Italy Meets California Inside a Ford Dealership
Columbia · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 9, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Di Vino Rosso’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You walk into a 1920s building that used to move Model A's and now moves Tignanello — and honestly, the upgrade tracks. The list lands on your table with the weight of something curated, not just copied from a distributor catalog. Two hundred-plus bottles anchored in California and Italy tells you exactly where this kitchen's heart is.
The Italian spine is serious: Gaja Barbaresco, Marchesi di Barolo Barolo, Antinori Tignanello, and Banfi Brunello di Montalcino make up a murderer's row of the peninsula's greatest hits. California holds its own with Caymus, Silver Oak Alexander Valley, and Stag's Leap Artemis — not the most adventurous picks, but well-sourced and well-matched to the room. What we'd love to see is a few more left-field entries — a Vermentino, a Sagrantino, something to reward the curious — but for a Columbia, South Carolina restaurant, this is a genuinely impressive depth of field. Wine Spectator handed out their Best of Award of Excellence here in 2025, and looking at this list, that's not a participation trophy.
Twenty to thirty-five pours by the glass is a serious commitment — most places of this size offer half that and call it a program. The $12–$20 range keeps things accessible without feeling like a budget afterthought. We'd want to know how frequently the glass list rotates, but the sheer count suggests there's something interesting waiting beyond the Chianti and Cab defaults.
Ruffino Chianti Classico Riserva Ducale — $40
At the entry end of the bottle range, this is a Chianti Classico that punches well above its price point — structured, food-friendly, and the kind of wine that makes a weeknight pasta dinner feel like a Saturday splurge.
Marchesi di Barolo Barolo
Most tables in a place like this are reaching for the Caymus before the menus are fully open. The Barolo crowd is smaller, but it's the one that leaves the table talking about the wine. Traditional Nebbiolo with real grip and complexity — exactly what the osso buco is waiting for.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon
Look, it's not a bad wine — it's just everywhere, it's marked up accordingly, and ordering it in an Italian restaurant with a list this good is like going to a great taqueria and ordering the quesadilla.
Antinori Tignanello + Osso buco
Tignanello is the bridge between Tuscany's Sangiovese soul and Cabernet's structure — it's bold enough to stand up to braised veal shank but has the acidity to cut through the richness without bullying the dish. This is the pairing you came for.
The Bottom Line
Di Vino Rosso is doing something genuinely ambitious for Columbia — a deep, Italy-and-California list in a historic building with food worthy of the bottles on that list. Send your friends here, point them toward the Barolo, and tell them to skip the Caymus.
· Columbia · New American / Southern
Terra keeps it simple with an all-by-the-glass format, fair pricing, and a few genuinely interesting picks tucked inside a short list. It won't satisfy anyone looking for a deep cellar dive, but it absolutely does the job for a New American dinner in Columbia.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Columbia · Wine Bar
Vino Sabor is betting that Downtown Columbia is ready for a real wine bar, not just wine at a bar — and based on the vibe, they might be right. We'd go back with a curiosity about Italian wine and an open mind; just don't come expecting a deep cellar or a Burgundy nerd behind the counter.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Columbia · Spanish-inspired / tapas
This is a wine list built for people who aren't really thinking about wine, and honestly that might be the point. If you're serious about drinking well with your tapas, order a cocktail and revisit the wine program if they ever add a Txakoli or a Garnacha.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Forest Acres · Columbia · Contemporary American Bistro with Southern Influences
Tombo Grille isn't going to win any points for boldness, but it delivers exactly what Forest Acres wants: familiar wines, fair-enough execution, and a menu worth eating. Send a friend here for a reliable dinner out — just temper expectations if they're hoping to discover something new.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Irmo / Northwest Columbia · Columbia · Contemporary American-Italian
Travinia is a reliable neighborhood wine bar that gets the basics right — solid selection, good by-the-glass volume, food-friendly pours — without ever swinging for the fences. Send your friends here for a comfortable bottle with dinner, not for a wine discovery experience.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Sandhill · Columbia · Contemporary American-Italian
Travinia Sandhill is a reliable wine bar in a market that doesn't have many — not adventurous, not cheap, but consistent enough that you won't regret the reservation. Just steer clear of the obvious traps and you'll have a decent night.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Brookhaven Town Center · Brookhaven · Italian
Mirko Pasta isn't a wine destination, but it's a solid neighborhood Italian that doesn't embarrass itself on the wine front — and Wednesday Wine Night gives you a real reason to show up mid-week. If you're after a glass of Montepulciano with your burrata at a fair price, this delivers. Just don't expect to geek out over the list.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Vinings · Vinings · Italian
Crispina's wine list is doing more than it needs to for a Vinings pizza-and-pasta spot — the Italian white selection alone puts it ahead of most neighbors, and 23 by-the-glass options means you're never stuck ordering a bottle you don't want. Markup is fair across the board, and the $9–$13 glass range makes it easy to drink well without overthinking it. Send a friend here; just steer them toward the Falanghina.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Smyrna · Italian
Mezza Luna reads like a genuinely warm neighborhood Italian restaurant where the wine list exists to support a good dinner rather than headline it. We don't have enough menu detail to point you to specific bottles, but the Southern Italian regional focus is a promising sign that someone gave it more than five minutes of thought. Go for the lasagna and the atmosphere — and ask your server what they're excited about on the wine list. If they have an answer, you're in decent hands.
Plays It Safe
Fair
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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