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✔️The Reliable

Lorenzo's Trattoria

Solid Italian list, plays it mostly safe

Unknown · Lexington · Italian · Visit Website ↗

date-nightold-world-focuscasual-vibes

Reviewed March 28, 2026

Wingman Metrics

List VarietySolid Range
MarkupSteep
GlasswareBasic Stemmed
StaffWilling but Green
Specials & DealsSet & Forget
Storage & TempAcceptable

First Impression

The wine list at Lorenzo's arrives looking the part — 80-plus labels, a genuine Italian backbone, and enough California muscle to keep the Napa crowd happy. It reads like a restaurant that actually thought about wine, not just phoned in a distributor special. The Italian regionality is real: Friuli whites, Veneto reds, even a Amarone on the list.

Selection Deep Dive

Italy anchors the list properly, with Friuli represented by both Marco Felluga and Jermann on the Pinot Grigio front — that's a legit dual-producer play that most Italian joints in Lexington wouldn't bother with. Veneto gets some love too, with the L. Righetti Capitel Roari and the Amarone Campagnola 2018 rounding out a credible northeast Italian section. California shows up with Paul Hobbs Crossbarn Cab and Lewis Cellars Chardonnay — these are respectable names, not filler. The gaps are in Tuscany and Piedmont, where the list thins out and you're left wanting more Barolo and Brunello depth.

By the Glass

Glass pour pricing starts around $7-$9 for entry-level whites, which is fair for Lexington. We don't have a confirmed count or full rotation on the by-the-glass program, which itself is a mild red flag — a list this size should be promoting its glass pours more aggressively. If they're rotating thoughtfully, there's real potential here; if it's the same four pours all year, that's a missed opportunity.

💰Best Value

L. Righetti Capitel Roari 2017 — $94

Amarone-adjacent Ripasso-style depth from the Veneto at a price that undercuts what you'd normally pay for this kind of concentration. If the markup holds closer to retail than the Gio Pinot Grigio does, this is the bottle to order at Lorenzo's.

💎Hidden Gem

Jermann Pinot Grigio 2020

Most people skip right past Pinot Grigio assuming it's boring, and most of the time they're right. Jermann is the exception — this is a Friuli producer making Pinot Grigio that actually has something to say. Don't let the grape's bad reputation talk you out of it.

Skip This

Gio Pinot Grigio 2021

At a 100% markup on a $15 retail bottle, you're paying $30 for something that drinks exactly like a $15 bottle. With Jermann on the same list, there's no reason to settle here.

🍽️Perfect Pairing

Amarone Campagnola 2018 + Braised Ossobuco

Amarone's dried-grape intensity and iron-tinged fruit need something equally substantial. The slow-braised veal shank pulls enough collagen and richness to stand up to it without getting steamrolled. This is the combo you came for.

✔️ The Bottom Line

Lorenzo's is doing more right than most Italian restaurants in Lexington — the Italian regional bones are solid, and a few standout producers lift the list above the crowd. The markup on entry-level pours stings a little, but climb up the list and there's genuine reward.

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