Italy's full boot, right in Portland
East End · Portland · Authentic Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 17, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Solo Italiano feels like a love letter to the Italian peninsula — narrow in scope but clearly written by someone who's actually been there. No token Pinot Grigio padding here; this is a focused, regional Italian card that takes the cuisine seriously. It's not the deepest list in Portland, but it earns respect fast.
The list leans hard into the classics — Barolo from Piemonte, Brunello di Montalcino from Tuscany, Soave Classico from the Veneto — and supplements them with some genuinely interesting picks like Etna Rosso from Sicily and Vermentino di Sardegna. The Liguria and Piemonte focus tracks directly with chef Paolo Laboa's Genovese roots, which gives the whole thing a coherent sense of purpose rather than a scattered grab-bag. You won't find a deep bench of grower Champagne or anything French, but that's the point — this list isn't trying to be everything. The gaps are Sardinia and southern Italy beyond Sicily, and a few more natural-leaning producers would push this into genuinely exciting territory.
With 10 to 16 options by the glass, Solo Italiano offers enough to work through a proper Italian progression across a meal. We'd expect the Vermentino di Sardegna and at least one red from the north to anchor the program. Rotation feels infrequent — this reads more like a set list than a living, breathing glass program — but the quality of what's there is solid.
Vermentino di Sardegna — null
Vermentino di Sardegna is chronically underpriced in the market and this is the right food context for it — herbal, saline, built for seafood. Order it with the branzino al cartoccio and you'll wonder why you ever bothered with Pinot Grigio.
Etna Rosso
Most tables at Solo Italiano are going to gravitate toward the Barolo or the Brunello — understandably — but the Etna Rosso from Sicily is where the real intrigue lives. Nerello Mascalese grown on volcanic slopes drinks like a leaner, more aromatic cousin of Burgundy, and it's almost always the most interesting value on an Italian list. Don't sleep on it.
Brunello di Montalcino
Brunello is a magnificent wine, no argument there — but restaurant markups on prestige Tuscan bottles are almost universally punishing, and Solo Italiano's pricing tier suggests this one isn't cheap. Unless you're celebrating something specific, the money is better spent elsewhere on this list.
Soave Classico + Pesto alla Genovese
Soave Classico's understated nuttiness and gentle almond-and-citrus profile is a near-perfect foil for the grassy richness of a proper Ligurian pesto. It's a Northern Italian handshake — Veneto meets Liguria on the plate — and it works every time.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Solo Italiano isn't building the deepest Italian list in New England, but it's one of the most purposeful — and in a market full of lazy, overpriced wine cards, that counts for a lot. Go for the Etna Rosso, order the branzino, and don't let anyone talk you into the Brunello unless they're buying.
East End · Portland · Sushi / Japanese
Mr. Tuna isn't a wine destination — it's a great sushi spot that happens to have two sensible, well-chosen bottles and a local can that makes the experience feel intentional. Come for the hand rolls, drink the Vinho Verde, and don't overthink it.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
East Bayside · Portland · Seafood
A fast-casual raw bar with a wine list that punches well above its category — the French-only focus is a feature, not a limitation. If you're eating oysters in Portland, this is where you want to be drinking.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Deer Isle · Portland · Seafood Fine Dining
Aragosta is the rare case where the wine program matches the remoteness of the drive — you come all the way out here and find a 3,475-bottle cellar waiting for you. Yes, send your friends. Send everyone.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Old Port · Portland · Seafood, American
Scales is playing a different game than the tourist-trap seafood spots on either side of it — the wine list is genuinely Old World-focused and well-matched to the food, which is rare and worth noting. If you're eating clams and mussels on the Portland waterfront, this is where you want to be doing it with a glass in hand.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Arts District · Portland · Seafood, Californian, Contemporary Mexican
Regards isn't trying to be a wine bar, but whoever built this list understands exactly what the food needs and went hunting for it. If you're in Portland and want a bottle that actually earns its place on the table, this is the move.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West End · Portland · French and Spanish
Chaval is punching above its weight class for a neighborhood brasserie in Portland — the list is small but curated by someone who actually cares, with pricing that doesn't punish curiosity. If you're open to going off the beaten path (xarel-lo, South African grenache blanc), this is a genuinely rewarding room to drink in.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Lark Street · Albany · Authentic Italian
La Perla is a reliable wine stop for a romantic dinner in the Albany area — nothing on the list will blow your mind, but the Amarone value and solid European range mean you won't be stuck drinking something forgettable. Send a friend here if they want candlelight and a decent bottle; just don't send a wine nerd expecting discovery.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Wauwatosa · Milwaukee · Authentic Italian
Bartolotta is the best Italian wine list in Milwaukee and it's not particularly close — a sommelier-driven, Italy-only program with genuine depth in all the right regions. Markups keep it from being a steal, but if you're sitting down for the four-course Un Viaggio in Italia, spending real money on a Barolo or Brunello is exactly what this room was built for.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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