Crowd-pleasing Italian comfort, wine included
Irvine Spectrum · Irvine · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 22, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at BRIO reads like a greatest hits album you've heard a hundred times — Santa Margherita, Meiomi, KJ Chard. It's comfortable, familiar, and purpose-built to sell bottles to a room full of people who came here for the pasta, not the Barolo. Nothing wrong with that, as long as you know what you're walking into.
The list leans on Italian-Californian staples with zero surprises and no ambition beyond broad appeal. Tuscany shows up via Ruffino Chianti Classico, Alto Adige gets a nod with Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio, and California fills the rest of the card with the usual suspects. There's no regional depth, no small producers, and no reason to spend time studying the list — you'll find what you expect and nothing more. The Italy-California split makes sense for the concept, but a little more effort here — even one off-menu Sicilian or a Friulian white — would go a long way.
Roughly 12-18 pours by the glass, which is a solid count for a casual Italian chain. The range covers the basics — a sparkling option in La Marca Prosecco, a light white in Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio, a red in Ruffino Chianti Classico, and California crowd-pleasers rounding it out. Rotation appears minimal; this list has the feel of something that gets reviewed annually if that.
Ruffino Chianti Classico — $38
Chianti Classico from a reliable Tuscan producer that actually matches the Italian-American menu. It's a straightforward bottle but won't embarrass itself next to the Pasta Napoletana, and the price sits at the reasonable end of BRIO's range.
La Marca Prosecco
Most people at BRIO are ordering Chardonnay or Pinot Noir on autopilot. The Prosecco is genuinely fun here — light, dry, and versatile enough to carry you through flatbreads and starters without the commitment of a heavier red or white. Order a glass before dinner and you might just keep going.
Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay
A fine supermarket bottle that retails around $14-16. Whatever BRIO charges for it by the glass or bottle, you're paying a chain markup on top of a mass-production Chardonnay. There's no story here, no sense of place, and better options exist on the same list.
Ruffino Chianti Classico + Pasta Napoletana
Tomato-forward red sauce and Sangiovese are a classic combination for a reason — the wine's natural acidity cuts through the richness and mirrors the sauce's herbal, tangy profile. It's not a complex pairing, but it's the right call at this restaurant.
✔️ The Bottom Line
BRIO's wine list is exactly what it needs to be for a polished Italian chain — safe, accessible, and unlikely to offend anyone. Don't come here chasing discovery, but if you want a glass of Chianti with your pasta in a comfortable setting, it delivers.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.