Italy's Greatest Hits, No Filler
Hudson Yards · New York · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 8, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Ci Siamo lands like a well-edited Italian reference book — not trying to cover the whole world, just trying to cover Italy better than almost anyone else. Five hundred to seven hundred selections deep, anchored hard in Piedmont and Tuscany, this is a list with a point of view. Danny Meyer's team didn't phone this in.
Barolo alone could keep you busy for an entire dinner — Giacomo Conterno, Bruno Giacosa, and Bartolo Mascarello represent the old-guard canon, and the Monfortino showing from Conterno signals serious cellar ambition. Tuscany holds its own with Biondi-Santi and Poggio di Sotto Brunellos, plus the Super Tuscan heavy-hitters: Sassicaia and Tignanello for the crowd, Fontodi and Isole e Olena Chianti Classico Gran Selezione for the more discerning table. Dal Forno Romano's Amarone is a flex move for those who want something massive from the Veneto. The gaps? If you're hunting outside Italy, you're in the wrong restaurant — and honestly, that's a feature, not a bug.
Roughly 20 to 30 pours on any given visit, spanning a solid enough range to make most tables happy without breaking out a bottle. At $15 to $30 a glass, you're paying Hudson Yards prices, but the quality tier is there to back it up. No aggressive rotation program evident, but with a list this deep and a five-sommelier team, the pour conversations alone are worth the price of admission.
Chianti Classico Gran Selezione — Isole e Olena — $60+
Isole e Olena consistently punches above its price class, and on a list stacked with trophy bottles, this is the move for anyone who wants serious Tuscan Sangiovese without flinching at the check.
Chianti Classico Gran Selezione — Fontodi
Fontodi's Flaccianello is the famous bottle everyone orders, which means the Gran Selezione gets overlooked. It shouldn't — it's precise, structured, and one of the better values hiding in the Tuscan section of this list.
Tignanello — Antinori
Tignanello is a great wine, but it's also the most recognizable name on the list, which means the markup reflects that fame. You're paying for the label recognition here. The Isole e Olena or Fontodi options in the same section give you more wine per dollar.
Barolo — Bartolo Mascarello + Rigatoni Alla Gricia
Gricia is pork fat and pecorino, savory and rich without the acidity of tomato. Mascarello's Barolo brings the tannin structure and rose-petal aromatics to cut through that fat and make everything taste bigger — it's a classic Roman dish meeting a classic Piedmontese bottle, and the contrast is the whole point.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Ci Siamo is about as serious as Italian wine programs get in New York without crossing into full intimidation territory — the somm team keeps it approachable and the cellar backs up every conversation. If Italian wine is your thing, this is a destination, not just a dinner.
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
· New York · Restaurant
Corima's wine list is proof that ten well-chosen bottles beat a hundred thoughtless ones every time. If you care about what's in your glass, this place is worth your attention.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Village · New York · American
Cecchi's is first and foremost a bar, but the wine list is more serious than the neon and noise suggest. Steep markups are the main ding — but if you know what to order, there's real pleasure here.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Acceptable
SoHo · New York · Steak House, Small Plates
The Corner Store is a reliable, well-credentialed wine list doing exactly what a good SoHo steakhouse should — France and California, done with intention, in a room that makes you want to order another bottle. Just watch the markup on the big Bordeaux names and let the Rhône or Burgundy side show you a better time.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Tribeca · New York · American
Farra is punching above its weight class for a neighborhood wine bar, and the Wine Spectator nod is earned — just know that the serious bottles come with serious prices, and the no-sommelier setup means you're doing some of the navigating yourself. Worth it for anyone who knows what they want; potentially overwhelming for those who don't.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Varietal Specific
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
West Toledo / Reynolds Corner · Toledo · Italian
There's one reason to come here for wine: Thursday. Half-price bottles on a standing weekly basis is a genuinely good deal, especially on the Santa Margherita. Any other night, the markups are steep and the list doesn't justify them.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
West Toledo/Monroe Street · Toledo · Italian
Carrabba's Toledo isn't a destination for wine — but it's not an embarrassment either. The Ruffino Chianti Classico alone earns its keep, and if you stick to the Italian side of the list, you'll drink reasonably well without drama.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
La Jolla · Chula Vista · Italian
Marisi is a reliable Italian wine list with genuine ambition hiding behind a steep markup structure — the producers are right, the regions are right, but you'll pay for the privilege. Go for the Produttori Barbaresco and the Pre-Phylloxera Barbera, and you'll leave satisfied.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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