Italy Runs Deep, California Holds Its Own
Beverly Grove · Los Angeles · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 7, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The list lands with the confidence of a place that actually thought this through. Four hundred-plus bottles weighted toward Italy and California, and not just the obvious stuff — there's real depth here, from Piedmont crus to coastal California producers most restaurants wouldn't bother with. This is a hotel restaurant (Four Seasons adjacent) that earns the right to take itself seriously.
Italy is the clear obsession — Barolo from Gaja, Ceretto, and Vietti; Brunello from Biondi-Santi and Casanova di Neri; Amarone from Dal Forno Romano, which alone tells you someone is paying attention. The Super Tuscan bench is stacked with Sassicaia, Ornellaia, and Tignanello, so the trophy hunters are covered too. California holds up its end with Kistler Chardonnay, Opus One, and a well-chosen Flowers Sonoma Coast Pinot that bridges the two worlds. The only gap worth noting: if you're hunting Burgundy or Champagne, you'll find slim pickings — this list has a clear point of view and sticks to it.
Twenty to thirty-five options by the glass is a serious program, with prices running $14–$30 — wide enough to work for a solo glass with pasta or a full table progression. We'd expect the Italian whites and a rotating Rosso or two to anchor the list; the range suggests this isn't just a token offering. Wednesday's half-price wine night is legitimately good news and something to plan around.
Vietti Barolo Castiglione 2019 — $95
Vietti's Castiglione is the entry point to one of Barolo's great estates, but it doesn't drink like an entry point. At $95 on a list where Gaja runs $165 and up, this is the move — you get the house, the terroir, the vintage, without lighting your wallet on fire.
Sottimano Currà Basaltic 2020
Most tables here are scanning for Gaja or Biondi-Santi. Meanwhile, Sottimano's Currà Basaltic sits at $88 and represents one of Barbaresco's most compelling single-vineyard producers — volcanic soils, nervy structure, longer game. The people who order this know something the rest of the room doesn't.
Rombauer Chardonnay
Rombauer is fine. It's also available at every airport wine bar between here and JFK. On a list this thoughtful, ordering the Rombauer is like going to a great record store and buying the Top 40 compilation. Kistler is right there.
Conterno Fantino Barolo Sori Ginestra 2019 + Short rib agnolotti
Sori Ginestra is structured, dark-fruited, and has enough grip to stand up to the braise without steamrolling the pasta. The fat in the short rib softens the Barolo's tannins and brings out its iron-and-rose-petal core. This is the combination you came here for.
Wednesday — Half-price wine night every Wednesday — applies to the bottle list, making this one of the better mid-week moves in LA for serious wine at approachable prices.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Culina's Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence isn't decorative — this list delivers real depth, fair prices, and a Wednesday half-price program that should be on your calendar. Send a friend here and tell them to order the Barolo.
Downtown Los Angeles · Los Angeles · French-inspired, New American
Perch is a place people go for the view, the scene, and the Instagram moment — the wine list knows this and doesn't try very hard. Order something simple, enjoy the skyline, and save your serious wine drinking for a restaurant that wants to earn it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Hollywood · Los Angeles · Upscale Italian, Seafood
Marino is a reliable, well-curated Italian wine list that earns its stripes on selection and staff knowledge, even if the pricing makes you wince on the everyday bottles. Send a friend here for the Guidalberto and the Franciacorta — just steer them away from anything under $60.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Hollywood · Los Angeles · Neapolitan Italian, Pizza
Da Michele's wine list is narrow by design and better for it — a focused, fairly priced tour through Southern Italy that most pizza spots in LA wouldn't dare attempt. If you're even mildly curious about Campanian wine, this is one of the better excuses in the city to start learning.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Los Angeles · Los Angeles · Seafood
Water Grill is a reliable choice for serious wine with serious seafood — the list is deep enough to reward exploration, and the sommelier presence means you can actually ask for help. The markups sting, but this is Downtown LA and you knew that walking in.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Bel-Air · Los Angeles · Modern Californian with European/Mediterranean influences
This is a serious wine list dressed in a garden party — the depth is real, the sommelier is engaged, and if you're willing to pay the Bel-Air premium, the experience delivers. Just go in knowing the bill will reflect the hedge-lined address.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Beverly Grove / West Hollywood · Los Angeles · Greek / Mediterranean
Kassi Club is a party restaurant with a wine list that punches above its vibe — if you ignore the markup and order Greek, you're going to drink well. Send a friend here specifically to work through the indigenous varietals; just tell them to skip the Chablis.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Provo · Provo · Italian
La Dolce Vita earns its stripes as a dependable neighborhood Italian with a wine list that actually respects the cuisine it's serving. It's not a destination wine program, but in Provo, it's one of the better options on the table — and that house pour at $4 a glass is almost disarmingly honest.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
East Odessa Retail Corridor · Odessa · Italian
The wine list at Olive Garden Odessa does exactly what Olive Garden's wine list is supposed to do — it's inoffensive, familiar, and gets out of the way of the breadsticks. If you're here for a serious glass of wine, you're in the wrong zip code.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
South Lakeland · Lakeland · Italian
Carrabba's isn't where you go to discover wine, but it's where you go to drink something decent without getting ripped off. Send a friend here if they want a familiar Italian night with a glass that makes sense — just steer them toward the Italian side of the list.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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