Italy's Greatest Hits, Done Right in Denver
Denver · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Updated August 2026
Reviewed April 7, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Venice Ristorante & Wine Bar’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Venice lands like a well-edited anthology of Italian greatness — Barolo, Brunello, Super Tuscans, Amarone — with California holding its own in the back half. It's the kind of list that makes you want to cancel your plans for the rest of the evening and just work through it, page by page.
Three hundred-plus bottles anchored in Italy's heavy hitters: Gaja and Vietti in Piedmont, Biondi-Santi and Banfi for Brunello, and the Super Tuscan murderers' row — Sassicaia, Tignanello, and Ornellaia all accounted for. Chianti Classico Riserva from Antinori and Felsina rounds out the Tuscan depth, while Allegrini and Masi keep Amarone della Valpolicella well represented. California Cabernet shows up with Jordan and Stag's Leap for the crowd pleasers, and Opus One for those who like a trophy bottle. There are few gaps here — this is what a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence looks like in practice.
With 20-35 by-the-glass options, Venice offers more range than most upscale Italian spots where the BTG list often gets an afterthought treatment. We'd expect the Chianti Classico Riserva and at least one Amarone to rotate through, giving you a proper taste of the list without committing to a full bottle. The BTG program is in capable hands with Nunzio Marino steering the ship.
Felsina Chianti Classico Riserva — $60
Felsina consistently punches well above its price class, and in a room full of prestige bottles pushing triple digits, this is where the real drinking is. Classic Sangiovese structure, serious length, and it sings with the tagliatelle al ragù.
Allegrini Amarone della Valpolicella
Most tables at Venice are going straight for the Barolos or Super Tuscans — which means the Allegrini Amarone gets overlooked. That's a mistake. It's a deeply concentrated, brooding wine that holds its own against anything on this list, and it's the kind of bottle that makes a dinner feel like an event.
Opus One
Opus One is a perfectly fine bottle that you're paying a full restaurant markup on top of an already-premium retail price. In a restaurant this stacked with Italian options, ordering Opus One is like going to a great ramen spot and getting the salad. Pass.
Vietti Barolo + Osso buco
Barolo and braised veal shank is one of those combinations that has been working for centuries for a reason. Vietti's structure and tannin cut through the richness of the marrow while the wine's rose and tar character mirrors the depth of a long braise. This is the pairing to order.
The Bottom Line
Venice is the real deal — a legitimately deep Italian wine program run by someone who knows what they're doing, in a city that doesn't always get credit for serious wine. Yes, the high end gets pricey, but this list earns its Best of Award of Excellence, and then some.
· Denver · Steakhouse
STK Denver is a place where wine exists to support a vibe, not to excite a drinker. If you're here for the scene and the steak, grab a glass of Bonanza at happy hour and call it a night — but don't come expecting the wine list to be part of the experience.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Denver · Denver · American, Steakhouse
Range is a confident, well-kept steakhouse list that won't surprise you but absolutely won't let you down — especially if California Cabs are your language. Just come in with your eyes open on pricing, and let Dan steer you toward the Jordan.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Cherry Creek · Denver · American, Seafood
Salt Water Social plays it safe with wine but plays it well — California classics at fair prices, with a Wednesday half-price night that makes it a genuine weekly option. No one's discovering anything new here, but you won't be disappointed either.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Denver · Denver · Regional Steakhouse
Urban Farmer is a solid, no-drama wine stop for anyone who loves California Cab and wants a proper glass with a well-cooked steak. It won't surprise you, but it won't disappoint you either — and in Denver's steakhouse scene, that's worth something.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
LoDo · Denver · Mediterranean, Spanish
Rioja earned its Wine Spectator nod, and then some — a Spanish wine list this focused and this well-stocked is rare anywhere, let alone Denver. If Spain is your thing, or you want it to become your thing, this is the room.
Surprising Depth
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Denver · Denver · Italian
Restaurant Olivia is the kind of neighborhood Italian spot that quietly holds a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence and earns it without making a fuss about it. Send your friends who think Denver can't do wine right — this list will change the conversation.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
SoHo · New York · Italian
A long bottle list with Italian, Burgundy and Champagne sections, fronted by a 22-wine glass page. For a glass, try the Skerk Orange Wine from Friuli at 25/95, and for a bottle on a lighter budget, the Volpaia Vermentino at 60; upstairs in the café, the labeled list pours Palistorti di Valgiano's orange Tuscan blend at Glass $22. Confirm prices before you order, because the site's Upstairs Café dinner menu and the beverage PDF do not match. This unrated guide covers the posted wine lists, not service, storage or markups.
Locust Point · Baltimore · Italian
An Italian list that leads with Campania, then works region by region through the rest of Italy. Start with the La Passera Greco di Tufo at 50 for white or the Terredora Aglianico at 48 for red, and if you want Chianti, the Banfi Riserva is 45. Prices come from the wine list linked as "Wine List 24" and post no unit, so confirm what is available. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
· Naperville · Italian
Piccolo Buco is a Cooper's Hawk restaurant wearing Italian clothes, and the wine list makes no attempt to hide that. If you're already a Cooper's Hawk member and enjoy their wines, this is a comfortable, predictable experience with fair glass pricing and decent variety within the brand. If you came hoping for a Sicilian white or a Piedmontese red to go with your pasta, you're in the wrong place — order a cocktail.
Grocery Store
Fair
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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