Church Street's All-Italian Wine Bar Done Right
Downtown Burlington · Burlington · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 9, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Pascolo is short, focused, and unambiguously Italian — no Cab Sauv hiding in the corner, no token New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. For a Church Street spot that could easily coast on tourist foot traffic with a generic list, this kind of regional discipline is a quiet statement of intent.
Pascolo leans hard into northern and central Italy with smart, lesser-seen picks alongside the crowd-pleasers. The Cieck 'Rosso Canavese' Barbera/Nebbiolo blend from Canavese is genuinely interesting — this is Piedmont before Barolo prices kick in. Sardinia shows up via Cardedu's 'Praja' Monica, a red grape most Vermonters have never encountered. There are softer, more accessible entries too — the Montefresco Montepulciano and Vecchia Cantina Chianti keep things approachable — but the list never feels like it's pandering.
Eight to fourteen pours by the glass is a solid spread for a restaurant this size, and the pricing is almost suspiciously good — the Montefresco Pinot Grigio at $6.50 and Cantine Settesoli Fiano at $6.50 are essentially retail prices with a restaurant markup that rounds to nothing. Rotation clarity is limited from what we can tell, but the breadth of Italian regions represented by the glass is better than most dedicated Italian restaurants twice Pascolo's size.
Cieck 'Rosso Canavese' Barbera/Nebbiolo — $13/glass, $50/bottle
Canavese Nebbiolo at $50 a bottle is a rare find — you're getting Piedmont structure and complexity without the Barolo tax. This is the bottle to order at this price point, full stop.
Cardedu 'Praja' Monica
Monica di Sardegna doesn't get airtime anywhere, let alone Burlington, Vermont. Cardedu makes a serious, food-driven version of this grape and most people at the table will walk past it without a second look — their loss.
Montefresco Pinot Grigio
At $6.50 a glass it's not a rip-off, but Pinot Grigio is the path of least resistance when the rest of this list is full of genuinely interesting Italian grapes. Skip the reflex order and try something you've never heard of.
Azienda Santa Barbara Verdicchio + Housemade pasta with seafood or light cream sauce
Verdicchio has the acidity to cut through butter and cream while keeping things bright and saline — it's the classic central Italian pairing for a reason, and Santa Barbara's version is clean, focused, and built for pasta.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Pascolo is punching above its weight with an all-Italian list that actually knows Italy, at prices that feel like a genuine gift. If you're eating on Church Street and care about what's in your glass, this is your spot.
Waterfront · Burlington · Craft Brewery with Bar Snacks
Foam is a brewery first, but the wine program punches way above its weight class — it's small, local, and priced like they actually want you to drink it. If you're on Burlington's waterfront and want something interesting in your glass that isn't a hazy IPA, this is your spot.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Burlington · New American with Vegan Options
The Daily Planet isn't a wine destination, but it has the instincts of one — a thoughtful natural wine pick, Monday half-price bottles, and fair pricing in a casual room that doesn't take itself too seriously. Send a friend here on a Monday and tell them to ask about the orange wine.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Downtown · Burlington · New American Bistro
The Gryphon is a reliable neighborhood bistro with a wine list that matches its ambitions exactly: familiar, functional, and forgettable. Come for the burgers and brick walls, but don't expect the wine to be the highlight of your night.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Burlington · Neapolitan wood-fired pizza and Italian cuisine
Pizzeria Verità isn't trying to be a wine destination and it doesn't need to be — it's a smart, Italy-focused list with honest markups and a few genuinely interesting bottles tucked in among the crowd-pleasers. Go for the pizza, order the Nebbiolo or the Cirò, and leave happy.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Church Street Marketplace · Burlington · Upscale American Steakhouse
EB Strong's has a wine list that does the job well and occasionally surprises you — especially if you look past the Caymus and dig into the European picks. Wednesday's half-price bottle program makes it one of the better wine-value nights in Burlington, full stop.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Downtown Waterfront · Burlington · Seasonal New American, farm-to-table
Hen of the Wood Burlington is the rare restaurant where the wine list is as considered as the food, and that's saying something when the kitchen is this good. If you're driving through Vermont and care about what's in your glass, this is worth a reservation.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
West Toledo / Reynolds Corner · Toledo · Italian
There's one reason to come here for wine: Thursday. Half-price bottles on a standing weekly basis is a genuinely good deal, especially on the Santa Margherita. Any other night, the markups are steep and the list doesn't justify them.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
West Toledo/Monroe Street · Toledo · Italian
Carrabba's Toledo isn't a destination for wine — but it's not an embarrassment either. The Ruffino Chianti Classico alone earns its keep, and if you stick to the Italian side of the list, you'll drink reasonably well without drama.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
La Jolla · Chula Vista · Italian
Marisi is a reliable Italian wine list with genuine ambition hiding behind a steep markup structure — the producers are right, the regions are right, but you'll pay for the privilege. Go for the Produttori Barbaresco and the Pre-Phylloxera Barbera, and you'll leave satisfied.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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