Holcomb Bridge's Quiet Italian Wine Anchor
Roswell · Italian
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 13, 2026
RagingWine reviewed di Paolo’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at di Paolo lands exactly where you want it for a neighborhood Italian spot — Italian-forward, sensibly priced, and not trying to be something it's not. It's held an Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator since 2017, and flipping through the list, that credential feels earned rather than ceremonial. This isn't a showboat list, but it's one that clearly had some thought put into it.
Italy drives the bus here, and rightfully so. You've got Barolo from Piedmont, Brunello di Montalcino, Amarone della Valpolicella, and a respectable Chianti Classico Riserva program sitting alongside the heavy hitters — Sassicaia and Tignanello represent the Super Tuscan side without the list leaning on them as crutches. Alto Adige Pinot Grigio is a smart inclusion, showing they're thinking beyond the obvious Veneto pours. California Cabernet rounds things out on the New World side, keeping the crowd happy without overwhelming the Italian identity of the list. The gaps are minor: more Southern Italian coverage would be welcome, and the Burgundy representation is thin.
Ten to twenty pours by the glass is a solid program for a neighborhood restaurant of this size, and the $10–$18 range keeps it accessible. The Pinot Noir selection alone is surprisingly ambitious — Willamette Valley, Sonoma Coast, and Bourgogne all showing up by the glass is a genuine differentiator. Rotation doesn't appear to be especially active, but what's there is thoughtfully chosen.
Angeline Pinot Noir '22, California — $48
At $48 it's the entry point into the Pinot Noir lineup and an honest, food-friendly pour that doesn't ask you to overthink it. Order it with the lasagna and move on with your evening.
Jean-Luc Pinot Noir '22, Bourgogne
Most people at an Italian restaurant will reach for the Barolo or Brunello — fair. But a Bourgogne Pinot Noir at $78 in this context is genuinely fun, and it'll cut right through the richness of the house-made mozzarella starters in a way nothing else on the list will.
Cristom Mt. Jefferson Cuvée Pinot Noir '22, Willamette Valley
Cristom is a great producer and this is a real wine, but at $95 it's the steepest Pinot on the list and you're paying a meaningful premium over what Elk Cove or Alexana deliver at $75–$80. Save the Cristom splurge for a wine bar where it gets more attention.
Chianti Classico Riserva + Hand-made lasagna
Sangiovese and slow-cooked meat ragù is one of those pairings that exists for a reason — the wine's acidity cuts the richness of the pasta, the earthy fruit mirrors the beef, and suddenly you understand why Tuscans drink this at lunch. Don't overthink it.
The Bottom Line
di Paolo is the kind of neighborhood Italian wine list that quietly does its job well — fair prices, Italian bones, and enough range to reward the curious without punishing the casual drinker. Send a friend here and tell them to work the Italian side of the list.
Alpharetta · Roswell · Steakhouse/Seafood
Ray's at Killer Creek is a reliable steakhouse wine program — not exciting, probably priced to favor the house, but functional and well-matched to the room it's serving. The Tuesday half-price wine night is the real move here: a polished steakhouse atmosphere with a Napa Cab at half the markup is a solid Tuesday in anyone's book. Go for the filet, drink on a Tuesday, and don't expect the list to surprise you.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
· Roswell · Southern/New American
The Southern Porch isn't a destination wine list, but it doesn't pretend to be — and that honesty is worth something. Fair prices, full glass availability, and a room that makes you want to linger are a reasonable trade for a short, crowd-pleasing selection. Send a friend here if they want a glass of something easy with their pimento cheese; send a wine-obsessed friend somewhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Roswell · Southern/New American
The Mill Kitchen & Bar earns its Wild Card badge by doing something genuinely unexpected: running an Enomatic wine system with a structured flight program out of a Southern restaurant in the suburbs. The list is small and the markups are real, but the storage is handled right and the flight concept gives curious drinkers a low-commitment way to explore. If you're in Roswell and want more than a generic house pour, this is worth a detour — just budget accordingly.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Proper
· Roswell · Wine bar/Bottle shop
Cork Haus Roswell is a genuine surprise in the suburban Atlanta wine landscape — a small, focused bottle shop with a buying philosophy that favors interesting over obvious. The natural wine and pét-nat selection alone makes it worth a detour. If you live anywhere near Roswell and you're tired of the same Napa Cab at every restaurant in town, this is your spot.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
· Roswell · Steakhouse
Little Alley Steak has built a genuinely impressive Champagne program — uncommon for a suburban steakhouse — and the depth from Collet up through Cristal gives serious wine drinkers something to work with. The markups are real and the still wine program doesn't match the ambition of the sparkling section, but if you're here to pop bottles with a ribeye, there are worse places to do it. Order the Crémant, save your money, and let someone else pay for the Veuve.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Roswell · Spanish/Wine Bar
Barcelona Wine Bar is doing something genuinely unusual for Roswell: running a 47-bottle all-by-the-glass program with real range, fair markups, and a clear Spanish identity that doesn't calcify into predictability. We don't have visibility into food menu specifics or service consistency, but on the wine list alone, this earns a visit. Come thirsty and order something you've never heard of.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Italian
Nino's wine list is exactly what it looks like: a dependable, crowd-pleasing selection built for guests who want something familiar with their chicken piccata. The pricing runs steep in places — Korbel at $50 is hard to defend — but the Italian whites, especially the Gavi options, show that someone put at least some thought into this. Send a friend here if they want a comfortable, no-surprises dinner; don't send them if they're hunting for value or discovery.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Inman Park · Atlanta · Italian
Amore e Amore earns its stripes as a reliable neighborhood Italian spot where the atmosphere is the main event. If you're coming for a celebration dinner, you'll likely have a great time — just go in knowing the wine list hasn't been independently confirmed to be anything exceptional. Check the menu online before you go if wine is a priority, and when in doubt, ask your server what's Italian and under $60.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Scottsdale · Scottsdale · Italian
An Italian list dated 06.17.26 with 18 glass pours at 15 to 19 and full bottles from 60 to 970. Start with the Barbera d’Alba La Gemella at 15 a glass, or the Fontanavecchia Aglianico del Taburno from the chef’s Campania hometown at 17, and confirm prices because the list says they are subject to change. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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Markup
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Staff
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