800-Bottle Italian Love Letter Near the Archives
Penn Quarter · Washington · Contemporary Italian Fine Dining · Visit Website ↗
Updated April 2026
Reviewed March 7, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Fiola’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You open the wine book at Fiola and it's like opening a direct line to the Italian countryside. 800+ bottles deep, organized by region, heavy on Piedmont and Tuscany with serious depth in both. This is a list built by someone who actually travels to these estates and knows the difference between good and legendary.
The Piedmont section alone could be its own wine bar — top-tier Barolo and Barbaresco from producers who matter, not just the Instagram-famous names. The Super Tuscan game is equally serious: Sassicaia, Ornellaia, and proper Brunello di Montalcino sit alongside deeper cuts from smaller estates. Champagne gets real estate too, with prestige cuvées that justify the Penn Quarter location. The only gap? For an 800-bottle list, we'd love to see more adventurous Italian regions (where's the Sicily? the Campania?) beyond the Piedmont-Tuscany-Champagne holy trinity.
20-25 pours by the glass is respectable for fine dining, though we don't have the exact lineup. Given the bottle list's Italian focus and the presence of a sommelier team, expect regional Italian varietals that rotate with the seasons, plus a Champagne or two. The glass program feels secondary to the bottle flex here — this is a list designed for people ordering bottles with their pasta tasting menus.
Entry-level Brunello di Montalcino — $80-$100
Brunello at $80-100 in this setting is your best shot at prestige without the $200+ sticker shock — still gets you Sangiovese royalty
Mid-tier Barbaresco from lesser-known producer
Everyone orders Barolo; Barbaresco delivers similar Nebbiolo magic with more elegance and less ego, often $30-50 cheaper per bottle
Sassicaia or Ornellaia
At $500+ with typical DC fine dining markup, you're paying 4x retail for a name — save this one for a special occasion or buy it elsewhere
Piedmont Barolo + Osso buco
Nebbiolo's tannins and acidity cut through braised veal like they were designed for each other — classic Northern Italian synergy
The Bottom Line
This is where you take someone who actually cares about Italian wine, not just Instagram shots of pasta. The markup stings, but the depth and curation justify it if you're celebrating something that matters.
· Washington · Mediterranean
Zaytinya's wine list is one of the more focused and honest Greek programs you'll find at a mid-to-high scale restaurant in D.C. The by-the-glass selection is wide, the pricing doesn't insult you, and the Greek variety depth is genuinely impressive. If you've been waiting for a reason to finally figure out what Xinomavro tastes like, this is your spot.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Washington · Brazilian Steakhouse
Fogo de Chão's wine list is exactly what a national Brazilian steakhouse chain's wine list looks like: functional, familiar, and priced for margin rather than your benefit. The by-the-glass count is impressive on paper, but most of the options are labels you've seen at your grocery store for a fraction of what they're charging here. If you're coming for the meat — and you should be — stick to the Catena Malbec and enjoy the show.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Washington · Washington · Steak House
A 20-wine by-the-glass list with every pour between $14 and $30, split across four sparkling, six white, two rosé and eight red. With a steak, start with the $26 Clos Duval Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon or the $22 Monte Antico Supremus; for the cheapest glass, take the $14 Dr. Loosen Riesling. Pour sizes aren't posted and the page is undated, so confirm today's wines. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Downtown DC · Washington · Steakhouse
A steakhouse beverage menu with 30 wines by the glass and a bottle list that is mostly California, with some France, Italy and Portugal. Start with the $9/glass happy hour Bonanza Cabernet if you arrive in the window, or the Eroica Riesling, the only Riesling on the glass list, and ask for prices because regular wine prices aren't posted. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Georgetown · Washington · Seafood, Steakhouse
An unpriced list that is easier to read for what it offers than for what it costs. If you want Bordeaux, ask for the 2020 Margaux de Brane Cantenac, or look at the Brunello di Montalcino in Sommelier's Selections, and get the price before you commit. This unrated guide covers the posted Beverage Menu, not service, storage or markups.
Washington · Washington · Latin, Vegetarian
A wide-ranging list with 14 wines by the glass from $17 to $95 and a bottle book that runs from $60 to $1,275. Start with the $17 Eichinger Grüner Veltliner or the $20 Pêcheur Trousseau, and ask for the Natural Wines section if you want something low-intervention. 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.
List Variety
Markup
Glassware
Staff
Specials & Deals
Storage & Temp
