Bentonville's Italian Bubbly Obsession Hits Different
Downtown / Central Ave · Bentonville · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Updated August 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 18, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Sestina Bentonville’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
Walking into Sestina's wine list, the first thing you notice is the sparkling-heavy opener — this place has a thing for bubbles, and they're not shy about it. Twenty-six labels isn't a lot to work with, but whoever built this list clearly had a point of view. It skews Italian with purpose, and that alone puts it ahead of most upscale spots in Arkansas.
The list is structured around sparkling, rosé, Italian whites, and a handful of worldly whites — and it holds together surprisingly well for its size. The sparkling section alone spans Prosecco (Jeio by Bisol, Nino Franco Rustico), Franciacorta (Ca' del Bosco Cuvée Prestige), Champagne (Veuve, Billecart-Salmon Blanc de Blanc, Laurent-Perrier Rosé), and California (Schramsberg Blanc de Blanc 2022 and the serious J. Schram Brut Noir 2015). On the white side, they're leaning into Italian grapes that most Bentonville diners won't recognize — Falanghina from Feudi di San Gregorio, Arneis from Cerreto, Etna Bianco from Terre dei Miti — which is either gutsy or foolish depending on whether the staff can sell them. The gap here is red wine: we don't see any reds on the current list beyond the Lambrusco, which is a notable omission for an Italian restaurant.
By-the-glass details aren't publicly listed, which is a miss — a list this small lives or dies by its pour program. If they're rotating even four or five of these through the glass, the Falanghina and Nino Franco Rustico would be standout options worth asking about. We'd push the staff to tell you what's open before committing to a bottle.
Nino Franco Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Brut 'Rustico' — $47
Nino Franco is one of the benchmark names in Prosecco Superiore — this isn't your grocery store Prosecco. At the low end of the bottle list, it's the clearest value on the menu and a smart opener for the table.
Terre dei Miti Etna Bianco 2022
Etna Bianco from the volcanic slopes of Sicily is one of the most compelling white wine stories in Italy right now — mineral, tense, and unlike anything else on this list. Most diners will scroll past it. Don't.
Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Champagne
Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label is a fine bottle, but it's also one of the most marked-up Champagnes in the restaurant industry. On a list with Billecart-Salmon Blanc de Blanc and Laurent-Perrier Rosé available, there's almost no reason to default to the airport terminal pick.
Feudi di San Gregorio Falanghina 2022 + Fresh pasta with seafood or light cream sauce
Falanghina is a Southern Italian white with bright acidity and a slightly herbal, citrusy edge — it cuts through richness and echoes the coastal Italian flavors that likely anchor this menu. It's the kind of pairing that makes the food taste better and the wine taste smarter.
The Bottom Line
Sestina is doing something genuinely interesting for Bentonville — an Italian-focused, bubble-forward list with real producers and regional ambition tucked into a small but considered 26-bottle program. The red wine gap and unknown by-the-glass program hold it back from greatness, but if you're in Northwest Arkansas and want to drink better than average, this is the spot.
West Walnut / Retail corridor · Bentonville · Seafood and American
Bonefish Grill Rogers is not a wine destination, but it's not a disaster either — the list is safe, the glass pours are plentiful, and you won't feel cheated if you stick to the by-the-glass options. Send a friend here for the Bang Bang Shrimp; tell them to manage their wine expectations accordingly.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Rainbow Curve / I-49 Corridor · Bentonville · Italian
The Bertani Amarone and Col d'Orcia Brunello sitting on this list are like finding a Rolex in a vending machine — impressive that they exist, but the surrounding context makes the whole thing feel absurd. Come for the pasta, drink the Chianti Classico, and lower your expectations accordingly.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Northwest Bentonville · Bentonville · Steakhouse / BBQ
Fred's Hickory Inn is worth the trip for the smoke and the history — the wine list is not the reason you come. Order the barbecue, drink whatever's cold, and save the serious bottle for somewhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Crystal Bridges Museum Area · Bentonville · Modern American Comfort / High South
Eleven is a museum restaurant that knows its audience and plays to it — the wine list is competent, slightly overpriced, and will keep almost everyone happy without exciting anyone. Come for the view and the tasting menu events; just don't expect the wine program to match the art on the walls.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
8th Street Market / Arts District · Bentonville · Café / Multi-concept
This is not a wine destination — it's a coffee bar attached to an art space that happens to have a short, thoughtful wine list. If you're doing the Momentary and want a glass while you wander the galleries, you'll drink better here than the setting suggests.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Square · Bentonville · Italian
Tavola Trattoria isn't trying to be a wine destination, but it has enough going on — solid Italian depth, fair pricing, reasonable glass options — to earn your business on a date night in Bentonville. Stick to the classics and let the balcony do the rest.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Lansing · Italian
Carrabba's Lansing isn't a wine destination — it's a chain with a four-bottle list that skews heavily toward one California region and ignores everything Italian about the menu. Come for the pasta, skip the wine program, or catch one of their Paso Robles wine dinners if the timing works out.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
· Las Cruces · Italian
La Bella Vita's wine list won't make a wine geek's heart race, but it's fairly priced, almost entirely available by the glass, and leans into its Italian identity in the right places. Send a friend here if they want a solid glass of Chianti without a lesson.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· West Palm Beach · Italian
Cafe Sapori's wine list is a reliable Italian-leaning companion — not adventurous, not cheap, but curated enough that the right picks reward you. Skip the Whispering Angel, dig into the Tuscans, and you'll leave satisfied.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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