Burgundy, Barolo, and Fifth Avenue swagger
Midtown · New York · French, Italian · Visit Website ↗
Updated August 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 5, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Ai Fiori’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Ai Fiori lands on the table like a small novel — somewhere between 800 and 1,200 selections deep, organized with real intent. This is not a list someone threw together to fill space next to the cocktail menu. You're in a Wine Spectator Grand Award restaurant, and it shows immediately.
The core of this list is old-world royalty: Burgundy from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and Domaine Leflaive, Piedmont through Giacomo Conterno Barolo and Gaja Barbaresco, Tuscany anchored by Sassicaia and Masseto, and Bordeaux reaching Château Pétrus and Château Le Pin. The Rhône gets serious treatment too — Guigal's Côte-Rôtie La Mouline and Chapoutier Hermitage are not token inclusions. California shows up with Kosta Browne and Opus One for the crowd that needs familiar names, but the soul of this list is firmly European. Gaps are minimal; this is the rare restaurant list where you can actually get lost in a good way.
Around 20 to 30 pours by the glass, ranging from $15 to $30, which is reasonable for Midtown Manhattan — you're not getting gouged just to taste something decent. The Champagne program extends to the glass program, with names like Krug on the bottle list suggesting the BTG selections are curated with the same seriousness. Rotation details aren't public, but with sommeliers like John Chiliquinga and Nielufar Waheed running the floor, you can trust the pours are being looked after.
Chapoutier Hermitage — $60+
Hermitage from Chapoutier on a list dominated by four-figure Burgundy is your relative sanity anchor — structured, serious northern Rhône Syrah that holds its own against anything else on this list and won't destroy your evening's budget.
Salon Blanc de Blancs
Everyone reaches for Krug when they want to splash on Champagne, but Salon — made only in exceptional vintages, 100% Chardonnay from Le Mesnil-sur-Oger — is the more interesting call. Most tables walk past it. Don't.
Opus One
It's a fine wine, but Opus One is on every big American list and tends to carry serious markup premium built on brand recognition alone. With Giacomo Conterno Barolo and Masseto on the same list, the Napa prestige bottle feels like the obvious tourist move.
Giacomo Conterno Barolo + Sagne pasta with braised rabbit, fresh mint, and Castelvetrano olives
Conterno Barolo's firm tannins and tar-and-roses character have the structure to stand up to braised rabbit while the wine's acidity cuts through the richness — and the olive brininess actually flatters the wine's savory depth rather than fighting it.
The Bottom Line
Ai Fiori is the real thing — a Grand Award list with the depth, staff, and glassware to back up the credential. The markups are New York steep, so come with a plan, but if you care about what's in your glass, this room rewards you.
NoHo · New York · Italian
Il Buco has one of the most compelling Italian wine lists in New York City — deep, principled, and staffed by people who actually care. The markup is real, so budget accordingly, but this is a room worth splurging in.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown · New York · Steakhouse
STK Downtown is a place where people order Champagne to celebrate, not to drink — and the wine program is built accordingly. If you're here for the vibe and someone else is paying, pop the Dom and enjoy it; if you actually care about what's in your glass, you're in the wrong room.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Midtown · New York · Upscale Seafood & Steakhouse
Three happy hour wines do not a wine program make. Ocean Prime is a place you eat well and drink safely — but if wine is a priority, this list will let you down before the bread basket arrives.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
Midtown · New York · Steakhouse
STK Midtown is a great place to see and be seen, but the wine list is there to pad the check, not to excite you. If you're here for the experience, lean on the cocktails or grab a glass of Bonanza at the bar — don't expect the bottle list to reward any real curiosity.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Midtown West · New York · Russian-American
The Russian Tea Room treats wine as an afterthought dressed up in Champagne flutes — five famous labels at punishing prices with no range, no by-the-glass program, and no apparent curiosity about wine beyond what looks impressive on a table. Go for the spectacle, order the caviar, but don't come here expecting a wine list.
Grocery Store
Gouge
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· New York · Restaurant
David Burke Tavern's list is a Chardonnay lover's comfort zone with a solid sparkling section propping up the top — but the narrow focus and steep pricing mean you're paying for familiarity, not discovery. Send a friend here if they want California whites and a glass of Champagne; send them somewhere else if they want to explore.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Coos Bay · Coos Bay · French, Italian
Restaurant O is the kind of place that makes you recalibrate your expectations for small-city dining — a Wine Spectator-recognized list, a real sommelier, and Wednesday half-price wine night in Coos Bay of all places. Yes, send your friends here.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Active Program
Proper
Stroudsburg · Stroudsburg · French, Italian
Momento is the rare Poconos restaurant where the wine list is a genuine reason to show up, not an afterthought. If you're in the area and care even a little about what's in your glass, this is your spot.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Hobe Sound · Hobe Sound · French, Italian
Casa del Vino is a legitimate destination list wearing a casual neighborhood restaurant disguise — the Italian and French depth here rivals spots in Miami charging twice the prices. If you're anywhere near Hobe Sound and take wine seriously, this one is worth a detour.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Proper
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