Deli counter wine list that actually delivers
Lyon Village · Arlington · Italian deli and pizzeria · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 27, 2026
RagingWine reviewed The Italian Store – Lyon Village’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You walk in for a Napoli sub and leave with a bottle of Barbera d'Asti — that's the Italian Store experience in a nutshell. The wine selection sits modestly alongside imported pantry goods and fresh pasta, but it punches well above its deli-counter weight. This is not a wine destination, but it's a surprisingly honest one.
The list runs somewhere between 15 and 30 labels, almost entirely Italian and almost entirely correct choices for what they're doing here. Tuscany anchors things with a Chianti Classico, Piedmont shows up with a Barbera d'Asti, and you've got a Pinot Grigio delle Venezie and a Montepulciano d'Abruzzo rounding out the regional spread. It's not deep, but it maps neatly to the food — nothing feels random or phoned in. The gaps are predictable: no serious Barolo, no Campanian reds, nothing that's going to make a collector raise an eyebrow.
By-the-glass options are unclear from available data, and the grab-and-go format suggests bottle sales are the primary mode here. If you're eating in with a slice, ask at the counter — the staff is approachable even if wine isn't their primary expertise.
Montepulciano d'Abruzzo — $15
At deli retail pricing, a solid Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is one of Italy's great overachievers — earthy, dark-fruited, built for food — and here it likely lands well under $20. That's a hard deal to argue with when you're grabbing a pie to go.
Barbera d'Asti
Most people reach past Barbera for something with more name recognition, but this Piedmontese red — bright acidity, low tannin, honest fruit — is the actual perfect deli wine. It works cold, it works with cured meat, it works with pizza. Stop sleeping on it.
Pinot Grigio delle Venezie
There's nothing wrong with it per se, but a generic Pinot Grigio delle Venezie at a deli is the path of least resistance. You can get this anywhere. Use the trip to try something you wouldn't otherwise grab off a shelf.
Chianti Classico + The Napoli sub
Sangiovese's natural acidity and savory edge cut right through the cured meats and provolone in the Napoli. It's not a complicated equation — it's just Italy doing what Italy does.
The Bottom Line
The Italian Store isn't a wine destination, but it's an honest one — Italian-focused, fairly priced, and stocked with bottles that actually make sense next to the food. If you're picking up dinner, grab a bottle while you're at it.
Crystal City · Arlington · Wine Shop / Tasting Bar
Crystal City Wine Shop is the kind of low-key, staff-driven wine spot that most neighborhoods desperately want and rarely get — especially one with the nerve to stock Ukrainian bottles in the shadow of the Pentagon. We'd send a curious friend here without hesitation; just don't come in expecting a full restaurant experience.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Proper
Clarendon · Arlington · New American
CIRCA Clarendon isn't trying to be a wine destination and doesn't pretend otherwise — but the all-BTG format, fair prices, and a few genuinely interesting whites make it a solid call when you want wine that works without overthinking it. Send a friend here, just steer them away from the Unshackled.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Arlington · Wine Bar / Bottle Shop
Flight Wine Shop is doing something genuinely rare in the DC suburbs: a tightly curated, fairly priced bottle shop that treats obscure regions and natural producers as the main event, not a novelty section. If you're tired of the same ten wines and want a shop that will actually teach you something, this is your spot.
Deep & Eclectic
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
· Arlington · Wine Bar / Café
Oby Lee is not a destination for serious wine drinkers, but it is a genuinely fun, low-pressure spot where the prices are fair and the vibe is unapologetically playful. Send your friends who think they don't like wine — they'll order a mango slushy and have a great time.
Plays It Safe
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Ballston · Arlington · Neapolitan Pizza
Pupatella isn't trying to be a destination wine program, and it doesn't need to be — it's a pizza place with a focused, fairly priced, Italian-centric list that actually makes sense with the food. Send a friend here for the pizza and tell them to order the Lambrusco.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Arlington · Arlington · Wine Bar
Screwtop is doing something genuinely unusual in the DC suburbs: a deep, eclectic by-the-glass list priced fairly and organized with actual personality. If you want to drink something you've never tried before in a low-pressure setting, this is exactly the place to send a friend.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
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.
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