Wood-Fired Pizzas Meet Serious Italian Wine Depth
Heights · Houston · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Updated April 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · March 9, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Coltivare’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
You open this list expecting casual pizza-joint wines and instead find 100+ bottles skewing Italian with enough depth to make you rethink your dinner plans. This is Chris Shepherd's farm-to-table Italian spot with a wine program that takes the cuisine seriously — think obscure Puglian whites and Alpine reds alongside the expected Chiantis.
The list runs 80-120 bottles with a clear Italian backbone, but they're not playing it safe with Pinot Grigio and Chianti. You'll find Produttori di Manduria's "Alice" Verdeca from Puglia, a rare Sforzato di Valtellina from Dirupi called "Vino Sbagliato," and skin-contact wines like the Chiara Pinot Grigio. Europe gets solid representation with a Bischofliche Weingut Trier Riesling from the Mosel and Cyprien Perchaud Sauvignon Blanc. The U.S. section exists but clearly plays second fiddle to the Old World focus.
Eighteen to twenty-two pours by the glass is a strong showing for a neighborhood spot. The glass list mirrors the bottle program's adventurous spirit — you're not stuck with the usual suspects. Monte Bernardi's Gioventu shows up on the by-the-glass menu, giving you access to quality Tuscan wines without committing to a full bottle.
Cave de l'Orlaya Gamay de Brenson — Unknown
Gamay from a lesser-known French co-op — the kind of wine that drinks above its price point and pairs with everything from pizza to pasta
Dirupi "Vino Sbagliato" Sforzato di Valtellina
Sforzato is Valtellina's answer to Amarone — dried-grape Nebbiolo that's intense, complex, and rarely seen on Houston wine lists
2023 Chiara Skin Contact Pinot Grigio
78% markup on a $28 retail bottle — skin-contact wines are trendy but this pricing is steep for what you're getting
Produttori di Manduria "Alice" Verdeca + Wood-fired pizza with seasonal vegetables
Verdeca is a crisp Puglian white with enough body to handle char and smoke from the wood oven, plus the minerality cuts through cheese beautifully
The Bottom Line
This is where you take friends who think wine at Italian restaurants means overpriced Chianti. The markups sting a bit, but the selection and staff knowledge justify the splurge for special occasions.
· Houston · Steakhouse
Perry's is a reliable steakhouse wine list — nothing that'll make you rethink your palate, but enough to drink well with red meat if you know where to look. The fortified and dessert wine section is genuinely worth your attention; the rest is competent but forgettable.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Montrose · Houston · French
The Marigold Club is Houston's most interesting new wine room for anyone who thinks Champagne is a food group and France is the only country that matters — in the best possible way. Go on a Sunday, order the Delamotte, eat the Duck Wellington, and tip generously.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Proper
Houston · Houston · American, Italian
Milton's is the kind of neighborhood trattoria that surprises you — the room says casual pasta night, the wine list quietly whispers Biondi-Santi. If you care about Italian wine and you're in Houston, it's worth a reservation just to explore the bottle list.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Montrose · Houston · Italian
Marmo is hiding a legitimately serious Italian wine program behind a piano bar and a plate of hand-rolled pasta — and that's exactly what makes it worth seeking out. Send a friend here if they think Houston Italian restaurants don't take wine seriously; this list will change their mind.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown Houston · Houston · Mexican (Oaxacan)
Xochi is doing something genuinely rare: running a serious Mexican wine program inside a serious restaurant, with a sommelier who knows the material and a list that earns its Wine Spectator credential. Send your adventurous friends here and tell them to skip the Cab.
Surprising Depth
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Houston · Houston · Steak house
Taste of Texas is a Houston institution that takes its California Cabernet seriously — 30 years of Wine Spectator recognition backs that up. It's not a destination wine list, but if you're here for a steak and want a proper bottle to go with it, you won't leave disappointed.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Gilbert · Gilbert · Italian
North Italia Gilbert is a chain that does the bare minimum of interesting things — and sometimes that's exactly what you need on a Tuesday in Gilbert. The Italian regional whites are the real reason to open this list; everything else is serviceable.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Nob Hill · San Francisco · Italian
Seven Hills is doing something most Italian restaurants in this city won't — building a wine list that actually reflects the breadth of Italian winemaking rather than the highlights reel. If you're even mildly curious about obscure Italian whites, this is one of the better places in SF to take the leap.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Plano · Italian
Roma has enough wine on the list to get you through a good dinner, but it leans hard on California crowd-pleasers and marks them up accordingly. Stick to the Italian reds, avoid the Napa trophies, and you'll drink well enough — just don't expect the list to match the ambition of the cuisine.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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