Bellingham's Tiny List With Big Opinions
· Bellingham · Italian Wine Bar · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · September 4, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Bar Cicotti’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
Eleven bottles. That's the whole list. In most places, that would be a red flag — here, it feels like a curatorial flex. Every single wine is available by the glass, which tells you exactly what kind of place this is: come in, try something weird, stay a while.
Bar Cicotti's list reads like someone spent a weekend in a good wine shop and bought one of everything interesting. You've got Lambrusco from Cantina Coviolo sitting next to a Bellone from Casale Del Giglio — a grape most people in Washington have never heard of — and a Gerard Bigonneau Reuilly Orange that has no business being this accessible at $42 a bottle. The regional spread is genuinely global: South African Chenin Blanc, Languedoc Grenache, Spanish Tempranillo Rosato, Loire Valley orange wine, Piedmontese Nebbiolo. The Italian anchor is real but loose, which keeps things from getting stuffy. There are gaps — no Sangiovese, no Barolo, essentially no deep cellar — but for eleven bottles, the hit rate is remarkable.
The entire list pours by the glass at $10–$13, which is almost aggressively reasonable for 2024. That means you can work your way through an orange wine, a Lambrusco, and a Nebbiolo in one sitting without doing math in your head. No rotation info available, but given the list size, we'd guess it moves when bottles run out.
Cascina Ca Gialla Nebbiolo 2021 — $42
Nebbiolo at $42 a bottle is a deal almost anywhere — in a small wine bar format where you're paying $13 a glass, that's the kind of wine that usually shows up at $65+. Drink it.
Casale Del Giglio Bellone 2020
Bellone is a nearly extinct white grape from Lazio that almost nobody outside of Italy has heard of. Casale Del Giglio is a serious producer, and at $35 a bottle this is one of the most interesting pours on the list that most people will walk right past on their way to the Picpoul.
Winery of Good Hope Chenin Blanc 2021
Nothing wrong with this wine — Good Hope makes solid Chenin — but at $45 it's the most expensive bottle on the list and frankly the least adventurous pick given everything else available. With a Gerard Bigonneau orange wine and a Bellone at $35, this one just doesn't earn its spot at the top of the price ladder.
Cantina Coviolo Lambrusco + Charcuterie or cured meats
Lambrusco and salumi is one of the most honest food-wine pairings in existence — the fizz cuts the fat, the slight earthiness mirrors the meat. At an Italian wine bar, this is the move.
The Bottom Line
Bar Cicotti proves you don't need a 200-bottle list to have a great wine program — you just need to care about what you're pouring. For Bellingham, this is the kind of place worth going out of your way for.
Downtown · Bellingham · Nautical-themed American contemporary / comfort food
The Admiralty Lounge isn't a wine destination, but it's doing more with a short list than most bars in its class — half-price bottles at happy hour and actual Sherry on the menu are the kind of moves that earn goodwill. Come for the cocktails, stay for the Fino.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Downtown Waterfront · Bellingham · Seafood / Oyster Bar
Roe isn't a wine destination, but it's not trying to be — the list is fair, the pricing is reasonable, and if you know to order the Riesling, you're eating and drinking well on the water. Send a friend here for oysters; just don't send them expecting a deep cellar.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Lummi Island (regional destination) · Bellingham · Fine Dining / Farm-to-Table
The Willows Inn is as serious about wine as it is about the 14 ingredients it sourced from within a mile of your table. You're paying destination prices across the board, but the list delivers at that level — this is a once-in-a-while splurge that earns it.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown · Bellingham · Brewpub / American pub fare
Aslan Depot shouldn't have a wine list this good, and yet here we are. If you're in Bellingham and want natural wines in a no-fuss setting, this is the move.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Bellingham · New American / Wood-Fired Seasonal
Carnal is doing something genuinely rare in Bellingham: a tight, adventurous wine list that matches the ambition of the kitchen. It's not deep, but it's honest — and for a 17-bottle list, that's more than enough reason to trust it.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Bellingham · Pizza
Come to La Fiamma for the wood-fired pizza and the vibe — both are worth it. Come for the wine and you'll be disappointed. Order a cocktail or a beer and revisit when they decide the list deserves the same care as the kitchen.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Toledo/Dussel Area · Toledo · Italian Wine Bar
For West Toledo, this list is quietly overachieving — a wine director, real producers, and a weekly 50% bottle night is more than most Italian spots in any mid-size city bother to pull off. It's not a destination list, but it earns every glass.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Active Program
Proper
Summerlin · Las Vegas · Italian Wine Bar
Grape Vine Cafe is exactly what a neighborhood wine bar should be: consistent, fairly priced, and eager to see you again next Monday. If you're in Summerlin and want a glass of wine with dinner without overthinking it, you're in the right place.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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