Serious Italian wine in the Blue Ridge Mountains
Highlands · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 9, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Ristorante Paoletti’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You don't expect to find Giacomo Conterno Barolo and DRC Burgundy on a wine list in a mountain town of 1,000 people. But here we are — Paoletti's list lands like a gut punch of seriousness the moment you open it. This is a proper cellar, not a curated afterthought.
The 350-500 bottle list is anchored in exactly the right places: Piedmont runs deep with Giacomo Conterno and Bruno Giacosa doing the heavy lifting on Barolo, and Gaja representing Barbaresco at its most aristocratic. Biondi-Santi Brunello di Montalcino shows up for the Tuscany contingent, alongside Super Tuscans like Sassicaia and Tignanello for the crowd that wants power without committing to a full nebbiolo deep dive. France gets its due with Burgundy from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and Louis Jadot covering both the trophy and the accessible ends of the spectrum, while Bordeaux leans on dependable names like Château Lynch-Bages and Château Pichon Baron. California shows up with Caymus and Jordan to round things out — it's the weakest chapter by ambition, but it's there for the Cab drinkers who need it.
With 20-35 options by the glass, Paoletti pours more generously than most fine-dining rooms at this level. The range tracks the bottle list — you can get into something Italian and interesting without committing to a full bottle over dinner. Julio Bonilla's hand is visible here; the glass program doesn't feel like a clearance rack.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley — $45–$65
At a list skewing toward three-digit Barolo and Premier Cru Burgundy, Jordan offers a clean, food-friendly California Cab at a price that won't derail your evening. It's not the most exciting bottle on the list, but it drinks well and gives you something to hold while you eyeball the Giacosa.
Louis Jadot Burgundy
Easy to overlook when DRC is sitting right there, but Jadot's presence on this list signals value. A well-chosen Jadot village Burgundy or premier cru gets you into serious Côte d'Or territory without the three-figure devastation — and with Julio steering the ship, the pour is likely coming from something worth drinking.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
Caymus is a restaurant list staple for a reason — it sells itself — but at fine-dining markups it's a tough ask when the same money gets you into Giacosa or Lynch-Bages. Nothing wrong with the wine; it's just the least interesting dollar you can spend on this particular list.
Giacomo Conterno Barolo + Osso buco
Barolo and braised meat is one of the genuinely non-negotiable combinations in Italian cooking. The iron-and-rose character of Conterno's wine cuts through the richness of the osso buco and matches its structural weight — this is the bottle you came for, and this is the dish to order with it.
The Bottom Line
Paoletti has been holding down a Best of Award of Excellence since 2005, and the list earns it — a sommelier-driven cellar with genuine depth in Piedmont and classic Europe, tucked into the North Carolina mountains. Yes, the markups sting, but when the Barolo selection reads like this, you're paying for access to something you won't find at many restaurants in a 100-mile radius.
· Chula Vista · Italian
Little Italy Ristorante isn't coming here for the wine — and at these prices, that's probably fine if you just need something cold in a glass. But nine labels, no Italian depth to speak of, and a list that hasn't been curated so much as assembled means this is strictly a cocktail-first, wine-if-you-must situation. If wine matters to you even a little, the food might be worth the trip, but plan to drink elsewhere.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Chandler · Italian
Floridino's wine list does the minimum required to call itself a wine list — fair prices on uninspiring labels, zero rotation, and a by-the-glass program that's really just the entire list. If you want something to wash down a slice, the Folonari Chianti or Sassoregale are your best moves. But no one is driving to Chandler for the wine program here.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Bellevue · Italian
Angelo's built a short, focused, all-Italian by-the-glass list and priced it fairly — that's a genuinely uncommon combination in the suburbs. We don't have enough intel on the food menu or staff to give it a full Rager endorsement, but the wine program alone earns a detour. If you're eating Italian in Bellevue and want something better than the usual suspects, this list rewards the curious.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
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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