Piedmont on a Logan Square back street
Logan Square · Chicago · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 13, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Osteria Langhe’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
Walking into Osteria Langhe feels like someone airdropped a Barolo-obsessed trattoria from the Langhe hills into Logan Square and forgot to tell the neighbors. The wine list is compact but pointed — this is not a restaurant hedging its bets with a little Napa Cab to keep the tourists happy. They've picked a lane — Piedmont — and they're staying in it.
The roughly 150-200 bottle list reads like a love letter to northwestern Italy, anchored hard by Barolo and Barbaresco with names like Gaja, Bruno Giacosa, Vietti, and Ceretto holding down the prestige end. Below those marquee bottles, the list does solid work with Barbera d'Asti, Dolcetto d'Alba, and Nebbiolo d'Alba — the everyday wines of the region that most Italian restaurants in Chicago completely ignore. If you came looking for Burgundy or Napa, you're genuinely in the wrong place, and that's a feature, not a bug. Wine Spectator has recognized this program with an Award of Excellence since 2016, and you can feel the intentionality behind the curation.
The by-the-glass program runs 12-18 options in the $12-$20 range, which is reasonable for the neighborhood and the quality level. Expect rotating Piedmontese pours across the spectrum — from a lighter Dolcetto to something with a bit more grip from the Nebbiolo family. It's not a showstopper BTG program, but it's honest and regionally coherent.
Barbera d'Asti — $12
Barbera at this price point by the glass is the smart order — high acid, food-friendly, and the grape that Piedmontese locals actually drink with dinner. No ceremony, just works.
Nebbiolo d'Alba
Everyone gravitates toward Barolo and Barbaresco on a list like this, but Nebbiolo d'Alba is the move if you want the same grape at a fraction of the price and none of the 'I need to cellar this for 10 years' anxiety. Order it and look like you know something.
Gaja Barolo
Gaja is an icon and the bottle is probably priced to reflect that — restaurant markup on a name this famous means you're paying a serious premium for the label. Buy it at retail and save Osteria Langhe for the underdogs on the list.
Vietti Barolo + Plin
Plin — those tiny Piedmontese pinched pasta parcels — and a structured Barolo from Vietti is basically the canonical pairing of the region. The wine's tannin and acidity cut through the richness of the filling and the two just make sense together in a way that doesn't need explaining.
The Bottom Line
Osteria Langhe isn't trying to be everything to everyone on the wine front, and that restraint is exactly what makes it worth the trip. If you have any curiosity about Piedmont's wine culture, this is the most approachable classroom in Chicago.
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The Oakville Grill earns its Wine Spectator credential and the sommelier duo makes this list accessible, not intimidating. Wednesday half-price wine night alone is reason enough to get a reservation — just let go of the idea that anything other than California is on the agenda.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Active Program
Proper
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John's is a neighborhood spot that punches well above its casual format — two sommeliers, a thoughtful France-and-California list, fair prices, and half-price bottles every Monday. Send your friends here, especially on a Monday.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Active Program
Proper
River North · Chicago · American, Seafood
Terrace 16 earns its Wine Spectator badge and delivers a respectable, California-and-France-focused list in one of Chicago's most dramatic dining rooms. Just don't expect to be surprised — the wine is as reliable as the skyline view, and nearly as expensive.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Indienne is the Wild Card in the truest sense — a fusion kitchen with a genuinely considered wine program that earns its Wine Spectator nod. Yes, send a friend here for wine, but make sure they skip the Napa Cab and lead with Riesling.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Magnificent Mile · Chicago · American
Adorn is a reliable, well-staffed wine program in a high-overhead setting — you're paying for the view and the address, but the list itself is legitimate. Send a friend here who wants solid French and California bottles without doing homework first.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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Bici's wine list won't knock you sideways, but it's honest, Italian-focused, and fairly priced — a reliable partner to the food. We'd send a friend here and tell them to skip the Sauvignon Blanc and go straight for the Greco.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
East Parkway / Elks Plaza · Gatlinburg · Italian
The Best Italian's wine list does exactly what it needs to do: keep casual diners happy, not drain wallets, and get out of the way of the garlic knots. We wouldn't drive to Gatlinburg for the wine, but if you're already there and want something decent with dinner, you'll be fine.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Vail Village · Vail · Italian
La Nonna brings a legitimately serious Italian cellar to a town where most restaurants are content to coast on their ski-town captive audience — and that deserves real credit. The markups are steep across the board, but the bones of the list are strong enough that the right bottle makes the whole evening.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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