Santa Barbara Meets the Boot, Reliably
Downtown Solvang · Solvang · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 27, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Cecco Ristorante’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Cecco lands exactly where you'd expect from a casual trattoria sitting in the middle of wine country — Italian classics sharing space with local Santa Barbara pours. It's not trying to be a wine bar, and it doesn't pretend to be. What it does do is give you enough to work with for a good meal.
The list runs 40 to 70 labels and splits its attention sensibly between Italian imports and Santa Ynez Valley locals. You've got Antinori anchoring the Tuscan side and Banfi's Brunello representing the serious end of the Italian shelf. The Santa Barbara Sangiovese selections are a smart nod to the region — this valley actually grows the grape well, and seeing it here alongside its Italian counterparts gives the list some genuine coherence. Gaps show up in white wine depth and anything outside Italy or California, but for the cuisine, that's forgivable.
Eight to fourteen options by the glass is a respectable range for a trattoria at this price point. Prices run $12 to $20, which is fair for Solvang wine country territory. The rotation doesn't appear to change much, so don't expect to find something new on your third visit.
Local Santa Barbara Sangiovese — $14
Santa Ynez Valley Sangiovese punches above its price tag in this context — it's grown in a region that genuinely suits the grape, and drinking it with wood-fired pizza in Solvang is the right call at the right price.
Antinori Chianti Classico
Most tables at a casual Italian spot gravitate toward California reds out of habit, but the Antinori Chianti Classico is the move here — structured enough for the pastas, familiar enough to not feel like a risk, and one of the more honest bottles on the list.
Banfi Brunello di Montalcino
The Brunello sits at the top of the price range and it's a fine bottle in the right setting, but Cecco's casual trattoria vibe doesn't do it any favors. You're not in a room built for a $90+ Brunello — save it for somewhere that'll let it breathe properly.
Local Santa Barbara Sangiovese + Wood-fired pizza
Sangiovese's high acid and tomato-friendly tannins were basically engineered for pizza — and the local Santa Barbara version brings enough fruit and earth to hold its own against the char and smoke coming out of that wood-fired oven.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Cecco isn't a destination for the wine list, but it's not an afterthought either. If you're in Solvang and want a solid glass of local Sangiovese with a wood-fired pizza without overthinking it, this place has you covered.
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