Neighborhood Italian With Serious Wine Credentials
Alpharetta · Alpharetta · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 13, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Casa Nuova sits in a strip mall on Atlanta Highway, and yes, you almost drive past it — but the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence hanging near the host stand stops you cold. This is not your average neighborhood red-sauce spot. Someone here actually cares about what's in the bottle.
The list leans into its Italian identity hard, which is exactly right for a restaurant of this name and pedigree. California and France round things out, keeping the occasional Chardonnay loyalist or Bordeaux devotee from feeling stranded. With a credentialed sommelier — Pepe Fundora — running the program, the selections feel deliberate rather than default. The Award of Excellence, held since 2023, signals a list that Wine Spectator's team found genuinely worth endorsing across Italy, California, and France.
Specific by-the-glass options weren't available at time of review, but with Fundora steering the ship, we'd expect a rotating short list anchored by Italian pours. Worth asking what's open — a good sommelier usually has something interesting breathing behind the bar.
Not available — insufficient pricing data — N/A
We weren't able to confirm specific bottle prices at time of review. Ask Pepe — that's literally his job and by all accounts he's approachable about it.
Not available — insufficient list data
With a focus on Italy and a real sommelier on staff, there's almost certainly something from a lesser-known southern Italian or Sicilian producer hiding on this list. Ask what's underordered.
Not available — insufficient list data
We can't call out a specific bottle without confirmed pricing, but at any Italian restaurant with this kind of markup exposure, the California Cabernet is almost always the least interesting value play on the list.
Not available — insufficient data + Not available — menu data not confirmed
Specific dish and wine pairings require confirmed menu and list data we don't have at time of review.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Casa Nuova is the rare strip-mall Italian that earns its Wine Spectator credential — with Pepe Fundora on staff and a focused Italy-California-France list, it punches well above its Alpharetta zip code. Make a reservation, skip the wine list anxiety, and just ask the sommelier what to drink.
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Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
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Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
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Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Solid Range
Steep
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.