Solid Italian Pours With a Gulf Breeze
Beachfront / Highway 90 · Gulfport · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 13, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Salute Italian Restaurant’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Salute feels exactly like the room: comfortable, familiar, and not trying too hard. It's an Italian restaurant that leans on Italian and California standbys without any real surprises. For a Gulf Coast spot this size, that's honestly fine — you're here for the pasta and the view, and the wine list won't get in your way.
The list runs 40-70 bottles split between Italian classics and California crowd-pleasers — think Ruffino Chianti Classico and Antinori Santa Cristina holding down the Old World side while Meiomi and Kim Crawford cover the New World bases. It's not going to win any awards for adventurousness, and if you're hunting for anything from Piedmont, Campania, or anywhere south of Tuscany, you'll come up empty. The Italian selections do at least match the menu's DNA, which counts for something. No deep cellar here, but the hits are priced reasonably enough that you won't feel punished for ordering a second bottle.
Eight to twelve options by the glass with prices landing between $9 and $16 — that's a workable spread for a casual coastal Italian spot. The pours skew predictable: Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio will almost certainly be on the board, which is perfectly drinkable but also something you could find at any airport bar. Rotation appears minimal; what's on the list today is probably what was on the list six months ago.
Antinori Santa Cristina — $35
A reliable Sangiovese-forward Tuscan blend from one of Italy's most respected houses. At the low end of the bottle range, it overdelivers on pedigree relative to its price point and holds up well against the heavier pasta dishes.
Ruffino Chianti Classico
Most people at an Italian restaurant will reach for whatever Pinot Grigio is on the menu without a second thought. The Ruffino Chianti Classico is the smarter move — genuine Sangiovese with the structure to stand up to tomato-based sauces, and it's the kind of bottle that reminds you why Italian wine and Italian food developed together in the first place.
Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc
Nothing wrong with it as a wine, but you can buy this bottle at any grocery store for under $15. Paying restaurant markup on something this ubiquitous and this far removed from the Italian theme is a tough sell when better options are on the same list.
Ruffino Chianti Classico + Spaghetti with Meatballs
Chianti Classico and a tomato-forward meat sauce is one of the least complicated calls in food and wine — the acidity in the Sangiovese cuts through the richness, the earthy notes echo the herbs in the sauce, and the whole thing just makes sense. This is the move.
The Bottom Line
Salute isn't a destination wine list, but it's honest, reasonably priced, and calibrated to the food it's serving. Send a friend here for a casual Italian dinner and tell them to stick to the Italian bottles — they'll have a good time.
Downtown Gulfport · Gulfport · Steakhouse
The Rack House wine list is exactly what a Gulf Coast steakhouse should be — unpretentious, fairly priced, and wide enough by the glass that you don't feel cornered. We'd send a friend here without hesitation, just with the note to skip the Moscato and go straight for the Ste. Michelle.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Island View Casino · Gulfport · Bar
This is not a destination for wine drinkers — it's a slot machine bar that happens to stock one bubbly. Come for the Sunday bottle deal at Carter Green Steakhouse next door, not for anything happening at the bar itself.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Occasional
Acceptable
Island View Casino · Gulfport · Seafood / Raw Bar
The food concept is solid, but the wine program is an afterthought in a place that should know better — oysters are practically begging for a decent Muscadet or even a crisp rosé, and the kitchen deserves backup. Come for the shellfish, drink the bubbles on Sunday, and lower your expectations below sea level.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
I-10 / Highway 49 Corridor · Gulfport · Hotel Restaurant / American
This is not a wine destination — it's a place to sleep near the highway that happens to have wine on the menu because it's legally a full-service hotel. Order a beer, or head somewhere else entirely.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Biloxi Beachfront · Gulfport · American
This is a wine list for people who need wine with dinner and aren't interested in making it a thing — and it delivers exactly that without embarrassing anyone. If wine is important to your night, eat somewhere else; if you just want a glass of something recognizable while you watch the Gulf, you'll be fine.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Gulfport Beachfront / Highway 90 · Gulfport · Hotel Bistro
This is a wine list that exists because the hotel is required to have one. If you're sleeping here, grab a glass of the Clean Slate Riesling and call it a night — but don't make a trip to the Courtyard Bistro for the wine program.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Salem · Italian
Bari is doing something genuinely interesting for Salem: curating a serious Oregon Pinot list with real producers and real vintages, anchored to an Italian kitchen. The list skews narrow — it's Pinot country or bust — but within that lane, the depth and producer selection punch well above what you'd expect from a mid-sized city restaurant. If Oregon wine is your thing, this is worth a visit.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Beverly Hills · Los Angeles · Italian
Il Cielo punches above its list size with some genuinely smart Italian picks and pricing that — especially on the Barolo — borders on generous. It's not a destination wine list, but it's a thoughtful one, and in Beverly Hills that's worth something. If you're going for a special occasion bottle, head straight to the Piedmont and Montalcino section and don't look back.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Legacy West · Plano · Italian
Taverna – Legacy West is a solid Italian restaurant with a wine program that reflects its roots in northern Italy — if you stick to the regional Italian selections, you're probably in good shape. We'd love more transparency on pricing and pour options before giving it a stronger endorsement, but for Legacy West, this clears the bar comfortably. Go for the branzino and ask your server what's drinking well from the Piedmont section.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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