Great Italian List, But Bring Your Wallet
Old Bellevue · Bellevue · Italian (Tuscan-inspired) · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 1, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Cantinetta Bellevue’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Cantinetta Bellevue is exactly what you'd hope for in a candlelit neighborhood Italian spot — compact, curated, and unapologetically Italian. No Napa Cab cameos, no token rosé from who-knows-where. Just a focused tour through the peninsula's best regions, which we respect.
The list leans hard into Piedmont and Tuscany, and that's a choice we can get behind. You've got Produttori del Barbaresco representing the Langhe's serious side, Rocca di Montegrossi doing honest Chianti Classico work, and a Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna Rosso that signals someone on staff actually cares about Sicily. The Avignonesi Vino Nobile rounds out a Tuscan section that covers its bases without padding the list with filler. Gaps exist — there's essentially nothing from Campania, Friuli gets a single nod via Livio Felluga, and the Veneto is largely absent — but for a restaurant this size, the hits outnumber the misses.
Around 10–14 pours by the glass at $12–$18 is a reasonable spread for a room this size. We'd like to see more rotation — the list reads like it doesn't change much season to season — but the options that are there are legitimate, not just house-pour filler. If the Planeta La Segreta Bianco makes it onto the glass list, grab it before you look at the bottle price.
Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco DOCG — $95
At 73% over retail, this is the least aggressive markup on the list and Produttori is one of the most reliable co-ops in all of Piedmont. For serious Nebbiolo in a restaurant setting, $95 is a reasonable ask.
Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna Rosso
Most tables here are going straight for the Chianti or the Barbaresco, which means the Terre Nere Etna Rosso gets overlooked. That's a mistake. Nerello Mascalese from the slopes of a volcano is unlike anything else on this list — lighter than you'd expect, with a wild, smoky edge that works beautifully with anything wood-grilled.
Planeta La Segreta Bianco
A perfectly fine wine that retails around $18 marked up to $48 — a 167% bump. La Segreta is a solid everyday Sicilian white, but at nearly $50 a bottle it's doing a job above its pay grade. Order it by the glass if it's available, or skip it entirely.
Rocca di Montegrossi Chianti Classico + House-made tagliatelle Bolognese
Sangiovese and slow-cooked meat ragu is one of the least controversial pairings in the world, and Rocca di Montegrossi makes a Chianti Classico with enough acidity and structure to cut through the richness without overwhelming handmade pasta. This is the order.
The Bottom Line
Cantinetta Bellevue gets the Italian wine thing right in terms of curation — the producers are real, the regions are honest, and the list has a genuine point of view. The markups, however, are doing the list no favors, and without an active specials program or a sommelier steering the ship, you're on your own to navigate it.
Old Bellevue · Bellevue · Wine Bar
Valentina's is a genuinely pleasant neighborhood wine bar that earns its place in Old Bellevue — it's not breaking ground, but it's doing the basics with intention. Send a friend here for a date night glass; just don't expect a rabbit hole of discovery.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Bellevue · American
13 Coins Bellevue earns its Wild Card badge by being a late-night diner that actually cares enough about wine to stock a geographically diverse list — not groundbreaking, but genuinely unexpected for the format. If Sunday happy hour is your move, this place becomes a legitimately fun spot to drink Washington wine over a Caesar salad at 11pm, which is a sentence we didn't think we'd be writing.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Downtown Bellevue · Bellevue · Hotel Lounge
BBellevue is the rare hotel bar that makes a real effort with wine, and it shows in the curation — Pacific Northwest producers, an orange pét-nat, and a Nebbiolo that shouldn't be this affordable. Markups are steep in places and the list won't change your life, but for a lobby bar in Bellevue, this is genuinely worth a stop.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Bellevue · Brazilian Steakhouse
Novilhos isn't a wine destination, but it's a fair, functional list that respects your wallet and doesn't embarrass itself next to the meat. Order the Rioja, finish with Port, and let the churrasco do the heavy lifting.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Bellevue · Steakhouse
STK Bellevue is a reliable place to drink wine you already know at prices you'd rather not think about. If you're entertaining clients or celebrating something and need a list that won't confuse anyone, it gets the job done — just don't come here looking for discovery.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Mercato Stellina is a pizza spot that accidentally built a wine list worth talking about — the Italian backbone is legit, the Washington State picks are well-chosen, and the pricing is honest. If you're expecting a deep white or sparkling program you'll be disappointed, but for a Nebbiolo or a Syrah with your Neapolitan, this place delivers.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Kirkland · Kirkland · Italian (Tuscan-inspired)
Volterra is a reliable date-night Italian with a wine list that leans into its Tuscan identity and mostly delivers — just expect to pay a bit over the odds for the privilege. Send your friends here if they want Brunello and boar; tell them to skip the Tignanello unless someone else is buying.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Green Valley Ranch · Henderson · Italian (Tuscan-inspired)
Bottiglia is a genuinely pleasant place to drink wine if you're strategic about it — lean on the Thursday or Monday half-price promotions, skip the commodity bottles, and chase the Jordan or the Riesling. At full price and full markup, too much of this list is a resort tax disguised as an enoteca.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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