Long Island's Italian Wine Obsession Done Right
Garden City · Garden City · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 8, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Spuntino lands like a serious statement — 350 to 500 bottles deep, anchored in Italy and California, and curated with enough intention that you know someone actually cares. Dim lighting, exposed brick, and a list that could occupy you for a full evening before the arancini even arrive. This is not an accident.
Italy is the backbone here, and it's built properly: Barolo from Borgogno, Ceretto, and Marchesi di Barolo; Brunello from Banfi and Caparzo; Super Tuscans including Sassicaia and Tignanello; Amarone; Chianti Classico Riserva. California holds its own with Napa Cabernets from Jordan and Stag's Leap alongside Rombauer and Far Niente on the white side. The dual focus makes sense — Italian cuisine, Italian wine depth, plus the California pours that Long Island diners actually order. Gaps elsewhere are real but forgivable given how well the two anchor regions are executed.
With 30 to 50 options by the glass, this program runs deeper than almost anything you'll find in the suburbs. Prices run $12 to $20, which is reasonable given the quality level on offer and the sheer rotation available. An active Wednesday half-price wine night means the by-the-glass program has a built-in reason to return mid-week.
Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino 2018 — $95
Brunello at under $100 in a sit-down setting with a certified sommelier on the floor is genuinely hard to find. Banfi is accessible and crowd-pleasing without being a pushover — this is the bottle that makes the whole dinner feel like a win.
Vietti Barolo Castiglione 2020
Most tables go straight for the Super Tuscans, but Vietti's Castiglione is where serious Barolo value lives. It's a disciplined, traditional Nebbiolo from one of Piedmont's best houses — and at $125, it's one of the more honest pours on the list.
Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia 2019
At $450, you're paying full trophy-wine freight for a bottle that retails in the $150-$180 range. Sassicaia is a great wine — nobody's arguing that — but the markup here is aggressive, and the list has better ways to spend your money.
Flowers Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2021 + Short Rib Agnolotti
The richness of the agnolotti filling needs a wine with enough fruit to push back but enough acidity to cut through. Flowers Sonoma Coast Pinot does exactly that — bright and structured without overwhelming the pasta.
Wednesday — Half-price wine night every Wednesday — the deepest mid-week deal on Long Island if you're working through a 400-bottle list.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Spuntino earned its Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence and keeps earning it — the Italian depth alone justifies the trip from anywhere on Long Island. Markups on the trophies will sting, but steer toward the mid-list and you'll drink very well.
I-10 South · Beaumont · Italian
Carrabba's Beaumont isn't where you go when wine is the point — but for a chain Italian dinner, the list is priced fairly and the pours are honest. Send a friend here for the Chicken Bryan, not the wine program, but they won't suffer.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Telshor / East Las Cruces · Las Cruces · Italian
Mi Piaci isn't a wine destination, but it's a reliable neighborhood Italian with a list that won't let you down if you know what to order. Grab the Chianti, seriously consider the Amarone, and save room for the tiramisu.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Telshor · Las Cruces · Italian
The wine list at Olive Garden Las Cruces is a corporate formality, not a feature — overpriced for what it is, with zero ambition and zero discovery. Order the breadsticks, order the Chianti if you must, but don't come here expecting anything from the wine program.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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