Great Pizza, Wine List Phoning It In
Downtown · Bellingham · Pizza · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 10, 2026
RagingWine reviewed La Fiamma Wood Fire Pizza’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
La Fiamma is a genuinely fun downtown spot — queer-owned, industrial-cool, wood-fired everything — and the food earns its following. But glance at the wine list and the energy flatlines fast. Ten labels, anchored by CK Mondavi, feels less like a wine program and more like an afterthought tacked onto a bar menu.
The list is almost entirely California, and not the interesting part of California. CK Mondavi is the anchor tenant here, which tells you everything you need to know about the ambition level. With only 10 labels and no visible representation from Oregon, Washington (which would be the obvious local play), or really anywhere outside the Central Valley, there's no depth to explore and no reason to venture beyond the first option. For a downtown Bellingham restaurant with real personality, this list is a missed opportunity.
All 10 labels are available by the glass, which sounds generous until you realize the list is 10 bottles deep total — so this is just the whole list, poured. The $7.37 glass price is reasonable on its face, but when the wine is CK Mondavi, the value proposition gets murky. There's no rotation to speak of and no sign that the BTG program gets any curation love.
CK Mondavi House White NV — $7.37
It's only a pick by default — at $7.37 a glass it's priced fairly close to retail, which is the best deal on a list that doesn't give you many options. Order it cold, drink it fast, and focus on the pizza.
CK Mondavi House Red NV
Not a gem by any stretch, but if you're splitting a pizza and want something red and inoffensive, the house red at $7.37 a glass won't fight the wood-fired flavors. Low expectations, occasionally met.
CK Mondavi House White NV (half carafe)
At $17.47 for a half carafe of a wine that retails for $6.99 a full bottle, the math is brutal. You're paying a 150% markup to drink a fraction of a bottle of grocery store wine. Order two glasses separately and you're still paying more than you should, but at least you're not making it worse.
CK Mondavi House Red NV + Kids Pepperoni Pizza
A simple, easy-drinking red with a simple, satisfying pepperoni pie is about as unpretentious as it gets — and honestly, that's fine. The light red won't clash with the tomato and fat from the pepperoni, and nobody's overthinking it.
❌ The Bottom Line
Come to La Fiamma for the wood-fired pizza and the vibe — both are worth it. Come for the wine and you'll be disappointed. Order a cocktail or a beer and revisit when they decide the list deserves the same care as the kitchen.
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Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
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Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Carnal is doing something genuinely rare in Bellingham: a tight, adventurous wine list that matches the ambition of the kitchen. It's not deep, but it's honest — and for a 17-bottle list, that's more than enough reason to trust it.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Mambo Italiano isn't a destination wine list, but it's an honest one — fair prices, genuine Italian representation, and a few bottles worth seeking out. Send your friends here for a casual Tuesday pasta night and tell them to order the Cannonau.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
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Spin! Pizza is a perfectly fine place to eat pizza; the wine list is an afterthought that exists because restaurants need wine lists. Come on a Monday, order a bottle of Gnarly Head at half-price, and make peace with what this is.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
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Grimaldi's is worth the trip for the coal-fired pizza; the wine list is not worth thinking about. Order the Chianti or the Nero d'Avola, don't look at the markup math, and focus on the pizza.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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