Italy's Greatest Hits, Served On Melrose
Hollywood · Los Angeles · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 7, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Osteria Mozza lands on the table like a small Italian novel — dense, serious, and clearly written by someone who cares deeply about the peninsula. This isn't a list curated to please; it's a list curated to educate, challenge, and occasionally stun. Nancy Silverton's kitchen gets all the press, but the wine program earns its own headline.
Six to eight hundred selections anchored almost entirely in Italy — and that's not a limitation, it's a thesis statement. Piedmont alone could occupy an entire evening: Giacomo Conterno, Bartolo Mascarello, Bruno Giacosa, and Gaja covering Barolo and Barbaresco across multiple vintages. Tuscany keeps pace with Biondi-Santi and Soldera representing Brunello at its most serious, Sassicaia and Ornellaia flying the Super Tuscan flag, and Fontodi and Isole e Olena doing honest work in Chianti Classico. The Friulian whites — Livio Felluga, Marco Felluga — are a quiet flex for anyone paying attention to the northern reaches of the boot.
Around twenty to thirty options by the glass with prices running $16 to $40, which is aggressive but in line with the room's ambitions. The selection rotates with enough Italian regional depth that you're not stuck choosing between Pinot Grigio and Chianti like it's 2003. A knowledgeable floor team — Josh Wibbenmeyer, Melissa Kunde, and Erika Parjus among them — can actually walk you through what's worth pouring tonight.
Fontodi Chianti Classico — $65
On a list that trends toward triple-digit Barolos and Brunellos, Fontodi's Chianti Classico is where the list quietly over-delivers — serious Sangiovese from one of the appellation's benchmark estates, at a price that doesn't require a conversation with your accountant.
Livio Felluga Friulian White
Everyone's chasing the Barolo section and missing the Friulian whites entirely. Livio Felluga makes some of the most food-friendly, texturally compelling whites in Italy, and on a list this meat-and-pasta-forward, they're the smartest order in the room.
Sassicaia
A great wine — no argument there — but Sassicaia is the most recognized Super Tuscan on the planet, and restaurant markup on icon bottles at this tier is reliably punishing. You're paying for the name as much as the wine. Dig deeper into the list and your money works harder.
Dal Forno Romano Amarone + Beef tagliata
Dal Forno's Amarone is a massive, concentrated wine that needs something with equal structural weight to meet it — the beef tagliata's char and richness are exactly that match. It's a big call, but this is the kind of pairing this list was built for.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Osteria Mozza holds a Best of Award of Excellence for good reason — this is one of the most coherent, deeply sourced Italian wine programs in Los Angeles, staffed by people who actually know what's on the list. The markup stings, but when the wines are this good and this carefully chosen, you're paying for access to a serious cellar, not just a restaurant wine list.
Downtown Los Angeles · Los Angeles · French-inspired, New American
Perch is a place people go for the view, the scene, and the Instagram moment — the wine list knows this and doesn't try very hard. Order something simple, enjoy the skyline, and save your serious wine drinking for a restaurant that wants to earn it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Hollywood · Los Angeles · Upscale Italian, Seafood
Marino is a reliable, well-curated Italian wine list that earns its stripes on selection and staff knowledge, even if the pricing makes you wince on the everyday bottles. Send a friend here for the Guidalberto and the Franciacorta — just steer them away from anything under $60.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Hollywood · Los Angeles · Neapolitan Italian, Pizza
Da Michele's wine list is narrow by design and better for it — a focused, fairly priced tour through Southern Italy that most pizza spots in LA wouldn't dare attempt. If you're even mildly curious about Campanian wine, this is one of the better excuses in the city to start learning.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Los Angeles · Los Angeles · Seafood
Water Grill is a reliable choice for serious wine with serious seafood — the list is deep enough to reward exploration, and the sommelier presence means you can actually ask for help. The markups sting, but this is Downtown LA and you knew that walking in.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Bel-Air · Los Angeles · Modern Californian with European/Mediterranean influences
This is a serious wine list dressed in a garden party — the depth is real, the sommelier is engaged, and if you're willing to pay the Bel-Air premium, the experience delivers. Just go in knowing the bill will reflect the hedge-lined address.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Beverly Grove / West Hollywood · Los Angeles · Greek / Mediterranean
Kassi Club is a party restaurant with a wine list that punches above its vibe — if you ignore the markup and order Greek, you're going to drink well. Send a friend here specifically to work through the indigenous varietals; just tell them to skip the Chablis.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Provo · Provo · Italian
La Dolce Vita earns its stripes as a dependable neighborhood Italian with a wine list that actually respects the cuisine it's serving. It's not a destination wine program, but in Provo, it's one of the better options on the table — and that house pour at $4 a glass is almost disarmingly honest.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
East Odessa Retail Corridor · Odessa · Italian
The wine list at Olive Garden Odessa does exactly what Olive Garden's wine list is supposed to do — it's inoffensive, familiar, and gets out of the way of the breadsticks. If you're here for a serious glass of wine, you're in the wrong zip code.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
South Lakeland · Lakeland · Italian
Carrabba's isn't where you go to discover wine, but it's where you go to drink something decent without getting ripped off. Send a friend here if they want a familiar Italian night with a glass that makes sense — just steer them toward the Italian side of the list.
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.