Roman roots, Wisconsin address, no complaints
Downtown · Madison · Modern Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed March 30, 2026
Wingman Metrics
A 150-label list at a modern Italian spot in Madison is a genuinely pleasant surprise — this isn't a pasta joint that phoned in six bottles from a distributor catalog. The Italian backbone is strong, with Piemonte and Tuscany doing the heavy lifting, and there's enough California and Oregon on the edges to keep the table happy without turning the list into a geography lesson.
Cento leans into its Italian identity without making the list feel like a homework assignment. Piemonte shows up properly — the Pertinace Nebbiolo from Langhe signals someone actually thought about this — and Sicily and Friuli get their due alongside the expected Tuscan crowd-pleasers. The Scarpetta Pinot Grigio from Friuli is a smart inclusion over the usual supermarket-tier options, and the fact that Oregon gets a seat at the table via the Chehalem Rosé suggests the list builder isn't allergic to the new world. Gaps exist — you're not finding deep Burgundy or esoteric Jura here — but for a restaurant-focused Italian program, the coverage is honest and well-considered.
Twenty-plus by-the-glass options at $9–$18 is a solid spread, and the range hits most of what you'd want across a Roman-inflected meal. The Bisol 'Jeio' Prosecco Rosé by the glass is a smart aperitivo move, and having the Turley 'Juvenile' Zinfandel available as a pour puts genuine California character in reach without committing to a bottle. Rotation isn't confirmed as active, but with this many options, there's enough to work with on any given visit.
Pertinace Nebbiolo 2023 Langhe — $36–$88 range
Langhe Nebbiolo consistently over-delivers for the price category — it's baby Barolo energy without the markup. At a list that tops out around $88, landing this producer is the move for the table ordering the braised meat or housemade pasta.
Scarpetta Pinot Grigio 2023 Friuli
Most people see Pinot Grigio and mentally check out, expecting thin, watery nothing. Friuli-based Scarpetta is the counterargument — it's textural, actually tastes like somewhere, and makes the people who write off the grape look bad.
Zardetto 'Private Cuvée' Brut Prosecco NV Valdobbiadene
Zardetto is fine, but when the Bisol 'Jeio' Prosecco Rosé is sitting right next to it, there's no reason to default to the commodity pour. Spend the same money and drink something more interesting.
Turley 'Juvenile' Zinfandel 2023 Napa Valley + Wood-fired housemade pasta
Turley's Juvenile is bright and fruit-forward without being a jam bomb — that energy cuts through rich, wood-fired char beautifully and doesn't bulldoze fresh pasta the way a heavier Zin would.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Cento is the Italian restaurant wine list Madison deserves — well-sourced, fairly priced, and staffed by someone who clearly gives a damn. Send your friends here; they'll order better wine than they expected to.
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
Leawood · Overland Park · Modern Italian
North Italia Overland Park is a reliable place to eat well and drink adequately — just don't come here expecting the wine list to surprise you. Order the Santa Cristina, eat the pasta, and have a good time.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
National Landing / Crystal City · Arlington · Modern Italian
Corso is a dependable Italian wine list in a neighborhood that could easily get away with doing much less — it doesn't dazzle, but it doesn't disappoint either. If the Wednesday half-price bottle rumor holds up when you call ahead, it might just tip into genuinely great value territory.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Legacy West · Plano · Modern Italian
North Italia Plano is a perfectly functional wine stop that the Sunday half-price bottle deal quietly turns into something worth planning around. Come any other night and you're paying for the atmosphere as much as what's in the glass.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
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