Monarch Trattoria
Italian-focused, honest prices, no drama
South Hill · Spokane · Italian
Reviewed April 9, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
The wine list at Monarch Trattoria reads like someone actually thought about it — Italian regions front and center, a nod to the Pacific Northwest, and by-the-glass prices that don't make you do a double-take. For a South Hill trattoria, that's more than you might expect. The markup structure here is quietly one of the best in Spokane.
Selection Deep Dive
The list runs 40 to 70 bottles and stays honest to the cuisine: Chianti Classico, Valpolicella, Ripasso, and Sicilian whites anchor the Italian side, while Washington State and California fill out the new world. Antinori, Allegrini, Masi, and Planeta are recognizable names that actually belong on an Italian restaurant list — not just easy imports grabbed from a distributor catalog. The regional depth doesn't go deep on single-village Burgundy or obscure Italian DOCs, but that's not the point here. It's a focused, purposeful list that earns its range.
By the Glass
With 10 to 16 pours available, the glass program covers enough ground to give you real options across a full meal. The pricing by the glass mirrors the bottle markups — unusually fair for a sit-down restaurant. We'd like to see more rotation and a few more adventurous picks in the glass lineup, but what's here gets the job done.
Masi Campofiorin Ripasso 2020 — $22
Retails around $30 and this is a proper wine — richer and more structured than a standard Valpolicella, with dried fruit and grip that holds up to the braised and roasted dishes on the menu. At $22 a glass, it's a genuine steal.
Planeta La Segreta Bianco 2023
Most people at an Italian trattoria default to Pinot Grigio or jump straight to red. This Sicilian white — a Grecanico, Viognier, and Fiano blend — is more interesting than anything else in that price range on the list, and at $14 it's practically free.
Banfi Centine Toscana 2022
At $17 it's not a rip-off, but Banfi Centine is a workhorse supermarket Tuscan blend that punches well below the other Italian options on this list. With the Allegrini or the Antinori sitting right next to it at comparable prices, there's no reason to settle here.
Allegrini Valpolicella 2022 + Osso buco
Allegrini's Valpolicella is light enough not to bulldoze the delicate braised veal, but it carries enough cherry fruit and earthy backbone to stand up to a rich gremolata and bone marrow. Classic Veneto with a classic Milanese dish — this one writes itself.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Monarch Trattoria won't blow your mind with a rare cellar find, but the markups are genuinely fair, the Italian selections are well-chosen, and you're unlikely to drink badly here. Send a friend? Absolutely — especially if they're ordering the osso buco.
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