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๐ŸŽฒThe Wild Card

Antica Pesa

Rome's Greatest Hits, Planted in Brooklyn

Williamsburg ยท Brooklyn ยท Italian ยท Visit Website โ†—

date-nightold-world-focussplurge-worthywine-dinner-events

Reviewed April 18, 2026

Wingman Metrics

List VarietySolid Range
MarkupSteep
GlasswareBasic Stemmed
StaffWilling but Green
Specials & DealsOccasional
Storage & TempProper

First Impression

The wine list at Antica Pesa reads like someone raided a Florentine cellar and smuggled the good stuff to Williamsburg. It's Italy-only, unabashedly so, and the Tuscan heavyweights front and center make it clear this place isn't messing around. The room is dim, the brick is exposed, and the list feels like it belongs in a spot twice the price.

Selection Deep Dive

This is a Tuscan hall of fame masquerading as a neighborhood Italian. Sassicaia, Ornellaia, Tignanello, Biondi-Santi Brunello, Gaja Barolo โ€” the canon is all here, properly represented and not just name-dropped. There's genuine depth in the Super Tuscan and Barolo categories, and the Allegrini Amarone keeps things interesting for the Veneto crowd. The gaps show up outside Italy โ€” there's no French, no domestic, no natural wine detour โ€” but that's a feature, not a bug; they committed to a lane and stayed in it. Wine Spectator recognized this program with an Award of Excellence in 2023, and the Italian focus is exactly why.

By the Glass

Ten to sixteen options by the glass, priced $12โ€“$22, which is reasonable for Williamsburg and especially for what you're getting access to. The glass program skews toward approachable Italian reds and whites rather than the cellar stars โ€” don't expect Sassicaia by the pour. Still, it gives a solid on-ramp before you commit to a bottle.

๐Ÿ’ฐBest Value

Chianti Classico Riserva (Antinori) โ€” $12-$22 by the glass

Antinori's Chianti Classico Riserva is one of the most reliably over-delivering wines in the Italian canon โ€” structured, food-friendly, and not a budget wine dressed up. If it's on the glass list, it's the move before you decide whether the table is going bottle-deep tonight.

๐Ÿ’ŽHidden Gem

Amarone della Valpolicella (Allegrini)

Everyone's eyes go straight to the Super Tuscans and the Barolo big boys, but Allegrini's Amarone is sitting there quietly being one of Italy's most dramatic and satisfying wines. Rich, concentrated, and built for the short rib โ€” most tables walk right past it chasing the Ornellaia.

โ›”Skip This

Gaja Barbaresco 2020

At $325 a bottle in a restaurant context, Gaja is paying for the brand as much as the wine. Gaja is exceptional, full stop โ€” but the markup here means you're spending serious money on a bottle that still needs time to fully open. Unless you're celebrating something and you know exactly what you're ordering, the money works harder elsewhere on this list.

๐Ÿฝ๏ธPerfect Pairing

Tignanello (Antinori) + Short Rib

Tignanello's Sangiovese-Cabernet blend has the structure and dark fruit to stand up to braised short rib without steamrolling it. The wine's savory, earthy edge echoes the meat's richness, and the finish is long enough to carry you through the whole plate.

๐ŸทHalf-Price Wine Night

Monday โ€” Half-price wine bottles on Mondays โ€” one of the better deals in Brooklyn for a list of this caliber.

๐ŸŽฒ The Bottom Line

Antica Pesa is the right call if you want serious Italian wine in a room that actually feels like it warrants them โ€” just know the markups on the trophy bottles are steep and the staff won't always be your guide through the cellar. Monday half-price wine nights are a genuine gift; plan accordingly.

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