South Lamar's Wednesday Wine Night Secret
South Lamar · Austin · Italian, Seafood · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 27, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The list is tight — 80 to 120 bottles — but it reads like someone actually cared when they built it. This isn't a generic Italian-American pasta spot that throws Pinot Grigio at you and calls it a day. There's real intent here, and a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence held since 2018 to back it up.
Italy is the clear north star, and the heavy hitters show up: Antinori Tignanello, Gaja Barbaresco, Brunello from both Banfi and Casanova di Neri, and Barolo from names like Pio Cesare. That's a credible Piedmont and Tuscany backbone that punches well above what South Lamar typically delivers. Chianti Classico Riserva from Castello di Ama and Amarone from Masi round out the mid-range with legitimate options. The list doesn't wander far beyond Italy, and it doesn't need to — focus is a feature, not a bug.
Ten to sixteen pours by the glass is a respectable number for a neighborhood Italian spot, and Wednesday's half-price wine night means those pours become genuinely great deals. We'd like to see a bit more rotation on the glass program to keep regulars interested, but what's there covers the bases — expect the Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio to dominate the pour counts.
Chianti Classico Riserva, Castello di Ama — $65
Castello di Ama is a serious Chianti Classico producer — structured, age-worthy, and typically marked up aggressively elsewhere. At a fair price point here, especially on a Wednesday when it's half off, this is the move.
Amarone della Valpolicella, Masi
Amarone gets overlooked by people who see 'big red' and assume they want a Barolo. Masi is the benchmark producer — their Costasera is concentrated and complex without being a bruiser. Most diners walk right past it, which means it's usually available and fairly priced.
Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio
It's fine. It's also been on every Italian restaurant list since 1995 and is marked up everywhere it appears. There are better options on this list for the same money — or less.
Gaja Barbaresco + Tagliatelle Nero
The ink-rich, briny depth of the Tagliatelle Nero needs a wine with structure and presence to stand up to it. Gaja Barbaresco brings that — firm tannins, dried cherry, and enough acidity to cut through without overpowering the dish.
Wednesday — Half-price wine all night on Wednesdays — applies to bottles and makes the mid-tier Italian reds genuinely hard to beat at the price.
🎲 The Bottom Line
A neighborhood Italian spot with a better wine list than it has any obligation to have — and Wednesday half-price wine night is one of the better deals in Austin. Come for the pasta, stay for the Barolo.
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