Breadsticks Win, The Wine Does Not
Miller Hill · Duluth · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 12, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Olive Garden Italian Restaurant – Duluth’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 is exactly what you'd expect from a laminated insert tucked behind the appetizer section — it's a corporate document, not a wine program. Thirty-something options, most of them names you'd find at a gas station wine rack, priced like they belong at a steakhouse. There is no local flavor, no curiosity, no attempt to surprise you.
The list leans Italian in name but not in spirit — you get Roscato Rosso Dolce, Straccali Chianti, and Kris Pinot Grigio doing the heavy lifting, alongside domestic crowd-pleasers like Robert Mondavi Private Selection and Meiomi Pinot Noir. The most interesting bottle on the shelf is probably the Rocca delle Macie SaSyr, a Sangiovese-Syrah blend that at least suggests someone at corporate HQ once thought about structure. Gaps are everywhere: no skin-contact wines, no sparkling worth mentioning, no regional exploration beyond what's already in every chain Italian restaurant in America. This list was designed by a committee, approved by a focus group, and hasn't been reconsidered since.
You're looking at 10 to 15 pours ranging from $7 to $12 a glass, which sounds reasonable until you do the bottle math and realize the markup is already baked in hard. The pour selection mirrors the bottle list — safe, sweet-leaning, and largely interchangeable. There's no rotation, no seasonal thinking, no compelling reason to stray from water.
Rocca delle Macie Chianti Classico — $29.25
At 83% markup it's the least egregious bottle on the list, and it's an actual wine from an actual producer with some structure — drink it with the pasta and pretend you're somewhere else.
Rocca delle Macie SaSyr (Sangiovese/Syrah)
Most tables here are ordering Roscato and calling it a night. The SaSyr is the only wine on this list that has genuine personality — dark fruit, some grip — and most people walk right past it.
Beringer Merlot
At $26.25 a bottle for something that retails at $9.99, you're paying a 163% markup on a wine that has no business being on any restaurant list, let alone at this price. Order literally anything else.
Straccali Chianti + Chicken Alfredo
Chianti's acidity cuts through the cream sauce better than anything sweet on this list — it won't blow your mind but it'll keep the dish from feeling like a brick.
The Bottom Line
Come for the never-ending pasta bowl and the breadsticks; the wine program is an afterthought that charges you for the privilege of being ignored. If you want a real glass of wine with dinner, this is not your night.
· Duluth · Brewpub
Lake Superior Brewing has no business having a wine list this interesting, and we mean that as a full compliment. If you're in Duluth and you want to drink wine somewhere that actually thought about it, this brewpub is the surprising answer.
Surprising Depth
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Duluth · Cocktail Bar
This is a cocktail bar that slipped a legitimately interesting nine-bottle wine list into the corner without making a big deal about it — and we respect the quiet confidence. Don't come here for a deep cellar experience, but do come here knowing you have real options beyond the well liquor.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Duluth · Italian
Va Bene is presumably doing something right in the kitchen, but the wine list is a two-item afterthought that tells you this place doesn't take wine seriously. Order a glass, enjoy your pasta, and don't expect anything more.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Duluth · European / Hotel Restaurant
Midi is doing more with 38 labels than most hotel restaurants do with 80. The aromatic white selection alone makes it worth a serious look, and the pricing won't leave you feeling robbed on the way out.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Duluth · Italian-American and Pizza
Sammy's is a Duluth institution and the pizza earns its reputation — the wine list is just not the point, and the restaurant isn't pretending otherwise. Order a beer or grab the cheapest glass pour, eat the pizza, and be happy.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Canal Park · Duluth · American, Bar, Pizza
Old Chicago Duluth isn't a wine destination and doesn't pretend to be — it's a reliable fallback for the table member who wants a glass of something decent while everyone else works through the tap list. If you stick to the Ste. Michelle Riesling, you'll leave satisfied; just don't come here expecting anything that will make you put down your pizza.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Italian
Nino's wine list is exactly what it looks like: a dependable, crowd-pleasing selection built for guests who want something familiar with their chicken piccata. The pricing runs steep in places — Korbel at $50 is hard to defend — but the Italian whites, especially the Gavi options, show that someone put at least some thought into this. Send a friend here if they want a comfortable, no-surprises dinner; don't send them if they're hunting for value or discovery.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Inman Park · Atlanta · Italian
Amore e Amore earns its stripes as a reliable neighborhood Italian spot where the atmosphere is the main event. If you're coming for a celebration dinner, you'll likely have a great time — just go in knowing the wine list hasn't been independently confirmed to be anything exceptional. Check the menu online before you go if wine is a priority, and when in doubt, ask your server what's Italian and under $60.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Scottsdale · Scottsdale · Italian
An Italian list dated 06.17.26 with 18 glass pours at 15 to 19 and full bottles from 60 to 970. Start with the Barbera d’Alba La Gemella at 15 a glass, or the Fontanavecchia Aglianico del Taburno from the chef’s Campania hometown at 17, and confirm prices because the list says they are subject to change. 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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Markup
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