Old Colorado City's cozy Italian wine anchor
Old Colorado City · Colorado Springs · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 2, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Dat's Italian’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Take Vibe Match and we’ll tell you what to order here.
Wingman Metrics
The list at Dat's Italian reads like a greatest hits of Italian-American restaurant wine — familiar names, safe choices, and zero surprises. It fits the room: warm, family-run, unpretentious. You're not here to discover a grower Barolo; you're here to eat lasagna and not stress about the wine list.
The focus is firmly Italian, which makes sense, though the selections lean heavily on supermarket-familiar producers rather than anything that might make a real wine lover lean forward. Antinori and Ruffino anchor the Tuscan side, which is respectable, but there's little digging into southern Italy, Piedmont, or anything off the beaten path. With 60-90 bottles estimated, the depth is there in volume, but it's width — not range — that's missing. If you want a Sicilian Nero d'Avola or an Aglianico, you'll probably need to look elsewhere.
Ten pours by the glass is a decent showing for a neighborhood Italian spot, though the selections skew predictably toward crowd-pleasers like Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio and Meiomi Pinot Noir. Rotation doesn't appear to be a priority here — this list feels set and stable, which isn't the worst thing if you already know what you want.
Antinori Chianti Classico — null
Antinori is a legitimately good producer and Chianti Classico is the natural match for red-sauce dishes on this menu. Among the options here, it's the one that earns its place — solid structure, real Sangiovese character, and a producer that doesn't cut corners.
Ruffino Ducale Chianti Riserva
Most tables at a place like this reach for the basic Chianti and call it a night. The Ducale Riserva gets overlooked, but it's a step up in seriousness — more age, more complexity, and it stands up better to a heavy lasagna or chicken parm than its younger sibling.
Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio
Santa Margherita is the wine that taught a generation of restaurant-goers to overpay for Pinot Grigio. It's fine, but it's marked up everywhere it appears, and you're almost certainly paying a premium for the name recognition alone. There are better pours for the money.
Antinori Chianti Classico + Eggplant Parmesan
Chianti Classico and tomato-based Italian dishes are a textbook match for a reason — the high acidity in Sangiovese cuts through the richness of the sauce and cheese without fighting the dish. The Antinori is structured enough to hold its own against the eggplant's earthiness.
The Bottom Line
Dat's Italian is a genuinely charming neighborhood spot where the food does the heavy lifting and the wine list is there to support it — not steal the show. Come for the lasagna, pick the Riserva, and don't overthink it.
Broadmoor · Colorado Springs · Steakhouse and American
La Taverne is a well-run, properly staffed wine program inside one of Colorado's most storied resort properties — expect to pay for the privilege and the setting. If you stick to Jordan and Peter Michael and resist the siren call of the trophy bottles, you'll drink very well here.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Broadmoor · Colorado Springs · Italian (Northern Italian, trattoria-style)
Ristorante del Lago is the rare resort restaurant where the wine program actually earns some respect — the Italian focus is real, the sommelier knows the list, and a few genuinely exciting bottles are hiding in there if you look past the marquee names. Just go in knowing you're paying Broadmoor prices, and order accordingly.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown Colorado Springs · Colorado Springs · Steakhouse
Famous Steakhouse is the dependable old hand — the wine list won't excite you, but it won't embarrass you either, and with a prime rib in front of you and a Stag's Leap in the glass, that's a perfectly decent Thursday night. Just don't come looking for discovery.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Manitou Springs · Colorado Springs · Mexican / Tex-Mex
Crystal Park Cantina is a genuinely fun spot for tacos and margaritas with a mountain view — lean into that and skip the wine entirely. The list is overpriced grocery store inventory with no ambition, and no amount of scenery changes that.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Manitou Springs · Colorado Springs · Upscale American, Contemporary Fine Dining
The Cliff House wine program is the dependable friend who always shows up dressed well — you know exactly what you're getting, and it's genuinely good, even if it never blows your mind. For a special occasion in the mountains, this is a comfortable, well-run room that will take care of you.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown / West Colorado · Colorado Springs · Fine Dining / Steak & Seafood
Pepper Tree is a reliable wine stop for what it is — a classic Colorado fine-dining room where the tableside Steak Diane is the main event and the wine list is a well-behaved supporting cast. Don't come here chasing discovery, but do come knowing you'll drink decently without drama.
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
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
