Italian Depth Hiding in Lancaster County
Leola · Leola · Farm to Table, Italian
Reviewed April 22, 2026
Wingman Metrics
You don't expect to find Sassicaia and Brunello di Montalcino on a wine list in Leola, Pennsylvania — population: not many. But Osteria Avanti has quietly been earning a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence since 2014, and the list makes a strong case for why. This is the kind of find that makes you feel like you're in on something.
The list runs 80 to 120 bottles and stays almost entirely in Italy, which is exactly the right call for a restaurant cooking house-made pasta and braised local meats. Piedmont gets serious attention — Barolo producers anchor the red section — and Tuscany shows up in force with Chianti Classico Riserva, Brunello di Montalcino, and heavy hitters like Tignanello and Sassicaia sitting at the top end. The Alto Adige Pinot Grigio is a smart nod to northern Italy's white wine game, a region most wine lists completely ignore. The gaps are real — no deep French or Spanish presence — but the Italian focus is executed well enough that you won't miss them.
Ten to sixteen options by the glass at $10 to $18 is a respectable program for a room this size, and the pricing stays honest. We'd like to see more rotation and a bit more ambition in the pours — a Vermentino or a Nero d'Avola by the glass would push this from solid to exciting. For now, it's a reliable setup that won't embarrass anyone.
Chianti Classico Riserva — $45
Riserva-level Sangiovese from Tuscany in the mid-forties is a legitimate deal at a restaurant. It has the structure to stand up to braised meats and aged cheeses, and it's the kind of wine that makes the table feel like a real dinner.
Pinot Grigio, Alto Adige
Everyone orders Pinot Grigio and most of the time it's forgettable mass-market stuff. Alto Adige is a different animal — crisp, mineral, with actual character. On a list this focused on reds, it's easy to walk past. Don't.
Sassicaia
Sassicaia is a great wine and Osteria Avanti stocks it, which is impressive. But Super Tuscans at restaurant markup prices rarely make financial sense when the same money could land you two excellent bottles further down the list. It's a trophy pour, not a value play.
Amarone della Valpolicella + Braised Local Meats
Amarone is a big, concentrated wine made from dried grapes — it wants something rich and slow-cooked to meet it halfway. The braised local meats here do exactly that. This is the pairing that makes you understand why both exist.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Osteria Avanti is the rare Italian restaurant outside a major city that actually built a wine list worthy of the food. If you're anywhere near Lancaster County and you care about drinking well, make the reservation.
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