Aldo's Living Room, Your Best Night Out
Midtown West · New York · Wine Bar, French, American (New) · Visit Website ↗
Updated June 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · March 23, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Aldo Sohm Wine Bar’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You open the list and immediately feel like someone actually thought about this — not just padded it with Cab and Pinot Grigio to keep the tourists happy. Over 200 bottles and 40-plus by the glass, and the range runs from Champagne to Madeira to Bierzo without ever feeling like a geography homework assignment. The whole place has the vibe of a very knowledgeable friend who happens to own a wine cellar and doesn't make you feel dumb about it.
The list leans hard into Europe — Champagne, Burgundy, Austria, the Saar, Côtes de Provence — but it doesn't ignore the rest of the world, with stops in the Maule Valley, Uco Valley, Barossa, and Eola-Amity Hills. You'll find producers like Auguste Clape (Cornas Renaissance '13) and Michel Niellon (Chassagne-Montrachet '17) sitting next to Sohm's own Grüner Veltliner collaboration with Kracher, which is a flex that actually lands. The Saint-Bris from Goisot and the Frico Bianco by Scarpetta show they're willing to champion underdog appellations and not just roll out the greatest hits. Gaps are minimal — if you're hunting for domestic cult Cab or big New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, look elsewhere, but that's a feature, not a bug.
Forty-plus by-the-glass options is not a number you see often, and what makes it land here is that the pours feel curated, not just a dump of whatever's open. The price range runs from $8 to $69 a glass, which means you can go deep on something serious or just dip your toe in without committing to a bottle. The Chartogne-Taillet Sainte Anne Champagne NV by the glass alone is reason enough to show up.
2023 Clemensbusch Riesling — $19
This retails for $25 and they're pouring it at $19 by the glass, which defies the laws of New York restaurant economics. Saar Riesling at below-retail pricing in Midtown Manhattan — take the win.
Sauvignon Blanc Goisot Exogyra Virgula Saint-Bris '18
Saint-Bris is Burgundy's only Sauvignon Blanc appellation and most people walk right past it for something they already know. Goisot is the benchmark producer there, and at $18 a glass it's one of the most interesting pours on the list that nobody orders.
Arnot-Roberts Trout Gulch Chardonnay
At $35 a glass it's a 9% markup over retail — not outrageous, but compared to literally everything else on this list that's priced below retail, it stands out as the one spot where you're not getting the deal. Great wine, but the Burgundy options here offer better bang for your buck.
Grüner Veltliner Sohm & Kracher Alte Reben '16 + Lobster and Mushroom Tartes Flambées
Alte Reben means old vines, and this Grüner has the weight and peppery bite to hold up against the richness of lobster while the acidity cuts right through the earthiness of the mushrooms. It's also Aldo's own wine, so ordering it here feels like the right call.
The Bottom Line
This is one of the best wine bar lists in New York City, full stop — deep, smart, priced below retail in several spots, and run by people who genuinely know what they're talking about. Send every wine-curious friend here immediately.
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
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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