Old Town's Italian anchor still delivers on wine
Old Town · Alexandria · Italian (Tuscan) · Visit Website ↗
Updated July 2026
Reviewed March 27, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Four hundred bottles at a 40-year-old Tuscan institution in Old Town — that's not a wine list, that's a commitment. The list skews heavily Italian, which is exactly what you want when you're sitting down to Osso Buco on King Street. It signals that someone here actually cares.
The Italian depth is real and it leans into the classics: Tignanello and Sassicaia anchor the Tuscan prestige tier, Brunello di Montalcino shows up with multiple selections, and Barolo gets proper representation via Marchesi di Barolo. American wines fill a supporting role, which is the right call — this isn't the place to hunt down your favorite Napa Cab. The gaps are in the natural wine and orange wine space, but honestly, that's not what Landini Brothers is selling, and the list doesn't pretend otherwise.
Thirty-plus options by the glass is genuinely impressive and rare for a restaurant that isn't explicitly a wine bar. That kind of volume means you can build a meal around pours rather than committing to a bottle, which is a real gift for mixed tables. We'd love to see more rotation or a featured pour program to keep it dynamic, but the sheer count earns respect.
Marchesi di Barolo — null
Barolo from a reliable, well-distributed producer in a Tuscan-focused Italian restaurant is often a smart play — the kitchen here knows how to cook the bold braises that Nebbiolo was born to sit next to. Exact pricing wasn't confirmed, so check the list, but this is where we'd start before climbing to the Sassicaia tier.
Brunello di Montalcino
Most tables at a Tuscan restaurant are going to reach for the Tignanello because the name is recognizable. The Brunello selections here deserve a longer look — Montalcino's Sangiovese Grosso is more structured, more age-worthy, and if you find the right producer and vintage on the list, it outpunches the Super Tuscans at a comparable price.
Sassicaia (Tenuta San Guido)
Sassicaia is legitimately great wine, but it's also one of Italy's most famous labels and gets marked up accordingly everywhere it appears. At a restaurant with steep pricing, you're paying a premium on top of a premium. The wine won't disappoint — your wallet will.
Antinori Tignanello + Bistecca alla Fiorentina
Tignanello is Sangiovese-forward with Cabernet backbone — exactly the structure you need to stand up to a thick-cut Florentine steak. It's the Tuscan answer to the obvious Cab question, and on this menu, it's the most natural match on the list.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Landini Brothers is a reliable institution — the wine list is deep, Italian-serious, and staffed by people who know what they're talking about. Pricing runs steep, but for a special dinner in Old Town with a kitchen cooking at this level, it earns its place.
Purcellville · Alexandria · American Comfort
Magnolias at the Mill is a genuinely pleasant place to drink Virginia wine in the building where the region's agricultural history happened. The markups are a bit aggressive on the entry-level bottles, but the Virginia representation and the presence of serious names like RdV and Barboursville make this worth a visit if you're wine-touring Loudoun County.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Old Town · Alexandria · Balkan
Ambar isn't the place to drink wine you already know — it's the place to drink wine you've never had a chance to try. If you're even slightly curious about what's fermenting in the Balkans, this list is worth your time.
Surprising Depth
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Old Town Alexandria · Alexandria · Craft-focused neighborhood bar & restaurant
The Kiln is the wine list you don't see coming at a craft cocktail bar in Old Town — thoughtful producers, fair prices, and a selection that respects the people ordering it. If you're in Alexandria and care about what's in your glass, this is where you go.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Old Town · Alexandria · Brazilian Steakhouse / Churrasco
Fogo de Chão's wine list is never going to win points for adventurousness, but the permanent half-price South American bottle deal is one of the best recurring wine values in Alexandria — full stop. Send your friends here for the meat, tell them to order the VIK, and don't let anyone touch the Catena Alta Chardonnay.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Old Town · Alexandria · French Brasserie
Josephine is doing something rare in Northern Virginia: a short, serious, exclusively French wine list with fair prices and a sommelier who clearly gave a damn putting it together. If you eat French food and want to drink French wine without getting gouged, this is your room.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Proper
Penn Quarter · Alexandria · Modern Indian
Rasika is the rare upscale Indian restaurant that takes its wine list seriously enough to earn the detour. If you're the kind of person who wonders whether a sommelier actually thought about the pairing problem of Indian food and wine, someone here did — and they came up with good answers.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.