Verona's Greatest Hit, Transplanted to Midtown
Midtown · New York · Northern Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed March 24, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Antica Bottega del Vino’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The moment you walk in, the wine shelves lining the walls and the antique chandeliers hanging overhead tell you this place takes its bottles seriously — this isn't a restaurant that happens to have wine, it's a wine destination that happens to serve food. The list itself is a 300-plus bottle tome that immediately signals ambition. You're going to need a minute.
The Italian backbone here is legitimately impressive: Piedmont and Veneto get deep treatment, with serious Barbaresco and Barolo representation anchoring the red section — including the Bruno Giacosa 'Asili' 2008, which is the kind of wine that makes you put down your bread and pay attention. Tuscany shows up properly, and there's a smart California contingent featuring Mayacamas Mt. Veeder and Turley 'Pesenti' Zinfandel for those who wander west of the Alps. Champagne gets a nod with Gaston Chiquet 'Tradition' Brut, which is a smart, non-obvious pick over the usual mass-market suspects. The list does skew old-world heavy, which is exactly right for a concept rooted in Verona — if you want New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, you've made a wrong turn.
Eight-plus options by the glass spanning a $10–$23 range, which for Midtown Manhattan is actually defensible — you're not getting gouged at the low end. The Prosecco Adami 'Bosco di Gica' by the glass is a legitimately good starting point, and Au Bon Climat Chardonnay representing California on the glass list shows some range. Rotation details are unclear, so ask the sommelier what's open — they'll have an opinion.
Champagne Gaston Chiquet 'Tradition' Brut — $23/glass
Gaston Chiquet is a grower Champagne house that punches well above its recognition level — you're getting real Champagne complexity without paying for a famous label. At $23 a glass in Midtown, that's not a steal, but it's honest.
Zinfandel Turley 'Pesenti'
Turley 'Pesenti' is sourced from old-vine Paso Robles fruit and tends to get overshadowed by flashier California names on lists like this. Most diners here are scanning for Italian — which means this bottle quietly sits there waiting for someone smart enough to order it.
Mayacamas Mt. Veeder 2021
Mayacamas is a great producer and Mt. Veeder Cab is genuinely special, but at a Midtown Italian spot with steep markups, you're almost certainly paying a significant premium over retail for something that didn't need the restaurant markup to justify its price. The Italian section delivers far better value for the money.
Barbaresco Bruno Giacosa 'Asili' 2008 + Tortellini della Casa
A mature Barbaresco from one of the Langhe's most revered producers against stuffed pasta is the exact kind of old-world symmetry this restaurant was built for — the wine's dried roses, tar, and earthy depth find a natural home next to rich, meaty filled pasta.
The Bottom Line
Antica Bottega del Vino earns its stripes with a deep, Italy-first list, a knowledgeable floor team, and the kind of serious bottle selection you'd expect from a Verona institution. The markups will sting, but if you're here to drink well, you can — and a sommelier is actually in the building to help you do it.
Midtown · New York · French Brasserie
La Grande Boucherie earns its place as a reliable stop for wine in Midtown, especially if you're leaning French. The glass list is genuinely wide and has some smart picks buried in it — the Fleurie and the Wiemer Riesling both punch above their price points. Markups trend steep as you climb the bottle list, so your money works hardest in the by-the-glass section. If you're here for the brasserie experience, the wine program holds up its end of the deal.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· New York · Steakhouse
BLT Prime's wine program is glass-only, which limits your options if you came for a big bottle moment, but the pricing is honest and the selection is more thoughtful than most steakhouses bother with. If you're keeping it casual and ordering by the glass, you can drink well here without feeling taken advantage of — and that's not nothing in this city.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· New York · Restaurant
The Palm Midtown is not where you'd expect to find Puzelat and Ruth Lewandowski sitting next to each other on a wine list — which is exactly what makes it worth a second look. Six bottles is a short menu, but all six are defensible picks at prices that don't insult you. If you're in the mood to trust the list and not overthink it, this works.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Murray Hill · New York · Classic American Steakhouse
Wolfgang's is a reliable steakhouse wine experience in the sense that you know exactly what you're getting: a list built around the bottle you already know, priced for the room you're sitting in. If you're here to close a deal over a Porterhouse for Two, the wine list will do its job without embarrassing anyone — but it's not going to surprise you, and it's almost certainly going to cost more than it should. Go in with eyes open and a strong second-choice red in mind.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· New York · Mediterranean
Zaytinya's wine list is a rare thing in New York: a focused, regionally coherent program that commits hard to Greek and Eastern Mediterranean varieties without making you feel like you need a flashcard to order. The by-the-glass selection alone — 18 options, all under $18, featuring producers most wine lists wouldn't touch — makes this worth visiting even before the food arrives. If you eat here and order a Cabernet, that's on you.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
SoHo · New York · Italian
A long bottle list with Italian, Burgundy and Champagne sections, fronted by a 22-wine glass page. For a glass, try the Skerk Orange Wine from Friuli at 25/95, and for a bottle on a lighter budget, the Volpaia Vermentino at 60; upstairs in the café, the labeled list pours Palistorti di Valgiano's orange Tuscan blend at Glass $22. Confirm prices before you order, because the site's Upstairs Café dinner menu and the beverage PDF do not match. This unrated guide covers the posted wine lists, not service, storage or markups.
Dupont Circle · Washington · Northern Italian
A list built around familiar California names, with a Chianti, a Rosso di Montalcino and a Pouilly-Fumé as the pivots away from them. Order the Duckhorn Cabernet with a steak, or the Saget La Perrière Pouilly-Fumé if you want something sharper, and ask the restaurant for prices and availability. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Back Bay · Boston · Northern Italian
Start with the $65 Ceretto white or $70 Borgoluce bubbles. For Barolo in a smaller format, ask about the $95 Paolo Scavino half bottle. These are posted-menu choices checked in September 2026, not an onsite tasting or assessment of service.
Mount Vernon · Baltimore · Northern Italian
Try Lavignone at $14 a glass or compare a $52 bottle if everyone wants the same red. Sotto Sopra makes that budget decision straightforward. Prices come from the posted menu checked in September 2026; availability can change, and this guide doesn't rate service or cellar conditions.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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