Nine Bottles and a Prayer for More
· Chula Vista · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · October 6, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Little Italy Ristorante’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Nine bottles. That's the whole list. You scan it in about twelve seconds and immediately wonder if this is a placeholder page waiting for a real wine program to show up. The prices are low — $23 to $32 a bottle — which buys goodwill, but there's not much else working in the list's favor.
The lineup reads like a supermarket end-cap: Kinderwood Merlot, Cabernet, and Chianti anchor the reds, while Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, White Zinfandel, Moscato di Asti, and Stella Rosa round out the whites and sweet side. San Simeon Pinot Noir is the lone bottle that steps above the rest at $32, representing the only recognizable Central Coast producer in the bunch. There's no depth here — no regional Italian exploration beyond a single Chianti, no old world curiosity, no sparkling that would actually work with a meal. It's a wine list designed to check a box, not to complement the food.
Glass pour options aren't listed on the website, so we can't speak to what's actually available by the pour. With a list this small, it's reasonable to assume most or all bottles may be offered by the glass, but that's unconfirmed. If you're hoping for a thoughtful rotation or anything beyond the basics, lower your expectations before you sit down.
The Bottom Line
Little Italy Ristorante isn't coming here for the wine — and at these prices, that's probably fine if you just need something cold in a glass. But nine labels, no Italian depth to speak of, and a list that hasn't been curated so much as assembled means this is strictly a cocktail-first, wine-if-you-must situation. If wine matters to you even a little, the food might be worth the trip, but plan to drink elsewhere.
Chula Vista · Chula Vista · Hotel Lounge
The Den is a hotel bar doing the bare minimum on wine, and it shows. Order a cocktail, grab a beer, or pick up a bottle from the grocery store down the street before you check in.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Chula Vista · Steakhouse Chain
The prices are fair but there's almost nothing to choose from — four labels is not a wine program, it's a placeholder. If wine matters to your dinner, this isn't your spot.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Chula Vista · Steakhouse
Skip the wine list and order a cocktail or a beer — the wine program here is an afterthought dressed up in a long menu. If someone insists on a bottle, reach for the Rodney Strong and don't look too hard at the markup.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Chula Vista · Italian Chain
Romano's Macaroni Grill isn't trying to be a wine destination, and the list makes no attempt to pretend otherwise. Order a $4 house red, enjoy the pasta, and save your wine curiosity for somewhere that earned it.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
La Jolla / Torrey Pines · Chula Vista · Regional California Cuisine / American Fine Dining
A.R. Valentien is doing something rare for a hotel restaurant: it's built a wine program that would stand on its own even without the Pacific Ocean views. Send your people here — just book ahead and don't skip the wine list.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
La Jolla · Chula Vista · Italian
Marisi is a reliable Italian wine list with genuine ambition hiding behind a steep markup structure — the producers are right, the regions are right, but you'll pay for the privilege. Go for the Produttori Barbaresco and the Pre-Phylloxera Barbera, and you'll leave satisfied.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Chandler · Italian
Floridino's wine list does the minimum required to call itself a wine list — fair prices on uninspiring labels, zero rotation, and a by-the-glass program that's really just the entire list. If you want something to wash down a slice, the Folonari Chianti or Sassoregale are your best moves. But no one is driving to Chandler for the wine program here.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Bellevue · Italian
Angelo's built a short, focused, all-Italian by-the-glass list and priced it fairly — that's a genuinely uncommon combination in the suburbs. We don't have enough intel on the food menu or staff to give it a full Rager endorsement, but the wine program alone earns a detour. If you're eating Italian in Bellevue and want something better than the usual suspects, this list rewards the curious.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Hot Springs · Italian
Little Italy in Hot Springs isn't pretending to be a wine destination, and that's fine — but a seven-bottle list anchored almost entirely by supermarket brands doesn't give wine drinkers much to work with. The pricing is honest and the Selbach is a genuine bright spot, but if wine matters to your evening, temper expectations before you sit down.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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