400 Italian Labels and Four Decades of Proof
Buckhead · Atlanta · Italian Fine Dining · Visit Website ↗
Updated March 2026
Reviewed February 10, 2026
Wingman Metrics
La Grotta stocks over 400 labels with an Italian focus that goes well beyond Chianti and Pinot Grigio. The list digs into Piedmont with serious Barolo and Barbaresco depth, covers Tuscany with Super Tuscans and Brunello, and ventures into southern Italian regions that most Atlanta restaurants ignore entirely. If you want to drink Italian wine with Italian food in Atlanta, there is La Grotta and there is everywhere else.
Open since the early 1980s, La Grotta is Atlanta's Italian fine dining anchor. The Buckhead location has the kind of old-world warmth that cannot be manufactured. Handmade pasta, veal, and seafood preparations that have been refined over four decades. The service staff has been here long enough to know which wines age well in this cellar and which are drinking perfectly right now.
Skip the familiar and ask the staff to guide you into the southern Italian section. Sicily, Campania, and Puglia produce wines that pair brilliantly with La Grotta's menu and cost significantly less than the Piedmont selections. The by-the-glass options rotate and often feature wines the buyer is excited about, which is always a good sign.
🔥 The Bottom Line
La Grotta is the deepest Italian wine program in Atlanta. 400+ labels, four decades of expertise, and a staff that knows every corner of the list. If Italian wine is your thing, this is mandatory.
West Midtown · Atlanta · Alpine / European
Avize is doing something genuinely rare in Atlanta: building a short wine list with actual conviction, pointed straight at the corners of Europe that deserve more attention. If you eat here and don't order something you've never heard of, you're doing it wrong.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Contemporary American
By George is a fine place to drink wine if you know what you're walking into — a curated-but-safe list built for a stylish crowd that wants rosé and bubbles without friction. Come for the Crémant and the Tavel; don't expect to find anything that'll make you rethink your relationship with wine.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Gastropub / Rooftop
Nine Mile Station isn't a destination for wine nerds, but it's a perfectly decent place to drink something cold and recognizable while the Atlanta skyline does the heavy lifting. Come for the view, drink the Crémant, ignore the Rombauer.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Wine Bar
Vin Atl is doing something most Atlanta wine bars aren't: curating a short list with genuine intention instead of padding it with safe bets. At these prices, it's worth a stop even if you only come for one bottle.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Rooftop Bar / Small Plates
St. Julep is a place to drink wine, not a place to drink well. If you're here for the skyline and the scene, pour the rosé and enjoy it — just don't come expecting the list to surprise you.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
BeltLine · Atlanta · Cocktail Bar with Kitchen
The James Room is a cocktail bar first and a wine destination never — but the list is competent enough to get you through a bottle without frustration. Come for the atmosphere, order the Cava or the Sancerre, and let the cocktail menu handle the heavy lifting.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
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.