Small Italian list, big curatorial swagger
· Atlanta · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 28, 2026
RagingWine reviewed No. 246’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
Sixteen bottles, all by the glass — No. 246 is playing a different game than your standard Italian spot. This isn't a list that's trying to impress you with length; it's trying to impress you with choices, and mostly it works. There's genuine intention here, which is more than we can say for most neighborhood Italian joints.
The list leans Italian without being myopic — you've got Nada Dolcetto d'Alba, Antoniolo Nebbiolo, and Cincinnato Nero Buono anchoring the reds, while the whites make a case for northern Italy with Via Alpina Pinot Grigio and the genuinely interesting Idlewild Arneis+. California shows up via Routestock Chardonnay and Breaking Bread Zinfandel, which feel like menu obligers more than passion picks, but they're not offensive. The real standout is the Produttori di Manduria Fiano — a southern Italian white from a co-op producer that most restaurants wouldn't bother hunting down. There's also a Zero Spirit section, which signals that someone here is paying attention to the full beverage experience, not just the wine list checkbox.
Every single bottle on the list is available by the glass, ranging from $11 to $21 — that's the whole program, no bottle-only gatekeeping. The range is genuinely solid for a 16-option list: sparkling, white, rosé, and red are all covered, with price points that don't punish you for exploring. Rotation data isn't clear, but the vintage specificity (multiple 2024s and a 2025 already listed) suggests this list gets updated with some regularity.
Nada Dolcetto d'Alba 2023 — $21
Nada is a respected Piedmontese producer, and Dolcetto d'Alba rarely gets the credit it deserves — it's food-friendly, approachable, and typically underpriced relative to its Barolo and Barbaresco neighbors. At $21 a glass for a legit northern Italian red from a quality house, this is where we'd start.
Idlewild Arneis+ 2024
Idlewild makes California wine inspired by northern Italy, and their Arneis+ is the kind of thing that makes Italian wine nerds do a double take. Arneis is already a niche grape; Idlewild's version adds even more intrigue with their plus-blending approach. Most tables at an Italian restaurant will default to Pinot Grigio and never see this on the list — their loss.
Routestock Chardonnay 2024
Nothing wrong with Routestock exactly, but it's the most generic pick on an otherwise thoughtful list. In a room full of Italian-leaning and adventurous options, ordering a California Chardonnay here feels like going to a great ramen shop and asking for the plain broth. Save your glass for something you can't get anywhere else.
Cincinnato Nero Buono 2023 + Pasta with braised meat ragù
Nero Buono is a rustic Lazio red with enough dark fruit and structure to stand up to a rich, slow-cooked meat sauce without bulldozing it. It's the kind of old-world pairing that feels inevitable once you try it — earthy grape, earthy dish, everyone wins.
The Bottom Line
No. 246 does more with 16 bottles than most restaurants do with 60, and the all-by-the-glass format means you're free to wander. Send your adventurous friends here and tell them to skip the Chardonnay.
· Atlanta · Sushi / Omakase
Sushi By Bou is clearly here to serve great fish — and the wine list confirms that wine is very much an afterthought. Order the Dom if you're feeling flush or the Hampton Water if you're being sensible, and let the food do the heavy lifting.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Mediterranean / New American
Rose & Rye isn't a destination for wine nerds, but it's a perfectly functional list for a date night where the wine is supporting the evening, not headlining it. Order the Crémant, avoid the Caymus markup, and you'll do just fine.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Steakhouse
Hal's delivers a competent, Napa-forward bottle list that does exactly what a steakhouse wine program is supposed to do — just without much surprise or value mercy. Send a friend here if they want a reliable big-red experience; warn them to leave the credit card breathing room.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Fast Casual
Nando's is here for the chicken, and the wine list knows it — eight uninspired labels that exist to check a box, not to enhance your meal. Order the Vinho Verde, enjoy your peri-peri, and don't overthink it.
Grocery Store
Fair
Stemless Casual
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Italian
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
· Atlanta · Southern
SouthernNational is doing something genuinely unusual — running a tight, Europe-forward wine list inside a Southern kitchen, and mostly pulling it off. If you're tired of the same Sonoma Pinot and overpriced Malbec at every restaurant in town, this list is worth your attention.
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
Mountain Road · Stowe · Italian
Trattoria La Festa is not a destination for the wine list — it's a destination for the atmosphere, the pasta, and crucially, Wednesday night, when every bottle under $100 goes half-price and suddenly a $50 Antinori feels like a very smart midweek decision. Go on a Wednesday, order the Bramito, and stop overthinking it.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
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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