Honest Italian Pours Without the Pretense
East Street / Carroll Creek · Frederick · Italian / Pizzeria · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 13, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Pistarro's Ristorante Pizzeria Napoletana’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Thirteen labels isn't a lot, but Pistarro's isn't trying to be Enoteca Pinchiorri — it's a Neapolitan pizzeria in Frederick, Maryland, and the list knows exactly what it is. Everything on here is Italian, full stop, and that kind of discipline on a short list is something we respect. The prices are approachable enough that ordering a second bottle doesn't require a moral calculation.
The list leans into Italian variety without going full wine-nerd obscure — you've got your expected Pinot Grigio and Prosecco crowd-pleasers up front, but then the reds start to get interesting. A Nebbiolo from Bonfante Chiarle, a Primitivo from Lu Rappaio, and a Barbera alongside the house Montepulciano and Sangiovese shows someone put actual thought into covering Italy's peninsula rather than just slapping Chianti and Pinot Grigio on a laminated card. The organic Farmers of Wine Red Blend (Zinfandel and Negroamaro) is a genuinely unusual choice for a neighborhood pizza spot. Gaps are minimal given the scope — no Barolo, no Brunello, but that's not what this place is going for.
Eleven of the thirteen labels are available by the glass, which is a legitimately generous pour program for a list this size — almost nobody gets stuck with a bottle they didn't want. Prices range from $6 for the Sangiovese Impero to $12 for the Primitivo Lu Rappaio, which is a fair spread. The $4 house wine during Happy Hour is exactly what it sounds like — a low-stakes entry point, not a revelation.
Primitivo Lu Rappaio — $12/glass, $33/bottle
Primitivo — the Southern Italian cousin of Zinfandel — tends to punch well above its price point, and at $33 a bottle in a restaurant setting, this is a genuine find. Rich, dark-fruited, and built for pizza with aggressive toppings.
Nebbiolo Laure Bonfante Chiarle
Most people at a pizza place are reaching for the Pinot Grigio or the house red without a second thought. The Nebbiolo from Bonfante Chiarle at $33 is the sleeper on this list — Nebbiolo is Barolo's grape, and even in a lighter expression it brings structure and complexity that none of the other reds here can match.
Gemma Di Luna Pinot Grigio
Gemma Di Luna is a mass-market label you'll find in grocery stores and chain Italian restaurants across the country. Nothing wrong with it as a category, but with CA' Montini Pinot Grigio available for $28 and bringing more actual character, there's no reason to default to this one.
Primitivo Lu Rappaio + Margherita Pizza
A well-made Neapolitan Margherita has char, acidity from the San Marzano tomatoes, and richness from the fior di latte — the Primitivo's dark fruit and moderate tannin cuts through the fat and matches the sweetness of the sauce without steamrolling the simplicity of the pie.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Pistarro's isn't going to blow any wine obsessives away, but for a Neapolitan pizzeria it delivers a tight, coherent, all-Italian list at prices that don't make you wince — and that $4 Happy Hour house pour is a genuine gift. Send your friends here for a casual Tuesday, not a celebration dinner.
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Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Frederick · Frederick · Mediterranean / Meze
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Steep
Basic Stemmed
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Acceptable
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Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
Westview · Frederick · Italian
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Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Route 85 / 355 corridor · Frederick · Steakhouse
LongHorn is here to sell you a steak, and it does that job well enough — but the wine list is an afterthought at best. Order the beef, skip the wine, and save the bottle for somewhere that actually cares.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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