Viola
Italy's Greatest Hits, Done With Conviction
Newport · Providence · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 18, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
The wine list at Viola reads like a love letter to the Italian peninsula — Tuscany, Piedmont, Sicily, Campania, all present and accounted for. It's focused, confident, and makes no apologies for staying in its lane. If you walked in hoping for a Grüner or a Willamette Pinot, this isn't your night.
Selection Deep Dive
Eighty to 150 bottles deep and almost entirely Italian, Viola's list covers the major regions without straying far from the well-worn tourist trail. Antinori Tignanello and Gaja Barbaresco anchor the Tuscany and Piedmont sections with real prestige, while Mastroberardino's Taurasi gives Campania a legitimate foothold. Planeta's Nero d'Avola rounds out Sicily, and a Pinot Grigio delle Venezie covers the Veneto crowd. The gaps are real — there's no serious natural wine presence, no orange wine moment, no under-the-radar producers to get excited about — but what's here is reliable and well-sourced.
By the Glass
Ten to sixteen options by the glass at $14–$22 is a reasonable spread for a neighborhood Italian, though the range skews predictable. You're not going to find anything revelatory in the pour selection, but you're also not stuck drinking something anonymous. The pricing ceiling of $22 a glass pushes into territory where you'd rather just commit to a bottle.
Planeta Nero d'Avola — $14
If it's landing at the lower end of the by-the-glass range, Planeta's Nero d'Avola is the move — warm, fruit-forward, and approachable without being boring. Sicily punches above its weight here.
Mastroberardino Taurasi
Most tables at an Italian restaurant are going to reach for the Brunello or the Tignanello and ignore Campania entirely. That's a mistake. Mastroberardino's Taurasi — made from Aglianico — is a serious, structured red that most people have never tried, and it's almost always more interesting than whatever Tuscan heavyweight is sitting next to it on the list.
Banfi Brunello di Montalcino
Banfi makes perfectly competent wine at scale, but Brunello at a restaurant markup is a rough value proposition under the best circumstances — and Banfi is the entry-level name in that category. You're paying Brunello prices for a wine that won't deliver a Brunello experience. The Taurasi will outperform it dollar for dollar.
Antinori Tignanello + Osso Buco
Tignanello's Sangiovese-Cabernet blend has enough structure and dark fruit to stand up to the richness of braised veal shank without bulldozing the dish. The acidity cuts through the gremolata and keeps everything from feeling heavy. It's the obvious call on this list, and it's obvious for a reason.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Viola's wine list won't surprise you, and the markups aren't doing anyone any favors — but the Italian focus is genuine and the top-shelf bottles are legitimate. Order the Taurasi, avoid the Banfi, and you'll drink well enough.
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