Lakeland's Little Italy Pours Bigger Than Expected
South Lakeland · Lakeland · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 6, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Scarpa's Italian’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
Walking into Scarpa's, the wine list feels like it was put together by someone who actually loves Italian wine — not just someone who needed to fill a page. The Italy-first focus is immediately apparent, and for a neighborhood spot in South Lakeland, that's a genuine surprise. It's not a sprawling cellar, but there's clear intent behind every section.
The list leans hard into Tuscany, anchored by a couple of Brunello di Montalcino bottles that signal this kitchen takes wine seriously. Gaja's Ca' Marcanda from Bolgheri is the kind of name that makes you do a double-take on a menu at this price point — it's a legitimate producer with a serious reputation. Italian sparkling and whites round out the Old World presence, while a Napa Valley dessert wine provides a domestic bookend. The gaps are real — no Piedmont to speak of beyond the Brunello region, and the non-Italian world is essentially a footnote — but the focus feels earned rather than lazy.
Twenty-six by-the-glass options is a genuinely impressive number for a restaurant this size, and it suggests they're moving enough wine to keep pours fresh. The range covers sparkling through dessert, which means you can build an entire evening's progression without committing to a bottle. We'd love to see a bit more transparency on which specific pours are available on a given night, but the volume alone earns respect.
Scarpa's Special Selection Brunello di Montalcino — $82
Yes, the markup is real — but a Brunello di Montalcino at $82 in a restaurant setting, especially one with the 'Special Selection' designation, still undercuts what you'd pay at most fine dining spots. If you're going to splurge on a bottle tonight, this is the one that makes the most sense at this table.
Dolce Late Harvest Wine 375ml 2016, Napa Valley
Most people at an Italian restaurant will skip the dessert wine entirely, and that's a mistake here. The 2016 Dolce from Napa is a serious late harvest wine — made by the Far Niente team — and a half-bottle format means you're not committing to a full pour situation. It's easy to overlook at the bottom of the menu, which is exactly why you shouldn't.
Camigliano Organic Brunello di Montalcino
At $95 a bottle on a 90% markup over retail, this is the one place the list gets a little grabby. The wine is perfectly fine, but you're paying a meaningful premium over the Scarpa's Special Selection Brunello for a bottle that doesn't clearly outperform it. Save the extra $13 and stick with their house selection.
Scarpa's Special Selection Brunello di Montalcino + Sausage & Peppers
Brunello's high acidity and firm tannins cut right through the fat of the sausage while the fruit stands up to the sweetness of the peppers. It's a classic Tuscan red meeting a classic Italian-American plate — sometimes the obvious move is the right one.
The Bottom Line
Scarpa's punches well above its weight for a family-owned Italian spot in Lakeland — the Tuscany focus is genuine and the BTG count is legitimately impressive. The markups will sting if you're paying close attention, but the intent behind this list is hard to argue with.
South Lakeland · Lakeland · Italian Chef's Table
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.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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
· McKinney · Italian
Brio McKinney's wine list won't win any awards and the markup will sting if you reach for the California heavyweights, but there are a few genuinely Italian picks buried in there worth finding. Come for the food, order thoughtfully, and stick to the Old World side of the list.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· San Jose · Italian
Palermo isn't a wine destination, but it's a genuinely solid neighborhood Italian with a list that respects the cuisine and won't punish your wallet. Send a friend here if they want a good bottle with dinner — just steer them toward the Italian side of the list.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Randolph · St. Paul · Italian
Luci Ancora isn't here to dazzle wine geeks, but it earns its keep as a thoughtful neighborhood Italian with a list that respects the kitchen. If you're after a quiet dinner and a well-chosen Italian bottle, you're in the right place.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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