Italian Stalwarts, Wednesday Deals, Skip the Markup
Pinnacle Peak · Scottsdale · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Updated April 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · March 21, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Spiga Cucina Italiana’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
The list opens with a clear Italian-first agenda — Tuscany, Piedmont, Veneto, Sicily — and that focus feels intentional rather than lazy. It's a 80-150 bottle list that leans on recognizable names, which is either reassuring or predictable depending on your mood. For a strip-mall Italian spot in north Scottsdale, the ambition is respectable.
The Italian backbone is solid: Antinori Tignanello anchors the Tuscan side, Banfi's Brunello di Montalcino gives the list some genuine prestige, and Masi Amarone della Valpolicella handles the Veneto with authority. These are crowd-pleasing classics, not cutting-edge picks, but they're the right classics. What's missing is any serious dive into Piedmont's Barolo or Barbaresco producers beyond the obvious, and Sicily feels like a token gesture rather than a genuine exploration. The white wine side leans heavily on Pinot Grigio — multiple expressions — which plays to the room but leaves Vermentino, Fiano, and Verdicchio fans out in the cold.
With 10-18 options by the glass, there's enough to navigate an entire meal without committing to a bottle, which is genuinely useful. Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio shows up here as expected — it's the safe harbor of Italian-American dining — but it earns its place. The real question is whether the glass pours rotate with any frequency, and nothing in the program suggests they do.
Emmolo Sauvignon Blanc Napa — $50
At roughly 79% above retail, this is the least-punishing markup on the list by a wide margin. Napa Sauvignon Blanc from a serious producer at that premium is almost reasonable by restaurant standards — grab it before they reconsider.
Dr. Loosen Riesling Mosel
Yes, it's a 140% markup and yes, it costs $36 — but a Mosel Riesling at an Italian restaurant is a genuinely unexpected move that almost nobody at the table will order. That's exactly why you should. It cuts through rich pasta better than most whites on this list and Dr. Loosen is the real deal.
Italo Cescon Pinot Grigio Veneto IGT
At $44 with a 144% markup on an $18 retail bottle, this is the list's worst value math. Veneto IGT is not a prestige designation — you're paying strip-mall Scottsdale rent on a perfectly ordinary wine. Order the Santa Margherita instead or just wait for Wednesday.
Masi Amarone della Valpolicella + Linguini Nero
The ink-forward intensity of Linguini Nero needs something with serious structural weight behind it. Amarone's dried-grape concentration and dark fruit character don't get pushed around by bold, briny squid ink — they lean into it. It's a dramatic pairing that earns the drama.
Wednesday — Half-price bottles on Wednesdays — the single best reason to plan your visit around the calendar.
The Bottom Line
Spiga is a reliable neighborhood Italian with a wine list that gets the job done — just go on Wednesday when half-price bottles make the steep markups a non-issue. Show up any other night and drink strategically.
· Scottsdale · Restaurant
Anhelo is doing something quietly ambitious — a focused, considered wine list in a city that often settles for Caymus and a bucket of Whispering Angel. The markups aren't shy, but the curation is real, and the Sauternes library alone is worth a detour.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Old Town Scottsdale · Scottsdale · American
Frasher's isn't reinventing the steakhouse wine list, but it's doing the job with a Wine Spectator credential and a Wednesday half-price night that makes the steep markups a lot easier to live with. Send a friend here if they want a reliable California Cab with their red meat — just tell them to go on Wednesday.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
DC Ranch · Scottsdale · American, Small Plates
The Living Room isn't trying to reinvent wine — it's trying to make California Cab and Chardonnay feel like an event, and it mostly succeeds. Send your friends here for a comfortable, well-staffed wine experience; just remind them to drink the Duckhorn.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Scottsdale · Scottsdale · French
The Mick Brasserie is a dependable, well-staffed wine destination dressed up as a casual neighborhood spot — a genuinely rare combo in Scottsdale. The markups keep it from being a great deal, but the sommelier team and the quality of the list make it worth showing up for.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Scottsdale · Scottsdale · American, Steakhouse
STK Scottsdale is a reliable California wine destination — not a discovery, but a dependable one. If you're here for Wagyu and a bottle of Stag's Leap, you will not leave disappointed; just don't expect the list to surprise you.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Scottsdale · Scottsdale · Italian
Marcellino is doing something genuinely uncommon in Scottsdale — a disciplined, Italy-first wine program with real producers and a sommelier who clearly cares. Markups tip steep on the prestige bottles, but the depth of the list earns it a spot on your list if Italian wine is your thing.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Gilbert · Gilbert · Italian
North Italia Gilbert is a chain that does the bare minimum of interesting things — and sometimes that's exactly what you need on a Tuesday in Gilbert. The Italian regional whites are the real reason to open this list; everything else is serviceable.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Nob Hill · San Francisco · Italian
Seven Hills is doing something most Italian restaurants in this city won't — building a wine list that actually reflects the breadth of Italian winemaking rather than the highlights reel. If you're even mildly curious about obscure Italian whites, this is one of the better places in SF to take the leap.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Plano · Italian
Roma has enough wine on the list to get you through a good dinner, but it leans hard on California crowd-pleasers and marks them up accordingly. Stick to the Italian reds, avoid the Napa trophies, and you'll drink well enough — just don't expect the list to match the ambition of the cuisine.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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