Dependable Italian Anchor With a Decent Cellar
· La Crosse · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · September 14, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Ciatti's Italian Grill’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
Ciatti's hands you a 69-bottle list at a mid-range Italian grill in La Crosse, and the first thing you notice is that it's actually trying. This isn't a laminated afterthought — there's structure here, with whites organized by grape and a real attempt to cover Italian heritage alongside California crowd-pleasers. It's not ambitious, but it's not lazy either.
The white wine lineup is where Ciatti's puts its energy, and it shows — three Pinot Grigios alone, from the budget-friendly Folonari at $26 up through the reliably solid Santa Margherita at $44. There's a genuinely nice nod to local producers with Wollersheim Winery showing up twice (White Riesling and Prairie Fumé), which is a smart regional move that earns some goodwill. The Ruffino Orvieto Classico at $28 is exactly the right Italian white for this kind of restaurant, and the Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc/Viognier at $32 adds a little curve ball. The list doesn't push into serious Italian reds or anything that would make a collector's pulse quicken, but for a neighborhood Italian in Wisconsin, it's covering the bases without embarrassing itself.
Twenty-one by-the-glass options is a generous pour for a restaurant at this level — that's nearly a third of the entire list available by the stem. The price range of $5–$9 a glass is refreshingly honest for 2024 and means you can actually explore without flinching at the check. Rotation appears limited (no evidence of a seasonal program), but the sheer count keeps things from feeling stagnant.
Wollersheim White Riesling — $25
A Wisconsin-grown Riesling at $25 that supports a local producer and drinks well with pasta or lighter dishes — this is exactly the kind of under-the-radar pick that makes a list interesting. Skip the mass-market imports and go local.
Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc/Viognier
Most tables at an Italian grill will default straight to Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay and never notice this blend sitting at $32. It's a more interesting glass — floral, slightly textured, and genuinely food-friendly in a way the safe picks aren't.
Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio
At $44 a bottle, you're paying mostly for the brand. Santa Margherita is fine, but it's a restaurant menu staple propped up by name recognition, and the Maso Canali at $40 or even Bertani Due Uve at $36 give you a more interesting glass for less money.
Ruffino Orvieto Classico + Pasta with cream or white wine sauce
Orvieto's gentle acidity and slight nuttiness are built for the kind of butter-and-white-wine pasta sauces that anchor a menu like this — it cuts through the richness without fighting the dish.
The Bottom Line
Ciatti's isn't going to make anyone's wine pilgrimage list, but it's a genuinely solid neighborhood Italian with fair prices, a thoughtful white wine program, and a local Wisconsin producer on the list. Send a friend here for dinner and they won't be stuck drinking swill.
· La Crosse · Upscale American
Pogreba's wine list is a well-intentioned, Napa-centric lineup that serves its room without taking many risks — and in La Crosse, Wisconsin, that's probably the right call. Send a friend here if they want a reliable bottle at a fair price; tell the adventurous drinker to order the Riesling and stop overthinking it.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· La Crosse · Bar & American Fare
The Old Crow is a bar first, and the wine list is an afterthought — a short, safe, supermarket-shelf lineup that'll do the job if you absolutely need a glass of something. Order a beer or a cocktail instead; this is not your wine destination.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· La Crosse · Coffee House & Wine Bar
JavaVino is La Crosse's most charming low-stakes wine stop — not because the list is ambitious, but because the pricing is honest and the whole thing feels genuinely unpretentious. Send a friend here for an afternoon glass and a coffee chaser, not a serious bottle-list deep dive.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Cass Street Historic District · La Crosse · French and European Fine Dining
Le Chateau is a genuinely lovely place to eat, and the wine list has flashes of good instinct — the Ott Rosé, the Vouvray, the Loire focus. But unnamed producers, punishing markups on the house selections, and a static list hold it back from being a real wine destination. Order the Domaines Ott, skip the Malbec, and let the room do most of the heavy lifting.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · La Crosse · Cocktail & Wine Lounge
Come for the live music, come for the cocktails — but don't come for the wine list. The pricing is fair enough that ordering a glass won't sting, but the selection gives you almost nothing to get excited about.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown/Riverside · La Crosse · Steakhouse and Seafood, American Fine Dining
The Freighthouse won't blow any wine geeks away, but it's a fair, unpretentious list that does its job well in the context of a classic American steakhouse — and that port selection is a genuine reason to linger. If you're in La Crosse and want something reliable with your prime rib, you could do a lot worse.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Biloxi · Italian
Salute's wine list is a placeholder, not a program — safe brands, steep markups on the top end, and zero sense that anyone consulted an Italian wine map before printing the menu. Order the Chianti, skip the La Crema, and don't expect the staff to steer you anywhere interesting.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Harrisburg · Italian
Momo's is a pizzeria with a wine list that would embarrass some Italian restaurants with actual tablecloths — fair prices, real producers, and the uncommon generosity of offering everything by the glass. If you're in Harrisburg and want a good bottle with your pie, this is where you go.
Surprising Depth
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Coeur d'Alene · Italian
Tony's on the Lake is a solid wine list in a beautiful room — not a destination for serious wine hunting, but a reliable companion to a good Italian meal with a lake view. If you're going on a Thursday, pay attention to what's on special before you sit down.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
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