Sardinia Showed Up in the Seattle Suburbs
Downtown Redmond Β· Redmond Β· Modern Italian with Sardinian Influence Β· Visit Website β
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk Β· July 15, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Blu Sardiniaβs wine list and gave it The Wild Card β RagingWineβs Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists β
Take Vibe Match and weβll tell you what to order here.
Wingman Metrics
You're in a strip mall in Redmond, Washington, and the wine list opens with Torbato and Cannonau. That's not something you see every day β or really any day β in the suburbs east of Seattle. This list has a point of view, and that alone earns it a serious look.
The list runs 30 to 50 wines with a genuine Sardinian spine: Vermentino, Torbato, Monica di Sardegna, Cannonau di Sardegna, a rosato from the island, and the intriguing Amanthosu rounding things out. These aren't token gestures β guests consistently single out the Sardinian wines as a reason to come back. The broader Italian coverage is inferred rather than documented, but the core focus is tight and coherent. There are gaps, sure β no obvious deep Barolo bench, no serious Sicilian exploration β but that's not the point here. The point is Sardinia, and they commit.
By-the-glass specifics aren't fully documented, but with a list this regionally focused and a Sunday bottle promotion in play, the assumption is a short pour list anchored by the island's whites and reds. If Vermentino and Cannonau are available by the glass β and they should be β that's already two excellent reasons to start without committing to a bottle.
Cannonau Bantu (Cannonau di Sardegna) β $15
Cannonau is Sardinia's answer to Grenache β earthy, sun-dried fruit, genuinely interesting β and at mid-range Italian pricing it almost certainly punches above its ticket price. It's the kind of red most diners here have never tried, which makes it both the value pick and the conversation starter.
Torbato
Almost nobody outside of Sardinia knows this grape exists, and that's a shame. It's a crisp, structured white with real character β closer to a serious Verdicchio than anything you'd expect from a neighborhood Italian spot. Order it before someone at the next table does.
Amanthosu
Interesting on paper, but without clearer producer information or tasting notes from the list, it's hard to know what you're getting. Until we know more about the specific bottling, spend the money on the Torbato or Cannonau where the intel is cleaner.
Vermentino (Sardinia) + Cured Fish Antipasti
Vermentino's briny, citrus-driven finish is practically engineered for cured seafood. The salinity echoes the cure, the acidity cuts through the fat, and you're basically drinking the Mediterranean. It's the most no-brainer pairing on the menu.
Sunday β 50% off select bottles every Sunday. Exclusions apply β ask your server which bottles are part of the promotion.
π² The Bottom Line
Blu Sardinia is the kind of place that makes you feel clever for knowing about it β a focused, genuinely regional wine list in a suburb that mostly serves Pinot Grigio and moves on. Show up on a Sunday, grab 50% off a bottle of Cannonau, and let Redmond surprise you.
Overlake / SE Redmond Β· Redmond Β· Italian
Tropea is the kind of neighborhood Italian spot where the wine list does its job without breaking any new ground β reliable, Italian-focused, and slightly overpriced in spots. Send a friend here who wants a solid Brunello with their pasta, not a friend who wants to be surprised.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Woodinville Wine Country / Willows Lodge Β· Redmond Β· Pacific Northwest / Modern American
Barking Frog is the kind of wine program you want to find at a wine country lodge β regionally committed, staffed by someone who gives a damn, and built around the same local ethos as the kitchen. Markup is the only real friction; everything else earns its reputation.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
Downtown Redmond Β· Redmond Β· Burger
Red Robin's wine program is an afterthought dressed as a bar menu β order a craft beer or a cocktail and don't look back. If someone at the table insists on wine, point them toward the rosΓ© and change the subject.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Redmond Β· Redmond Β· British pub, sports bar
Three Lions is a genuinely fun pub for watching a match over a cold pint β but the wine list is purely incidental, maintained with minimal effort and zero ambition. Come for the football, the beers, and the bangers and mash; if wine is your thing, drink something else tonight.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Redmond Β· Redmond Β· Irish Pub
JJ Mahoney's is a good pub for a pint and some fish and chips β but the wine list is purely functional, not worth seeking out. If wine is your priority tonight, eat here and drink somewhere else after.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Redmond Β· Redmond Β· American Steakhouse and Bar
Brown's Stockyard Exchange is the wine equivalent of a reliable truck: won't break down, won't blow your mind. If you're eating here for the steaks β and you probably should be β order the Columbia Crest, get out of the way, and let the food do the work.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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