Chain Italian, Chain Wine, No Surprises
· Newport News · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed September 9, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Carrabba's Italian Grill – Newport News’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Carrabba's Newport News reads like someone handed a corporate buyer a list of the ten most-recognizable labels in America and said 'get all of them.' It's inoffensive, predictable, and clearly designed to sell bottles to people who already know what they want before they sit down. There's nothing here to discover.
Fifty-two labels sounds decent until you realize half the list is Pinot Grigio in four different price tiers — Ecco Domani at the entry point, Lumina and Estancia in the middle, and Santa Margherita at $46 as the 'fancy' option. The Italian representation is thin and generic: a Gabbiano Chianti, a couple of TerraMare house pours, and a Bocelli Prosecco. The rest is a familiar parade of American grocery-store staples — Kendall-Jackson, Kim Crawford, Clos du Bois, Copper Ridge. There's no depth here, no regional curiosity, no producer worth seeking out.
Forty-four by-the-glass options sounds impressive, but this is a chain running a highly standardized pour program — every bottle on the list is essentially available by the glass. Prices run $6.79 to $11.59 a glass, which tracks with typical chain markups that hit 3-4x retail on recognizable labels. Don't expect any rotation or seasonal surprises; what's listed today is what was listed six months ago.
TerraMare Bianco — $27
As the house white, it's the lowest bottle price on the list and probably the least marked-up. It's not exciting, but if you're here and you want wine with dinner, this is the move — don't spend more chasing a better version of the same thing.
Joel Gott Unoaked Chardonnay
Everything else at this price point on the list is either sweet or drowning in oak. The Joel Gott Unoaked at $42 is overpriced for what it is, but it's genuinely the most food-friendly white on the menu — clean, crisp, and it won't fight with a tomato-based sauce the way a buttery KJ would.
Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio
At $46 a bottle, you're paying a massive premium for a name that's been coasting on its reputation since the '90s. This is a $14 retail bottle priced like it's a special occasion wine. It's not. Save the money.
Gabbiano Chianti + Chicken Bryan
Chianti's bright acidity and light cherry fruit cut through the richness of the goat cheese and lemon butter sauce without overwhelming the chicken. It's the one pairing on this list that actually makes sense geographically and texturally — Italian wine with Italian-ish food, doing what it's supposed to do.
The Bottom Line
Carrabba's wine list does exactly what a chain wine list does: it keeps people comfortable and keeps margins high. If you're here for a business dinner or a family birthday, order the TerraMare house pour and move on — but don't come here expecting wine to be part of the experience.
· Newport News · Chinese
P.F. Chang's Newport News doesn't take wine seriously, and the two-bottle list makes that plain. The $6 price point softens the blow, but if wine matters to your meal, you're better off sticking to the cocktail menu or a cold Tsingtao. We wouldn't steer anyone here for the wine program.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
City Center · Newport News · Hotel Restaurant / New American
Latitudes won't inspire any wine lists of its own, but it's honest about what it is: a competent hotel wine program priced fairly enough that you won't feel gouged when the check arrives. If you're here for dinner, grab the Arcturos Riesling or the Campuget Rosé, avoid The Prisoner's markup, and pair wisely with the seafood. It does the job.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Newport News · American Bistro
This isn't a wine list in the traditional sense — it's a producer showcase, and Second Street leans into it with a multi-course dinner format. If you're into Napa and trust the Spoto brand, it's a worthwhile evening; if you wanted options, you're out of luck.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
· Newport News · American
Cheddar's is a casual comfort-food chain, and the wine list reflects exactly that level of ambition — none. Order a beer or a cocktail and save the wine conversation for somewhere that wants to have it.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Newport News · Steakhouse / Cocktail Bar
Steak & Tonic is a genuinely surprising find for Newport News — the wine ambitions outpace most steakhouses in its weight class, even if the execution can wobble and the pricing likely skews steep. It earns the Wild Card badge because it's the kind of place you walk into expecting a cocktail and walk out talking about the wine list.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Newport News · Wine Bar
Vino Noir Social isn't trying to be a Burgundy deep-dive — it's trying to be a good time in Newport News, and at these prices with a fully by-the-glass list, it mostly delivers. Send a friend who's still exploring wine and wants a low-stakes, affordable night out.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Vinings · Vinings · Italian
Cotto is doing more with a 51-bottle list than most Italian restaurants do with twice as many labels — the Italian whites alone make this worth a visit for anyone tired of the same old Pinot Grigio rut. The markup is fair, the by-the-glass program is genuinely generous, and the presence of bottles like the Bocale Trebbiano Spoletino signals real intent. We'd send a friend here and tell them to skip the Santa Margherita and work their way through the Vermentinos instead.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Italian
Tavola Trattoria's wine program is five bottles deep and priced without apology — $101 for a Saracco Moscato is the kind of markup that makes you consider ordering water and going wine shopping after dinner. The list has no still wines at all, which is a strange call for an Italian restaurant. Order a cocktail or ask if they have a corkage policy, because this wine list isn't doing you any favors.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Italian
La Tavola is an Italian restaurant with a five-bottle wine list that stops at sparkling and rosé — no reds, no whites, no depth whatsoever. The pricing on what's there is difficult to justify. Unless you came specifically for Lambrusco or Franciacorta, you're better off calling ahead to ask about corkage.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
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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