Tignanello in Minnesota? Yes, Really.
Duluth · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Updated August 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 8, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Bellisio's Italian Restaurant & Wine Bar’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You're in Duluth, Minnesota, staring at a wine list that leads with Gaja Barbaresco and Sassicaia, and for a second you wonder if you've been transported. Bellisio's has held a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence since 1999 — a quarter century of keeping the bar high in a city more associated with lake views than Barolo. The list punches well above its geographic weight class.
The Italian spine is serious: Antinori Tignanello, Gaja Barbaresco, Sassicaia, Brunello from Banfi and Castello Romitorio, Barolo from Prunotto and Ceretto — this is a roll call that would hold up at a dedicated wine bar in any major city. California gets its due too, with Caymus, Silver Oak Alexander Valley, and Stag's Leap Wine Cellars covering the crowd-pleasing end without feeling like a cop-out. The range runs 200-350 selections, which is legitimately deep for a restaurant of this size in this market. If there's a gap, it's that adventurous drinkers looking for natural wine or off-the-beaten-path regions will need to look elsewhere.
Twenty to thirty-five pours by the glass is a genuinely strong program — most restaurants half-heartedly commit six and call it a day. Glass prices run $10–$18, which is honest money for what's on offer. We'd love to see the BTG list rotate more aggressively, but quantity and accessibility are both there.
Ruffino Chianti Classico Riserva — $35–$45
A reliable, food-friendly Tuscan red that drinks above its price point — perfect entry into the Italian section without committing to a three-figure Barolo.
Castello Romitorio Brunello di Montalcino
Banfi gets all the recognition, but Castello Romitorio makes a more structured, terroir-driven Brunello that most diners skip right past. Order it while everyone else plays it safe.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus is everywhere, marked up everywhere, and rarely worth it at restaurant pricing. With Stag's Leap on the same list, your California Cab dollar goes further elsewhere.
Prunotto Barolo + Osso Buco
Braised veal shank needs something with structure and grip to cut through the richness — Prunotto's Barolo brings the tannin and earthy depth to stand up to it without overwhelming the dish.
The Bottom Line
Bellisio's is the kind of wine list that shouldn't exist where it does, and that's exactly why it deserves your attention. If you're passing through Duluth and care about drinking well, this is your stop.
· Duluth · Brewpub
Lake Superior Brewing has no business having a wine list this interesting, and we mean that as a full compliment. If you're in Duluth and you want to drink wine somewhere that actually thought about it, this brewpub is the surprising answer.
Surprising Depth
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Duluth · Cocktail Bar
This is a cocktail bar that slipped a legitimately interesting nine-bottle wine list into the corner without making a big deal about it — and we respect the quiet confidence. Don't come here for a deep cellar experience, but do come here knowing you have real options beyond the well liquor.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Duluth · Italian
Va Bene is presumably doing something right in the kitchen, but the wine list is a two-item afterthought that tells you this place doesn't take wine seriously. Order a glass, enjoy your pasta, and don't expect anything more.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Duluth · European / Hotel Restaurant
Midi is doing more with 38 labels than most hotel restaurants do with 80. The aromatic white selection alone makes it worth a serious look, and the pricing won't leave you feeling robbed on the way out.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Duluth · Italian-American and Pizza
Sammy's is a Duluth institution and the pizza earns its reputation — the wine list is just not the point, and the restaurant isn't pretending otherwise. Order a beer or grab the cheapest glass pour, eat the pizza, and be happy.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Canal Park · Duluth · American, Bar, Pizza
Old Chicago Duluth isn't a wine destination and doesn't pretend to be — it's a reliable fallback for the table member who wants a glass of something decent while everyone else works through the tap list. If you stick to the Ste. Michelle Riesling, you'll leave satisfied; just don't come here expecting anything that will make you put down your pizza.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Healdsburg · Italian
Ciao Bruto is running one of the smallest and most coherent wine lists in wine country, which is either audacious or brilliant — probably both. If you want a 200-label deep-dive, go somewhere else. If you want eight smart picks at prices that won't make you wince, this is the move in Healdsburg.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Geyserville · Healdsburg · Italian
Diavola earns its Wild Card badge because it's a wood-fired pizza joint that punches well above its weight on wine — sommelier on staff, regional focus, and a setting that practically demands you order a second glass. We can't give you the bottle-by-bottle breakdown until we get eyes on a current list, but the bones here are good enough to say: don't just order a beer and move on.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Healdsburg · Italian
Ca'Bianca is a genuinely lovely place to eat, and if the food lives up to its reputation for house-made pasta and classic Italian technique, a bottle of something from the list is absolutely worth ordering. We just can't tell you exactly which bottle to order yet — the wine program's specifics aren't publicly documented well enough for us to make a confident call. When in doubt, ask your server what's local and what they're excited about, and go from there.
Plays It Safe
Steep
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.
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