Tuscany Comes to Portsmouth, No Passport Needed
Downtown · Portsmouth · Upscale Italian Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 24, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Toscana Italian Chop House & Wine Bar’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Toscana announces its intentions immediately — this is a Tuscan-forward room and it's not apologizing for it. Super Tuscans, Brunello, Barolo, and a house estate bottling all land above the fold. The setting, a polished steakhouse in historic downtown Portsmouth, makes the wine program feel like it belongs rather than like an afterthought.
The Italian spine here is genuine. Brancaia 'Il Blu' and Banfi 'Askia' represent the Super Tuscan category with real credibility — these aren't filler bottles, they're serious Sangiovese-forward blends with bottle age potential. Unnamed Barolo and Brunello di Montalcino round out the northern and central Italian pillars, though without producer specificity on those two it's hard to know exactly what you're getting. Jordan Cabernet holds down the California flag almost singlehandedly, which tells you this list is Italy-or-bust by design. The house 'Toscana' estate Super Tuscan — 70% Sangiovese, 15% Cabernet, 15% Syrah from organic estate fruit — is a smart anchor for guests who want to stay on theme without committing to a triple-digit bottle.
The by-the-glass program is estimated at 12–20 options, which is solid for a room this size and focus. Glass pours in the $14–$22 range are honest for Portsmouth's market, though there's no evidence of active rotation or a curated 'tonight's picks' approach that would elevate it. You'll find something good here, but don't expect the kind of rotating slate that keeps regulars surprised.
Toscana Estate Super Tuscan — $55–$70 (estimated bottle)
Organic estate fruit, a legitimate Sangiovese-led blend, and the house's own name on the label — if this is priced anywhere near the low end of the bottle range, it's the move. Purpose-built for the menu and probably the most fairly marked-up wine on the list.
Banfi 'Askia' Super Tuscan
Banfi's Askia doesn't get the attention of their Brunello but it punches above its price point in quality. Most guests reach for the familiar California names — the Askia rewards anyone willing to stay Italian and go a level deeper.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon
Jordan is a perfectly fine wine. It's also the kind of bottle that gets marked up to maximum on every steakhouse list in America. At restaurant pricing in a room like this, you're paying a premium for name recognition you could skip entirely by staying on the Italian side of the list, where the value is actually hiding.
Brancaia 'Il Blu' + Dry-aged steak
Il Blu is a Sangiovese-Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon blend with enough structure and dark fruit to go toe-to-toe with dry-aged beef. The wine's acidity cuts through the fat, the tannins are present but not aggressive, and the whole combination tastes like the reason this place exists.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Toscana is a reliable bet for Italian wine in a steakhouse format — the Tuscan focus is genuine, a few bottles are genuinely exciting, and the room earns its positioning. Pricing leans steep across the board, so come with a strategy: go Italian, skip the California crowd-pleasers, and you'll eat and drink well.
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