Lakeside Italy, priced like they want you back
Lake Austin · Austin · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 29, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list arrives and it's immediately clear someone here has a thing for Italy — a focused, confident thing. No page-filler Malbec or obligatory Napa Cab wall of shame; just a tightly curated Italian program that means what it says. The lakeside setting makes you want to order something special, and for once, the list actually lets you.
This is an Italy-first list with real conviction behind it. Piedmont gets the serious treatment — Vietti, Conterno Fantino, Bruno Giacosa, and Gaja are all present, covering the full spectrum from approachable Barolo to serious collector Barbaresco. Tuscany shows up strong with Super Tuscans like Sassicaia and Ornellaia alongside Brunello di Montalcino and Chianti Classico Riserva, while Alto Adige Pinot Grigio and Amarone della Valpolicella round out the North. A few California bottles (Ridge, Flowers) appear as capable understudy options, but nobody comes here for those.
With 12–18 pours in the $12–$18 range, the by-the-glass program punches well above its weight for a neighborhood Italian spot. The range likely tracks the bottle list — expect a proper white from Alto Adige and at least one structured red from Tuscany or Veneto. Wednesday's half-price wine night turns these already reasonable pours into some of the best-value glass drinking in Austin.
Conterno Fantino Barolo Sori Ginestra 2019 — $32
A single-vineyard Barolo from one of Piedmont's most respected names for $32 a glass is almost offensive in the best way. At that price you'd barely get a grocery-store Chianti elsewhere in Austin.
Vietti Barolo Castiglione 2019
Most people at this table are going to reach for something they recognize, but the Vietti Castiglione is a masterclass Barolo from a vintage that's already drinking beautifully — and at $28, it's the kind of bottle that makes you feel smarter than everyone else at the restaurant.
Flowers Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2022
Flowers is a fine wine, but you're at an Italian restaurant with access to Giacosa and Gaja. Ordering California Pinot here is like going to a great taqueria and getting the quesadilla. Nobody's stopping you, but you'll regret it.
Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Asili 2018 + Short rib agnolotti
The Asili vineyard produces Barbaresco with a silky structure and red fruit depth that cuts right through the richness of braised short rib without overwhelming the pasta. It's the kind of combination that makes a Tuesday feel like an occasion.
Wednesday — Half-price wine night every Wednesday — applies to the wine list and makes an already fairly-priced program genuinely exceptional value.
🎲 The Bottom Line
68 Degrees is doing something genuinely rare in Austin: an Italian wine list with real depth, honest pricing, and a Wednesday deal that should be on your calendar. We'd send anyone here who wants to drink well without a fight.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.