Italy-first list that earns its place
South Reno · Reno · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 13, 2026
RagingWine reviewed La Cucina by Johnny's’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Take Vibe Match and we’ll tell you what to order here.
Wingman Metrics
The list walks in wearing an Italian suit — Barolo up front, Super Tuscans near the back, and enough Napa Cab to keep the table from arguing. It's not trying to be a wine bar, but it's clearly not an afterthought either. For South Reno, this is a genuinely respectable showing.
The Italian spine is the real story here: Antinori Tignanello anchors the high end, and Marchesi di Baresi gives you a proper Barolo without requiring a bank loan conversation with your server. The Napa Cabernet section reads like a concession to the local crowd, which is fine — it's well-chosen rather than lazy. What's missing is any real depth in Tuscany beyond the Super Tuscan lane, and the southern Italian regions (Campania, Sicily, Puglia) are either thin or absent. A 50-80 bottle list with this focus should have at least one Aglianico or Nero d'Avola to round things out.
Eight to fourteen options is a healthy pour program for a neighborhood Italian spot, and the range tracks the bottle list — expect a Chianti, something Californian, and a white or two that does duty alongside the pasta. Rotation appears slow rather than dynamic, so don't expect something new every visit. That said, getting a proper glass of Tuscan red with the osso buco is a legitimate pleasure.
Marchesi di Baresi Barolo — $65
Barolo at a family Italian in Reno is already a minor miracle. If the markup is as fair as the rest of the list suggests, this is the bottle to order — real Nebbiolo structure, genuine Langhe credentials, and it holds up against the braised and wood-fired stuff on the menu.
Antinori Tignanello
Most tables here are ordering pasta and Chianti by autopilot. Tignanello — the original Super Tuscan blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc — is the splurge that actually makes sense. It's not a hidden gem in the global sense, but in South Reno it absolutely is.
Napa Cabernet Sauvignon (house selection)
The Napa Cabs on this list feel like they exist for the guests who will not order Italian wine under any circumstances. Nothing wrong with them exactly, but you're in an Italian restaurant with Barolo and Tignanello on the menu — ordering a generic Napa Cab here is a waste of the kitchen's effort.
Marchesi di Baresi Barolo + Osso buco
Barolo and braised veal shank is one of the least surprising pairings in Italian food — and it's one of the least surprising because it is genuinely great. The Nebbiolo's acidity and tannin cut through the richness of the braise and the gremolata just makes everything louder. Order both.
The Bottom Line
La Cucina by Johnny's punches above its weight for a South Reno neighborhood Italian — a fair-priced, Italy-focused list with real bottles worth ordering. We'd send a friend here for wine without hesitation, especially if osso buco is on the table.
Downtown / Casino Row · Reno · Upscale American Steakhouse
Ruth's Chris Reno is a reliable, well-run steakhouse wine program inside a casino resort — competent glassware, proper storage, and a sommelier who knows the list cold. Just don't come here looking for discovery; come here knowing exactly what you want and prepared to pay full freight for it.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown · Reno · American small plates, tapas-style, steakhouse-influenced
Sierra St. Kitchen punches above its weight for downtown Reno — the list has real producers, genuine range, and a sommelier keeping it honest. Just know the markups are real, and steer toward the Old World and Pacific Northwest bottles where the value hides.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Midtown · Reno · Italian – Tuscan & Coastal
Calafuria isn't trying to be a destination wine list — it's trying to be the right wine list for this restaurant, and it mostly succeeds. Send your friends here if they want something Italian that doesn't feel phoned in; just don't expect fireworks beyond the bottle.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Northwest Reno · Reno · Health-focused American café with organic, vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and paleo options
Great Full Gardens isn't a wine destination and it doesn't pretend to be — but for a health-focused café in Northwest Reno, the glass prices are honest and the pours are solid enough to enjoy alongside the food. Send a friend here for lunch, just don't tell them to order the Chardonnay.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Midtown · Reno · New American / Fine Dining
LuLou's wine list won't win any awards, but it won't ruin your dinner either — and in a city where restaurant wine programs often feel like an afterthought, that counts for something. Send a friend here for a solid meal with a bottle of Jordan; just don't expect to discover anything new.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown / Eldorado Resort Casino · Reno · Californian / Steakhouse
Roxy isn't a destination wine program — it's a competent casino steakhouse list with the right bottles for the room. Show up on a Wednesday, order the Jordan at half price, and you'll leave happy.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Italian
Bici's wine list won't knock you sideways, but it's honest, Italian-focused, and fairly priced — a reliable partner to the food. We'd send a friend here and tell them to skip the Sauvignon Blanc and go straight for the Greco.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
East Parkway / Elks Plaza · Gatlinburg · Italian
The Best Italian's wine list does exactly what it needs to do: keep casual diners happy, not drain wallets, and get out of the way of the garlic knots. We wouldn't drive to Gatlinburg for the wine, but if you're already there and want something decent with dinner, you'll be fine.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Vail Village · Vail · Italian
La Nonna brings a legitimately serious Italian cellar to a town where most restaurants are content to coast on their ski-town captive audience — and that deserves real credit. The markups are steep across the board, but the bones of the list are strong enough that the right bottle makes the whole evening.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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