Denver's Most Serious Italian Wine Room
Union Station · Denver · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 7, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Tavernetta’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Take Vibe Match and we’ll tell you what to order here.
Wingman Metrics
You open this list and immediately know someone actually cares. Giacomo Conterno, Biondi-Santi, Quintarelli — these aren't names that end up on a wine list by accident. Tavernetta is playing a different game than the rest of Denver's Italian restaurant scene.
The Italy focus is relentless and deep in the best possible way: Piedmont runs from entry-level Nebbiolo up through Bruno Giacosa and Gaja Barolo, while Tuscany stacks Brunello heavyweights like Soldera and Poggio di Sotto alongside Super Tuscans that read like a Rolls-Royce lot — Sassicaia, Ornellaia, Masseto. Champagne gets serious treatment too, with Krug and Billecart-Salmon anchoring a tight but well-chosen French section. If there's a gap, it's that the list skews heavily Italian, so anything outside that lane feels more like an afterthought — but honestly, in this room, why would you look elsewhere? With 400-600 bottles on hand, this is a list built for the kind of person who plans a dinner around what they want to drink.
Twenty to thirty-five pours is a generous program, with glasses ranging $14–$28 and a team of four named sommeliers rotating what's open. The by-the-glass list skews classic Italian, which means you're likely to find a proper Barbera or Vermentino alongside whatever they're cracking open from the bigger list. We'd love to see more aggressive rotation or a half-bottle program, but what's here is well above average for Denver.
Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco — $12–$350+ range (bottle)
Produttori del Barbaresco is a cooperative that consistently punches at twice its price point — serious Nebbiolo from one of Barbaresco's best collective producers, and the most honest entry into the Piedmont section on this list.
Isole e Olena Chianti Classico Gran Selezione
Everyone at this table is going to order the Gaja or reach for a Super Tuscan — and they'll miss this. Isole e Olena is one of Chianti Classico's most thoughtful producers and the Gran Selezione represents Sangiovese at its most focused and food-friendly. Order it with the tagliatelle and thank us later.
Masseto
A world-class wine, no question — but Masseto at a restaurant means restaurant markup on top of an already eye-watering retail price. Unless this is a genuinely special occasion and money is irrelevant, you're overpaying significantly for a bottle you could have at a fraction of the cost elsewhere. The Ornellaia or Sassicaia will satisfy that Super Tuscan itch for considerably less damage.
Fontodi Chianti Classico Gran Selezione + Tagliatelle al ragù bolognese
Fontodi's Gran Selezione has the acid structure and Sangiovese fruit weight to cut through a rich, slow-cooked meat ragù without getting swallowed by it. This is the exact combination this list was built for — classic Tuscan wine, classic Italian pasta, no overthinking required.
The Bottom Line
Tavernetta is one of the best Italian wine lists between the coasts — the producers are serious, the sommeliers know their stuff, and the room earns its Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence every year. Markups can sting, but for the depth and curation here, we're sending every wine-drinking friend directly to Union Station.
· Denver · Steakhouse
STK Denver is a place where wine exists to support a vibe, not to excite a drinker. If you're here for the scene and the steak, grab a glass of Bonanza at happy hour and call it a night — but don't come expecting the wine list to be part of the experience.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Denver · Denver · American, Steakhouse
Range is a confident, well-kept steakhouse list that won't surprise you but absolutely won't let you down — especially if California Cabs are your language. Just come in with your eyes open on pricing, and let Dan steer you toward the Jordan.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Cherry Creek · Denver · American, Seafood
Salt Water Social plays it safe with wine but plays it well — California classics at fair prices, with a Wednesday half-price night that makes it a genuine weekly option. No one's discovering anything new here, but you won't be disappointed either.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Denver · Denver · Regional Steakhouse
Urban Farmer is a solid, no-drama wine stop for anyone who loves California Cab and wants a proper glass with a well-cooked steak. It won't surprise you, but it won't disappoint you either — and in Denver's steakhouse scene, that's worth something.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
LoDo · Denver · Mediterranean, Spanish
Rioja earned its Wine Spectator nod, and then some — a Spanish wine list this focused and this well-stocked is rare anywhere, let alone Denver. If Spain is your thing, or you want it to become your thing, this is the room.
Surprising Depth
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Denver · Denver · Italian
Restaurant Olivia is the kind of neighborhood Italian spot that quietly holds a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence and earns it without making a fuss about it. Send your friends who think Denver can't do wine right — this list will change the conversation.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Atlanta · Italian
Bici's wine list won't knock you sideways, but it's honest, Italian-focused, and fairly priced — a reliable partner to the food. We'd send a friend here and tell them to skip the Sauvignon Blanc and go straight for the Greco.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
East Parkway / Elks Plaza · Gatlinburg · Italian
The Best Italian's wine list does exactly what it needs to do: keep casual diners happy, not drain wallets, and get out of the way of the garlic knots. We wouldn't drive to Gatlinburg for the wine, but if you're already there and want something decent with dinner, you'll be fine.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Vail Village · Vail · Italian
La Nonna brings a legitimately serious Italian cellar to a town where most restaurants are content to coast on their ski-town captive audience — and that deserves real credit. The markups are steep across the board, but the bones of the list are strong enough that the right bottle makes the whole evening.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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