Italian Comfort With a Respectable Wine Bench
Downtown · Winston Salem · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 25, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Cibo Trattoria’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The list at Cibo Trattoria reads like someone actually thought about it — there's a real Italian backbone here, not just a Chianti and a Barolo slapped on at the end. It's not a deep cellar, but for downtown Winston-Salem, this is a step above what most Italian spots bother to put together. You won't feel embarrassed ordering off it.
Italy does the heavy lifting, with solid representation across Veneto (Soave, Valpolicella), Piedmont (Barbera d'Alba), Sicily (Nero d'Avola), and Abruzzo (Montepulciano) — a thoughtful nod to regional variety that goes well beyond the usual Pinot Grigio-and-Chianti shortcut. California fills out the rest of the bottle list with familiar names like Caymus, Cakebread, and Duckhorn, which will keep the crowd happy but won't win any points for adventurousness. France shows up in bubbles and a Louis Jadot Burgundy, and there are decent cameos from Washington, Oregon, Spain, and Argentina. The gaps are noticeable — no Barolo, no Brunello, no natural wine, nothing truly esoteric — but for a neighborhood Italian in a mid-sized city, the range is honest and functional.
The glass program runs 8-14 options depending on the day, covering sparkling, white, rosé, and red — which is a reasonable spread. You'll find workhorses like Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio and Meiomi Pinot Noir doing their usual crowd-pleasing thing, alongside more interesting pours like the Demarie Barbera d'Alba Superiore if you know to ask for it. Rotation doesn't appear to be aggressive, so don't expect surprises week to week.
Demarie Barbera d'Alba Superiore — $12–$15 (estimated glass pour)
Barbera d'Alba at this quality tier — fruit-forward, food-friendly, with real Piedmontese character — routinely gets overlooked next to the Caymus crowd. Demarie is a legit producer and this is the kind of wine that actually belongs on an Italian table.
Venturini Massimino Valpolicella Classico
Most guests walk right past Valpolicella Classico to grab a Cab, which is a mistake here. Venturini Massimino is a serious Veneto producer, and a proper Classico — not Ripasso, not Amarone — is the right call with pastas and anything tomato-based. It's the most Italian thing on the list and nobody orders it.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
Caymus is everywhere, it's marked up everywhere, and at an Italian trattoria it's the least interesting wine you could possibly choose. You're paying a premium for a brand name that has nothing to do with the food on the table. Order literally anything Italian on this list instead.
Venturini Massimino Valpolicella Classico + Zucchine De Involtini
Valpolicella Classico's bright cherry fruit and tangy acidity cut right through the ricotta and play off the tomato sauce without overwhelming the delicate zucchini. It's a regional match — Veneto wine, Italian technique — and it actually makes sense on the plate.
The Bottom Line
Cibo Trattoria isn't going to blow a wine geek's mind, but it's doing more than most Italian spots in Winston-Salem bother to do — and if you order smart, you'll drink well. Stick to the Italian side of the list and you'll leave happy.
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Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
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Basic Stemmed
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Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
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Proper
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Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Small but Thoughtful
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Basic Stemmed
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Acceptable
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Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
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Proper
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Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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Plays It Safe
Steep
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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