Aventino Cucina

Walk into Aventino and the wine list feels like it was built by someone who actually loves Italian wine — not just someone who Googled 'Italian wine list template.' The range spans from Alto Adige Pinot Grigio to Barolo to Super Tuscans, which tells you there's real intention here. For Bethesda, this is above average before you even flip the page.

The Italian focus is tight and executed well — you've got Barolo and Barbaresco from Piedmont, Brunello di Montalcino for the big-occasion drinkers, Amarone for the indulgent, and Chianti Classico Riserva as the everyday workhorse. The Super Tuscan section name-drops Sassicaia and Tignanello, which signals they're not just phoning it in on the prestige side. Alto Adige Pinot Grigio is the right call for white wine — not the bland stuff, the real mineral-driven version from the north. Where the list falls short is anything outside Italy — if you want Burgundy or Rioja, you're at the wrong restaurant, which is either a feature or a bug depending on how you feel about commitment.

With 12 to 20 pours on offer, the by-the-glass program is genuinely useful — enough range to work through a meal without committing to a bottle. We'd expect to see the Chianti Classico Riserva and Pinot Grigio doing heavy lifting here, which is exactly as it should be. No confirmed rotating selections, so don't count on surprises, but the core pours are solid.