State Street Italian With a California Wine Backbone
Downtown / State Street · Santa Barbara · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 11, 2026
RagingWine reviewed The Chase Restaurant and Lounge’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The Chase wine list reads like a greatest-hits album from the Napa fan club — Caymus, Rombauer, Stag's Leap, Far Niente. It's comfortable and crowd-pleasing, which is exactly the point for a warm, romantic Italian spot on State Street. There's a California-forward identity here, with a nod to local Santa Barbara producers that keeps it from feeling completely generic.
The list leans heavily on recognizable California names — the kind of bottles your parents ordered at a steakhouse in 2008 and haven't stopped ordering since. That said, the Santa Barbara County representation gives it some regional soul, and there are a few European curveballs like the Chablisienne 'Le Finage' Chablis and Marchesi di Barolo Arneis that signal someone at least glanced at a map beyond the Central Coast. Gaps are real: natural wine is nowhere to be found, Burgundy is thin, and the red side of the list is almost entirely Cabernet. If you want a Pinot or a Grenache with your pasta, you're going to have to ask nicely.
Fifteen options by the glass is a respectable number for a restaurant this size, and Veuve Clicquot at $25 a glass is a reasonable anchor for the sparkling category. The pour selections skew toward the same crowd-pleasing profile as the bottle list — don't expect anything adventurous or rotating. What you see is what you get, and it stays that way.
Marchesi di Barolo Arneis — Not listed
This is the one wine on the list that doesn't look like it was chosen by committee. Arneis is a crisp, aromatic white from Piedmont that most tables will walk right past — which means you can quietly enjoy it while everyone else argues over whether to get the Rombauer again.
Chablisienne 'Le Finage' Chablis
Chablis rarely gets its moment in California-centric wine programs, and this cooperative-produced bottle from one of Chablis' most respected names is a genuine find. Crisp, mineral, zero oak — everything the Rombauer crowd isn't ordering, and probably the most versatile white on the menu.
Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc
Forty-eight dollars for Kim Crawford is the wine list equivalent of a cover charge at a bar with no band. This is a $12 grocery store bottle on a good day. The markup here is hard to justify when better options exist on the same list.
Chablisienne 'Le Finage' Chablis + Calamari Steak
Lean, mineral Chablis and a calamari steak are a natural match — the wine's bracing acidity cuts through the richness of the preparation without overwhelming the delicate seafood. It's the kind of pairing that makes you look smart without trying.
✔️ The Bottom Line
The Chase is a solid neighborhood Italian with a wine list that plays it very safe — you'll find what you're looking for if what you're looking for is Caymus, but check the markups before you order on autopilot. Stick to the European wildcards and the local Santa Barbara pours for the best value on the table.
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Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
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Occasional
Acceptable
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Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Solid Range
Gouge
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Acceptable
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Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
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Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
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Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Small but Thoughtful
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Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
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Acceptable
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Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
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Acceptable
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