A little Italy hiding on Alton Road
Miami Beach · Miami Beach · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 12, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Macchialina’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
Walking into Macchialina, you don't expect a Wine Spectator-recognized wine program inside what feels like a neighborhood taverna. The list is compact but clearly assembled by someone who actually cares — this isn't a generic Italian-American wine dump. Olivia Kiddon runs the program and it shows.
The 150-200 bottle list is almost entirely Italian, which sounds limiting until you realize how well it's curated. You've got Barolo from Piedmont, Brunello di Montalcino from Tuscany, and Amarone della Valpolicella anchoring the reds with real weight and pedigree. The whites punch above their weight too — Vermentino from Sardinia and Falanghina from Campania are exactly the kind of finds that make you feel like you're eating in Rome, not South Beach. Chianti Classico Riserva and Barbera d'Asti round out the mid-tier options for those who don't want to drop serious coin.
With 12-18 pours on rotation, the by-the-glass program is legitimately useful — not just a couple of throwaway house wines. Expect a range that spans the Italian boot, from lighter whites to something with enough grip to stand up to cacio e pepe. It's the kind of glass list that rewards exploration.
Barbera d'Asti — $40-$55
Barbera is criminally underpriced for what it delivers — bright acidity, dark fruit, and zero attitude. At Macchialina's entry range, it's a steal against the depth of flavor you get, especially alongside anything with red sauce or wood-roasted meat.
Falanghina from Campania
Most tables skip right past this to reach for a Pinot Grigio or Vermentino, but Falanghina is one of Southern Italy's best-kept secrets — floral, mineral, with a salinity that absolutely sings next to branzino or burrata. If you're not ordering it, you're leaving something good on the table.
Amarone della Valpolicella
Amarone is a prestige pour and priced accordingly here, pushing into the upper tiers of the list. It's not a bad wine — it's never a bad wine — but in a casual taverna setting, you're paying for a big statement bottle when the Barolo or Brunello at lower price points will actually outperform it at the table.
Chianti Classico Riserva + Cacio e pepe
Chianti Classico Riserva's high acidity and Sangiovese-driven savory character cut right through the richness of the pecorino and black pepper in cacio e pepe. It's the Tuscany-meets-Rome combination that makes you feel like you know something other people at the table don't.
The Bottom Line
Macchialina is the rare Miami Beach restaurant where the wine list doesn't feel like an afterthought or a tourist trap — it's a focused, Italy-only program that rewards curious drinkers and won't empty your wallet before dessert. Send a friend here? Absolutely, but tell them to skip the Amarone.
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HaSalon is the last place you'd expect to find a serious Burgundy program, and that's exactly what makes it a Wild Card worth your time. Come for the dinner, stay for the dance party, and let Yoann Bagat point you toward something from the Côte d'Or you won't regret in the morning.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Miami Beach · Miami Beach · Seafood, Steakhouse
Papi Steak's wine list is built for the room — big, bold, and built to impress — and it does its job well enough to earn a Wine Spectator nod. Send a friend here if they love Cabernet, a good steak, and don't mind paying Miami prices for the privilege.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Miami Beach · Miami Beach · Steak House
Smith & Wollensky Miami Beach earns its Best of Award of Excellence — this is a deep, well-managed list with a real sommelier and a Wednesday half-price program that makes serious bottles suddenly accessible. The markups on the trophy wines are steep, but if you know where to look, you can drink very well here.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Active Program
Proper
Miami Beach · Miami Beach · Steak House
Prime 54 is the real deal — a cellar that earns the award on its wall, a sommelier who actually knows the list, and enough depth to reward repeat visits at multiple price points. Just go in with eyes open on the markup, pick your battles, and let Eugenia steer you past the obvious choices.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Miami Beach · Miami Beach · Japanese
Makoto is a genuinely surprising wine list hiding inside a beautiful Japanese restaurant by the ocean — the France and California depth is real, the Wednesday half-price night is a gift, and the Puligny from Leflaive alone is worth the detour. Just know that the markups climb fast once you move into trophy territory, and there's no dedicated sommelier to guide you through it.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Willing but Green
Occasional
Proper
Miami Beach · Miami Beach · Asian, Indian
JAYA is a serious wine destination wearing a beach hotel's clothes — the cellar is deep, the sommeliers know their stuff, and Wednesday half-price bottles make one of Miami Beach's best lists suddenly accessible. Markup is steep across the board, but if you pick smart, you'll drink very well here.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Active Program
Proper
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Bici's wine list won't knock you sideways, but it's honest, Italian-focused, and fairly priced — a reliable partner to the food. We'd send a friend here and tell them to skip the Sauvignon Blanc and go straight for the Greco.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
East Parkway / Elks Plaza · Gatlinburg · Italian
The Best Italian's wine list does exactly what it needs to do: keep casual diners happy, not drain wallets, and get out of the way of the garlic knots. We wouldn't drive to Gatlinburg for the wine, but if you're already there and want something decent with dinner, you'll be fine.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Vail Village · Vail · Italian
La Nonna brings a legitimately serious Italian cellar to a town where most restaurants are content to coast on their ski-town captive audience — and that deserves real credit. The markups are steep across the board, but the bones of the list are strong enough that the right bottle makes the whole evening.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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