North End Italian with a markup problem
North End · Boston · Italian, Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Updated June 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · March 23, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Bricco’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Walking into Bricco on Hanover Street, the wine list matches the room — polished, confident, and priced for the tourist-adjacent crowd that packs North End on a Saturday night. The Italian-forward selection is genuinely thoughtful, spanning Piemonte to Campania with real producer names, not just region-generic bottles. But flip to the prices and the good vibes take a hit fast.
The Italian backbone here is legitimate — Batasiolo in Piemonte, Caggiano in Campania, a Barolo by the glass that you don't see everywhere. The list covers serious ground from Friuli whites to Puglia reds, and they've layered in some California heavyweights like Chateau Montelena and Cakebread for guests who won't budge on domestic. What's missing is any real adventure: no natural wine, no orange wine, nothing from Sicily or Alto Adige to push past the expected Italian-American comfort zone. It's a list built to impress on first glance rather than reward the second look.
Ten-plus options by the glass is respectable, and anchoring it with a $24 Barolo from Mauro Molino is a genuine flex — that's a wine worth pouring in a proper setting. The Batasiolo Gavi di Gavi at $16 gives you a clean, credible Piemontese white without breaking the bank by the glass. The rotation doesn't appear to change much, but at least what's there is curated rather than default.
2021 Gavi di Gavi, Beni di Batasiolo, Piemonte — $16/glass
Batasiolo is a reliable Piemonte producer and this is a clean, mineral-driven white that actually makes sense with what's on the menu. At $16 a glass, it's the one price on this list that doesn't make you wince.
2021 Fiano di Avellino 'Bechar,' Antonio Caggiano, Campania
Caggiano is one of Campania's most serious producers and Fiano di Avellino is a grape most people at this table have never ordered. Yes, $72 hurts given the $25 retail, but as a wine experience it punches well above everything else on the white side of this list.
N.V. Veuve Clicquot Brut 'Yellow Label,' Champagne
At $189 a bottle — more than 3x retail — this is a pure name-recognition tax. If you want bubbles, the Ferrari Trentino Brut at $72 is a far better move and actually fits the Italian theme of the restaurant.
2020 Barolo, Mauro Molino, Piemonte + Veal Ossobuco
Barolo and braised veal is one of the great no-brainer pairings of Italian cooking — the wine's tannin and acidity cut right through the richness of the ossobuco, and Molino's style is approachable enough that you don't need to wait a decade to enjoy it.
The Bottom Line
Bricco has a genuinely solid Italian wine list that's being held back by markups that feel like they belong at a hotel restaurant, not a neighborhood trattoria. Come for the Barolo by the glass and the Ossobuco, skip the Champagne unless someone else is paying.
Back Bay · Boston · Italian
Keep a white-glass budget below $20 with the posted Bollini or CasalFarneto options. Want reserve Nebbiolo? Compare the $36 Barbaresco with the $46 Barolo after checking pour sizes. Menu-based guidance checked in September 2026; prices and availability can change.
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.
· Boston · Brazilian Steakhouse
Fogo de Chão is here to sell you a meat experience, and the wine list is an afterthought that exists to support that mission — not elevate it. Stick to the Zuccardi Malbec or the Garzón Albariño and spend your energy on the food.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Boston · Steakhouse
STK Boston has the square footage, the lighting, and the noise level of a place that should have a serious wine program — instead it has 142 labels of stuff you've already tried. Order a cocktail, or pick the most interesting bottle you can find and move on.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Seaport District · Boston · Greek
Trade is doing something genuinely rare in Boston: taking Greek wine seriously and giving diners the tools to explore it without a lecture. If you're eating anywhere near the Seaport and curious about what's actually in your glass, this is the move.
Surprising Depth
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Financial District · Boston · American Steakhouse
The Vermilion Club isn't trying to reinvent the steakhouse wine list, and it doesn't need to — the California depth is real, the execution is consistent, and it delivers exactly what a power-lunch crowd in the Financial District wants. Just know what you're walking into: this is Cab country, the markups are steakhouse-standard steep, and adventurous wine drinkers should calibrate expectations accordingly.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Madison · Madison · Italian, Steakhouse
Draper Brothers Chophouse is a dependable, California-forward wine list in a genuinely beautiful room — it won't blow any minds, but it will reliably get out of the way of a good steak. Send your friends here for the beef and the atmosphere; just temper expectations if they're hoping for a wine list that matches the ambition of the building.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Hubertus · Hubertus · Italian, Steakhouse
Johnny Manhattan's earned its Wine Spectator Award of Excellence and has held it since 2018 for a reason — this is a legitimately well-curated list for a small-town Italian steakhouse that gets California and Italy right. If you're within driving distance, it's worth making the reservation and going deeper than the Caymus.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Eau Claire · Eau Claire · Italian, Steakhouse
Johnny's isn't trying to reinvent the wine list — it's trying to make sure you drink well with your steak, and it succeeds. Send a friend here if they want reliable California pours at fair prices without having to think too hard about it.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
List Variety
Markup
Glassware
Staff
Specials & Deals
Storage & Temp
