Wine List Reviews

Sammie's is a genuinely fun room with a wine list that's earned its Wine Spectator hardware — the Italian depth is real, the sommelier knows her stuff, and Monday half-price bottles might be the best deal in Austin. Just go in knowing the markups lean steep, and let Jenny point you toward the plays that aren't on the tourist track.

Alexxa's is a Strip restaurant doing Strip things — great location, recognizable bottles, pricing that reflects the real estate. If you're here for fountain views and a glass of Cakebread, you'll be genuinely happy; if you're hunting for value or adventure, look elsewhere.

Milton's is the kind of neighborhood trattoria that surprises you — the room says casual pasta night, the wine list quietly whispers Biondi-Santi. If you care about Italian wine and you're in Houston, it's worth a reservation just to explore the bottle list.

Cena is a genuine Italian wine destination wearing a ski resort disguise — the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence it's held since 2011 is earned, not decorative. Budget for steep markups on the high end, find your value in the mid-range Italian reds, and you'll leave satisfied.

Urban Grill is a genuinely solid wine destination for downtown McKinney — the list won't blow your mind, but it's well-curated, fairly priced, and backed by a Wine Spectator credential that means something. Send your Cab-loving friends here without hesitation.

Birdie's has no business being this good at wine for a neighborhood spot on East 12th — and that's the highest compliment we can give it. Send your friends here, tell them to order Burgundy, and let them figure out on their own that this place is a wild card worth knowing.

DiSalvo's is the kind of find that makes you reconsider writing off smaller cities — a genuinely considered Italian wine list in a place most people drive through on the way somewhere else. If you're in Williamsport and you care about what's in your glass, this is your table.

Ditka's Pittsburgh is a dependable play for a California-centric steakhouse night out — just don't come looking for adventure. If your crew wants big Napa Cabs with a serious cut of beef, this list will keep everyone happy without anyone learning anything new.

Corleone's is the kind of neighborhood Italian that earns its Wine Spectator badge honestly — not by swinging for the fences, but by staying consistent for over two decades. Wednesday half-price wine night alone makes this worth bookmarking.

Portico punches well above its casino resort weight class — the Finger Lakes local selection alone justifies a detour, and the Italian anchors give the list real backbone. It's not a destination wine program, but it's a genuinely good one, and in Waterloo, New York, that's the Wild Card move.

Tavola Rustica punches well above its neighborhood-spot weight class, with a France-and-Italy-focused list that earns its Wine Spectator nod. Show up Wednesday, order the Barolo, and let Jonathan Park talk you into something you wouldn't have picked yourself.

Finch is a reliable, well-considered wine program in a beautiful setting that punches above its weight for rural New Jersey. If you're driving out to the Stockton Inn anyway, the wine list is a genuine reason to linger.

Forty is a reliable, no-drama wine stop dressed up in a gorgeous setting — the California lineup is competent and fairly priced, even if it's not going to thrill anyone who reads wine lists for sport. Come for the mountain views and the filet, order the Jordan, and you'll leave happy.

Cantoro Trattoria punches well above its suburban weight class with a credible, Italy-forward wine list and a sommelier who knows the cellar. Markups keep it from being a steal, but if you're eating osso buco and Barolo in Plymouth, Michigan, this is your spot.

Bosse Enoteca is the Wild Card in every sense — a legitimately serious Italian wine list operating out of a pickleball-adjacent mall restaurant in the suburbs of Boston. If you're in Natick and you care about what's in your glass, this is your spot.

Cafe Navarre is the kind of reliable, well-run wine program that earns its Wine Spectator badge without making a fuss about it. If you're in South Bend and want a serious bottle with a serious meal, this is where you go.

cork&olive is the rare suburban restaurant where the wine program is the actual draw — with certified sommeliers, a tight California-focused list, and Wednesday half-price wine nights, it earns its Wine Spectator hardware. The markups keep it from being a true Rager, but as a neighborhood go-to with genuine wine credibility, it absolutely delivers.

Amoré is the best wine list in Fort Wayne by a comfortable margin, and the Italian selection alone earns a visit from anyone who takes the stuff seriously. Markups run steep, so budget accordingly — but the bones are here for a genuinely great wine dinner.

Wine & Rind is the best wine bar in Carmel and it's not particularly close — solid California list, fair pricing, and a Wednesday half-price program that borders on irresponsible. Send your friends here, especially mid-week.

Delfino's is a competent, well-recognized wine program for what it is — a resort chophouse in Palm Coast that wants you comfortable, not challenged. Send a friend here if they want reliable California reds and a nice night out; just remind them to skip the Caymus and order the Stag's Leap instead.

A legitimate wine program strapped to the side of a Colorado mountain is not something you expect to exist, and Sam's mostly delivers. The markups reflect the zip code, but three sommeliers and a Gaja on the list earn it a spot on your radar next time you're in Snowmass.

Parchetto is exactly the kind of place Paso Robles does best — warm room, great local producers, fair prices, and a list that makes you feel like the region is showing off for you. Send your friends here, tell them to order a Turley, and let the jazz do the rest.

Park Tavern is a genuinely pleasant surprise for Italian wine depth in a neighborhood that runs on Aperol Spritzes and tourist-friendly pours. If you love Italy in the glass as much as on the plate, this list is worth your time.

The Privateer isn't a wine destination, but it's a genuinely solid place to drink California wine with good pizza on the coast. Send a friend here if they want reliable, accessible bottles without drama — just steer them away from the Caymus.

Olive & Hay is a solid resort wine list that earns its Wine Spectator Award of Excellence without doing anything flashy — California coverage is strong, the Italian varietal nods add character, and the pricing stays within reason on the right picks. Send a friend here if they want to drink well in Napa without doing homework first.

Dornan's is the rare place where the wine list is genuinely more interesting than the setting implies — a Best of Award of Excellence list inside a national park pizza joint is the kind of wild card this badge was made for. If you're driving through Grand Teton and you care about what's in your glass, stop here.

The Prime Rib Restaurant & Wine Cellar is absolutely the last place you'd expect to find Sassicaia and Tignanello, and that's exactly what makes it worth your time. If you're passing through Gillette — or live there — this is your wine list.

Pignetti's is the kind of wine program that makes you do a double-take when you remember you're in Central Texas. With a dedicated sommelier, a deep Italian and California-forward list, and a decade-plus of Wine Spectator recognition, this is an easy recommendation — wine-first.

Station Square Ristorante is the kind of place that reminds you not to sleep on mid-market American cities when it comes to serious wine programs. The markups could be friendlier, but the bones of this list — Tignanello, Gaja, Sassicaia, a legitimately deep California lineup — are the real deal, and that Wine Spectator badge is earned.

Torrisi is the rare restaurant where the wine list is genuinely as ambitious as the kitchen, and Monday's half-price bottle program makes it one of the best wine nights in the city. Go hungry, go thirsty, and for the love of everything, go on a Monday.