The Classics Are Here, Playing It Safe
Uptown · Columbus · Italian Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Updated August 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 28, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Mabella's Italian Steakhouse’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 wine list at Mabella's reads like a greatest-hits album you've heard a hundred times — Caymus, Rombauer, Meiomi, Santa Margherita. It's the kind of list that won't confuse anyone but won't surprise them either. For a warm, brick-walled Italian steakhouse in Columbus, Georgia, it gets the job done.
The list runs 40 to 60 bottles, leaning hard on California and Italy — which honestly tracks for the format. You've got Napa Cab country covered with Caymus leading the charge, and the Italian side leans on recognizable names like Barone Ricasoli Chianti Classico and Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio. What's missing is any real depth: no Barolo, no Brunello, no Super Tuscans, no small producers doing interesting things. This is a list built for people who already know what they want, not for anyone looking to discover something new.
Eight to fourteen pours by the glass at $10–$18 is a reasonable spread for a steakhouse of this size. Expect the usual suspects — Meiomi Pinot Noir, Rombauer Chardonnay, and likely the Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio making an appearance. There's no evidence of rotation or a thoughtful by-the-glass program; it feels more like a static menu than a living, breathing selection.
Barone Ricasoli Chianti Classico — $40–$50
One of the most food-friendly bottles on the list and the best actual match for the Italian side of the menu. Ricasoli is Chianti royalty — the real deal — and in a list full of California blockbusters, this is where the money is better spent.
Barone Ricasoli Chianti Classico
Most tables here are ordering Caymus or Rombauer without a second thought. The Ricasoli Chianti Classico is the wine that actually belongs on this menu — high-acid, cherry-driven Sangiovese that cuts through red sauce and plays nicely with a ribeye. It's getting overlooked every night.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Caymus is a fine wine, but it's also one of the most aggressively marked-up bottles in American restaurants. You're paying a significant premium for a label people recognize, not for something that punches above its price point. At steakhouse markups, you can do better elsewhere on this list.
Barone Ricasoli Chianti Classico + House-made pasta with red sauce
Sangiovese and tomato-based pasta is one of those combinations that exists for a reason — the wine's acidity mirrors the acidity in the sauce, neither one drowning out the other. It's the most Italian thing you can order at a place called Mabella's, and the Ricasoli is the right bottle to do it with.
The Bottom Line
Mabella's is a reliable dinner-out option in Columbus with a wine list that plays it completely safe — familiar names, steep markups, no real adventure. If you know what you like and you like Caymus, you'll be comfortable here; if you're hoping for a wine list that matches the ambition of the kitchen, keep your expectations in check.
Midtown Columbus · Columbus · Seafood
Red Lobster 13th St. is not a wine destination — it's a seafood chain where wine exists because a menu has to have one. Order the Riesling with your lobster tail, enjoy the Cheddar Bay Biscuits, and make your peace with it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Riverwalk / Downtown Columbus · Columbus · American
Denim & Oak isn't going to make anyone's wine pilgrimage list, but for Columbus, Georgia, it's a legitimately decent place to drink — fair prices, a deep BTG program, and Wine Down Wednesday as a reason to come back. Just steer clear of the Concha y Toro and head straight for the Orin Swift or the Oregon section.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
North Columbus · Columbus · American Barbecue and Grill
Smokey Bones is a perfectly fine place to eat ribs and watch a game — just don't come here for the wine. Order a cold beer, save your wine budget for somewhere that cares.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Columbus / Whittlesey Boulevard · Columbus · Modern American
Ivory & Oak is a reliable wine stop in a city that isn't exactly crawling with serious lists — the room is great, the pours are familiar, and the markup is the main thing holding it back from something better. Go for the steak, order the Merlot, and don't expect to be challenged.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Airport / East Columbus · Columbus · Hotel Restaurant
If you're stuck at the DoubleTree and the flight is delayed, Houlihan's will keep you fed and adequately watered — but don't mistake that for a wine program worth seeking out. Order the Etude Pinot or the Malbec, skip the sangria, and manage your expectations accordingly.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
Airport / East Columbus · Columbus · American Bar & Grill
This is airport-adjacent chain wine, full stop — familiar labels at inflated prices for a captive audience that mostly wants something cold and wet after traveling. Order a cocktail instead, or hit the hotel bar and call it a night.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Liberty/Belmont Corridor · Youngstown · Italian Steakhouse
Station Square Ristorante is the wine list Youngstown doesn't know it has — deep Italian selections, prestige California anchors, and 450+ bottles that would turn heads in any city. The markups are real and there's no dynamic specials program to soften them, but if you're willing to invest in a bottle of Barolo or a Super Tuscan, this place delivers.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Owen Ayres Court · Eau Claire · Italian Steakhouse
Johnny's is doing the most with a crowd-pleasing formula — 160 bottles, a Wine Spectator nod, and a list that won't offend anyone. Markups on the trophy bottles are hard to defend, but if you know where to look, there's a solid night of wine here for a reasonable bill.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Waterfront / Cabrillo Blvd · Santa Barbara · Italian Steakhouse
Ca' Dario Steakhouse is a reliable wine destination for anyone who wants serious Italian bottles with their steak without having to navigate a 300-label monster list. The markups trend steep, especially on the celebrity bottles, but the Santa Barbara Syrah and Sicilian options give value-hunters a legitimate path.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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