Wynwood's Italian powerhouse knows its wine
Wynwood · Miami · Italian, Steakhouse
Updated October 2026
Reviewed April 7, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Sparrow Italia’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Sparrow Italia lands with serious intent — 350 to 500 bottles deep, anchored in Italy but reaching confidently into France, California, and Spain. This isn't a list someone assembled by copying a distributor sheet. You feel the curation the moment you open it.
Italy is the obvious headliner here, and it earns it. Piedmont shows up with Gaja and Giacomo Conterno Barolos; Tuscany brings Biondi-Santi and Poggio di Sotto Brunellos alongside the Super Tuscan trifecta of Sassicaia, Ornellaia, and Tignanello. Burgundy Grand Crus and Napa heavyweights like Opus One and Caymus round out the prestige end, while Rioja Reservas and a Barossa Shiraz from Dal Forno Romano's neighbor tier add useful breadth. The gaps are minor — you'd want more mid-tier Italian producers for the budget-conscious diner — but at this level, the depth is genuinely impressive.
Twenty to thirty-five by-the-glass options is an unusually generous program, and at $12–$25 a pour there's real range here. Sommelier Phil Fuentes keeps the glass list anchored in approachable Italian varietals without letting it get lazy. We'd like to see more rotation, but what's on offer beats most Miami restaurant programs by a comfortable margin.
Rioja Reserva — $50-$70 (bottle)
Among a list heavy with $200-$500 Italian flagships, a well-sourced Rioja Reserva is the sleeper pick — structured, food-friendly, and priced where you can actually order a second bottle without doing math.
Barossa Valley Shiraz
It feels out of place on an Italian-steakhouse list, which is exactly why most tables skip it. A big Barossa Shiraz against a dry-aged ribeye is a no-brainer power move that most guests walk right past in favor of the familiar Napa picks.
Opus One
Opus One is a prestige buy, not a value buy — and in a restaurant setting, the markup pushes it into trophy-bottle territory. You're paying for the name, not the glass. The Ornellaia or a Brunello gets you more interesting drinking for the same or less money here.
Giacomo Conterno Barolo + Dry-aged ribeye
A Conterno Barolo — all tar, roses, and iron backbone — against a properly dry-aged ribeye is the whole reason this pairing exists in the Italian wine canon. This is the order you make when the table next to you is watching.
The Bottom Line
Sparrow Italia's Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence is earned, not decorative — Phil Fuentes runs a serious program in a room that clearly cares about what's in the glass. The markups sting on the high end, but this is one of the stronger Italian-focused wine lists in Miami, full stop.
· Miami · French Brasserie
La Grande Boucherie Miami is a Champagne list wearing a restaurant costume — deep on grower producers, light on everything else, and priced like it knows it has you cornered. If you are here specifically to dig into a blanc de noirs from the Côte des Bar or split a bottle of Larmandier-Bernier ($190/bottle) over dinner, this is genuinely one of the more interesting Champagne programs in Miami. Everyone else should order the Chablis and move on.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Miami · Seafood Steakhouse
Truluck's Miami isn't a wine destination — it's a seafood restaurant that happens to have eight wines on a menu. If you're here for stone crab or a special occasion dinner, you'll find something adequate to drink, but you won't find anything to get excited about. Order a cocktail or bring your own expectations down a notch.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
South Beach · Miami · Asian
Lucky Cat Miami is currently closed according to its official website, which describes a seasonal pause. Bookings are unavailable, so do not plan a wine visit on the basis of this page's earlier recommendations. Check the restaurant's own notice for any reopening update.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Coral Gables · Miami · Italian
An Italy-first list built around Piedmont and Tuscany, with a four-vintage Burlotto Barolo vertical, three vintages of Sassicaia and a 16-bottle Brunello section plus special-vintage Brunellos. Start with a Coravin pour or a quartino, then ask for bottle prices, because this version of the list posts none and carries no printed date. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Miami · Miami · Italian
A long, Italian-first list where Barbaresco, Barolo and Brunello each get their own block and several producers list multiple older vintages. If you want a safe Tuscan red by the glass, ask for the Castello di Volpaia Chianti Classico 2020; if you want something stranger, ask about the Zidarich Vitovska, and ask the price either way because none is posted. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups. The list carries no printed date, so confirm current availability.
Jungle Island · Miami · Mediterranean Beach Club
A glass-first list with a top end that reaches Barolo at $29 a glass and Dom Pérignon at $95. Order the Bico da Ran Albariño with the Grilled Octopus, or ask about Sunset Hour for the $8 AIX Rosé: its menu says Monday through Friday, 4 to 7 pm at the bar and lounge, but the homepage lists Tuesday as closed and the Beach Lounge as closed Monday and Tuesday, so check before you go. Confirm prices before you go, since the PDFs carry no printed date. This unrated guide covers the posted glass list and Sunset Hour menu, not service, storage or markups.
North End · Boston · Italian, Steakhouse
A broad list with 29 glass pours, Italian and American bottle sections, and a From the Vault section that goes well into four figures. Start with the 2021 Mauro Molino Barolo at $26 a glass or the Batasiolo Gavi di Gavi at $15, and confirm vintages, since the list says they are subject to change. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Fort Myers · Fort Myers · Italian, Steakhouse
Terra Nostra's posted list is built around Napa Cabernet, Brunello, Barolo and Super Tuscans, as its own header says, and its 20 glass pours start at $8. Start with the $12 J. Lohr Cabernet or the $13 Banfi Chianti Classico Riserva by the glass, or step up to the $110 Paulo Scavino Barolo if you want a bottle. Confirm today's availability and prices, since the list says both are subject to change; this unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or retail markups.
Madison · Madison · Italian, Steakhouse
Draper Brothers Chophouse is a dependable, California-forward wine list in a genuinely beautiful room — it won't blow any minds, but it will reliably get out of the way of a good steak. Send your friends here for the beef and the atmosphere; just temper expectations if they're hoping for a wine list that matches the ambition of the building.
Plays It Safe
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.
List Variety
Markup
Glassware
Staff
Specials & Deals
Storage & Temp
