Georgetown's Italian wine list that means business
Georgetown · Washington · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Updated August 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 7, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Osteria Mozza’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Walking into Osteria Mozza DC, the wine list announces itself before you even sit down — this is not a restaurant that treats wine as an afterthought. The Georgetown setting is polished and purposeful, and the list reflects that same energy: this is an Italian-focused program that clearly has a point of view and the cellar depth to back it up. Wine Spectator handed them a Best of Award of Excellence in 2025, and from what's on these pages, it's not hard to see why.
The list is anchored hard in Piedmont and Tuscany, and it doesn't apologize for it — you'll find Barolo from Giacomo Conterno, Bruno Giacosa, and Gaja sitting alongside Brunello di Montalcino and Chianti Classico Riserva, which is essentially an Italian wine lover's wishlist made real. The Super Tuscan representation is serious too: Sassicaia and Ornellaia are both present, covering the high-end collector corner for anyone celebrating something worth celebrating. What makes this more than a trophy list is the range within those Italian regions — Barbaresco sits alongside Barolo, giving you the full Piedmont conversation. Gaps exist outside Italy, but honestly, the focus is the point.
Specific by-the-glass details aren't published prominently, which is a minor frustration for the casual diner who just wants a solid pour without committing to a bottle. With a sommelier team this deep — Benjamin McMeley, Mirian Colonel, Zoe Pullen, and Alison Sachs on staff — we'd expect the glass program to be curated and rotated with care, but we can't confirm counts or pricing from available data. Ask your server directly; a room like this usually has something worth pouring by the glass even if it's not loudly advertised.
Chianti Classico Riserva — null
In a list full of Gaja and Sassicaia price tags, a well-chosen Chianti Classico Riserva is almost always the smart move — structured enough to handle a full Italian dinner, approachable enough not to require a spreadsheet decision. At a program like this, it's likely sourced well and priced more reasonably than its Barolo neighbors.
Barbaresco
Everyone comes in asking about Barolo, but Barbaresco — especially from a producer like Bruno Giacosa — is the more elegant, often earlier-drinking option that gets passed over at tables that don't know better. On a list this strong, the Barbaresco section deserves a second look before you default to Barolo.
Sassicaia
Sassicaia is a legitimate great wine, but at a restaurant with this kind of markup profile, you're almost certainly paying a significant premium over retail for a bottle that's widely available and well-known. Unless it's a special occasion and someone else is paying, there are more interesting bottles on this list that won't drain your account.
Barolo (Giacomo Conterno) + Pasta with braised meat ragù
Conterno's Barolo is built for this — the wine's high acidity and tannic structure cut right through a rich, long-braised meat sauce, and the earthy depth in the wine mirrors whatever's in the pot. It's the most classically Italian pairing on the menu, and it works because it's supposed to.
The Bottom Line
Osteria Mozza DC is the kind of Italian wine program Georgetown needed — serious Piedmont and Tuscany depth, a knowledgeable team, and a list that earned its Wine Spectator badge honestly. Pricing will test your budget, but if you know what you're ordering, this list rewards you.
Washington · Washington · Seafood
Oceanaire is a safe, well-executed wine destination for California Chardonnay lovers who want reliable bottles with their seafood without too many surprises. Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence since 2017 is well-earned for what it is — just know this list was built for comfort, not adventure.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Proper
Georgetown · Washington · French
Lutèce is a strong place to explore French wine with a firm budget in mind. The posted list runs from a $64 Southern Rhône red to $600 Champagne, so tell Chris Ray what you want to spend and let that guide the conversation. Confirm prices and availability when you book or arrive.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Washington, DC · Washington · Steakhouse
STK DC is a vibe restaurant that treats wine as an accessory, not a feature. If you're here for the scene, the cocktails will serve you better than the list ever will.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Washington · Middle Eastern / North African
Maydan's wine list is one of the most geographically coherent and genuinely adventurous in Washington, DC — it matches the kitchen's ambition and then some. If you're willing to let go of the familiar, this is one of the best by-the-glass programs in the city for opening your eyes to what the wine world looks like beyond Europe.
Surprising Depth
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Washington · Restaurant
Moon Rabbit's wine list is doing something rare: it's short enough to read in two minutes and interesting enough to talk about for twenty. If you care about well-chosen, adventurous bottles at prices that won't wreck your dinner bill, send your people here.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Washington · Washington · Spanish
Xiquet is doing something genuinely rare in D.C. — a tightly edited, Spain-first wine program inside a room that actually earns it. Four sommeliers and a Wood Spectator Award of Excellence since 2023 confirm this isn't an accident; just know you're paying for the setting as much as the bottle.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Healdsburg · Italian
Ciao Bruto is running one of the smallest and most coherent wine lists in wine country, which is either audacious or brilliant — probably both. If you want a 200-label deep-dive, go somewhere else. If you want eight smart picks at prices that won't make you wince, this is the move in Healdsburg.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Geyserville · Healdsburg · Italian
Diavola earns its Wild Card badge because it's a wood-fired pizza joint that punches well above its weight on wine — sommelier on staff, regional focus, and a setting that practically demands you order a second glass. We can't give you the bottle-by-bottle breakdown until we get eyes on a current list, but the bones here are good enough to say: don't just order a beer and move on.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Healdsburg · Italian
Ca'Bianca is a genuinely lovely place to eat, and if the food lives up to its reputation for house-made pasta and classic Italian technique, a bottle of something from the list is absolutely worth ordering. We just can't tell you exactly which bottle to order yet — the wine program's specifics aren't publicly documented well enough for us to make a confident call. When in doubt, ask your server what's local and what they're excited about, and go from there.
Plays It Safe
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.
List Variety
Markup
Glassware
Staff
Specials & Deals
Storage & Temp
