Sign In

or

No password needed โ€” we'll email you a sign-in link.

๐Ÿ”ฅThe Rager

Di Vino Rosso

Italy Meets California Inside a Ford Dealership

Columbia ยท Columbia ยท Italian ยท Visit Website โ†—

date-nightold-world-focusdeep-cellarsplurge-worthy

Reviewed April 9, 2026

Wingman Metrics

List VarietyDeep & Eclectic
MarkupFair
GlasswareBasic Stemmed
StaffWilling but Green
Specials & DealsSet & Forget
Storage & TempProper

First Impression

You walk into a 1920s building that used to move Model A's and now moves Tignanello โ€” and honestly, the upgrade tracks. The list lands on your table with the weight of something curated, not just copied from a distributor catalog. Two hundred-plus bottles anchored in California and Italy tells you exactly where this kitchen's heart is.

Selection Deep Dive

The Italian spine is serious: Gaja Barbaresco, Marchesi di Barolo Barolo, Antinori Tignanello, and Banfi Brunello di Montalcino make up a murderer's row of the peninsula's greatest hits. California holds its own with Caymus, Silver Oak Alexander Valley, and Stag's Leap Artemis โ€” not the most adventurous picks, but well-sourced and well-matched to the room. What we'd love to see is a few more left-field entries โ€” a Vermentino, a Sagrantino, something to reward the curious โ€” but for a Columbia, South Carolina restaurant, this is a genuinely impressive depth of field. Wine Spectator handed out their Best of Award of Excellence here in 2025, and looking at this list, that's not a participation trophy.

By the Glass

Twenty to thirty-five pours by the glass is a serious commitment โ€” most places of this size offer half that and call it a program. The $12โ€“$20 range keeps things accessible without feeling like a budget afterthought. We'd want to know how frequently the glass list rotates, but the sheer count suggests there's something interesting waiting beyond the Chianti and Cab defaults.

๐Ÿ’ฐBest Value

Ruffino Chianti Classico Riserva Ducale โ€” $40

At the entry end of the bottle range, this is a Chianti Classico that punches well above its price point โ€” structured, food-friendly, and the kind of wine that makes a weeknight pasta dinner feel like a Saturday splurge.

๐Ÿ’ŽHidden Gem

Marchesi di Barolo Barolo

Most tables in a place like this are reaching for the Caymus before the menus are fully open. The Barolo crowd is smaller, but it's the one that leaves the table talking about the wine. Traditional Nebbiolo with real grip and complexity โ€” exactly what the osso buco is waiting for.

โ›”Skip This

Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon

Look, it's not a bad wine โ€” it's just everywhere, it's marked up accordingly, and ordering it in an Italian restaurant with a list this good is like going to a great taqueria and ordering the quesadilla.

๐Ÿฝ๏ธPerfect Pairing

Antinori Tignanello + Osso buco

Tignanello is the bridge between Tuscany's Sangiovese soul and Cabernet's structure โ€” it's bold enough to stand up to braised veal shank but has the acidity to cut through the richness without bullying the dish. This is the pairing you came for.

๐Ÿ”ฅ The Bottom Line

Di Vino Rosso is doing something genuinely ambitious for Columbia โ€” a deep, Italy-and-California list in a historic building with food worthy of the bottles on that list. Send your friends here, point them toward the Barolo, and tell them to skip the Caymus.

Sign In

or

No password needed โ€” we'll email you a sign-in link.

Comments

Cmd+Enter to post
Loading comments...

Sign In

or

No password needed โ€” we'll email you a sign-in link.

Get the Weekly Wingman

One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.