Red Sauce Nostalgia, Wine List Left Behind
Federal Hill · Providence · Italian-American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 18, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Joe Marzilli's Old Canteen’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You walk into a Federal Hill institution — pink tablecloths, photos on the wall, the kind of place your grandfather called a special occasion. Then you open the wine list and realize it hasn't been updated since about the same era. We're talking a short roster of Italian and California standbys that feels more like a grocery store endcap than a curated list.
The list leans predictably on Italy and California — Ruffino Chianti, Bolla Valpolicella, Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio, Cavit, Banfi, Kendall-Jackson. These are recognizable names, which is exactly the problem: they're recognizable because you've seen them in every airport TGI Fridays from here to LAX. There's no regional depth, no surprises, no small producers making a case for Federal Hill's Italian roots. It's a 20-40 bottle list that plays it completely safe and asks you to pay handsomely for the privilege.
Glass pours likely number somewhere between four and eight options, drawing from the same familiar cast of characters on the bottle list. Don't expect rotation or anything seasonal — this is a set-and-forget program. If you're going glass-by-glass, you're essentially choosing between shades of beige.
Cavit Pinot Grigio delle Venezie — $32
Relative to the rest of the list, it's the least painful option at the table. At $32 it's still a 256% markup on a $9 bottle, but it's light, inoffensive, and won't slow you down mid-veal cutlet the way a heavier pour might. Low bar, but it clears it.
Bolla Valpolicella Classico
Nobody orders Valpolicella at a red sauce joint because they assume it'll be thin and forgettable — and Bolla isn't going to win any awards. But a light, slightly tart Valpolicella actually does something useful next to tomato-heavy pastas and chicken cacciatore that a bigger Chianti won't. It's underordered and, at $38, no worse a deal than anything else here.
Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay
Forty-eight dollars for a bottle you can grab at CVS for $12. That's a 300% markup on one of the most aggressively mediocre Chardonnays in American wine. There is no world in which this is the move.
Ruffino Chianti DOCG + Veal Cutlet
Chianti's high acidity and bright cherry cut through the richness of a pan-fried veal cutlet without steamrolling it. Ruffino is nothing exciting, but it's doing exactly what Chianti was built to do in this context — and at a classic red sauce house, that's actually enough.
The Bottom Line
Joe Marzilli's Old Canteen is a Providence legend for its food and its history, not its wine list — which reads like something assembled in 1994 and never reconsidered. Come for the veal cutlet and the nostalgia, but don't let the wine list talk you into spending $48 on a Kendall-Jackson.
Federal Hill · Providence · Italian
Camille’s offers plenty to explore, but set your wine budget before opening the list. Our starting order is Jorio Montepulciano at $11/glass or Feudi di San Gregorio Falanghina at $12/glass. Save Tignanello for a planned splurge.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Providence · Restaurant
Mare Rooftop is a great place to watch the sunset with a cold glass of Whispering Angel — and that's about the ceiling of its wine ambition. If you're here for the view and the vibe, lean into it; if you showed up hoping for a thoughtful wine experience, you're in the wrong place.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Providence · Italian (modern trattoria)
Sarto's wine list is a credible, Italy-focused program that earns its place in a serious Italian kitchen — just go in knowing the markups lean steep and the list doesn't reward wandering outside the boot. Order the Vermentino, eat the pasta, and you'll leave happy.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
East Side · Providence · American Brasserie (French-Influenced)
Red Stripe isn't a wine destination, but it's not pretending to be one either. Fair prices on recognizable bottles in a lively room that actually makes you want to stay for another glass — that's a respectable thing to get right.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Providence · Providence · Upscale American Steakhouse with Seafood
The Capital Grille Providence is a well-oiled machine with a wine program that earns more respect than most chains deserve — the depth is real, the staff knows the list, and the Generous Pour event is a legit reason to show up. The markups are steep and the soul is corporate, but if someone else is expensing dinner, you could do a lot worse.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
Downtown Providence · Providence · Seafood
Hemenway's is the rare seafood institution that earns its reputation on the wine side too — the sommelier presence is real, the French whites are well-chosen, and the list is built with actual intention. The markups are real and the BTG program could use more energy, but if you're eating raw bar in Providence, you could do a lot worse than starting with a glass of Fèvre Chablis here.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Branson · Italian-American
Pasghetti's isn't trying to be a wine destination, and the list makes that abundantly clear. If you're here for the pasta and the family-friendly Branson vibe, grab a Lambrusco and call it a night — but don't expect the wine program to be part of the reason you come back.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Portsmouth · Italian-American
The Rosa isn't trying to reinvent the wine list — it's trying to serve its room well, and largely succeeds. Twenty-five by-the-glass options with Italian producers mixed alongside California staples makes this one of the more thoughtful pours in Portsmouth. If you're after wine-bar ambition, look elsewhere; if you want a reliable glass with your gnocchi without any drama, The Rosa delivers.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Ocean Casino Resort · Atlantic City · Italian-American
Superfrico is a reliable wine program in a setting designed to get you to spend money — and it mostly delivers without being a total shakedown. Send a friend here for a fun night, not a wine education.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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