Downtown Madison's Italian wine anchor does right
Downtown · Madison · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Updated July 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · March 28, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Cento’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Walking into Cento, the room earns its atmosphere — stained glass, mosaic tile, brick walls — and the wine list follows suit. It's composed and deliberate, not a dump of 200 crowd-pleasers. At 150 labels with a sommelier on staff, someone here actually cares.
The list leans Italian, as it should, but doesn't stop there — Oregon and California get real representation, and France shows up with some personality via the Burgundy-sourced orange wine from Arnaud Combier. The Umbrian Castello di Titignano 'Turlo' signals they're shopping beyond Chianti and Barolo clichés, which is a good sign. Bottle prices topping out around $72 keep this accessible without feeling cheap. The gaps are minor — you'd want more depth in southern Italian reds and maybe a few more natural or lower-intervention options — but this isn't a list that embarrasses the kitchen.
Twenty-plus pours by the glass is genuinely impressive for a mid-size restaurant, and the $13–$18 range is reasonable for a downtown dinner spot. The selection spans Prosecco on tap to orange wine to Zinfandel, so you're not stuck choosing between Pinot Grigio and Cab. That Arnaud Combier orange showing up by the glass is the real tell — someone built this list with intention.
Castello di Titignano 'Turlo' 2022, Umbria — $40–$72 range
Umbrian reds at this price point almost always punch above their weight, and Titignano is a serious producer. If this bottle is sitting at the lower end of Cento's range, it's the move — terroir-driven Italian red without the Tuscany tax.
Arnaud Combier 'Vents Contraires' Orange 2022, Burgundy
Most tables at an Italian restaurant are going to walk right past an orange wine from Burgundy — which means more for you. Combier's 'Vents Contraires' is the kind of unexpected pour that makes a meal memorable. Order it before your tablemates even know what's happening.
Turley 'Juvenile' Zinfandel 2023, Napa Valley
Turley makes fine wine, but 'Juvenile' is Turley's entry-level label — widely distributed and easy to find at retail. If the markup here is in line with the rest of the list you might be okay, but this is the bottle where restaurants tend to lean on brand recognition and pad the margin. Check the price against what you'd pay at a wine shop before committing.
Donna Laura 'Ali' Rosato 2024, Tuscany + Crispy Pork Belly
A dry Tuscan rosato has the acidity to cut through pork belly's fat and the fruit weight to stand up to the richness. This isn't a delicate salmon rosé situation — 'Ali' has enough structure to make the pairing work without getting steamrolled.
The Bottom Line
Cento is the kind of Italian restaurant that actually respects wine — fair prices, a sommelier who built a list with some range and risk, and twenty-plus glass pours that go well beyond the obvious. If you're eating downtown Madison and you care what's in your glass, this is where you should be.
South West Side / Arbor Gate · Madison · Contemporary American
Bonfyre is a reliable neighborhood grill that happens to have Wine Down Wednesday, and that promotion does more for this wine program than anything on the list itself. Come on a Wednesday, order the Riesling or the Malbec with your steak, and you'll leave happy — just don't expect the list to dazzle you on a Tuesday.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Downtown / Capitol Square · Madison · Sushi / Japanese
Red Sushi isn't a wine destination, and it doesn't pretend to be — but the fortified and dessert options give it more credibility than most comparable spots downtown. Come for the sushi, stay for the Madeira.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Far West Side / Greenway Station · Madison · Casual Italian
Biaggi's is a chain, the markups are steep, and nobody on staff is going to geek out over Nebbiolo with you — but the Wine Wednesday promotion (50% off bottles $75 and under) genuinely changes the math. Come on a Wednesday, order a bottle of Santa Margherita or a Chianti Classico at half price, and you'll have a perfectly solid dinner without any regrets.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Downtown · Madison · Seafood and Steak
Tempest is a reliable downtown option for wine with your oysters — the list has genuine highlights and the glass count is respectable, but the markups are steep and the program isn't pushing itself. Go for the Sancerre, go for the Riesling, and don't overthink it.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Side / Junction Road · Madison · Wine Bar & Bistro
Eno Vino West is the dependable neighborhood wine bar Madison's west side needs — not flashy, not adventurous, but genuinely well-stocked and fairly priced. Show up on a Monday or Tuesday, grab a half-price bottle, and stop overthinking it.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Near West Side / Monroe Street · Madison · Californian-style, veggie-forward American
Everly's list is more thoughtful than most neighborhood spots its size, with a few genuinely exciting bottles mixed in with the safe pours. We'd send a friend here for wine, but we'd tell them to go in with eyes open on the markup — you're paying a premium for the atmosphere as much as what's in the glass.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Decatur · Decatur · Italian
Sotto Sotto is a genuinely Italian wine list in a city that usually settles for Italian-American approximations — the Timorasso, the Lambrusco di Sorbara, the Franciacorta all signal real intent. The glass program is accessible, markups are reasonable, and the bubbles section alone justifies a visit. If you want depth across all of Italy, you'll hit the edges fast at 68 labels, but what's here is well-chosen. Send a friend who likes to drink something they've never heard of.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Decatur · Decatur · Italian
BoccaLupo is the kind of Italian wine list that makes you realize how lazy most Italian restaurant wine lists are. Fair pricing, genuine range, and a by-the-glass program that rewards exploration over habit — this is a list worth your attention. If you're the kind of person who orders Verdicchio or Furmint on a Tuesday night in Decatur, this place already knows you're coming.
Surprising Depth
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Henderson · Italian
Trattoria Italia is clearly a restaurant that cares about its food and its room — the vodka rigatoni and seafood linguine have fans, and the vibe earns its date-night reputation. But the wine program is an afterthought at best, and at a price point where you'd expect at least a thoughtful Italian-focused list, four labels feels like a real missed opportunity. Order a cocktail or bring your own if corkage is an option — and check before you go.
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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