Italian Comfort With a Respectable Wine Bench
Downtown · Winston Salem · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 25, 2026
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.
Reynolda / North Winston-Salem · Winston Salem · Upscale American
Graylyn Estate is a genuinely beautiful place to have dinner, but the wine list is an afterthought in a room that deserves intention. Order the sea bass, grab the La Crema, and try not to think too hard about what this list could have been.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Clemmons · Winston Salem · New American
Sixty Vines is a solid, reliable wine stop in Winston-Salem — the by-the-glass breadth is real and the staff knows their stuff, but the list reads like a greatest hits album rather than anything adventurous. Come for the volume, stay for the pizza, but don't expect to have your mind changed about wine.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown · Winston Salem · Indian
Oh' Calcutta's wine list is unremarkable on its own — but Tuesday nights flip the script entirely, and a $19 Pinot Noir with lamb vindaloo is a genuinely good time. Come for the food, plan around Tuesday, and don't overthink it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Downtown · Winston Salem · American
Cin Cin isn't a wine destination, and it doesn't pretend to be — but Wednesday half-price wine all day on bottles and glasses turns a generic list into a genuinely good deal with a burger in hand. Show up any other night of the week and order a beer.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Brookstown · Winston Salem · Italian
Quanto Basta punches above its weight for a mid-size Southern city Italian spot — the Italian-focused list is thoughtful, the prices are fair, and Thursday half-price bottles make it one of the best weekly wine deals in Winston-Salem. Come hungry, come on a Thursday, and order the Falanghina.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Silas Creek Pkwy · Winston Salem · Japanese / Sushi
Umi is a fun hibachi night out, and the wine pricing is honestly fairer than it has any right to be — but the list itself is an afterthought, and no amount of fair markup fixes a selection that's two bottles deep in personality. Order sake, or a cocktail, and come back to us when they add a Grüner Veltliner.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Toledo / Reynolds Corner · Toledo · Italian
There's one reason to come here for wine: Thursday. Half-price bottles on a standing weekly basis is a genuinely good deal, especially on the Santa Margherita. Any other night, the markups are steep and the list doesn't justify them.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
West Toledo/Monroe Street · Toledo · Italian
Carrabba's Toledo isn't a destination for wine — but it's not an embarrassment either. The Ruffino Chianti Classico alone earns its keep, and if you stick to the Italian side of the list, you'll drink reasonably well without drama.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
La Jolla · Chula Vista · Italian
Marisi is a reliable Italian wine list with genuine ambition hiding behind a steep markup structure — the producers are right, the regions are right, but you'll pay for the privilege. Go for the Produttori Barbaresco and the Pre-Phylloxera Barbera, and you'll leave satisfied.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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