Old-School Room, Steady Pours, No Surprises
· Greensboro · Italian Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · October 5, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Giovanni's Italian Steakhouse’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Giovanni's is the kind of place where the dining room does the heavy lifting — white tablecloths, dim lighting, the full date-night setup — and the wine list is there to support the meal rather than steal the show. Fourteen labels is a short card for an upscale Italian steakhouse, and the selections read predictably safe: familiar brands, approachable grapes, nothing that's going to make a wine nerd's eyes light up. That said, there are a couple of genuinely interesting Italian picks tucked in if you know where to look.
The list leans Italian on the red side, which makes sense given the kitchen, and that's where the more interesting bottles live — a Batasiolo Barolo, a Pasqua Amarone, and a San Giorgio Brunello are real wines from real regions, and seeing all three on a 14-bottle list in Greensboro is quietly impressive. The whites, though, are grocery-store territory: Sand Point Chardonnay and Relax Riesling are fine for what they are, but they don't belong on the same list as a Brunello. Caposaldo Chianti and Pasqua Passimento round out the Italian reds at a more accessible price point. There's no Champagne, no half-bottles, and no real exploration of Italian whites — a missed opportunity given the pasta-heavy menu.
The entire list appears to be poured by the glass, organized by color — white, rosé, red, and sparkling — which is convenient but tells us nothing about how many ounces you're getting or whether any bottles are reserved for the table. Fiol Prosecco handles bubbles duty, which is a perfectly fine call. Without confirmed pour counts or rotation data, we can't vouch for how fresh the glass pours are on a slow Tuesday.
The Bottom Line
Giovanni's is a reliable neighborhood anchor — the room is good, the food has a loyal following, and the Italian reds give you enough to work with if you dig past the Sand Point labels. We'd send a friend here for dinner without hesitation; we'd just steer them straight toward the Barolo or Brunello and skip the California filler.
· Greensboro · Cocktail and Wine Bar
Bitters Social House isn't trying to be a wine destination, and it doesn't pretend to be — but the pricing is genuinely fair, a couple of producer picks show real effort, and the by-the-glass setup means you can drink well without committing to a bottle. If you're in Greensboro and need a glass before or after dinner, this is a perfectly honest place to have one.
Crowd Pleasers
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Greensboro · Steakhouse
Fleming's Greensboro is doing more than most chain steakhouses bother to do with wine — 42 by-the-glass options and actual Alsatian whites on a Greensboro wine list deserves acknowledgment. The markups are real and the list isn't going to surprise anyone who's been to a Fleming's before, but if you're eating a bone-in ribeye and want a proper glass without guesswork, this delivers.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Greensboro · Wine shop & bar
We want to root for a place called State Street Wine Company, but three unlabeled wines at the entry level is not a wine program — it's a starting point that hasn't started yet. If the selection expands and the curation gets intentional, check back. For now, there are better wine bars in Greensboro worth your evening.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
South Elm · Greensboro · Wine Bar & Retail
Tasting Room is the kind of wine bar Greensboro didn't know it needed — approachable enough for beginners, interesting enough for people who care, and free of the pretense that kills the fun. If you're in the area, skip the chain restaurant wine list and come here instead.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Proper
Friendly Center · Greensboro · Korean Fried Chicken and Asian Fusion
Bonchon Greensboro is a legitimately great spot for Korean fried chicken, and the wine list knows it's irrelevant. Come for the wings, drink the beer, and only touch the Canyon Road if it's $3 a glass.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Friendly Center / West Greensboro · Greensboro · Asian-inspired Chinese
P.F. Chang's Greensboro checks the box on wine the same way it checks every other corporate box — reliably, joylessly, and at a markup. If you're here for the food, stick to the Riesling and call it a night; the rest of the list isn't worth the deliberation.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Peoria · Italian Steakhouse
Johnny's wine list is exactly what it is: a well-curated collection of American crowd-pleasers with markups to match the steakhouse zip code. You won't be wowed, but you won't be stuck either — and 28 glasses by the pour means you have options.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· College Station · Italian Steakhouse
The wine list here is an afterthought dressed up with four surprisingly good dessert wines. Come for the steak, order water or a cocktail through dinner, then let the back half of this list redeem itself.
Grocery Store
Acceptable
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Reston · Reston · Italian Steakhouse
Davio's Reston is a reliable wine destination if your expectations match the room — it's a steakhouse wine list, not a wine bar list. The by-the-glass breadth saves it, and a few smart picks like the Pieropan Soave keep it from being totally forgettable.
Crowd Pleasers
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.
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