Lake Views, Italian Roots, Thursday Worth Knowing
· Coeur d'Alene · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · September 13, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Tony's on the Lake’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
Walk into Tony's on the Lake and the setting does most of the heavy lifting — water views, warm lighting, the kind of room that makes you want to order a second glass before you've finished your first. The wine list reads like it was built to match the vibe: Italian-forward, with a Pacific Northwest backbone and enough California to keep things familiar. It's not trying to be a wine destination, but it's not phoning it in either.
The list leans into Italy and the Pacific Northwest, which makes sense for a lakeside Italian spot in Idaho — Washington and Oregon producers show up alongside Italian imports, with California filling out the crowd-pleaser side of things. There's a nod to southern Italy as well, which is a pleasant surprise and a good sign that whoever built this list was thinking beyond Pinot Grigio and Chianti. Gaps exist — don't expect a deep cellar or anything that'll make a serious collector stop scrolling — but the range is honest and food-friendly. For Coeur d'Alene, this is a respectable effort.
By-the-glass specifics aren't something we can pin down with confidence from what's available, but the restaurant's price point and format suggest a standard rotation of around six to ten pours. Whether those rotate meaningfully or sit in a 'set and forget' holding pattern is the open question. Come with a backup plan if you're hoping for something interesting by the glass.
The Bottom Line
Tony's on the Lake is a solid wine list in a beautiful room — not a destination for serious wine hunting, but a reliable companion to a good Italian meal with a lake view. If you're going on a Thursday, pay attention to what's on special before you sit down.
· Coeur d'Alene · Wine bar
Lola Wine Lounge is a genuine Wild Card — a single-producer wine bar in the Idaho panhandle that bets everything on LOLA's artisanal lineup and mostly wins. If you want variety across regions and producers, this isn't your spot; if you want to actually learn something about under-the-radar California varietals in a relaxed setting, it's worth a stop.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Coeur d'Alene · Wine Bar / Small Plates
Stylus is the kind of place that shouldn't exist in a mid-sized Idaho city but absolutely does, and you should go before the rest of the country catches on. If you're road-tripping through the Panhandle or landing in Coeur d'Alene for a weekend, this is your first stop — not your last.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Midtown · Coeur d'Alene · New American
Midtown Bluebird isn't going to win any wine destination awards, but it earns its keep as a reliable neighborhood pour in a town that doesn't have a lot of competition. If you're in Coeur d'Alene and want something decent from the Northwest without getting gouged, this is a solid call.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Coeur d'Alene · Wine bar & shop
Base Camp is the kind of focused, regional specialist that every mid-sized city should have — not trying to out-fancy anyone, just quietly stocking some of Washington's best and keeping prices honest. If you're near Coeur d'Alene and care about Pacific Northwest wine, this is your stop.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Coeur d'Alene · New American / Steak & Seafood
Satay Bistro isn't trying to be a wine destination, but the list punches above its weight for Coeur d'Alene — fair prices, a real by-the-glass program, and a few producers worth knowing. Send your friends here knowing they won't get ripped off.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Coeur d'Alene · New American / Seasonal
Seasons of Coeur d'Alene is clearly focused on the food, and that's fine — but four wines at a New American restaurant in 2024 is a choice, and not a good one. Order the Gewurztraminer, enjoy whatever's seasonal on the plate, and don't come here expecting anything more from the wine side of things.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Casper · Italian
Bosco's isn't a wine destination, and it doesn't pretend to be — but if you're here for the tortellini and a casual glass of something Italian, you won't leave disappointed. Send a friend here for the food; the wine will hold its own.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Livermore · Italian
Pasta's Trattoria won't blow any wine nerds away, but it's a genuinely solid neighborhood Italian spot that takes its wine seriously enough to make dinner feel complete. If you're in Pleasanton and want a reliable glass with your risotto, you won't be disappointed.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
· Franklin · Italian
This is a chain wine list doing exactly what chain wine lists do — keeping it safe, keeping it recognizable, and marking it up just enough to pad margins. Drink here because you're having dinner, not because you're having wine.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
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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