Milwaukee's All-Italian Wine List Done Right
East Town · Milwaukee · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Updated August 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · March 29, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Zarletti’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Zarletti does exactly what it says on the tin: it's all Italian, all the time, and it commits to that identity without apology. You open it and immediately feel like someone actually thought about this, not just grabbed a distributor sheet and called it a day. It's focused, it has a point of view, and that already puts it ahead of half the Italian spots in the Midwest.
The list runs 150-250 bottles deep, anchored heavily in Piedmont and Tuscany with genuine forays into the south. Barolo shows up with real intent — this isn't a token Nebbiolo situation — and the Amarone della Valpolicella selection signals that they're not afraid of the big, chewy stuff. Vermentino di Sardegna is a smart inclusion that hints at someone on the floor who's been paying attention to what's happening in Southern Italy. The gaps are the new-school stuff: natural, orange, and pét-nat are nowhere to be found, which is fine for this room but worth knowing if that's your lane.
Fifteen to twenty by-the-glass options is a respectable count for a trattoria of this size, and the all-Italian constraint actually makes the pours more interesting — you're not wading through generic California Cab to find something worth drinking. Rotation appears limited, which is the one knock; the program feels like it was set and isn't getting shaken up much seasonally.
Vermentino di Sardegna — N/A
Pricing wasn't confirmed in our data, but Vermentino di Sardegna is almost always the underdog value on any Italian list — bright, saline, and built for food. If it's on by the glass, order it before the table debate starts.
Vermentino di Sardegna
Most tables at an Italian trattoria default to Chianti or Pinot Grigio and never look back. Vermentino di Sardegna is the move — aromatic, slightly herbal, and textured enough to hold up to a buttery gnocchi or a braised dish. It's the kind of wine that makes you feel like you discovered something.
Amarone della Valpolicella
Amarone is always tempting on an Italian list, but it's also where restaurants tend to charge the most for the privilege. At a $$$ price point with steep markups, you're likely paying a significant premium for the label recognition alone. Unless it's a special occasion bottle you've been eyeing specifically, the value math rarely works in your favor here.
Barolo + Veal Saltimbocca
Barolo's tannic backbone and dried cherry core cut right through the richness of the prosciutto and sage butter on the saltimbocca. It's a classic Piedmontese match — Nebbiolo and veal have been doing this together for a reason — and it's the kind of pairing that makes the whole table stop talking.
The Bottom Line
Zarletti's all-Italian wine list is one of the more committed and coherent programs in Milwaukee — a sommelier on staff, genuine regional depth, and a clear identity. The markups keep it from being a steal, but if you're eating Italian and want to drink Italian done properly, this is your room.
· Milwaukee · Steakhouse
Rare Steakhouse isn't trying to reinvent wine culture — it's a steakhouse that takes its wine list seriously enough to make every bottle pourable by the glass and price things like it wants you to come back. That's enough to make it worth skipping the cocktail menu.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Milwaukee · Brazilian Steakhouse
Rodizio Grill Milwaukee is a genuinely fun night out if you're there for the meat and the spectacle — but the wine list is coasting on the restaurant's momentum rather than adding anything to it. Order the Gaucho Club, enjoy the picanha, and save your serious wine budget for somewhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Riverwalk · Milwaukee · Japanese sushi and Asian fusion
Screaming Tuna isn't a wine destination, but it's a sushi spot with a wine list that actually respects the food it's serving — and in Milwaukee, that's worth calling out. Take a chance on the Alsatian whites or the sake program and you'll leave happy.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Lower East Side · Milwaukee · French and Italian Riviera-Inspired Fine Dining
Lupi & Iris is doing something genuinely rare in Milwaukee — a wine program with depth, a sommelier who runs real events, and markup that doesn't make you feel like a mark. Send your friends here, and tell them to book early for the DRC dinner.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Active Program
Proper
Downtown · Milwaukee · Seafood-focused Contemporary American
Third Coast Provisions has a genuinely thoughtful wine list for a city that doesn't always demand one — the Burgundy focus is earned, the staff knows what they're doing, and the seafood menu gives those whites every opportunity to shine. The markup keeps it from being a destination for wine alone, but if you're already here for the food, you're in good hands.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Northwest Side · Milwaukee · Italian, Handmade Pasta, Wine Bar
Ca'Lucchenzo is the kind of place that makes you wonder why every Italian restaurant doesn't just commit to Italy this hard on the wine side. It's not a deep cellar, but it's a focused, honest list that actually fits the food — send your friends here and tell them to skip the cocktail.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
· Johns Creek · Italian
Pasta Vino isn't trying to be a wine destination, and that's fine — it's a neighborhood Italian with a list that actually makes sense for the room. Pricing is fair across the board, the by-the-glass program gives you real options, and the Italian selections (especially the Chianti duo and the Lugana) show some genuine thought. Send a friend here for dinner knowing they'll drink well without overpaying.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Arlington · Italian
Piccolo Mondo punches above its Arlington zip code with a genuinely Italy-forward wine list that includes some names worth ordering. We'd love to see pricing and by-the-glass details more clearly published — and without knowing the markups, we can't fully endorse the value play — but the producer selection alone puts this ahead of most neighborhood Italian spots in the DFW suburbs. If you're going, head straight for the Tuscan reds and don't look back.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Lakeland · Italian
The Macaroni Grill Lakeland wine list is functional the way a vending machine is functional — it dispenses what you ask for without fuss or personality. The by-the-glass breadth gives casual drinkers options, but the markups on several bottles and the complete absence of anything interesting or Italian-forward make this a list you tolerate rather than enjoy. Order the Lambrusco or the Trapiche Malbec and call it a night.
Crowd Pleasers
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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