Old-World Soul, Wednesday Nights Earn Their Keep
Fort Myers · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Updated September 2026
Reviewed April 11, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed La Fontanella Ristorante’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Walk in and the list feels exactly like the room — warm, Italian, and proudly traditional. The Italian anchor is real: Tuscany, Piedmont, Veneto, and Sicily all get their due, and that focus keeps things cohesive rather than scattered. The issue is the non-Italian bottles lurking on the edges, where the pricing gets uncomfortable fast.
The Italian spine is the genuine strength here — Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva, Banfi Brunello di Montalcino, Masi Amarone della Valpolicella, and Planeta Nero d'Avola give you a proper tour of the peninsula without feeling like a wine class syllabus. The range from a food-friendly Sicilian Nero d'Avola all the way up to a Brunello shows real intent. Where it stumbles is the crowd-pleaser imports: Josh Cellars, Meiomi, and Kim Crawford are fine wines, but at 130–160% over retail, they're doing a lot of heavy lifting for the restaurant's bottom line. Stick to the Italian section and you're in a much better place.
Ten to sixteen options by the glass is a respectable spread for a neighborhood Italian spot, and if the Italian producers make it onto the pour list, there's legitimate value here. Wednesday changes everything — half-price bottles means the math on even the steeper markups starts to feel reasonable, and that's the night to explore rather than default to a glass pour.
Planeta Nero d'Avola — $52
Sicily's workhorse grape done right by one of the island's best producers — plummy, earthy, and built for a menu like this one. On a Wednesday, this becomes a genuinely great deal.
Masi Amarone della Valpolicella
Most tables at an Italian-American spot like this gravitate toward Chianti or Pinot Noir and never look up. Amarone is a different conversation entirely — concentrated, dried-fruit intensity that demands attention. Most diners skip it without realizing what they're walking past.
Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon
A $14 retail bottle sitting at $36 on the menu is a 157% markup on wine you could grab at any Publix on the drive over. There is no version of this that makes sense when the Italian producers on the same list are far better values.
Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva + Osso Buco
Chianti Classico Riserva and braised veal shank is one of the most classically Italian combinations on the planet — the wine's Sangiovese-driven acidity and earthy tannins cut through the richness of the marrow and gremolata without bullying the dish. This is the order.
Wednesday — Half-price on all bottles of wine every Wednesday night
The Bottom Line
La Fontanella earns its stripes on the Italian side of the list, where the producers are legit and the food-wine alignment is genuinely good — but veer into the import section and you're paying tourist rates for grocery store bottles. Come on a Wednesday, stay in your lane, and this place delivers.
Fort Myers · Fort Myers · Steakhouse
A one-page list of 42 wines where 24 are priced by the 6 oz and 9 oz pour, from $11 to $28, and the rest are bottles up to $499. Start with the $12 Cigar Box Malbec by the 6 oz glass, or step up to the $75 Les Cadrans de Lassègue if you want the one Bordeaux on the list. The PDF is undated, so confirm what's pouring. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Fort Myers · Fort Myers · Mediterranean-inspired small plates and wine bar
A compact, Italian-leaning list with glasses from $10 to $15 and a happy hour board that includes any glass. Order the $10 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo with the $20 board, or the $15 Valle Segreta Super Tuscan with the short rib ravioli, and confirm prices on the day. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
McGregor Boulevard · Fort Myers · New American
A wine list that tells you what is in the glass but not what it costs. For a steak, start with the Chappellet Signature Cabernet or the Gigondas, and ask the server for prices and by-the-glass availability since the list posts none. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Fort Myers · Fort Myers · Italian
A long, Italian-and-Napa-heavy list with 18 glass pours from $10 to $29 and a bottle range from $40 to $2,250. Start with the $12 Castello di Albola Chianti Classico, or order the Laurent Perrier half bottle at $85 if you want Champagne without a full bottle, and confirm current prices. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Bell Tower Shops / South Fort Myers · Fort Myers · Mexican
A compact 13-wine list for a Mexican restaurant, with half-off wine by the glass at the bar on posted days. Start with the Marqués de Cáceres Rosé at 8 | 28, or the Catena Malbec at 10 | 37 if you want a red, and ask which number is the glass. Wine prices are posted without units and the menu is undated, so confirm what the Fort Myers bar is pouring. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Downtown Fort Myers River District · Fort Myers · Gastropub
A short wine list at a craft beer and cocktail bar: nine wines, two price tiers, no regions or vintages. Order the Meiomi Pinot Noir with the You Gouda Try This! mac and cheese, or stay on the house wines at $8 and $30; the page is undated, so confirm current wines and ask which price is the glass before you order. This unrated guide covers the posted drinks menu, not service, storage or markups.
· Dacula · Italian
Antonetas isn't a wine destination, and it isn't trying to be — it's a family-friendly neighborhood Italian with a wine list that covers the basics and stays out of the way. If you're after a solid glass of something red with your Lasagna in a no-fuss setting, you won't be disappointed. Just don't show up expecting to geek out over the list.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Alpharetta · Italian
Crust is a solid neighborhood Italian spot where the wine list is a supporting player, not the headliner — and that's fine. Come for the rigatoni alla vodka and garlic knots; order a glass of whatever red they're pouring and don't overthink it. We'd send a friend here for dinner without hesitation, just not for the wine list alone.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Marietta · Italian
Vespucci's isn't a wine destination, but it doesn't pretend to be — and that honesty is refreshing. The one move that earns real respect here is the Monday half-price bottle deal, which turns an ordinary weeknight into a genuinely good value. Show up on a Monday, order the Eggplant Parmigiana, grab a bottle at half price, and you've had a solid dinner without thinking too hard about it.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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