Breadsticks Win, Wine List Does Not
Telshor · Las Cruces · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 7, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Olive Garden Italian Restaurant Las Cruces’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Take Vibe Match and we’ll tell you what to order here.
Wingman Metrics
The wine list here arrives laminated, sandwiched between the pasta specials and the dessert photos, which tells you everything you need to know about how seriously wine is taken. It's a corporate checklist dressed up as a wine program — Moscato, Pinot Grigio, a Sweet Red Blend — designed to move bottles, not excite anyone. If you've been to any Olive Garden in the country, you've already seen this list.
Eight to twelve bottles, all familiar faces from the value aisle: Cavit Pinot Grigio, Roscato Rosso Dolce, Robert Mondavi Private Selection Cab, Barefoot Pinot Grigio, a house Chianti, a proprietary Sweet Red Blend, and a Lambrusco. The Italian angle is real but extremely shallow — these aren't regional gems, they're the wine equivalent of airport dining. There's no old-world depth, no interesting producers, nothing that would make a curious drinker lean in. California and mass-market Italian brands do all the heavy lifting, and neither pulls its weight at these prices.
Six to eight options by the glass, pulling straight from the bottle list — so what you see is what you get, and what you get is predictable. Pours run $7–$9, which sounds reasonable until you realize you're paying chain markup on grocery store wine. Rotation is essentially nonexistent; this is a set-it-and-forget-it program that hasn't changed meaningfully in years.
House Chianti — $7/glass
It's the one wine on this list that actually makes sense with what you're eating. A basic Chianti with Chicken Alfredo or the Tour of Italy is at least contextually appropriate, and at the lower end of the glass price range, you're not losing much if it disappoints.
Lambrusco (house label)
Most people order anything but Lambrusco, which is their loss. A lightly fizzy, slightly sweet red from Emilia-Romagna is genuinely fun with heavy pasta and breadsticks — it cuts through richness in a way no Cab on this list will. It's not a great Lambrusco, but it's the most interesting thing happening here.
Barefoot Pinot Grigio
At $24 a bottle, you're paying a 243% markup on a wine that retails for $7 at every grocery store in Las Cruces. There is no version of this that makes sense. Order literally anything else, or just get a cocktail.
Roscato Rosso Dolce + Tour of Italy
The Tour of Italy — lasagna, chicken parm, fettuccine Alfredo all on one plate — is rich, saucy, and relentless. Roscato is sweet and low-alcohol, which makes it a surprisingly functional foil here; it won't fight the sauce and it won't tire you out. It's not a sophisticated pairing, but it works for what this place actually is.
The Bottom Line
The wine list at Olive Garden Las Cruces is a corporate formality, not a feature — overpriced for what it is, with zero ambition and zero discovery. Order the breadsticks, order the Chianti if you must, but don't come here expecting anything from the wine program.
Telshor / East Las Cruces · Las Cruces · Italian
Mi Piaci isn't a wine destination, but it's a reliable neighborhood Italian with a list that won't let you down if you know what to order. Grab the Chianti, seriously consider the Amarone, and save room for the tiramisu.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Telshor / East Las Cruces · Las Cruces · Mexican and New Mexican
For a hotel cantina in Las Cruces, this list earns genuine respect by putting New Mexico producers front and center instead of hiding behind safe California imports. If you're anywhere near Hatch chile country and haven't tried Gruet with your enchiladas, Garduños is a reasonable place to fix that.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Telshor / East Las Cruces · Las Cruces · New Mexican / Southwestern
Ristra isn't going to blow any wine obsessives away, but for a hotel restaurant in Las Cruces it's doing something genuinely worthwhile — championing local producers on a list that could have easily gone full lazy-California. Come for the green chile, order the Gruet, and leave more impressed with New Mexico wine than you expected to be.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Telshor / East Las Cruces · Las Cruces · Steakhouse and Seafood
Cattle Baron isn't where you go to geek out on wine, but if you're in Las Cruces and you want a decent glass with a well-cooked steak, it delivers exactly that. Send a friend here for the beef; just don't tell them to splurge on the Caymus.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Mesilla · Las Cruces · Bar / Wine-Friendly
La Posta is worth visiting for the history, the atmosphere, and absolutely the margaritas — but the wine list is a placeholder, not a program. Come here for the experience, drink the cocktails, and save your wine curiosity for somewhere that's earned it.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Las Cruces · Las Cruces · New American / Grill
De La Vega's Pecan Grill isn't a destination for wine lovers, but it's a perfectly decent place to drink well alongside a good steak in a warm setting. Go for the New Mexico pours, skip the Rombauer, and enjoy the orchard air.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Jersey City · Italian
Porto by Antonio delivers a credible Italian-forward wine list with genuine high points — Promis, Barbaresco, Brunello — and a by-the-glass program that actually gives people choices. Markups get aggressive at the top, and the Caymus pricing is frankly embarrassing, but if you stick to the Italian core and the smart mid-range picks, you'll drink well here.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Toledo · Italian
Zia's isn't trying to be a wine destination, but it's trying harder than most Italian spots in Toledo — fair prices, a mostly by-the-glass program, and enough Italian producers to keep things honest. Go for the Antinori, order the Riesling to impress your date, and leave Castle Rock for the grocery run.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· McKinney · Italian
Bravo! is a competent chain wine program — wide by-the-glass selection, a few Italian producers worth noting, and prices that are steep but not insulting. You're not coming here for the wine list, but you won't regret ordering either.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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