Columbus's Italian wine obsession hiding in plain sight
German Village · Columbus · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Updated September 2026
Reviewed April 21, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Cento’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You walk into Cento expecting a nice neighborhood Italian spot and you get ambushed — in the best way — by a wine list that could hold its own in a major market. This is not the Chianti-and-Pinot-Grigio laminated card you were bracing for. Somebody here cares deeply about Italian wine, and it shows immediately.
The list runs 150-250 bottles and stays almost entirely Italian, which sounds limiting until you realize Italy has more grape varieties than most countries have zip codes. Barolo alone earns its own serious section, with Giacomo Conterno and Bruno Giacosa representing the old-guard traditionalist side of the Langhe. Brunello di Montalcino gets proper treatment with Biondi-Santi and Casanova di Neri on the same list — a flex most Italian restaurants in a mid-market city wouldn't attempt. Super Tuscans like Sassicaia and Ornellaia round things out at the top end, while Chianti Classico Riserva from Antinori and Fonterutoli gives you something to drink without taking out a second mortgage.
Twenty to thirty-five options by the glass is a serious commitment — that's not a wine list, that's a program. We'd expect to find Vermentino and Greco di Tufo pouring alongside some of the Chianti Classico and possibly rotating red picks, giving the table a real chance to explore without committing to a bottle. That said, we don't have confirmed rotation data, so treat the glass selection as a strong starting point rather than a guaranteed adventure.
Chianti Classico Riserva — Fonterutoli — $40–$70 range
Fonterutoli consistently punches above its price in the Chianti Classico Riserva tier — structured, age-worthy, and genuinely exciting with the kind of food Cento serves. It's the move when you want something that feels serious without the Barolo price tag.
Greco di Tufo
Most tables walk past the white section straight to the big reds, but Greco di Tufo is the sleeper here. It has the texture and grip to handle rich pasta and antipasti and it's rarely seen on Columbus wine lists. Order it and feel slightly superior to everyone else in the room.
Sassicaia
Look, it's great wine — we're not disputing that. But Sassicaia is the most recognized Super Tuscan name on the planet, which means restaurants price it accordingly. You'll pay a significant premium for the label recognition here when Ornellaia or one of the Chianti Classico Riserva bottles will give you a more honest drinking experience for the money.
Brunello di Montalcino — Casanova di Neri + Osso buco
Casanova di Neri's Brunello has the dark fruit depth and acidity to cut through the richness of braised veal shank without bullying the dish. It's a classic Tuscan match — slow-cooked meat, earthy wine, everyone at the table suddenly very quiet.
The Bottom Line
Cento is the rare Columbus restaurant where the wine list is a genuine reason to go, not just a footnote to the pasta. Matthew Selva's Italian-focused program earned its Wine Spectator nod honestly — send your wine-curious friends here without hesitation.
Columbus · Columbus · Spanish, Catalan
Barcelona has been earning its Wine Spectator Award of Excellence since 2005, and the list holds up — serious Spanish producers, fair prices, and enough glass pours to drink well across a full tapas spread. For Columbus, this is genuinely the best Spanish wine program in the room.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Easton Town Center · Columbus · Steak House
Mastro's Columbus is a trophy-wine steakhouse doing what trophy-wine steakhouses do — and doing it well enough to earn a Wine Spectator credential in its first year. If you're celebrating something, drinking California cab with a great steak, and not particularly interested in venturing off the map, this list will absolutely deliver.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Columbus · Columbus · American, Steakhouse
Jeff Ruby's is doing the steakhouse wine list right — deep cellar, Wine Spectator credentials, and enough California firepower to keep any red wine drinker busy all night. Bring your appetite for both the ribeye and the markup, because this room doesn't apologize for either.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Columbus · Columbus · American, Asian
Agni is the best wine list in Columbus most people haven't had a reason to talk about yet — until now. With two sommeliers, a 300–500 bottle program, and a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence already in its first year, send your friends here and tell them to skip the Caymus.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
Downtown · Columbus · Italian
Due Amici isn't a destination wine list, but it's honest, fairly priced, and hides a surprisingly thoughtful dessert wine program that most tables never discover. Send a friend here for dinner — just make sure they order something from the back of the list.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Acceptable
German Village · Columbus · Modern American
South Village Grille isn't trying to be a wine destination, but the pricing alone makes it worth ordering a second glass — or a third. If you're in German Village and want honest pours at prices that don't punish you for being there, this is your spot.
Solid Range
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Virginia-Highland · Decatur · Italian
La Tavola deserves a real wine list — the food and the room both demand one. Right now, five bottles with no reds and no whites is a disservice to a kitchen that's clearly cooking at a higher level than the wine program suggests. Order the Ca' Del Bosco if you're drinking wine, and hope they overhaul this list before your next visit.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Harrisburg · Italian
Mangia Qui is a genuinely appealing spot — the food, the room, and the service cadence all point toward a place that takes the dining experience seriously. The Italian wine focus is the right instinct for this kitchen, and duck confit with a solid Tuscan red is exactly what this kind of room should be delivering. We just don't have enough confirmed wine list detail yet to tell you whether to come for the bottle or stick to the food. Worth a visit — ask your server what's good on the wine list and see what happens.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Eugene · Italian
Excelsior Inn Ristorante has the bones of a solid wine destination — Italian-focused list, upscale setting, food that deserves a proper bottle — but we can't fully vouch for it until the wine program is better documented. If you're heading there for a special occasion, ask your server what's drinking well from the Italian side and what they're pouring locally from Oregon; a restaurant this thoughtful about atmosphere usually has at least one or two right answers.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
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.
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