Wine Wednesday Makes the Whole Thing Click
Old Mill District · Bend · Italian-American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 17, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Pastini - Old Mill District’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Pastini Old Mill reads exactly like what you'd expect from a casual Italian chain — Pacific Northwest staples, a few Italian imports, nothing that's going to raise your pulse. But then Wednesday rolls around, and suddenly that $45 Erath Pinot Noir becomes a $22.50 bottle, and the whole conversation changes.
The list leans into Oregon and Washington with predictable picks — Erath, King Estate Acrobat, Chateau Ste. Michelle — alongside Italian-leaning crowd-pleasers like Barone Fini, Mezzacorona, and Cavit. There's a nod to the local identity with Elk Cove Pinot Noir and Cooper Mountain Pinot Gris, which is genuinely appreciated, even if the rest of the list doesn't quite live up to that ambition. Gaps are obvious: no Rosso di anything from Italy, no real depth beyond the grocery store shelf-talker tier. What you see is what you get, and what you get is safe.
We don't have a confirmed glass pour list or count, which at a casual Italian chain is usually not a great sign — it likely mirrors the bottle list with a handful of predictable pours. If they're rotating anything beyond the usual suspects, it isn't being communicated loudly enough to show up anywhere.
Erath Pinot Noir (Oregon) — $22.50 on Wine Wednesday (normally $45)
At half price on Wednesday, this drops to a totally fair ask for an everyday Oregon Pinot. Retail is $18, so you're paying a modest premium at the half-price rate — far better than the standard 150% markup. Come on a Wednesday, order pasta, drink this.
Cooper Mountain Pinot Gris (Willamette Valley, Oregon)
Cooper Mountain is a biodynamic producer that most people at a casual Italian chain won't recognize or reach for — they'll go straight for the Cavit. That's their loss. This is a step up in both farming philosophy and flavor, and it's the most interesting bottle on the list by a decent margin.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling (Columbia Valley)
At $30 on a $9 retail bottle, you're paying a 233% markup for something you can grab at any grocery store on the way home. Nothing wrong with the wine itself, but the value math here is embarrassing.
Elk Cove Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley, Oregon) + Made-from-scratch pasta with a tomato-based sauce
Elk Cove's Willamette Pinot has enough acidity and red fruit to cut through a rich tomato sauce without stepping on the pasta itself. It's the most regionally appropriate bottle on the list and one of the few that actually feels intentional.
Wednesday — Pastini runs a chain-wide Wine Wednesday promotion: 50% off any bottle on the list, every Wednesday. Most bottles land under $20 at half price, which transforms an otherwise steep list into one of the better midweek wine deals in Bend.
The Bottom Line
Pastini is a Lazy List on a normal night, but Wine Wednesday flips the math enough to make it worth a visit if you know what you're doing — show up on Wednesday, order the Elk Cove or Cooper Mountain, skip the Ste. Michelle, and enjoy your pasta. Any other night, manage your expectations accordingly.
Old Mill District · Bend · Wine Bar
For a Va Piano visit in Bend, head to the Wine & Champagne Bar at 425 SW Powerhouse Drive, Suite 301. Confirm the current wines and pour prices directly, and reserve ahead for groups of six or more. The winery’s subscription page is not a tasting-room menu.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Eastside · Bend · Casual American café with wood-fired pizza and seasonal, locally sourced dishes
Do not use this Eastside review to plan a current Jackson’s Corner visit. Sunriver Brewing lists its Eastside Pub at the Cushing Drive address; Jackson’s Corner lists 845 NW Delaware Avenue. Confirm the location and current wine menu directly before making plans.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Eastside · Bend · Italian
Salute isn't trying to be a wine destination, but it's built a list that actually respects the cuisine it's serving — and in a casual Italian spot in Bend, that puts it well ahead of the competition. Send a friend here, point them at the Vermentino or the Le Volte, and they'll thank you.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Bend · Bend · Italian
Salute isn't trying to be a wine destination, but it's doing the right things: fair prices, smart Italian anchors, and a couple of genuinely exciting picks hiding in the corners. Send a friend here and tell them to order the Lageder by the glass and ask about the Climens.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Bend · Bend · Italian, French, Mediterranean
BOSA is punching well above its weight class for a Bend neighborhood restaurant — fair prices, a genuinely curious Italian and French list, and a few bottles that would turn heads at a much fancier address. Send your wine-curious friends here without hesitation.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Bend · Bend · Wine Bar & Retail Wine Shop
Viaggio is the kind of wine bar that has no business being this good in a ski town, and that's exactly why it earned a Wild Card badge. If you care about what's in your glass, make a stop here before or after dinner — you'll leave with a better bottle than you planned on.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Active Program
Proper
· Branson · Italian-American
Pasghetti's isn't trying to be a wine destination, and the list makes that abundantly clear. If you're here for the pasta and the family-friendly Branson vibe, grab a Lambrusco and call it a night — but don't expect the wine program to be part of the reason you come back.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Portsmouth · Italian-American
The Rosa isn't trying to reinvent the wine list — it's trying to serve its room well, and largely succeeds. Twenty-five by-the-glass options with Italian producers mixed alongside California staples makes this one of the more thoughtful pours in Portsmouth. If you're after wine-bar ambition, look elsewhere; if you want a reliable glass with your gnocchi without any drama, The Rosa delivers.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Ocean Casino Resort · Atlantic City · Italian-American
Superfrico is a reliable wine program in a setting designed to get you to spend money — and it mostly delivers without being a total shakedown. Send a friend here for a fun night, not a wine education.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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