Arizona's Italian Wine Room Earns Its Stripes
Scottsdale · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 5, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed La Zozzona’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at La Zozzona lands with authority — 250 to 400 bottles deep, with Italy holding court and California and France flanking it like trusted allies. This is not a restaurant that threw a wine list together to check a box. Wine Spectator's Best of Award of Excellence says it, and the list backs it up.
Piedmont and Tuscany anchor the Italian side hard — we're talking Barolo, Barbaresco, Brunello di Montalcino, and the Super Tuscan trinity of Sassicaia, Ornellaia, and Tignanello all present and accounted for. Amarone shows up for the big-bottle crowd, while Franciacorta gives the Italian sparkling category some actual credibility beyond Prosecco. California brings Napa Cabernet and Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir into the conversation, and Burgundy's Côte de Nuits keeps the French chapter from feeling like an afterthought. If there's a gap, it's that adventurous drinkers hunting Jura, Ribera del Duero, or natural-leaning producers will need to look elsewhere.
Twenty to thirty-five by-the-glass options is a generous program — not just three Chardonnays and a token red. With sommelier Benjamin Higgins steering the ship, the glass pours feel curated rather than random, and you can reasonably expect some of the Italian regional variety to make it onto the by-the-glass menu rather than being locked behind full-bottle commitments.
Franciacorta — $45–$70 (estimated bottle range)
Italian sparkling done right, and almost always underpriced relative to Champagne at restaurants like this. Order it as your aperitivo and look smart doing it.
Amarone della Valpolicella
Most tables walk right past Amarone in favor of the Barolos and Super Tuscans getting all the press. That's a mistake. Amarone is a powerhouse — dried-grape intensity, serious structure — and it tends to be one of the most interesting pours on lists like this when the selection is solid.
Sassicaia
Sassicaia is genuinely great wine, but at a restaurant with 400 bottles and fair pricing, it's still the most recognizable name on the list — which means it carries a recognition tax. The value-to-experience ratio here leans toward the lesser-known Piedmontese producers who will drink just as well for considerably less.
Brunello di Montalcino + Wood-fired steak
Brunello and a wood-fired steak is not a subtle recommendation, but it's correct. The Sangiovese-driven acidity cuts through the char and fat, and the earthy, iron-tinged character of a good Brunello amplifies everything a proper wood-fire brings to a piece of beef.
The Bottom Line
La Zozzona is the real deal for Italian wine in Scottsdale — deep list, a sommelier who knows the inventory, and fair pricing across a range that covers Sunday-night pasta and Thursday-night Tignanello alike. Send your friends here, and tell them to skip the cocktail menu.
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Old Town · Scottsdale · Modern Latin
A 32-wine list that mixes 26 two-price pairs, like 11/39, with six single prices from 90 to 155. Start with the 11/39 Pinot Grigio, or the 15/53 Trimbach Pinot Blanc if you want the one Alsace wine, and ask what each number in a pair covers before you order. This unrated guide covers the posted Old Town wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Scottsdale · Scottsdale · Italian
An Italian list dated 06.17.26 with 18 glass pours at 15 to 19 and full bottles from 60 to 970. Start with the Barbera d’Alba La Gemella at 15 a glass, or the Fontanavecchia Aglianico del Taburno from the chef’s Campania hometown at 17, and confirm prices because the list says they are subject to change. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Old Town · Scottsdale · American Gastropub
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North Scottsdale · Scottsdale · American Brasserie
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· 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
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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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