Solid Italian Anchor With Big-Bottle Ambitions
North Myrtle Beach · Myrtle Beach · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 21, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Gio's Italian Kitchen’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The list at Gio's opens with exactly what you'd expect from a well-meaning Italian spot on the Grand Strand — recognizable names, safe bets, and a few bottles that probably get ordered on anniversaries. It's not trying to impress anyone with esoteric picks, but it's not embarrassing either. Think of it as the wine equivalent of a comfortable booth: familiar, functional, and occasionally very expensive.
At 39 labels, the list is tight but covers the obvious bases — California Cabs dominate (Caymus, Jordan, Stags Leap Artemis, Heitz Martha's Vineyard), with a respectable Italian nod via Sartori Amarone, Marchesi di Barolo, and a 2015 Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino. The Italian section is the most interesting part of the list and the most appropriate for the kitchen, but it's thin relative to the California heavy-hitters. Provence gets a seat at the table with Whispering Angel, and Champagne lovers can flex with Moët or Dom. What's missing is any real depth in Tuscany beyond a couple of names, no by-the-glass Italian reds to speak of, and zero exploration of Piedmont outside the Barolo.
Eighteen pours by the glass is a generous number for a list this size, and the $8–$12 price range is accessible for the beach-town market. The problem is we don't have clarity on which bottles make it to the glass program — if the Italian reds are stuck at the bottle-only tier, that's a missed opportunity when someone just wants a single glass of Amarone with their lasagna. The range is there on paper; the execution details matter.
Marchesi di Barolo, Barolo — N/A (bottle price not listed)
If you're eating at an Italian restaurant and the menu leans traditional, this is the bottle to order. Barolo and braised or tomato-heavy dishes are a natural match, and Marchesi di Barolo is a reliable producer without the inflated prestige markup of some of its neighbors. Actual bottle price wasn't published on the research data, but it's the smartest Italian red on the list.
Sartori Amarone della Valpolicella, Veneto
Amarone gets overlooked because people don't know what it is — rich, dried-grape intensity that hits differently than your standard Cab. At a table full of people ordering Caymus on autopilot, the person who orders the Sartori Amarone is eating better. It's the most interesting red on the list and it actually belongs here.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa
At $195 a bottle, you're paying a serious premium for one of the most mass-produced 'luxury' Cabs in America. Caymus has become the steakhouse default — bold, jammy, instantly recognizable — but its retail price doesn't justify a $195 restaurant tag when better California options exist. The Jordan Cab at $160 is a marginally better call if you must go Napa, but even that's pushing it.
Castello Banfi di Montalcino, Tuscany 2015 + Lasagna
A 2015 Brunello has had enough time to open up and show some elegance, and the acidity cuts right through rich béchamel and meat layers in a way that California Cabs simply can't. This is the pairing the kitchen was built for — classic Tuscan red, classic Italian dish, no tricks required.
The Bottom Line
Gio's is a dependable neighborhood Italian with a wine list that covers the bases without taking many risks — and marks up the familiar names accordingly. If you steer toward the Italian bottles and away from the reflex Caymus order, there's a solid dinner to be had here.
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Notte del Vino is the wine bar Myrtle Beach didn't know it needed — a short, deliberate list with real European bones and fair prices that suggest someone is paying actual attention. Send a friend here, and tell them to start with the Dezat.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Myrtle Beach · Bottle shop with bar
This is a convenience stop, not a wine destination — grab a bottle for the beach and keep your expectations at ankle height. If you're looking for anything that requires thought or care, keep driving.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Myrtle Beach · Steak & Seafood
SOHO is a solid beach steakhouse wine list — fair prices, plenty of glass options, nothing offensive and nothing exciting. If you're in Myrtle Beach and want a decent glass with your dinner without overthinking it, this gets the job done.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Arcadian Shores / Restaurant Row · Myrtle Beach · Italian
Crave punches above its Myrtle Beach zip code on the Italian side of the list, but the markups are beach-town steep and the by-the-glass program needs more ambition. If you're here, dig into the Italian bottles and leave the California brand parade alone.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Coastal Grand Mall area · Myrtle Beach · Mexican
Abuelo's wine program is an afterthought dressed up as a wine list — four California bottles, grocery-store-level selection, and markups that don't reward curiosity. Order a margarita and don't look back.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Myrtle Beach / Restaurant Row · Myrtle Beach · Brazilian steakhouse / churrascaria
Rioz is a genuinely fun place to eat — the meat service is relentless and the energy is high — but the wine program is an afterthought in a room that deserves better. Order the Malbec, enjoy the picanha, and don't come here expecting anything from the wine list.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Virginia-Highland · Decatur · Italian
La Tavola deserves a real wine list — the food and the room both demand one. Right now, five bottles with no reds and no whites is a disservice to a kitchen that's clearly cooking at a higher level than the wine program suggests. Order the Ca' Del Bosco if you're drinking wine, and hope they overhaul this list before your next visit.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Harrisburg · Italian
Mangia Qui is a genuinely appealing spot — the food, the room, and the service cadence all point toward a place that takes the dining experience seriously. The Italian wine focus is the right instinct for this kitchen, and duck confit with a solid Tuscan red is exactly what this kind of room should be delivering. We just don't have enough confirmed wine list detail yet to tell you whether to come for the bottle or stick to the food. Worth a visit — ask your server what's good on the wine list and see what happens.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Eugene · Italian
Excelsior Inn Ristorante has the bones of a solid wine destination — Italian-focused list, upscale setting, food that deserves a proper bottle — but we can't fully vouch for it until the wine program is better documented. If you're heading there for a special occasion, ask your server what's drinking well from the Italian side and what they're pouring locally from Oregon; a restaurant this thoughtful about atmosphere usually has at least one or two right answers.
Small but Thoughtful
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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