Caffe Luna
Downtown Raleigh's Italian anchor delivers the goods
Downtown · Raleigh · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed March 20, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
The wine list at Caffe Luna reads like a love letter to the Italian peninsula — and not the lazy kind that just throws Chianti and Pinot Grigio at you and calls it a day. Fifty-plus selections anchored in Veneto, Friuli, and Lombardia signal that someone here actually thought about what goes with the food. It's not flashy, but it's intentional.
Selection Deep Dive
The list skews white and northern Italian, which makes sense given the menu, and the producers are mostly reliable workhorses rather than trophy names — Bidoli from Friuli, Attems out of Collio, Inama's Soave Classico. The red side of the list gets more interesting as you move up the price ladder: Frescobaldi's Nipozzano Chianti Rufina Riserva and Produttori del Barbaresco both show up, which is a genuine signal of ambition. There are gaps — no serious Barolo, thin on southern Italy — but for a neighborhood Italian in downtown Raleigh, this is a list that earns its keep. The Inzolia/Greciano offering is a small but welcome nod toward something less predictable.
By the Glass
Ten to sixteen pours by the glass at $7.50–$8.50 is a legitimate deal in 2024, especially when the options include the Ca Del Doge Prosecco and the Bidoli Sauvignon Blanc from Friuli rather than just house-brand filler. The glass program doesn't rotate aggressively, which is the one knock — this is a list that stays put rather than one that surprises you on your third visit.
Chianti Rufina Riserva 'Nipozzano', Frescobaldi (Toscana) — $29
Retail on this bottle runs $25, meaning Caffe Luna is only adding 16% — essentially cost-plus pricing. Nipozzano is a serious Riserva with real structure and age, and at $29 you're getting a bottle that drinks well above its price tag. Order this without hesitation.
Soave Classico, Inama (Veneto)
Most people walk past Soave like it's still 1987 and Bolla is the only option. Inama's Classico is a different animal — mineral-driven, structured Garganega from the volcanic hillside zone that proves Soave can be genuinely interesting. At $25 a bottle, it's the kind of wine that makes the table stop talking and actually taste.
Riesling, Chateau Ste. Michelle (Columbia Valley)
A 67% markup on a $12 retail bottle is the one moment Caffe Luna loses the plot. Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling is a fine, mass-market wine — but at $20 on a list otherwise devoted to Italian imports, it sticks out as an afterthought priced like an attraction. Pass.
Greco Bianco, Mastroberardino (Campania) + Ravioli Fiorentina
Mastroberardino's Greco brings bright acidity and a slightly smoky, mineral edge that cuts right through the richness of the spinach and ricotta filling without steamrolling it. It's the kind of pairing that works because both things are doing exactly what they're supposed to do.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Caffe Luna isn't trying to be a wine destination, but it's quietly running one of the fairer and more thoughtful Italian lists in Raleigh. Send a friend here — just steer them toward the Nipozzano and away from the Chateau Ste. Michelle.
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