Artemio's Prime and Proper
Jersey's Quiet Overachiever Earns Its Stripes
Ringwood · Ringwood · Mediterranean, Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 8, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
You don't expect to find 300-plus bottles anchored by Gaja Barbaresco and Antinori Tignanello tucked along the Greenwood Lake Turnpike, but here we are. The list lands with real weight — California, France, and Italy covered with the kind of intentionality that earned this place a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence in 2025. It reads like someone actually thought about what belongs on a steakhouse-meets-Mediterranean list, not just what sells.
Selection Deep Dive
California is the backbone, and it's a strong one — Caymus, Silver Oak Alexander Valley, Jordan, Beringer Private Reserve, Opus One, and Chateau Montelena give you a full tour of Napa and Sonoma without needing to leave the table. Italy punches hard with Gaja Barbaresco and Marchesi di Barolo Barolo anchoring the Piedmont section, plus Tignanello flying the Super Tuscan flag. France gets a respectful nod through Louis Jadot Burgundy. The gaps are minor — more Loire and Rhône representation would round this out — but for a Northern Jersey restaurant straddling steakhouse and Mediterranean identities, the selection is genuinely impressive and coherent.
By the Glass
Twenty to thirty-five pours by the glass at $12–$22 is a serious by-the-glass program for this zip code — enough options to build an entire evening around without committing to a bottle. We'd want to know how aggressively they rotate the list and whether open bottles are handled with care, but the sheer range suggests someone is paying attention. Hit the California Cabs by the glass early; they're the sweet spot here.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon — $50–$80 range (bottle)
Jordan is consistently one of the most food-friendly, reliably excellent Cabernets in the game, and at a steakhouse it's the move that won't break you the way Opus One will. Classic Alexander Valley structure, never overdone, and it performs alongside both the ribeye and the rack of lamb.
Marchesi di Barolo Barolo
Most tables here are reaching for California Cabs on autopilot, which means the Barolo sits quietly underordered. That's a mistake. Nebbiolo with a classic producer like Marchesi di Barolo is exactly what the branzino and rack of lamb are asking for — savory, structured, with enough lift to cut through rich Mediterranean preparations.
Opus One
Look, Opus One is a genuinely great wine. It's also a $300+ bottle that carries enormous name-recognition markup wherever it lands on a restaurant list. You're paying for the label recognition as much as what's in the bottle. The Jordan or Silver Oak Alexander Valley gets you 85% of the experience at a fraction of the price.
Antinori Tignanello + Prime dry-aged ribeye
Tignanello is a Super Tuscan built for exactly this moment — Sangiovese-forward with Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend, firm tannins, bright acidity, and enough dark fruit to go toe-to-toe with a well-marbled dry-aged cut. It's the crossover pick that honors both the steakhouse and Mediterranean sides of this menu.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Artemio's is the kind of wine program that makes you reconsider your assumptions about Northern Jersey — serious depth, a credentialed list, and enough ambition to justify the drive. The markups lean steep and the staff leans knowledgeable-adjacent rather than expert, but a Best of Award of Excellence doesn't lie: this place cares about what's in your glass.
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