Italy-First and Mostly Honest About It
Eastlake · Seattle · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 15, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Serafina feels exactly like the room it lives in — warm, candlelit, and resolutely Italian. Flip through it and you get a comfortable tour of the peninsula from Veneto to Tuscany, nothing that will surprise you, but nothing that will embarrass you either. It's a list built for the food, and that's not nothing.
The Italian focus is genuine and executed with some care — Antinori Tignanello and Gaja Langhe Nebbiolo signal real ambition at the top end, while Brunello di Montalcino and Chianti Classico Riserva anchor the Tuscan middle. The sparkling section leans heavily on Prosecco and Lambrusco, which makes sense for an osteria vibe, though the sheer number of Prosecco SKUs starts to feel like a default rather than a choice. What's missing is the adventurous stuff — no Etna, no Jura-adjacent weirdness, no southern Italian producers pushing into interesting territory. You're eating well in a safe neighborhood.
The by-the-glass program runs 10 to 18 options and stays true to the all-Italy format, which we respect. Rotation appears limited — this reads more like a static list than one that gets refreshed with the season. If you're here for a casual weeknight pour, you'll find something perfectly adequate; just don't come hoping for a discovery.
Gregoletto Glera Frizzante Col Fondo Colli Trevigiani NV — $60
Yes, it's still marked up significantly over retail, but Col Fondo Prosecco — the unfiltered, bottle-refermented style — is genuinely interesting and rarely shows up on Seattle restaurant lists. At $60 it's the best conversation you'll buy on this menu.
Famiglia Carafoli 'Nicchia' Lambrusco di Modena
Most tables will gloss right past Lambrusco on principle, which is their loss. A good Lambrusco is bright, dry-ish, fizzy, and cuts straight through rich pasta sauces. The Carafoli 'Nicchia' is the right call here if you're ordering anything with ragù — just don't tell anyone it cost you $52.
Scarpetta Prosecco DOC Brut
At $54 for a bottle you can find at Total Wine for $15, the Scarpetta is a 260% markup on a wine that's fine but unremarkable. It's the restaurant's easiest order and their biggest score on you. Do better.
Gaja Langhe Nebbiolo + Tagliatelle with ragù
Nebbiolo has the acidity and tannic structure to stand up to a long-cooked meat sauce without steamrolling the pasta underneath it. Gaja's Langhe bottling is the approachable entry point into that world — all the character, none of the decade-long wait.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Serafina is a reliable Italian neighborhood spot with a wine list that matches its ambitions — cozy, competent, and a little expensive for what it is. Send a friend here for the pasta and Nebbiolo, but warn them to steer clear of the Prosecco markups.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.