Italian-Only, All-In, No Apologies
· San Diego · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · August 15, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Cori Pastificio Trattoria’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Cori hits you like a regional Italian road trip — Etna, Liguria, Alto Adige, Franciacorta — and you realize immediately this isn't the usual Pinot Grigio-and-Chianti situation. Sixty-five labels, all Italian, and almost none of them are names you'd see at your local Olive Garden. Someone here actually cares.
The whites are where this list really shines: there's a Vevey Marziano Blanc de Morgex et de la Salle 2019 from Valle d'Aosta (one of Europe's highest-altitude wines), a Laura Aschero Pigato Forte 2021 from Liguria, and a Montenidoli Vernaccia di San Gimignano 2020 that's a world away from the thin, tourist-trap versions. The Specogna 'Coppery' Pinot Grigio Ramato 2020 slots in as an orange wine pick for the adventurous. Reds and rosati don't get shortchanged either — the COS Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG 2017 and Girolamo Russo Etna Rosato 2020 are serious producers making serious wine. Sparkling has range too: a Bella Vista Franciacorta 'Scala Millesime' 2015 sits alongside more approachable Prosecco options for different budgets.
By-the-glass specifics weren't available during our visit, which is the one soft spot here — a list this good deserves a by-the-glass program that lets people explore without committing to a full bottle. If they're pouring even a handful of these bottles by the glass, it would be worth asking your server what's open.
The Bottom Line
Cori is doing something genuinely unusual: an all-Italian wine list in San Diego that actually goes deep, skips the clichés, and gives you producers worth knowing. We'd absolutely send a wine-curious friend here — just make sure to ask what's open by the glass before you commit.
· San Diego · Italian
Allegro's wine list isn't trying to impress anyone, and that's not a knock — it's a focused, fairly priced selection that does exactly what a brunch Italian spot needs it to do. Send a friend here for bubbles and a mid-afternoon white; just don't expect to geek out over the reds.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· San Diego · French Bistro
Frenchy's Hideout is the kind of wine list that rewards people who look past the Caymus and actually read the menu — there's real French depth here at prices that won't ruin your night. If you like your bistro to drink like a bistro, this is your spot.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Oceanside · San Diego · Modern Mexican Tasting Menu
Valle is a Wild Card in the best possible sense — a Michelin-caliber tasting menu anchored to a wine region most diners have never explored, served in a beach town that definitely didn't ask for this level of ambition. If you're open to letting Baja wine country surprise you, this is one of the more compelling wine experiences in San Diego County.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Rancho Santa Fe · San Diego · French-Californian Fine Dining
Mille Fleurs is the real thing — a serious cellar, a knowledgeable sommelier, and a room that earns the prices it charges. The markup is steep, but you're not paying for a wine list; you're paying for the whole production, and that production is very good.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Del Mar · San Diego · Seasonal New American with Sushi Lounge
Market is a well-run, sommelier-backed program that earns its stripes on quality and presentation — but if you're expecting fair markups or any sense of vinous adventure, adjust expectations before you sit down. Send a friend here for a special occasion, not a bargain hunt.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
La Jolla · San Diego · Steakhouse
Rare Society La Jolla is a reliable steakhouse wine list that nails the fundamentals without ever taking a swing. Send your friends here for a great steak and a well-known Napa Cab; send them somewhere else if they want to be surprised.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Italian
Bici's wine list won't knock you sideways, but it's honest, Italian-focused, and fairly priced — a reliable partner to the food. We'd send a friend here and tell them to skip the Sauvignon Blanc and go straight for the Greco.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
East Parkway / Elks Plaza · Gatlinburg · Italian
The Best Italian's wine list does exactly what it needs to do: keep casual diners happy, not drain wallets, and get out of the way of the garlic knots. We wouldn't drive to Gatlinburg for the wine, but if you're already there and want something decent with dinner, you'll be fine.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Vail Village · Vail · Italian
La Nonna brings a legitimately serious Italian cellar to a town where most restaurants are content to coast on their ski-town captive audience — and that deserves real credit. The markups are steep across the board, but the bones of the list are strong enough that the right bottle makes the whole evening.
Solid Range
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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