Five Bottles Don't Make a Wine Program
Peoria · Peoria · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 7, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Rizzi's fits on a sticky note — five labels, no by-the-glass breakdown we could find, and zero pricing transparency online. For a family Italian spot with pasta dishes running $16–$21, the wine program feels like an afterthought bolted on after someone grabbed a few bottles from the nearest Total Wine.
Five wines, all California, zero Italy — which is a strange call for a restaurant with 'Italian' in its DNA. You've got a supermarket-friendly Sean Minor Chardonnay, a crowd-pleasing Rombauer Zinfandel, and a mid-tier Honig Sauvignon Blanc carrying the quality end of things. The Aviary Vineyards Birds of Prey Red Blend and Le Mistral Joseph's Blend round things out as approachable, mass-market pours. There's no Chianti, no Barbera, no Montepulciano — nothing to actually anchor the list to the cuisine it's meant to support.
By-the-glass options aren't specified anywhere we could find, which is itself a problem. If you're running five bottles total, you'd hope all of them are available by the glass, but without confirmation we're left guessing. A neighborhood Italian dinner spot really should have at least a house red and white clearly called out — this one doesn't make it easy.
Honig Vineyard & Winery Sauvignon Blanc — Unknown
Honig is a legitimate Napa producer making clean, structured Sauvignon Blanc that overdelivers at retail. If it's priced anywhere near reason here, it's the most defensible pour on the list — bright enough to cut through cream sauces and light enough for the pasta crowd.
Le Mistral Joseph's Blend Single Vineyard Monterey County
Most people at a table like this will default to Rombauer or the Chardonnay, but Le Mistral's Joseph's Blend is a Rhône-style red from Monterey that actually has some personality. It's the one bottle here that suggests someone, at some point, tried.
Aviary Vineyards Birds of Prey Red Wine Blend
This is a label-first, content-second wine built for casual grocery runs — not for a sit-down Italian dinner. The name is flashy, the wine is not. Save your money.
Honig Vineyard & Winery Sauvignon Blanc + Tortellini Michelangelo
A creamy, herbaceous pasta dish needs something with enough acidity to keep things moving. Honig's Sauvignon Blanc has the citrus snap and green notes to do exactly that — it's the closest thing to a thoughtful pairing this list offers.
❌ The Bottom Line
Rizzi's is a perfectly nice neighborhood Italian spot, and we have no notes on the food — but the wine program is an afterthought with five California bottles and no pricing transparency. Order a cocktail or bring your own if corkage is an option.
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Basic Stemmed
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Crowd Pleasers
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Crowd Pleasers
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Basic Stemmed
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Acceptable
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