Thursday Night's the Move, Full Stop
Palomar / Harrodsburg Road · Lexington · Italian, Seasonal American-Influenced · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 4, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Bella Notte's wine list reads like a greatest hits of familiar names — Decoy, La Marca, A to Z — the kind of lineup that won't surprise anyone but won't embarrass you either. It fits the room: warm trattoria energy, wood-fired smells, families and date nights coexisting comfortably. The list is clearly built for accessibility, not adventure.
The 60-to-100-bottle list leans on Italy, California, and France, which makes sense for an Italian-leaning kitchen, but don't expect deep regional exploration — this is Pinot Grigio and Cab Sauv country. The producers skew recognizable and approachable: Villa Wolf, Decoy, Santa Julia, A to Z. It's a list designed to keep everyone comfortable rather than move anyone's needle. The gaps are real — if you're hunting Barolo, Brunello, or anything from the natural wine universe, you'll come up empty.
Eight to fourteen pours by the glass gives you a workable range for a neighborhood spot, and the selection covers the bases — sparkling, white, red, with some South American representation via the Santa Julia Malbec and Terra Noble Sauvignon Blanc. At full price, the markups are steep and nothing here is particularly exciting. But on Thursday, this program becomes a genuinely different conversation.
Decoy by Duckhorn Cabernet Sauvignon — $12/glass (half-price Thursday)
Decoy retails around $25, and at $12 a glass on Thursday you're drinking Duckhorn's everyday Cab at close to retail cost. It's a polished, crowd-pleasing California Cab that holds its own with a wood-grilled steak — and the math is hard to argue with.
Villa Wolf Pinot Grigio
Most people gloss over Pinot Grigio, but Villa Wolf is from the Pfalz, not northern Italy, which means there's actual texture and personality here — it's rounder and more interesting than the category's reputation. At half-price Thursday pricing, it's a legitimately good pour that most tables will walk right past.
Santa Julia Malbec
Santa Julia is a $10 retail bottle and Bella Notte's markup makes it one of the least flattering value propositions on the list. Even at half-price on Thursday it's fine, but at full price you're paying a 160% markup for a wine you can grab at any grocery store. If it's not Thursday, order something else.
A to Z Wineworks Pinot Noir + House-made pasta
Oregon Pinot Noir has the acidity and red fruit to cut through a butter- or tomato-based pasta sauce without overwhelming it. A to Z is an honest, food-friendly bottle, and it's exactly the kind of wine you want working alongside Bella Notte's housemade pastas — not competing, just doing its job.
Thursday — Thursday nights feature a standing half-price wine program — both a curated selection on the bar menu and full bottles, per multiple OpenTable diner reports. It's the reason to time your visit.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Bella Notte isn't a wine destination, but it's a reliable neighborhood spot with one genuinely smart move: Thursday half-price bottles turn a steep list into a real value play. Go on a Thursday, order the Decoy Cab with a wood-grilled steak, and you'll leave happy.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.