alto Adige is the region that proves how wrong that instinct is. Mineral-driven, crisp, and nothing like the flat stuff at airport bars. Order it with the grilled octopus and recalibrate your assumptions.
Sassicaia (Super Tuscan)
Sassicaia is a great wine, no argument there. But on a Strip hotel list it carries every layer of prestige markup imaginable, and you're paying for the name more than the glass. Unless someone else is buying, your money works harder elsewhere on this list.
Barolo (Piedmont) + Beef Short Rib
Barolo's tannins and earthy depth are built for braised, fatty beef — it's one of those combinations that feels like it was designed rather than discovered. The short rib at Balla is the dish that earns the big red, and Piedmont delivers.
The Bottom Line
Balla punches above its weight class for a Strip hotel restaurant — a focused Italian list, a real sommelier, and enough depth to reward the curious. The markups sting, as they always do in this zip code, but the program earns its Wine Spectator nod and then some.
· Las Vegas · Steakhouse
Strip House's all-by-the-glass format is smart for a Vegas crowd that wants to explore without committing, and the list has more personality than most hotel steakhouses — the Testamatta and the Lingua Franca Chardonnay prove someone made actual choices here. Prices skew high at the top end, but the $15–$25 tier offers genuine quality. Come for the steak, stay for the glass pours, and skip the Kosta Browne unless the night calls for it.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Las Vegas · Restaurant
Summer House is doing more with its wine program than it has to, and in Las Vegas that deserves genuine credit. Fair prices, a thoughtful by-the-glass roster, and a few genuinely interesting picks — the Grüner and the Selbach Riesling especially — make this worth exploring. It's not a destination wine list, but it's a reliable one, and that's rarer on the Strip than it should be.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Hughes Center · Las Vegas · Brazilian Churrascaria
The real story at Fogo de Chão Hughes Center is the Monday-through-Thursday deal: South American bottles under $150 go at half price, all day, in both the dining room and bar. That's a meaningful discount at a format where a table can easily work through a full bottle alongside the picanha parade. If you're going to drink wine here — and you should — plan your visit around that window.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
South Point Casino · Las Vegas · Steakhouse
Silverado Steak House isn't trying to win any wine awards, and it doesn't need to — the list is fair, functional, and occasionally punches above its casino-floor weight class. If you're eating steak at South Point and want a solid glass without getting robbed, this list has your back; just stay away from the bottom shelf and head straight for the Davis Bynum or the Symmetry Meritage.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
The Strip · Las Vegas · Japanese
Order the $21 glass of Kirinzan Junmai Ginjo, or the $50 Signature Flight if you want three saké side by side. If you prefer wine, the Faiveley Gevrey-Chambertin at $62 by the Coravin glass is the pour to look for. Confirm availability and prices, since the list is undated. This unrated guide covers the posted drinks list, not service, storage or markups.
The Strip · Las Vegas · Steakhouse
Try the $60 half bottle of Cristom Pinot Noir or ask about the $60 Kerner, the lowest full-bottle price, or order the Azelia Barolo at $270 with the Dry Aged New York. Confirm vintages and prices, since the list is undated. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or retail markups.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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