Sardinia Called. Your Wine List Answered.
Noe Valley · San Francisco · Sardinian Italian · Visit Website ↗
Updated August 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 22, 2026
RagingWine reviewed La Ciccia’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You open the wine list at La Ciccia and immediately feel like someone actually cared about building this thing. One hundred and seventy labels, a serious Italian spine, and a Sardinian section that goes deeper than anything you'll find outside of Cagliari. This is not a list assembled by a corporate beverage director checking boxes — it's a personal statement.
The list covers every major Italian region but never loses its identity: Sardinia is the anchor, and it earns that spot. Beyond the island, you're getting serious producers — Emidio Pepe for Abruzzo obsessives, Gravner for those who want their white wine to challenge their assumptions, Simčič representing the Collio with precision. The breadth doesn't feel scattered; it feels intentional, like someone who knows Italian wine at a granular level built this list and didn't phone in a single section. Gaps are hard to find, which is the point.
The by-the-glass program runs 10–14 options and rotates with the kitchen, so what's poured tonight may not be what's poured next month. That's a feature, not a bug — it keeps things honest and seasonal. Expect at least one Sardinian white and one red on the board at any given time, which is more than most Italian spots in the city can say.
Sardinian Cannonau (by the glass) — $18
Cannonau — Sardinia's answer to Grenache — punches well above its price point here. It's got the weight to stand up to the octopus stew and the structure to keep your attention through the whole meal. Underpriced relative to what you'd pay for comparable quality in a Burgundy or Rhône frame.
Gravner
Most tables walk right past it, intimidated by the price or the reputation. Don't. Gravner's amber wines are a once-in-a-while experience, and this is one of the few restaurant lists in San Francisco where you'll find it without feeling like you're being extorted for the privilege.
Emidio Pepe
If you're ordering Emidio Pepe on a weeknight whim, respect — but make sure you know what you're getting into. These bottles demand time and attention, and if your table isn't ready to give the wine the space it needs, you're leaving money on the table. Not a bad wine by any stretch, just a wrong-context call for most visits.
Vermentino di Sardegna + Spaghittusu cun allu ollu e bottarga
Vermentino's saline, citrus-driven character is essentially built for bottarga. The cured mullet roe in this dish is briny and rich; the wine cuts through it cleanly and mirrors the coastal Sardinian DNA of the whole plate. It's the most obvious pairing on the list, which means it's also the most correct.
The Bottom Line
La Ciccia is the rare neighborhood restaurant where the wine list is genuinely part of the experience, not an afterthought stapled to a food menu. If you care about Italian wine — especially anything off the beaten Tuscany-Piedmont path — you should be making reservations here.
Embarcadero · San Francisco · Peruvian Seafood
La Mar is a great dinner — the ceviche alone is worth the trip — but the wine list is along for the ride rather than driving it. Order something crisp and cold, enjoy the view, and don't overthink it.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Union Square · San Francisco · American
The Rotunda is a lunch experience first and a wine destination a distant second — the list is safe, the markup is real, and you're largely paying for the address and the atmosphere. Come for the crab salad and the occasion, order something bubbly, and don't go in expecting a serious wine program.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
San Francisco · San Francisco · Wine bar & bottle shop
Bodega SF is what happens when someone actually gives a damn about the list instead of just checking a box. Twenty-six bottles, almost all pourable by the glass, priced fairly, and built around grapes most wine bars wouldn't dare touch — send your adventurous friends here and tell them to skip the safe picks.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
San Francisco · San Francisco · Wine bar
Fig & Thistle is for people who trust a short menu built by someone with a point of view — thirteen bottles, all pouring, all worth talking about. If you need a fallback Cab or a recognizable label to feel safe, this isn't your spot. If you don't, this absolutely is.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
San Francisco · San Francisco · Steakhouse
STK San Francisco has the bones of a wine program and the ambition of a hotel minibar. With only three by-the-glass pours, a list built entirely around safe brand names, and steep markups baked into the concept, this is a place to order a cocktail or splurge on a specific bottle you already know you want.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· San Francisco · Wine Tavern
Big Finish is doing something genuinely different — an all-glass list built around obscure varietals, serious fortified wine, and pricing that doesn't punish curiosity. Send anyone here who wants to drink something they've never tried before and walk away feeling like they learned something.
Deep & Eclectic
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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