White Tablecloths, Italian Roots, Serious Bottles
South Lakeland · Lakeland · Italian Chef's Table · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 6, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Scarpa's arrives with some real ambition — this isn't the laminated two-pager you get at most strip-mall Italian spots. There's a clear Italian backbone here, with Tuscany and the north leading the charge, and a few international detours that keep things honest.
Italy does the heavy lifting, as it should at a place called Scarpa's. Tuscany shows up strong with a house-selected Brunello di Montalcino at $82 and the Tignanello 2021 at $270 for those ready to spend. Lombardy gets a nod via the Ferghettina Franciacorta Brut Milledi 2018 — a serious sparkling wine that most Floridians will walk right past. The Veneto entry, Cantina di Gambellara's 'iBalsalti' Soave, is a smart inclusion that hints at someone on staff who's paying attention. A Dashwood Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough rounds out the international reach, though it feels a little like an obligation pick.
Glass pour data is limited, but the Saracco Moscato d'Asti is available by the glass at $11.50 — a reasonable entry point for something sweet and sessionable. We'd love to see more by-the-glass options rotating through the Italian regions the bottle list explores, but what's there is at least priced accessibly.
Scarpa's Special Selection Brunello di Montalcino — $82
A properly sourced Brunello at $82 is genuinely hard to find at a restaurant. This is the pick — it matches the menu, it matches the room, and it won't leave you doing painful math on the drive home.
Ferghettina Franciacorta Brut Milledi 2018
Franciacorta is Italy's answer to Champagne and most diners still don't know it exists. The Ferghettina is a serious producer, the 2018 is a great vintage for the region, and it will almost certainly be the least-ordered bottle on the table — which means your server will probably love you for asking.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon
At $140 a bottle, you're paying a significant premium for a wine that's become every steakhouse's default crowd-pleaser. You're at an Italian restaurant with a Brunello on the list for $82. There's no world in which this is the right call.
Cantina di Gambellara 'iBalsalti' Soave + Lobster Ravioli
Soave's lean mineral edge and quiet stone fruit cut right through the richness of a butter-sauced lobster ravioli without bullying the delicate filling. It's a classic Veneto move and it works every time.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Scarpa's is doing more with wine than most of Lakeland, and the Italian selections show genuine care. Markups on the prestige bottles get steep fast, but lean toward the house Brunello and the overlooked Italian producers and you'll eat and drink well.
South Lakeland · Lakeland · Italian Bar
Scarpa's is doing something genuinely unusual for its market — a curated, Italy-forward list with real producers that you'd be happy to find in a major city wine bar. The markups on the top shelf are steep, but the depth of the by-the-glass program and the presence of names like Produttori and Ridge mean there's value hiding in this list if you know where to look.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Lakeland · Lakeland · Seafood
Red Lobster's wine list does its job in the narrowest possible sense — it gives people something to drink. But there's no value play here, no curiosity, no effort. Order the cocktail or a beer and spend your wine money somewhere that earned it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
South Lakeland · Lakeland · Italian
Carrabba's isn't where you go to discover wine, but it's where you go to drink something decent without getting ripped off. Send a friend here if they want a familiar Italian night with a glass that makes sense — just steer them toward the Italian side of the list.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Lakeland · Lakeland · Steakhouse
Come for the steak, order whatever beer they have on draft, and save the wine conversation for somewhere else. LongHorn isn't pretending to be a wine destination, and at least the prices reflect that — but the list has the ambition of a footnote.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Lakeland · Lakeland · Italian-American
Olive Garden is not a wine destination and never claimed to be — the wine list exists to generate margin, not to inspire. Order the Chianti, enjoy the breadsticks, and save the serious bottle for another night.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Lakeland · Lakeland · Steakhouse
Outback Lakeland's wine program exists to check a box, not to enhance a meal. Prices are fair for what you're getting, but what you're getting is a grocery store list at a sit-down restaurant — order the Malbec, enjoy your steak, and don't expect more than that.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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