Marisi

Walk into Marisi and you get the immediate sense that someone actually thought about the wine list — this isn't a four-page laminated afterthought. The Italy-forward focus is clear from the jump, and seeing names like Giacomo Conterno and Biondi-Santi in a La Jolla trattoria gets our attention fast. It earns its 2024 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, and you can feel why.

The list runs 150-plus bottles deep with a genuine commitment to the Italian canon — Barolo anchored by Giacomo Conterno and Bruno Giacosa, Brunello covered by both Biondi-Santi and Casanova di Neri, and Super Tuscans like Sassicaia and Tignanello for the crowd that wants a recognizable label on the table. Amarone della Valpolicella rounds out the northern Italy corner, and California gets its own wing with Napa Cabernet and Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir for guests who aren't ready to go full Italian. There are real gaps — no meaningful French presence, minimal coverage outside Italy and California — but within those lanes, the selections are legitimate, not just famous names slapped on a menu for optics. This is a list built with a point of view, which is rarer than it should be.

Ten to eighteen options by the glass is a solid program for a trattoria of this size — enough to give a table real choices without overwhelming anyone. We'd want to know how often the pours rotate, because a static glass list with wines this good is a missed opportunity to keep regulars engaged. No dedicated half-price wine night or by-the-glass special program to speak of, which is a small miss.