Breadsticks Win. The Wine List Doesn't.
Mesa Mall / Rimrock Avenue · Grand Junction · Italian Chain · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 17, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Olive Garden Italian Restaurant – Grand Junction’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Olive Garden Grand Junction is exactly what you expect before you even open it — a laminated insert tucked behind the pasta descriptions, featuring names you've seen at every grocery store checkout aisle. There's nothing offensive here, but there's nothing worth getting excited about either. It exists to check a box, not to elevate your dinner.
The list runs about 20-30 wines with a light lean toward Italy and California, which at least makes thematic sense given the concept. You've got Ruffino Chianti representing the Italian side, Santa Margherita and Ecco Domani holding down Pinot Grigio territory, and California doing its thing with Meiomi, Kendall-Jackson, and Kim Crawford sneaking in from New Zealand. There's no depth, no discovery, no producer you haven't already seen on an Applebee's menu — this is a greatest-hits list of mass-market brands, and that's fine if you set expectations accordingly. Gaps are everywhere: no Barolo, no Brunello, no real red beyond Chianti and Meiomi, and zero interest in the broader wine world.
Eight to fourteen pours by the glass at $7–$12 is genuinely reasonable pricing for a sit-down restaurant, and the range covers the obvious bases — white, red, rosé, and a Moscato d'Asti for the sweet-tooth crowd. Rotation appears nonexistent; what's on the menu today was probably on it six months ago. Don't expect anyone to talk you through your options with much conviction.
Ruffino Chianti — $9/glass
It's not a complex Chianti, but Ruffino is a real producer making a real wine at a price point that doesn't embarrass itself. Against a plate of Chicken Parmigiana, it does exactly what it needs to do. Lowest-risk pour on the list.
Castello del Poggio Moscato d'Asti
Nobody comes to Olive Garden for dessert wine, but this lightly sparkling, low-alcohol Moscato from Piedmont is actually the most Italian thing on the list. At modest pricing, it's a genuinely pleasant way to end the meal — especially if you've been double-fisting breadsticks all night.
Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio
Santa Margherita became famous in the '80s and has been coasting ever since. It's reliably inoffensive and reliably overpriced relative to what's in the glass. Ecco Domani does nearly the same job for less money, and neither is particularly interesting.
Ruffino Chianti + Chicken Parmigiana
Chianti's natural acidity and tomato-friendly character make it the obvious call against a heavily sauced, cheesy Chicken Parm. It's not a revelation — it's just the right answer, and sometimes that's enough.
❌ The Bottom Line
The wine list at Olive Garden Grand Junction is a corporate afterthought dressed up in Italian branding — fair prices save it from being a total disaster, but there's no ambition, no discovery, and no reason to think hard about what you order. Stick with the Chianti, enjoy the breadsticks, and save your wine curiosity for somewhere that earned it.
North Avenue · Grand Junction · American
We're not here to pile on a chain restaurant — Applebee's knows exactly what it is. But if wine matters to you even a little, order a cocktail and save your wine night for somewhere that's actually trying.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Avenue / Highway 6 & 50 Junction · Grand Junction · Steakhouse
Outback Grand Junction isn't a wine destination — it was never trying to be — but the list is priced fairly, built around dependable producers, and broad enough that you won't be stuck ordering blind. Send a friend here for dinner? Yes. Send them specifically for the wine list? No, but they won't suffer.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Mesa Mall / Rimrock Avenue · Grand Junction · Steakhouse
The wine program at Texas Roadhouse Grand Junction exists to check a box, not to enhance your dinner. Order the steak, eat the bread, and if you need wine, grab the Cab — but don't come here expecting anyone to care about what's in your glass.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Avenue Corridor · Grand Junction · Steakhouse / American
Wendy's GJ Chop House cooks a solid steak, but the wine list is an afterthought dressed up with a 300% markup. Order your bourbon neat and save the wine budget for somewhere that cares.
Grocery Store
Gouge
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Patterson Road / Medical Center Area · Grand Junction · Gastropub / American
Come for the beer — seriously, come for the beer. The wine list is eight grocery-store bottles propped up by a Wednesday half-price deal that's the only real argument for ordering wine here at all.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
North Avenue Corridor · Grand Junction · Mexican
Tequila's is a solid neighborhood Mexican spot that simply doesn't care about wine, and that's fine — the margaritas are probably doing heavy lifting anyway. Come for the tacos, skip the wine list, and don't let the four Sutter Home options talk you out of a good time.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Bismarck · Bismarck · Italian Chain
Olive Garden Bismarck is a fine place to eat breadsticks and catch up with family. It is not a fine place to drink wine — the list is predictable, the markups are punishing, and nobody here is losing sleep over the cellar. Order the Riesling or the Chianti Classico, skip everything else, and save the serious bottle for a different night.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Cool Springs · Franklin · Italian Chain
The wine list at Olive Garden Franklin is a corporate checklist, not a wine program — the markups are steep for what you're getting, the selection hasn't taken a risk in its life, and the best move is honestly to order a cocktail or just lean hard into the breadsticks. If you're committed to wine, grab the Chianti and don't look back.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Scottsville Road Corridor · Bowling Green · Italian Chain
Olive Garden Bowling Green is not a wine destination, and nobody eating here is pretending it is — the wine list exists to sell you something while you wait for the salad bowl. Stick to the Chianti or the Prosecco, or honestly, just order a cocktail.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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