Neighborhood Italian That Actually Knows Wine
Downtown Chandler · Chandler · Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 25, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Crust Simply Italian’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Crust doesn't try to impress you — it just shows up and does its job. Thirty labels, mostly Italian and Californian, sized right for a neighborhood pizzeria that takes its food seriously. The half-price Monday bottle deal is the first thing that should catch your eye, and it's not a gimmick.
Italy anchors the list with solid picks like La Palazzetta Brunello di Montalcino and Avignonesi Grifi Super Tuscan sitting alongside crowd-pleasing Sicilian whites from Donna Fugata and Brugano. California fills in the rest with recognizable names — Jordan Cab, Rombauer, ZD, Orin Swift Palermo — which reads more 'reliable steakhouse shelf' than 'adventurous Italian deep dive', but the bones are good. There's a noticeable gap in southern Italian reds and anything sparkling beyond a house Moscato, which feels like a missed opportunity for a pizza-focused spot. Still, a Brunello and a Barolo on a 30-bottle list at a casual pizzeria is nothing to scoff at.
Eleven by-the-glass options give you enough to work with across whites and reds, and the $6 all-day happy hour pour until 6pm is genuinely useful on a weeknight. Premium glass options at $10 — likely pulling from the better bottles on the list — make it easy to drink up without committing to a full bottle.
Avignonesi Grifi Super Tuscan — $55/bottle
A Super Tuscan from one of Montepulciano's most respected names at the top of the bottle price range — this is where the list earns its keep. Grifi is a Sangiovese-Cabernet blend that drinks well above its restaurant price point and makes the Neapolitan pizzas and pastas significantly more interesting.
Donna Fugata Anthila White Blend
Most people at an Italian joint will reach for the Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio out of habit. Skip it. Donnafugata's Sicilian white blend is more interesting, more food-friendly, and one of the more honest expressions of southern Italian winemaking on this list — the kind of bottle that makes you forget you're at a pizza place.
Rombauer Chardonnay
At $85 a bottle, Rombauer is doing what Rombauer always does — charging a premium on the back of its name recognition. You can find this bottle at retail for around $35-40. That's a steep climb even by restaurant standards, and the butterscotch-bomb style doesn't exactly sing with Italian food. Pass.
La Palazzetta Brunello di Montalcino + Chicken Parmesan
Brunello with Chicken Parm sounds like overkill, but the tomato-forward acidity in the sauce and the weight of the dish actually give this wine something to grab onto. Sangiovese loves tomato. That's just science.
Monday — Half off all wine bottles all day Monday. Wine by the glass is $6 every day until 6pm, and select premium wines are available by the glass for $10.
The Bottom Line
Crust is the neighborhood Italian spot you want to live near — the wine list is priced fairly, anchored by some genuinely good Italian bottles, and the Monday half-price deal alone is worth bookmarking. It's not a destination wine list, but it doesn't need to be.
Downtown Chandler · Chandler · Wine bar / small plates
BlackSheep is the kind of neighborhood wine bar that punches above its zip code — daily deals, a genuinely curious regional list, and a casual atmosphere that makes wine feel accessible rather than intimidating. If you're anywhere near downtown Chandler, this is the move for a weekday afternoon glass.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
· Chandler · Steakhouse
Perry's Chandler is a reliable wine stop for a steakhouse night — 37 by-the-glass options and a solid sparkling section save it from being boring, but the markups and crowd-pleaser roster keep it from being great. Order the Tempranillo or Crémant and you'll drink well; chase the familiar California labels and you'll pay for the brand name, not the wine.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Chandler · Japanese teppanyaki
Benihana Chandler's wine list won't blow your mind, but it's functional and has a few genuine bright spots buried under the crowd-pleasers. If you're here for the show, grab the Rochioli or the Balland Sancerre and enjoy the flying shrimp.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Chandler · Wine Bar / American Small Plates
The Wild Vine Uncorked has the aesthetic of a wine bar and the wine list of a casual chain restaurant — if you're coming specifically for the wine program, there's not enough here to justify the trip. Order the Craggy Range, enjoy your company, and recalibrate expectations.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Desert Ridge · Chandler · Hawaiian Fusion / Seafood
Roy's punches above its chain-restaurant weight with a wine list that has real picks across sparkling, white, and international categories — but steep markups on recognizable bottles mean you need to know where to look. Send your wine-curious friends here with a cheat sheet and they'll do just fine.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Chandler · French steakhouse / bistro
A sparkling-only list in a French steakhouse sounds like a gimmick until you see Egly-Ouriet, Selosse, and Contratto sharing space with a $29 Moët. This is a genuinely unusual, thoughtfully assembled program that rewards curious drinkers — just know what you're walking into.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
List Variety
Markup
Glassware
Staff
Specials & Deals
Storage & Temp
