Crowd-pleasing Italian comfort, wine included
Irvine Spectrum · Irvine · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Updated August 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 22, 2026
RagingWine reviewed BRIO Italian Grille – Irvine Spectrum’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at BRIO reads like a greatest hits album you've heard a hundred times — Santa Margherita, Meiomi, KJ Chard. It's comfortable, familiar, and purpose-built to sell bottles to a room full of people who came here for the pasta, not the Barolo. Nothing wrong with that, as long as you know what you're walking into.
The list leans on Italian-Californian staples with zero surprises and no ambition beyond broad appeal. Tuscany shows up via Ruffino Chianti Classico, Alto Adige gets a nod with Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio, and California fills the rest of the card with the usual suspects. There's no regional depth, no small producers, and no reason to spend time studying the list — you'll find what you expect and nothing more. The Italy-California split makes sense for the concept, but a little more effort here — even one off-menu Sicilian or a Friulian white — would go a long way.
Roughly 12-18 pours by the glass, which is a solid count for a casual Italian chain. The range covers the basics — a sparkling option in La Marca Prosecco, a light white in Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio, a red in Ruffino Chianti Classico, and California crowd-pleasers rounding it out. Rotation appears minimal; this list has the feel of something that gets reviewed annually if that.
Ruffino Chianti Classico — $38
Chianti Classico from a reliable Tuscan producer that actually matches the Italian-American menu. It's a straightforward bottle but won't embarrass itself next to the Pasta Napoletana, and the price sits at the reasonable end of BRIO's range.
La Marca Prosecco
Most people at BRIO are ordering Chardonnay or Pinot Noir on autopilot. The Prosecco is genuinely fun here — light, dry, and versatile enough to carry you through flatbreads and starters without the commitment of a heavier red or white. Order a glass before dinner and you might just keep going.
Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay
A fine supermarket bottle that retails around $14-16. Whatever BRIO charges for it by the glass or bottle, you're paying a chain markup on top of a mass-production Chardonnay. There's no story here, no sense of place, and better options exist on the same list.
Ruffino Chianti Classico + Pasta Napoletana
Tomato-forward red sauce and Sangiovese are a classic combination for a reason — the wine's natural acidity cuts through the richness and mirrors the sauce's herbal, tangy profile. It's not a complex pairing, but it's the right call at this restaurant.
The Bottom Line
BRIO's wine list is exactly what it needs to be for a polished Italian chain — safe, accessible, and unlikely to offend anyone. Don't come here chasing discovery, but if you want a glass of Chianti with your pasta in a comfortable setting, it delivers.
Park Place · Irvine · Modern Mexican
Puesto is a fun spot, but the wine list is essentially decorative — five Baja bottles isn't a program, it's a placeholder. Order a mezcal cocktail and revisit this decision when they decide to take wine seriously.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Tustin/Irvine · Irvine · Steakhouse / Seafood
The Winery is a reliable date-night pick for wine drinkers who want something beyond generic and don't mind paying for the atmosphere. We'd want more pricing transparency before calling it a destination, but as a polished local option in Irvine, it's doing the work.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Proper
Irvine Spectrum · Irvine · Steakhouse / New American
Del Frisco's Grille is a reliable wine stop if you know what you're doing and keep expectations tuned to 'comfortable chain steakhouse' rather than 'serious wine destination.' The sommelier presence is real, the list is competent, and a few smart picks — particularly in the whites — reward guests who look past the Rombauer and Whispering Angel.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Irvine · New American / Gastropub
Bosscat is a solid spot for craft cocktails and a good time — the wine list just isn't the reason to come. If you're committed to wine, go Emmolo or Austin Hope and call it a night; everything else is paying a premium for the familiar.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Irvine · California / Casual
Tender Greens puts real care into its food, and that makes the wine list feel like an even bigger letdown — six bottles, no pricing transparency, and zero curiosity. Order the food, drink the water, and come back when they decide the wine program deserves the same attention as the salad.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Irvine · Burger / New American
Eureka built a genuinely solid burger-and-beer concept, and the wine list confirms they know exactly where their priorities lie. Come for the burgers, come for the beer — but if wine matters to you tonight, eat somewhere else.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Logan Square · Chicago · Italian
For a bottle night, start with Thursday's advertised half-price selection. Wednesday's posted four-course menu is $55 with an optional $30 wine pairing, before other charges. The restaurant discloses a 3.75% administrative fee on guest checks; confirm current terms when booking.
Back Bay · Boston · Italian
Keep a white-glass budget below $20 with the posted Bollini or CasalFarneto options. Want reserve Nebbiolo? Compare the $36 Barbaresco with the $46 Barolo after checking pour sizes. Menu-based guidance checked in September 2026; prices and availability can change.
Buckhead · Atlanta · Italian
Cucina Baci earns its place as a reliable neighborhood Italian — the kind of spot where the wine list won't blow your mind but it won't embarrass you either. If you're going for the pizza, the pasta, and the warm room energy, order something Italian and red and let the evening do the work. We'd want a full look at the list before calling it anything more than that.
Plays It Safe
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.
List Variety
Markup
Glassware
Staff
Specials & Deals
Storage & Temp
