Italy's Greatest Hits, Done Right in Denver
Denver · Denver · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 7, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Venice Ristorante & Wine Bar’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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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
Rainbow Curve / I-49 Corridor · Bentonville · Italian
The Bertani Amarone and Col d'Orcia Brunello sitting on this list are like finding a Rolex in a vending machine — impressive that they exist, but the surrounding context makes the whole thing feel absurd. Come for the pasta, drink the Chianti Classico, and lower your expectations accordingly.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Square · Bentonville · Italian
Tavola Trattoria isn't trying to be a wine destination, but it has enough going on — solid Italian depth, fair pricing, reasonable glass options — to earn your business on a date night in Bentonville. Stick to the classics and let the balcony do the rest.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown / Central Ave · Bentonville · Italian
Sestina is doing something genuinely interesting for Bentonville — an Italian-focused, bubble-forward list with real producers and regional ambition tucked into a small but considered 26-bottle program. The red wine gap and unknown by-the-glass program hold it back from greatness, but if you're in Northwest Arkansas and want to drink better than average, this is the spot.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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