Tuscan-focused list with safe picks and fair pricing
Downtown Dallas · Dallas · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Updated April 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · March 6, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Ravenna Italian Grille & Bar’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
The wine list feels like it was built by someone who went to Tuscany once and never looked back. It's heavy on Italian crowd-pleasers — Chianti, Barolo, Amarone — with a few California standards to keep the steak crowd happy. Nothing adventurous, but nothing offensive either.
With 50-75 bottles, Ravenna's list sticks to the classics: Tuscany dominates with Ruffino Chianti and Querceto Chianti Classico, while Piedmont brings Rocche Costamagna Barolo and Veneto offers Recchia Amarone. The American side leans predictable with Joseph Carr and Stags' Leap Cabernets from Napa, plus Four Graces Pinot from Willamette. You won't find any natural wines, orange wines, or boundary-pushing producers here. It's a list designed not to confuse anyone ordering the Filet Mignon.
Eight glass pours ranging $9-$15 is workable but not inspiring. The selection appears to mirror the bottle list's safe approach — expect Chianti, a Napa Cab, maybe a Pinot. No evidence of rotation or seasonal changes, so you're likely getting the same pours in January as you are in July.
Colores Del Sol Malbec — $45
Argentina fruit at a 200% markup sounds steep until you realize this retails for $15 — that's actually restaurant-fair pricing in Dallas, and it'll handle the Lobster Ravioli's richness
Rocche Costamagna Barolo
Most people skip Barolo at an Italian-American spot, assuming it's overpriced or poorly stored, but Costamagna is a serious producer and if they're keeping it properly, it's the most interesting wine on the list
Ruffino Chianti
Fine wine, but you can buy this at Target for $12 — order something you can't grab on grocery day
Querceto Chianti Classico + Lasagna
Sangiovese's bright acidity cuts through the ricotta and red sauce without fighting the tomato — this is why Chianti exists
The Bottom Line
Ravenna plays it safe with fair markups and a Tuscan-heavy list that won't surprise anyone. It's a solid neighborhood choice when you want Italian wine with your Italian food, but don't expect the staff to guide you beyond the basics or the list to change much year to year.
· Dallas · Steakhouse
Y.O. Ranch's wine list does the job without doing much else — it's a safe, brand-heavy selection that keeps the room happy but won't make any wine drinker's night. Come for the beef, order the Malbec or the Il Poggione, and don't overthink it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Dallas · Steakhouse
Y.O. Ranch Steakhouse takes its wine as seriously as its beef, which is rarer than it should be. The Cabernet runs deep, the global bench is real, the Coravin program lets you drink up, the markups are fair for the tier, and the Texas section gives the whole thing a personality. Skip the trophy-label tax, lean on the Rioja, the Pinot, and the homegrown Texas pours, and you'll eat and drink like the buyer clearly intends.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Active Program
Proper
Dallas · Dallas · American
Ellie's is a respectable hotel wine list that earns its Wine Spectator nod without ever threatening to surprise you — California crowd-pleasers at steep markups in a beautiful room. If you're celebrating or just want a reliable bottle with a great burger, it does the job; just don't expect the list to take you anywhere you haven't already been.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Dallas · Dallas · French
Mercat Bistro is the kind of French wine list Dallas doesn't have enough of — focused, French-forward, and priced without arrogance. If you're eating the classics, you should be drinking them too, and this list makes that easy.
Old-world-focus
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Knox-Henderson · Dallas · French
Knox Bistro earns its Wine Spectator nod with a focused, France-forward list that matches its bistro soul — fair prices, real producers, and a room that actually makes you want to linger over a second glass. Send your friends here; just steer them away from the Opus One.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Design District · Dallas · American, Steakhouse
Tango Room earns its Wine Spectator credential with a focused, well-sourced list and a sommelier who can actually guide you through it. Markups lean steep — this is a Design District splurge room, not a value hunt — but if you're dropping money on a serious steak dinner in Dallas, the wine program won't let you down.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Gilbert · Gilbert · Italian
North Italia Gilbert is a chain that does the bare minimum of interesting things — and sometimes that's exactly what you need on a Tuesday in Gilbert. The Italian regional whites are the real reason to open this list; everything else is serviceable.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Nob Hill · San Francisco · Italian
Seven Hills is doing something most Italian restaurants in this city won't — building a wine list that actually reflects the breadth of Italian winemaking rather than the highlights reel. If you're even mildly curious about obscure Italian whites, this is one of the better places in SF to take the leap.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Plano · Italian
Roma has enough wine on the list to get you through a good dinner, but it leans hard on California crowd-pleasers and marks them up accordingly. Stick to the Italian reds, avoid the Napa trophies, and you'll drink well enough — just don't expect the list to match the ambition of the cuisine.
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.
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