Italian-led list with 15 labeled glass pours and seven Amarones
Over-the-Rhine · Cincinnati · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed October 9, 2026 · How we review
Explore Nicola's Ristorante’s wine-list information. An overall rating has not been assigned. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Nicola's beverage list starts with cocktails, beer and wines by the glass, then the bottle pages open with Italy: Spumante and Champagne, then Italian whites, rosé and orange, then Italian reds by region (Piemonte, Toscana, Veneto, Super Tuscans). American whites and reds, a Cabernet Sauvignon section and an Around the World section follow. The sheet says "Wines are listed from lightest to fullest body in each section," so you can read it as a ladder.
Piemonte includes Barolo such as G.D. Vajra 'Albe' 2022 at 120 and Giuseppe Mascarello 'Monprivato' 2015 at 550. Veneto has seven Amarone della Valpolicella bottlings, from Sartori 'Reius' 2020 at 140 to Quintarelli 2018 at 850. Toscana includes Rosso di Montalcino from Castello Banfi 2024 at 80, and Super Tuscans such as Avignonesi 'Desiderio' 2021 at 130. The food menu has a Fresh Pasta Made in House section if you want to stay on theme. The sheet is not dated in its text, so confirm bottles before you commit.
The website lists 15 wines by the glass, each labeled GL and BTL. Costa del Re Prosecco is GL $14, BTL $65, the Villa Calcinaia Chianti Classico Nicola's Private Label is GL $15, BTL $70, and Vietti 'Perbacco' Nebbiolo 2022 is GL $19, BTL $90. A separate Coravin list pours 3 oz of Brunello, Barolo and Amarone; the website and the PDF name different Brunello and Barolo bottles for those pours, so ask which are open. The restaurant describes the Coravin system as pouring wine "without removing the cork."
The Bottom Line
An Italian-led list with seven Amarones on the Veneto page and a clearly labeled glass list. Order the $15 Chianti Classico by the glass with the Bolognese, then spend your bottle money on the $140 Sartori 'Reius' Amarone instead of reflexively picking a Barolo, and check the glass and Coravin pours on the day. This unrated guide covers the posted drinks selection, not service, storage or retail markups.
· Cincinnati · Contemporary American Steakhouse
Eddie Merlot's is a reliable performer in a genre that doesn't reward risk-taking — you'll eat well, drink acceptably, and pay steakhouse prices for both. If you're after a wine list that surprises or challenges you, this isn't your room. But if you need somewhere that delivers a respectable bottle alongside a serious filet, this gets the job done without embarrassing you at the table.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Montgomery · Cincinnati · American
A winery-restaurant list where nearly every wine is posted with a glass and a bottle price, from $9.50 to $25.00 a glass. Start with the Cooper's Hawk Lux Cabernet Sauvignon, which the menu lists beside the red wine braised short ribs, or the Cooper's Hawk Red at $10.75 a glass, and try the CHMX from Baja, Mexico on a weekday at the $8 Wine O'Clock price. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups, so confirm availability.
Covington · Cincinnati · Farm-to-Table Bistro
A bistro wine list with a compact glass tab and a regional bottle tab that runs from 42 to 310. Start with the Conquilla cava or the Voliero sangiovese by the glass, or the Thymiopoulos xinomavro at $50 if you want a bottle, and confirm prices because the menu is undated. This unrated guide covers the posted drinks list, not service, storage or markups.
Downtown · Cincinnati · Wood-Fired American
A French-led bottle list with a glass page that starts at $17 and a Coravin page for smaller pours. Order the Domaine Brun-Avril Côtes-du-Rhône at $20 a glass, or try the Château de Plaisance Anjou Blanc by the pour, and confirm vintages since the book says they are subject to change. This unrated guide covers the posted drinks selection, not service, storage or markups.
Newport · Cincinnati · Farm-to-table (Italian, French, American)
A tasting-menu room with a wine book that runs from Burgundy to Tuscany and a short, specific beverage sheet. Start with the $15 Delalle sparkling Chenin Blanc, or look at the $48 Rocca del Principe Fiano if you want a bottle, and confirm what is available since neither list is dated. This unrated guide covers the posted drinks lists, not service, storage or markups.
Lytle Park · Cincinnati · Italian
A broad Italian-and-Napa list, with every glass pour labeled by size. Start with the Santa Cristina Cabernet Sauvignon (6oz 12) or the Ohio-made Carlotta red blend (43), and confirm what is pouring, since the list carries no date. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
· Dacula · Italian
Antonetas isn't a wine destination, and it isn't trying to be — it's a family-friendly neighborhood Italian with a wine list that covers the basics and stays out of the way. If you're after a solid glass of something red with your Lasagna in a no-fuss setting, you won't be disappointed. Just don't show up expecting to geek out over the list.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Alpharetta · Italian
Crust is a solid neighborhood Italian spot where the wine list is a supporting player, not the headliner — and that's fine. Come for the rigatoni alla vodka and garlic knots; order a glass of whatever red they're pouring and don't overthink it. We'd send a friend here for dinner without hesitation, just not for the wine list alone.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Marietta · Italian
Vespucci's isn't a wine destination, but it doesn't pretend to be — and that honesty is refreshing. The one move that earns real respect here is the Monday half-price bottle deal, which turns an ordinary weeknight into a genuinely good value. Show up on a Monday, order the Eggplant Parmigiana, grab a bottle at half price, and you've had a solid dinner without thinking too hard about it.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
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