Christini's Ristorante Italiano
Orlando's Old-School Italian with Serious Tuscan Depth
Dr. Phillips · Orlando · Northern Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed February 27, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
Walking into Christini's feels like stumbling into a Florentine villa someone airlifted to Orlando — complete with strolling musician and roses for the ladies. The wine list matches the old-world ambition: 200+ bottles tilting heavily Italian, with a Piemonte and Tuscany section that could make a somm from Alba weep. This is the rare Orlando spot where the wine program isn't an afterthought to the theme park crowds.
Selection Deep Dive
The Italian focus is surgical — Barolo from Gaja and Pio Cesare, Super Tuscans like Ornellaia and Tignanello, and a Veneto section anchored by Masi's Amarone lineup. There's real depth in Tuscany, with multiple vintages of Brunello and serious allocations from top estates. The New World offerings (Napa, Mendoza) feel like polite gestures to tourists who need familiar ground, but the heart of this list beats in Northern Italy. A few glaring gaps: no natural wine, no orange wine, and the by-the-glass program feels like it was set in 2015 and never revisited.
By the Glass
Six options rotate through predictable Italian crowd-pleasers — think Chianti, Pinot Grigio, and the occasional Barbaresco. Prices run $14-$25, which is fair for stemware pours in white tablecloth territory, but the selection plays it way too safe for a list this deep. We'd love to see them rotate in some of those serious bottles by the glass, even at a premium. The stemware itself is proper — varietal-specific Riedel or Schott Zwiesel that signals they care.
Masi Costasera Amarone della Valpolicella — $110
At $110, this is drinking $40-50 above retail but still a steal for Amarone in a restaurant this fancy. Rich, raisined, built for veal — it's the move if you want to impress without dropping $300 on Barolo.
Castello Banfi Rosa Regale
It's a sweet, sparkling red Brachetto that most diners dismiss as dessert wine, but pair it with their tiramisu or panna cotta and you'll understand why Italians have been doing this for centuries. Under $60 and wildly fun.
Gaja Dagromis Barolo
At $300+, you're paying the Gaja tax in full. It's a beautiful bottle, but the markup here pushes it into 'only if someone else is paying' territory. Pio Cesare's Barolo is half the price and 80% of the experience.
Tignanello + Vitello con Funghi Morel e Aragosta
The Super Tuscan's Sangiovese backbone cuts through the richness of veal and morel mushrooms, while the Cabernet adds structure for the lobster. It's a power pairing for a power dish — both are splurges, but they earn it.
🔥 The Bottom Line
If you want serious Italian wine in Orlando, this is your spot — just brace for country club markups. The list has the depth and the staff knows their stuff, but the lack of innovation (no deals, no rotation, no risks) keeps it from perfection.
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