Endless Breadsticks, Finite Wine Ambition
Bakersfield · Italian-American
Reviewed June 23, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Olive Garden Italian Restaurant – Bakersfield’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list arrives laminated, sandwiched between the Never Ending Pasta Bowl insert and a dessert photo spread. It's exactly what you expect: a corporate-approved greatest hits of grocery store staples dressed up with Italian restaurant legitimacy. No surprises here, and that's the whole problem.
Twenty-something wines, all of them names you've seen at a Kroger endcap — Meiomi, Ecco Domani, Santa Margherita, Riunite. The Italy focus is thin at best: a couple of northern Italian Pinot Grigios and a Lambrusco that peaked in the 1980s don't constitute a regional program. California representation leans entirely on nationally distributed brands with zero local or indie producers in sight. There are no real regions to speak of — just a collection of safe, recognizable labels that require zero staff knowledge to sell.
Eight to twelve pours in the $8–$14 range, which sounds accessible until you remember these are bottles retailing for $10–$15 at Total Wine. The glass program functions more as an upsell mechanism than a curated experience — you're paying restaurant markup on wines that require no curation to source. Rotation appears to be nonexistent; this list has looked the same since the Obama administration.
Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio — $8
At the low end of the glass range, this is the least painful option on the list — light, inoffensive, and at least in the right ZIP code for an Italian-American dinner. Not exciting, but it won't ruin your night.
Castello del Poggio Moscato
Nobody orders this because it feels unsophisticated, but with a table full of breadsticks and a sweet tooth, a lightly sparkling Moscato actually makes sense. It's not a serious wine but it's honest about what it is, which is more than we can say for the rest of the list.
Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio
A $20 retail bottle likely hitting $14 a glass here, and Santa Margherita has been coasting on its 1970s reputation for decades. There's nothing wrong with it, but you're paying a premium for a brand, not a wine. Skip it.
Meiomi Pinot Noir + Chicken Parmigiana
Meiomi is soft, slightly sweet, and low on tannin — which actually plays well against the acidic tomato sauce and fried chicken in the Chicken Parm. It's the most food-friendly red on this list, and that counts for something in a room full of Alfredo sauce.
The Bottom Line
Olive Garden's wine list is a corporate afterthought designed to generate margin, not pleasure — and the Bakersfield location is no exception. Order the cocktails, enjoy the breadsticks, and save the wine conversation for a different night.
· Bakersfield · Wine bar + brewpub
BottleShock has a great name and a wine list that hasn't caught up to it yet. Four labels — including a Prosecco and a Chianti Classico you've seen a hundred times — isn't enough to earn the wine bar designation. Until the list grows up, come for the brew side of the menu and treat the wine as an afterthought.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Bakersfield · Hotel lounge
MI Greatroom is doing exactly what a Marriott convention hotel bar is designed to do — serve recognizable, inoffensive wines to people who aren't thinking about wine. There's no shame in that, but there's no reason to come here specifically for what's in the glass. Order the Maso Canali, catch up with whoever you're meeting, and don't overthink it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Bakersfield · American
Yard House Bakersfield is a beer hall that happens to sell wine, and the list makes no effort to hide that. Markups are aggressive, selections are safe to the point of being anonymous, and the only reason to open a bottle here is if your table voted against another round of IPAs. If you're wine-focused, redirect your budget to the Jean-Luc Colombo Rosé by the glass and call it a night.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Bakersfield · Steakhouse and Seafood
This is a wine program that exists only because restaurants are expected to have one. If you're at Sizzler Bakersfield, order a beer, a lemonade, or whatever they're mixing at the bar — the wine list is not the reason to be here, and it's not trying to be.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Bakersfield · Hotel bar and small plates
Brimstone Bar isn't trying to be a wine destination — but whoever put Terre Rouge on the menu made a real choice, and that's more than most hotel bars can say. If you're in Bakersfield and you want something other than a mass-market Cab, this is the move. Just don't come expecting options.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Downtown Bakersfield · Bakersfield · Latin American / Mexican / Spanish / American
Zama is a fun room with a wine list that plays it safe — the markups are real, the picks are predictable, but Wine Wednesday changes the math considerably if you time your visit right. Show up on a Wednesday, order the Riesling or the Bonanza, and enjoy the patio.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
· Hartford · Italian-American
Carbone's Hartford punches above its weight on Italian whites and Champagne — the Greco di Tufo, the Etna Bianco, and the Suavia 'Massifitti' are exactly the kind of picks that separate a real wine list from a prop. Markup runs steep in spots (that Livio Felluga isn't doing anyone favors), and the by-the-glass program leaves some of the best bottles stranded on the bottle-only list. Come for the Italian-American classics, bring a table of four, and split something interesting from the whites.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
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.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
List Variety
Markup
Glassware
Staff
Specials & Deals
Storage & Temp
