Four Hundred Labels Deep, Old World Soul
Fort Lauderdale · Fort Lauderdale · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 1, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Four hundred-plus labels at a Boca Raton red-sauce institution is not what most people expect when they walk through the door. The list skews heavily Italian — Brunello, Barolo, Amarone, Super Tuscans — and it means business. This is a serious cellar wearing a casual dining shirt.
The Italian backbone here is genuinely impressive: Sassicaia and Tignanello anchor the Super Tuscan section, Brunello di Montalcino and Barolo give the list real Old World credibility, and Amarone rounds it out for those who want something rich and brooding. There's domestic coverage too, though Italy is clearly where the heart is. Gaps show up when you look for under-the-radar producers or anything from emerging regions — this list celebrates the classics, not the adventurous. It's a hits album, not a deep cut playlist, but the hits are genuinely good ones.
With somewhere in the 15-to-25-glass range, the pour options are above average for a South Florida Italian spot. We'd like to see more rotation and a clearer focus on value pours, but the breadth means you're not stuck choosing between two forgettable house wines. The by-the-glass program earns its keep even if it doesn't push any boundaries.
Amarone della Valpolicella — null
Amarone at an Italian restaurant with a serious cellar is almost always a better deal than ordering it at a modern American spot with no context for it. Here, where the kitchen actually understands big, rich Italian reds, you're getting the full experience the wine was built for — worth every dollar more than the equivalent spend on a domestic cult Cab.
Brunello di Montalcino
Most tables here gravitate toward the Super Tuscans because Sassicaia has name recognition. Brunello is the smarter order — more complexity, longer finish, and it belongs on this menu in a way that feels earned rather than trophy-ish. Most diners walk right past it.
Sassicaia
Sassicaia is a great wine, full stop. But at a restaurant operating in the $$$ tier in South Florida, the markup on a name this famous is going to hurt. You're paying for the label as much as the liquid. Spend those dollars on Brunello or Amarone and drink just as well for less ego.
Barolo + Veal Chop Romana
Barolo's firm tannins and tar-and-roses structure are built for exactly this kind of rich, savory Italian veal preparation. The wine cuts through the fat, the dish softens the wine's edges — it's the kind of match that makes you understand why these things evolved together in the same country.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Trattoria Romana is the rare South Florida Italian spot where the wine list actually matches the food's ambition. Markups run steep and there's no special programming to soften the blow, but if you're eating Veal Chop Romana, you should be drinking Barolo — and they've got it.
Fort Lauderdale · Fort Lauderdale · Mediterranean
The Terrace Grill isn't where you go to chase down rare bottles or get your mind blown by an unexpected producer — it's where you go to drink well without overthinking it. For waterfront Mediterranean dining in Fort Lauderdale, that's a perfectly respectable offer.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Fort Lauderdale · Fort Lauderdale · Italian, Floridian
La Fuga earns its Wine Spectator hardware with a focused Italian-California list that does right by the food — just be prepared for steep markups on the prestige bottles. Send a friend here when they want serious Italian wine with their pasta and a view.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Fort Lauderdale · Fort Lauderdale · Italian
Anthony's Runway 84 is a Fort Lauderdale institution that knows its audience and delivers exactly what it promises: big Napa names, old-school Italian comfort, and no surprises. Wine-forward diners may find the list a little safe, but the Italian highlights and the fresh Wine Spectator Award of Excellence signal that someone here is paying attention — even if the list isn't ready to take risks.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Ft. Lauderdale Beach · Fort Lauderdale · Steak House
Steak 954 is a legitimately strong wine program for a beach hotel steakhouse — deep on the producers that matter, proper storage, and a by-the-glass count that punches above its weight. Markups are what they are at this address, but if you pick smart, this is a great place to drink wine with a serious piece of beef.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Fort Lauderdale Beach · Fort Lauderdale · French, Japanese
MAASS is the real thing — a sommelier-driven program with genuine depth, proper glassware, and staff that actually knows what's in the cellar. Markups run steep at the top end, but this is a Best of Award of Excellence list for a reason, and it earns every bit of the credential.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Fort Lauderdale · Fort Lauderdale · American, Farm to Table
Daniel's is a legitimate Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence earner — the list is deep, the heavy hitters are all here, and the room is built for serious wine drinking. The markups sting and there's no sommelier pushing you toward discovery, but if you know what you're looking for, this is one of Fort Lauderdale's best bottles-over-dinner experiences.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Northwood Village · West Palm Beach · Italian
Grato is a reliable wine list for a neighborhood Italian that punches above its weight in by-the-glass options and producer selection — just know the markups skew steep on anything recognizable. Send a friend here for the Pinot and the pasta, not the prestige bottles.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Temecula Valley Wine Country (De Portola Trail) · Temecula · Italian
Mama Rosa's is a genuine Wild Card — a small, focused estate list at an Italian winery restaurant where the wine actually makes sense with the food and the setting earns its keep. It's not deep, it won't impress your Burgundy-obsessed friend, but if you're open to what Temecula is doing with Italian grapes, this is one of the better arguments on the De Portola Trail.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
South College Station · College Station · Italian
1860 Italia isn't going to make a wine nerd's shortlist for a dedicated bottle-hunting dinner, but it's doing more than most Italian restaurants at this price point in a college town. Come on a Monday, order the Allegrini, and you're having a genuinely good time.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
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