Breadsticks and Beringer: Comfort Food, Comfort Wine
Unknown · Springfield · Italian Chain
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 4, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Olive Garden Italian Restaurant – Springfield’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Olive Garden Springfield is exactly what you'd expect: familiar names, approachable prices, and zero surprises. It's not trying to impress you, and honestly, it doesn't need to. This is a list built for the table that wants something cold and red alongside a mountain of pasta — and on that front, it delivers.
About 30-40 bottles spread across California workhorses and a handful of Italian touchstones. You've got Robert Mondavi Private Selection, Meiomi Pinot Noir, Chateau Ste. Michelle Chardonnay and Riesling from Washington, and one actual Italian standout in the Rocca delle Macie Chianti Classico. The sweet wine section is heavy — Moscato Primo Amore, Confetti Pink Moscato, and Roscato Rosso Dolce are clearly the crowd favorites here. Don't come looking for Barolo or natural wine; do come knowing exactly what you're getting.
Twelve pours by the glass, ranging from $7 to $12, which is genuinely reasonable for a sit-down restaurant in 2024. The rotation is national chain consistent — meaning it won't change — but the Chateau Ste. Michelle bottles and the Rocca delle Macie Chianti Classico lift the BTG program above pure supermarket-shelf status.
Robert Mondavi Private Selection Cabernet Sauvignon — $8.50
Retails around $12, pours here at $8.50 a glass — that's a less than 2x markup in a sit-down restaurant. It's a solid, fruit-forward Cab that can actually stand up to a plate of Chicken Parmigiana without embarrassing itself.
Rocca delle Macie Chianti Classico
Everyone at this table is ordering Moscato or the house red. Skip both and grab the Chianti Classico. Rocca delle Macie is a legitimate Tuscany producer, and a Chianti Classico on an Olive Garden list is genuinely the most interesting thing happening here — sour cherry, a little earthiness, and it actually belongs on an Italian table.
Barefoot Pinot Grigio
Restaurant price matches retail at $7 — so no markup robbery, but you're paying restaurant dollars for a bottle you could grab at any gas station. There's no reason to order this when the Chateau Ste. Michelle Chardonnay or the Starborough Sauvignon Blanc are right there.
Rocca delle Macie Chianti Classico + Chicken Parmigiana
Sangiovese and tomato sauce is one of the most reliable combinations in Italian cooking — the wine's acidity cuts through the richness of the fried chicken and the marinara actually makes the fruit in the glass pop. This is the one move on this list that feels intentional.
The Bottom Line
Olive Garden Springfield isn't a wine destination, but it's not a wine disaster either — fair markups, a couple of genuinely decent pours, and prices that won't sting. Order the Chianti Classico, enjoy your breadsticks, and don't overthink it.
Springfield · Springfield · Casual steakhouse with Australian-themed American cuisine
Outback Springfield isn't where you go to geek out on wine, and it doesn't pretend to be — the list is honest, the prices are reasonable for a chain sit-down, and the Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling alone is worth knowing about. If you're here for a steak and you want something decent in your glass, you'll be fine.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Dirksen Parkway / Sunrise Drive · Springfield · American Chain
We wouldn't send anyone to Applebee's specifically for the wine, and we won't start now. If you're here, you're here for the food, the vibe, or the company — and that's perfectly fine. Just know that the wine list is purely incidental.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
South Springfield · Springfield · American Chain
The markup is shockingly fair, but you're paying near-retail for wines you could grab at Walgreens on the way home. Order a cocktail, order a beer, and save the wine night for literally anywhere else.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Unknown · Springfield · Steakhouse
LongHorn Springfield isn't a wine destination — but with markups this low and pours this affordable, it's one of the better casual chain options in Illinois for a simple red with a big steak. Send a friend here for dinner; just don't tell them to geek out over the list.
Crowd Pleasers
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Unknown · Springfield · American Steakhouse, Casual Dining
Texas Roadhouse is not a wine destination — it's a steak and ribs destination with a wine list that exists because it has to. Order a beer or a cocktail and save the wine drinking for somewhere that cares.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Springfield · Springfield · Seafood and Wine Bar
If you're here for the seafood, the Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling has your back and the prices won't hurt. But calling this a wine bar sets an expectation the list can't come close to meeting — order your glass, enjoy the crab cakes, and don't think too hard about what's in the bottle.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Chula Vista · Italian Chain
Romano's Macaroni Grill isn't trying to be a wine destination, and the list makes no attempt to pretend otherwise. Order a $4 house red, enjoy the pasta, and save your wine curiosity for somewhere that earned it.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Route 9 South · Poughkeepsie · Italian Chain
Olive Garden's wine list is exactly what you'd expect from a national chain that considers breadsticks the main event — functional, safe, and completely unambitious. Come for the pasta, drink the Chianti Classico, and don't expect anything more.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Central Avenue / South Hot Springs · Hot Springs · Italian Chain
Olive Garden's wine list is the automotive equivalent of a rental car: it gets you where you're going, nobody's excited about it, and you return it without a second thought. Come for the breadsticks, drink the Chianti, and keep your expectations appropriately parked.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
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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