A cozy corner of Italy, glass in hand
Crystal City · Arlington · Italian Osteria / Trattoria · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 27, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Osteria da Nino’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Osteria da Nino is short — 20 labels total — but it reads like someone actually thought about it. No filler Pinot Grigio from a faceless bulk producer, no Kendall-Jackson cameos. This is a list built to support the food, and mostly, it does.
The list leans hard into Southern Italy, with Puglia showing up twice via Pietraventosa and a solid Falanghina from Feudi di San Gregorio in Campania. Sicily gets a nod with the Planeta Rosé, and Tuscany earns its spot through the Elisabetta Fagiuoli Vernaccia di San Gimignano and the Cancellaia Cabernet Sauvignon. The one odd duck is the Franciscan Chardonnay from California — it's not bad wine, it just feels like it wandered in from a different restaurant. The Tinazzi Baby Amarone is a savvy inclusion for guests who want something serious without paying full Amarone prices.
Here's the thing — all 20 bottles are available by the glass, which is either a sign of high turnover or a restaurant that trusts its crowd to drink through the list quickly. Prices run $8–$15 a glass, which is genuinely reasonable for the Arlington market. The Prosecco from Biasotto and the Tenuta Casali Sparkling Rosé give you something festive to start without breaking the bank.
Pietraventosa Primitivo — $35/bottle
Primitivo from Puglia at this price is a win. It's a robust, food-friendly red that holds its own against any $50+ Zinfandel, and it's right at home next to a plate of rigatoni.
Elisabetta Fagiuoli Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Most tables at an Italian trattoria will default to Pinot Grigio and never look back. That's their loss. This Vernaccia is a proper white from Tuscany — textured, mineral-driven, and more interesting than anything else in the glass case at this price point.
Franciscan Chardonnay
At $10/glass or $39/bottle, it's not a rip-off, but it's completely out of place on an Italian list. You're at an osteria in Arlington eating pasta. Drink Italian.
Feudi di San Gregorio Falanghina + Rigatoni alla Vodka
Falanghina's bright acidity and light citrus character cut right through the cream in the vodka sauce without steamrolling it. It's the kind of pairing that makes you wonder why you ever ordered Chardonnay with pasta.
The Bottom Line
Osteria da Nino isn't trying to be a wine destination, but it's doing more than most neighborhood Italian spots have any right to. If you're in Crystal City and want a solid pour of something authentically Italian at a price that won't hurt, this is your place.
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