Paris Comes to the Upper East Side
Upper East Side · New York · Wine bar · Visit Website ↗
Updated April 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · March 23, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Bar Florine’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You walk into 163 E 92nd and the Upper East Side disappears — this is a proper Parisian cave à vins, not a steakhouse wine list in disguise. The list hits you immediately: Arbois, Kakheti, South African Grenache, Sicilian Carricante. Someone here has opinions, and those opinions are good.
Bar Florine leans hard into the Old World with real conviction — Emmanuel Giboulot's biodynamic Hautes-Côtes-de-Nuits sits next to Domaine Rolet from the Jura, which sits next to a Marnaveli Saperavi from Georgia. That's not a random wine list, that's a curated point of view. South Africa gets a genuine shoutout with Bosman Family Vineyards' Grenache Blanc and The Foundry Grenache Noir from Stellenbosch — two producers that earn their place on any list. The presence of Giuseppe Quintarelli white signals they're also fishing in serious cellar territory. Gaps exist — the New World outside South Africa is thin — but the depth in natural, biodynamic, and off-the-beaten-path regions more than compensates.
We don't have a confirmed by-the-glass count, but a wine bar with this list pedigree almost certainly rotates thoughtfully. The Bodegas Frontonio Microcósmico Macabeo and Domaine Dupeuble Beaujolais Blanc read like obvious glass pour candidates — approachable, food-friendly, and interesting enough to make you ask a follow-up question. The staff knows what they're pouring, so ask them what's open.
Domaine Dupeuble Beaujolais Blanc 2023 — $$$
Beaujolais Blanc is one of the most underpriced wine categories on the planet — chardonnay with a Beaujolais price tag — and Dupeuble does it right. In a neighborhood where everything costs too much, this is your move.
Marnaveli Saperavi 2019
Georgian wine still confuses most people at a dinner table, which means it's often the last thing ordered and the best thing on the list. Saperavi is dark, grippy, and genuinely unlike anything from France or Italy. The 2019 has had time to settle and it shows.
Chateau Musar Rouge 1998
At $300 a bottle — even at a restrained 20% markup over retail — you're paying serious money for a wine that, while iconic, can be a gamble at 25+ years old depending on storage and cork. Unless you know this specific bottle's history, there are more exciting bets on this list for a fraction of the price.
Eno-Trio Iddu Carricante 2023 + Prince Edward Island mussels in Thai curry
Carricante from the slopes of Etna is volcanic, saline, and citrus-driven — it cuts through the richness of a coconut curry broth and handles the brininess of PEI mussels without getting pushed around. It's the kind of pairing that makes you feel like you made a very smart decision.
The Bottom Line
Bar Florine is the kind of place that makes you question why more wine bars don't just commit to a point of view and go. The list is adventurous without being pretentious, the markup on the Musar aside, pricing is fair, and the staff clearly gives a damn — yes, we'd send a friend here, especially one who thinks they don't like wine.
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
Sandy Springs · Atlanta · Wine bar
Under Pressure is the kind of wine bar Atlanta's northern neighborhoods have genuinely needed — a spot with a real point of view, someone knowledgeable behind the program, and a concept built around guided discovery rather than generic pours. If you're anywhere near Sandy Springs and care about drinking something interesting, this is worth the trip. We'll revisit once the full list is in hand for the deep cuts.
Surprising Depth
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Duval Street · Key West · Wine bar
For Key West, a wine bar with a genuine Champagne focus and a mid-week deal is a minor miracle. We'd send a friend here for a pre-dinner glass on a Wednesday without hesitation — just know that we're working from strong vibes and limited menu data, so go in curious rather than with a specific bottle in mind. When we get the full list, this one could move up the rankings fast.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
· Monterey · Wine bar
If you're rolling through Monterey and want something more interactive than staring at a laminated wine list, The Wine Experience is a legitimate detour — especially for anyone curious about what the Santa Lucia Highlands and San Benito County are actually producing right now. We'd send a curious friend here without hesitation; we'd just tell them to skip any expectations of a formal dinner and lean into the tasting-room energy instead.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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