Breadsticks Win, Wine List Does Not
East Casper · Casper · Italian-American
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 15, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Olive Garden’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list here reads like it was assembled by someone whose only brief was 'names people recognize.' You get the hits — Ruffino, Santa Margherita, Meiomi — and absolutely nothing else. It's a corporate document masquerading as a wine program.
Thirty to fifty wines sounds like a reasonable list until you realize it's the same thirty to fifty wines at every Olive Garden in America, chosen by a committee in Orlando. Italy is represented by safe, mass-market labels — Ruffino Chianti and a trio of interchangeable Pinot Grigios from Bolla, Ecco Domani, and Santa Margherita. California fills the rest of the card with crowd-pleasing names like Meiomi. There's no depth, no discovery, and no reason to explore beyond the first page.
You'll find somewhere between ten and fifteen pours by the glass, which sounds generous until you realize they're rotating the same airport-lounge suspects. The Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio is the most requested pour and is priced accordingly — you're paying for the brand, not the wine. Don't expect any surprises or seasonal rotations; this list hasn't changed in years.
Ruffino Chianti — $9
It's not exciting, but Ruffino Chianti is at least honest about what it is — a serviceable, food-friendly Italian red that won't embarrass itself next to a plate of pasta. Of everything on this list, it earns its place most legitimately.
Meiomi Pinot Noir
We're reluctant to call anything here a gem, but Meiomi Pinot Noir is at least a crowd-pleaser that delivers on its promise — soft, fruity, and easy to drink. Most people overlook it for the Grigio default, but it actually holds up better against the richer pasta dishes.
Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio
You're paying a significant premium for a label, not a wine experience. Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio is a perfectly adequate bottle that retails for around $20 — whatever Olive Garden charges for it by the glass makes the math ugly fast. Order the Chianti instead.
Ruffino Chianti + Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
Chianti and tomato-based meat sauce is one of the more reliable combinations in Italian-American dining — the acidity in the wine cuts through the richness of the sauce and the two just get along. It's not a revelation, but it works, and at this restaurant that counts for something.
The Bottom Line
If you're at Olive Garden, you're here for the breadsticks and the company — and that's fine. Just don't come expecting the wine list to add anything to the evening beyond basic functionality.
· Casper · Steakhouse / American
Texas Roadhouse is not here to compete on wine, and the six-bottle list makes that abundantly clear. If you're sitting down for a ribeye in Casper, order a beer or a cocktail and skip the wine entirely — this list exists to check a box, not to enhance your meal.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Casper · Bar / Casual American
The Gaslight Social is doing exactly what a casual Wyoming bar should do with wine — keeping prices honest, options familiar, and the threshold low. Don't come here chasing discovery, but don't write it off either; grab the WVV Pinot and have a good night.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Casper · Steakhouse / American
Wyoming's Rib & Chop House isn't trying to win any wine awards, and it doesn't need to — the list does exactly what it's supposed to do for a steakhouse in Casper. Grab the Gascon, order your cut medium-rare, and don't overthink it.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Casper · Steakhouse / American
FireRock isn't trying to win any wine awards, and that's fine — it's a steakhouse in Casper doing exactly what it needs to do. The list is familiar, the markups are fair, and with 20 by-the-glass options, you're not going to go thirsty. Send a friend who wants a solid steak and a recognizable red without any fuss.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Casper · Italian
Bosco's isn't a wine destination, and it doesn't pretend to be — but if you're here for the tortellini and a casual glass of something Italian, you won't leave disappointed. Send a friend here for the food; the wine will hold its own.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Casper · Casper · Steakhouse, American
Silver Fox isn't destination wine drinking, but it's honest, affordable, and a few smart picks deep — which is more than most steakhouses in Wyoming (or anywhere) can claim. Send your friends here for a steak; just steer them toward the Craggy Range.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Kansas City · Kansas City · Italian-American
A glass list that fits an Italian menu: 24 wines from $8 to $13, with Barolo, Amarone and Brunello available by the bottle. Start with the $8 Capasoldo Pinot Grigio, or the $13 Banfi Chianti Riserva if you are ordering the Veal Parmigiana, and confirm current prices. This unrated guide covers the posted drinks list, not service, storage or markups.
Old Mill District · Bend · Italian-American
This is a pasta-house list with a wide Italian and Oregon spread: bottles start at $36 and 14 wines come by the glass. Start with the Pastini Rosso at $9.25 for 6oz or the La Quercia Montepulciano at $10, and save Elk Cove ($60) for when you want to splurge on a Willamette Pinot. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups, and the list is undated, so confirm what is available.
Brady Street · Milwaukee · Italian-American
A friendly, easy list for a pasta-and-pizza room: 19 pours by the glass from $7 to $13, plus bottles from $36 to $90. Start with the $7 Wollersheim Prairie Fumé, or get the $10 Banfi Chianti Superiore with a bowl of Pomodoro, and confirm prices because the page is undated. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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