Tuscany Meets Washington, Done Right
Kirkland · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Updated October 2026
Reviewed April 30, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Volterra’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Volterra feels like the restaurant itself — warm, considered, and unapologetically Italian with a strong Pacific Northwest backbone. It's not trying to be a 500-bottle temple to wine, and it doesn't need to be. What you get is a focused 150-200 bottle list that knows exactly who it's cooking for.
The two-lane highway here runs straight from Washington State to Tuscany, and both directions are worth the trip. On the Washington side, you've got the region's heavy hitters — Leonetti Cellar, DeLille Cellars, L'Ecole No. 41, and Chateau Ste. Michelle — representing a genuine commitment to local terroir rather than a token nod. The Italian side delivers with Antinori Tignanello, Sassicaia, Brunello di Montalcino, and a respectable Barolo section that earns the Award of Excellence Volterra has held since 2006. Gaps exist — don't expect much outside Italy and Washington — but within those lanes the depth is real.
Twenty to thirty by-the-glass options is a serious pour program for a neighborhood trattoria, landing in the $12–$18 range. It's generous enough that you can work through multiple glasses across a long pasta dinner without committing to a bottle — and smart enough that the pours aren't just filler. Rotation data is thin, but the volume suggests they're keeping things moving.
L'Ecole No. 41 Columbia Valley — $40–$60
L'Ecole punches well above its price in nearly every vintage, and on a list with Sassicaia sitting nearby, it's the quietly correct call — especially with anything off the pasta menu.
DeLille Cellars
DeLille flies under the radar for diners who default to Italian on an Italian list, but this is a world-class Washington producer that absolutely holds its own next to the Tuscan heavyweights. If it's on by the glass, order it before you open the bottle list.
Sassicaia
Sassicaia is a genuinely great wine, but at a restaurant markup you're paying a significant premium for a bottle you can source retail. Save it for a special occasion at home and let the Washington bottles do the work here.
Antinori Tignanello + Osso Buco
Tignanello's Sangiovese-Cabernet blend has the structure to stand up to braised veal shank and the acidity to cut through the richness. It's the kind of pairing that makes a Tuesday feel like a celebration.
The Bottom Line
Volterra is the rare neighborhood Italian that actually earned its Wine Spectator credentials — a well-stocked list at fair prices with genuine regional depth on both sides of the Atlantic. Send your friends here and tell them to skip the Sassicaia.
· Kirkland · Waterfront bar
The Dock & Drink is doing exactly what it should — a tight, all-Washington wine list at fair prices for a place where the real draw is a cold drink and a lake view. Don't come looking for depth, but do know that Betz and DeLille on any bar menu is a minor overachiever. If you're already at the Woodmark, the wine situation won't disappoint you.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Kirkland · Brewpub
Chainline is a brewery that tolerates wine drinkers — it doesn't court them. The pricing is fair for what it is, and the Washington-only focus is at least a gesture toward regional identity, but four grocery-store labels with zero rotation is a wine program in name only. Come for the beer; if your tablemate insists on wine, the Hogue Chardonnay will get them through dinner.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Kirkland · Kirkland · Dessert & Champagne Bar
Lady Yum Kirkland earns its Wild Card badge not for wine depth but for sheer conceptual commitment — pairing handcrafted macarons with Champagne in a boutique lakeside setting is a legitimate move that most restaurants wouldn't dare. If you show up expecting a serious wine program, you'll leave underwhelmed; if you show up for a fun afternoon of bubbles and raspberry champagne macarons, you'll have exactly a good time.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Kirkland · Italian
The headline here is the Vino e Vita Wednesday program: Il Fornaio Insiders get half off all bottles all day, which can turn a steep markup into a genuinely fair deal. Without a verified bottle list, we can't send you in with a specific target, but if you're a regular or planning ahead, signing up for Insiders and booking a Wednesday table is the move. Otherwise, it's a reliable neighborhood Italian — not a wine destination, but not an embarrassment either.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Active Program
Acceptable
· Kirkland · Italian lakeside
Como isn't trying to be a wine bar, but it's wine list punches well above its weight for a lakeside Italian in the suburbs — fair pricing, genuine Italian depth, and a few local picks that earn their spot. Yes, send a friend here for wine.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Kirkland · Wine bar & small plates
The Melody Lynne Vineyard is doing something genuinely unusual — a fully estate-only wine bar with real varietal ambition and prices that don't punish curiosity. It's not the deepest list in Washington, but it might be the most specific, and specific is underrated.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Buckhead · Atlanta · Italian
Antica Posta earns a Wild Card for doing one thing with genuine conviction: assembling a Brunello di Montalcino selection that most Atlanta restaurants wouldn't attempt. It's not a balanced list, pricing data is opaque, and if you're looking for Barolo, Champagne, or anything outside Tuscany, you'll be reaching. But if you want to drink serious Sangiovese — Poggio di Sotto, Fuligni, Marroneto — in a room that clearly cares about it, this is the place to do it.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Decatur · Decatur · Italian
Avellino's earns its stripes as a Decatur pizza institution, but the wine program is a blind spot we can't responsibly rate in detail — the data simply isn't there. Come for the Tutta Guarnita, grab a beer or a soft drink, and save the serious wine drinking for somewhere that cares about the glass as much as the crust.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Marietta · Italian
Gianni & Mac's has a focused, Italian-forward white wine list that punches above its weight in regional authenticity — the Frascati and Etna Bianco alone justify a closer look. The sparkling section is bloated and the markups get steep at the top end, but if you stick to the Italian whites you'll drink well without feeling robbed. Send a friend here for the food and tell them to ask about the Etna Bianco.
Plays It Safe
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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