Italy meets Napa, mostly without embarrassing itself
Phoenix · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Updated June 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · March 20, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Ristorante Tuscany’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 list reads like a restaurant that took its Italian identity seriously, then got distracted by California. It's coherent enough — Tuscany anchors the Italian side, Napa handles the other half — but there's a pricing confidence here that isn't always backed up by the selections.
The Italian contingent is the reason to be here: you've got Barolo from Fontanafredda, a Chianti Classico Riserva from Nozzole, a Super Tuscan from Antinori, and the Vermentino Solosole for whites — genuinely solid Italian breadth for a Phoenix restaurant. California fills in the gaps with familiar names like Cakebread, Far Niente's Post & Beam, Seghesio, and the inevitable Prisoner. The problem is the list leans on recognizable labels rather than digging deeper into either region — no Brunello, nothing from southern Italy, and the California side skews heavily Napa and mainstream. It's a wine list that wants to impress, not educate.
At least seven pours running $13–$22 a glass, which is reasonable for an upscale Italian concept. The range appears to cover both Italian and California options, but the glass program feels static — there's no evidence of regular rotation or a chalk-board special doing any heavy lifting.
Chianti Classico Riserva Nozzole '19 DOCG — $52
A 30% markup on a DOCG Riserva is about as fair as this list gets. Nozzole makes a serious Chianti — this is the bottle that actually fits the room and won't leave you feeling robbed.
Vermentino Solosole '22 Toscana DOC
Most tables in a place like this walk past anything Italian and white without a second look. That's a mistake. Solosole is a genuinely interesting Vermentino from Maremma — bright, saline, cuts through rich food — and it's the kind of thing you won't find at the steakhouse next door. Just be aware the markup is brutal.
Antinori Il Bruciato '21 IGT
A 172% markup on a $25 retail bottle is a hard no. Il Bruciato is Antinori's entry-level coastal Tuscan red — perfectly pleasant, but at $68 on this list you're paying Super Tuscan prices for a wine that isn't one. The Nozzole Riserva at $52 is a flat-out better use of your money.
Barolo Fontanafredda + Braised short rib or osso buco
Fontanafredda's Barolo brings enough tannic structure and dried cherry depth to stand up to anything long-braised and fatty on the menu. This is the pairing that justifies the whole Italian premise of the restaurant — and the one time the list actually delivers on its ambitions.
The Bottom Line
Ristorante Tuscany has the bones of a solid Italian wine program, and a few bottles genuinely worth ordering — but the markups on the showier labels are greedy enough to keep this squarely in Reliable territory. Order the Chianti Riserva, skip the Il Bruciato, and you'll have a good night.
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Christopher's is a Wild Card in the best sense — a historic mansion in the desert running an all-by-the-glass program with actual grower Champagne and South African Chenin. Markups keep it from being a true Rager, but as a destination for a glass of something genuinely interesting in Phoenix, it earns the visit.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Proper
Desert Ridge · Phoenix · Southwestern American
Tia Carmen is a reliable, well-executed resort wine program that earns its Wine Spectator nod without doing anything particularly daring. Send a friend here for a solid California Cab and a great meal — just don't expect the wine list to match the kitchen's ambition.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Phoenix · Phoenix · American
Rusconi's isn't trying to reinvent the wine list — it's trying to be the best California-focused neighborhood wine program in north Phoenix, and it largely succeeds. Send your friends here when they want a reliable, well-sourced bottle without having to think too hard.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Camelback Corridor · Phoenix · French
Vincent's is one of the few restaurants in Phoenix where the wine list is genuinely worth the trip on its own terms — deep where it matters, staffed by someone who knows the inventory, and built to last. The markups sting, but you're buying into a program that has been maintained at a high level for nearly three decades.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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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
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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
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