Tuscany's Greatest Hits, Done Right
Madison · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Updated August 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · March 31, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Luca’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
The list lands with a clear point of view: Italy first, Italy always, with Tuscany holding court. It's not trying to be a globe-trotting wine bar — it's an Italian restaurant that actually knows its Italian wine, which puts it ahead of most of its competition in Madison before you even order a glass.
Tuscany dominates in the best possible way, with a Super Tuscan section that spans casual entry points like Castello Banfi's Belnero ($65) all the way up to the truly serious — a Podernuovo a Palazzone G33 at $333 and a La Gerla Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2016 at $246. Alto Adige gets a smart nod with the Kitz Rottensteiner Sauvignon Blend, showing someone here knows there's more to Italy than Chianti. California makes a cameo with Belle Glos Las Alturas Pinot Noir, which feels a little like a crowd-pleaser concession, but it's a good one. The gaps are real — minimal France outside the obligatory Veuve, almost no Spain or Germany — but the depth in its lane is legit.
Twenty to thirty options by the glass is generous for Madison, and the program leans into Italian varietals rather than defaulting to the usual California suspects. The Chianti Classico Riserva from Castello Vicchiomaggio at $13 glass is a strong anchor, and the Kitz Rottensteiner blend at $15 is a genuinely interesting white pour. The markup on glass pours is reasonable — $8 entry-level pours exist, which keeps the table accessible without dumbing down the rest of the list.
Scarzello Nebbiolo Langhe VT22 — $19/glass
Langhe Nebbiolo from a serious Barolo producer at $19 a glass is the kind of pick that rewards people paying attention. Retail sits around $35, so you're not getting gouged, and this is a wine that drinks well above its price point — all the Nebbiolo character without the Barolo tariff.
Kitz Rottensteiner Sauvignon Blend Alto Adige VT24
Most people at an Italian restaurant walk past anything that isn't Pinot Grigio or Chianti. This Sauv Blanc/Pinot Blanc/Pinot Gris/Chardonnay blend from Alto Adige is the kind of Alpine Italian white that makes you rethink what Italian white wine can be — crisp, textural, and genuinely interesting at $15 a glass.
Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label 375mL
Eighty dollars for a half bottle of Yellow Label is a tough sell anywhere. It's the safe, recognizable Champagne pick on a list that clearly has more imagination than this — and at that price you could be halfway into a bottle of something far more interesting.
Super Tuscan Brancaia Ilatraia VT21 + Braised short rib or lamb
The Ilatraia's Cab Sauv, Petit Verdot, and Cab Franc blend has the structure and dark fruit to stand up to rich, slow-cooked red meat without burying it. At $140 it's a splurge, but this is the bottle you open when the table is ready to commit to a real dinner.
The Bottom Line
Luca is doing more with Italian wine in Madison than most Italian restaurants do anywhere — focused, fairly priced, and staffed by people who can actually navigate the list with you. If you care about Tuscany even a little, this is where you want to be drinking.
South West Side / Arbor Gate · Madison · Contemporary American
Bonfyre is a reliable neighborhood grill that happens to have Wine Down Wednesday, and that promotion does more for this wine program than anything on the list itself. Come on a Wednesday, order the Riesling or the Malbec with your steak, and you'll leave happy — just don't expect the list to dazzle you on a Tuesday.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Downtown / Capitol Square · Madison · Sushi / Japanese
Red Sushi isn't a wine destination, and it doesn't pretend to be — but the fortified and dessert options give it more credibility than most comparable spots downtown. Come for the sushi, stay for the Madeira.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Far West Side / Greenway Station · Madison · Casual Italian
Biaggi's is a chain, the markups are steep, and nobody on staff is going to geek out over Nebbiolo with you — but the Wine Wednesday promotion (50% off bottles $75 and under) genuinely changes the math. Come on a Wednesday, order a bottle of Santa Margherita or a Chianti Classico at half price, and you'll have a perfectly solid dinner without any regrets.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Downtown · Madison · Seafood and Steak
Tempest is a reliable downtown option for wine with your oysters — the list has genuine highlights and the glass count is respectable, but the markups are steep and the program isn't pushing itself. Go for the Sancerre, go for the Riesling, and don't overthink it.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Side / Junction Road · Madison · Wine Bar & Bistro
Eno Vino West is the dependable neighborhood wine bar Madison's west side needs — not flashy, not adventurous, but genuinely well-stocked and fairly priced. Show up on a Monday or Tuesday, grab a half-price bottle, and stop overthinking it.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Near West Side / Monroe Street · Madison · Californian-style, veggie-forward American
Everly's list is more thoughtful than most neighborhood spots its size, with a few genuinely exciting bottles mixed in with the safe pours. We'd send a friend here for wine, but we'd tell them to go in with eyes open on the markup — you're paying a premium for the atmosphere as much as what's in the glass.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Randolph · St. Paul · Italian
Luci Ancora isn't here to dazzle wine geeks, but it earns its keep as a thoughtful neighborhood Italian with a list that respects the kitchen. If you're after a quiet dinner and a well-chosen Italian bottle, you're in the right place.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Galleria · Irving · Italian
North Italia isn't a destination wine list, but it's a genuinely respectable one — fair prices, regional Italian whites worth ordering, and enough variety to reward curious drinkers. Send your friends here knowing they won't be stuck choosing between Pinot Grigio and nothing.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Laredo · Italian
Johnny Carino's Laredo isn't trying to be a wine destination, and the list makes that abundantly clear. If you're here, go on a Sunday or Wednesday, grab that half-price Albertoni, and keep your expectations parked firmly at 'Italian chain in Laredo.'
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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