Wilmington's Italian wine obsession hiding in plain sight
Wilmington · Wilmington · Italian, Small Plates · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 11, 2026
Wingman Metrics
You don't expect to find Giacomo Conterno Barolo and Biondi-Santi Brunello on a wine list in Wilmington, Delaware — and yet, here we are. The list lands with real authority, Italian-first and clearly assembled by someone who actually cares about what's in the glass. It's the kind of list that makes you slow down and read every page.
This is a focused, Italy-obsessed program that earns its Wine Spectator Award of Excellence with producers that would hold their own in any major city. Piedmont is the headliner — Gaja and Produttori del Barbaresco anchor the Barbaresco section, while Giacomo Conterno and Bruno Giacosa bring serious Barolo firepower. Tuscany keeps pace with Biondi-Santi and Ciacci Piccolomini in Brunello, plus Sassicaia and Tignanello for the Super Tuscan crowd. The list isn't chasing every region, but what it does cover, it covers with conviction.
With 20-35 by-the-glass options, there's genuine range here — unusual for a restaurant this size in this market. Expect a rotating cut through Italian varieties that gives curious drinkers a real chance to explore without committing to a full bottle. Whether the pours change regularly is less clear, but the breadth alone puts this well above average.
Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco — $60
Produttori del Barbaresco is a cooperative that consistently punches above its price class — structured Nebbiolo with real Barbaresco character at a price that doesn't make you wince. In a list that goes deep on Piedmont, this is where we'd start.
Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona Brunello di Montalcino
Most people scanning this list will gravititate toward Biondi-Santi's famous name, but Ciacci Piccolomini quietly delivers Brunello with more immediate accessibility and serious quality for less fanfare — and likely less markup.
Sassicaia
Sassicaia is a great wine, full stop — but it's also one of the most recognized and marked-up Super Tuscans on the planet. You're paying for the name as much as the juice here. With Tignanello and strong Barolo options on the same list, the Sassicaia spend is hard to justify.
Allegrini Amarone della Valpolicella + Braised Short Rib
Amarone's intensity — that dried-grape richness and grippy tannin structure — is built for exactly this kind of slow-cooked, collagen-heavy meat. Allegrini's version is polished enough not to overwhelm the dish, but bold enough to hold its own through every bite.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Bardea is doing something genuinely rare in a mid-size Mid-Atlantic city: building a serious Italian wine program that rewards both the curious newcomer and the Barolo nerd at the same table. If you're anywhere near Wilmington, this list alone is worth making a reservation.
Lumina Station · Wilmington · Upscale American / New American with Seafood and Steaks
Port Land Grille is a dependable wine program for a dependable upscale dinner — it won't wow you, but it won't let you down either. If you're in Lumina Station and want a solid glass with a serious steak, you're in the right place.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Murrayville/Market Street · Wilmington · Modern American / Southern Comfort
JohnnyLukes is a solid neighborhood spot that happens to have a wine list, not a wine destination that happens to serve food — and that's fine. Show up on a Wednesday, grab the Sea Sun or the Il Masso at half price, and pair it with the crab cake. You'll leave happy.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Downtown Riverfront/Marina · Wilmington · Seafood / American
Marina Grill is a perfectly solid spot to drink wine if you show up on a Wednesday and let the half-price deal do the heavy lifting. Any other night, the markups are hard to justify when the list is this unambitious.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Downtown Riverfront · Wilmington · Southern comfort and New Orleans-inspired American
Rooster & The Crow is doing real things in the kitchen, but the wine list is an afterthought dressed up with familiar labels and steep markups. Order a cocktail, or bring your own if corkage is an option — this list isn't the reason to come.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Riverfront · Wilmington · Upscale Italian
Floriana isn't trying to be a wine destination, and that's fine — it's trying to be a great Italian restaurant with a wine list that doesn't let the food down. For a date night in Wilmington, it delivers exactly that.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Second Street · Wilmington · Italian (Abruzzese-inspired, house-made pasta)
Tarantelli's wine list is a solid, Italy-focused companion to food that deserves it — fair prices, logical pours, and no real duds. It won't blow your mind, but it'll make your Osso Buco taste better, and that's the whole job.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.