Contessa
749 Bottles Deep on Newbury Street
Back Bay · Boston · Northern Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed March 24, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
The wine list at Contessa lands like a full-on Italian thesis — 749 labels, a sommelier on staff, and a rooftop perch above Newbury Street that already has you feeling like you're spending money before you've ordered a glass. This is a serious list in a seriously pretty room, and the two feel very much intentional.
Selection Deep Dive
The bones of this list are Italian to the core: Piedmont and Tuscany anchor the cellar, with Nebbiolo verticals that suggest someone here actually cares about aging. France shows up credibly in Bordeaux and Burgundy, rounding out the old-world focus without veering into showy wine-geek territory. Paolo Scavino anchors the Langhe section and is exactly the kind of producer that signals a list built for drinkers who know what they're looking at. The reported 6,000-bottle inventory isn't just a number to brag about — it means depth across vintages, not just breadth across labels.
By the Glass
We don't have full visibility into the by-the-glass lineup, which is genuinely frustrating given the scale of this program — a list this size should have a by-the-glass selection worth writing home about. What we can say is that with a sommelier on floor and a wine-forward identity, the pours by the glass should be better than average; just ask your server to walk you through what's open. Don't default to whatever's cheapest — this is a room where the staff can actually help.
Paolo Scavino Langhe Nebbiolo — $115
Yes, $115 stings when retail sits around $50, but in a Boston rooftop dining room with this kind of ambiance and a sommelier-curated cellar, this is still the most honest ticket on the list — a proper Piedmontese Nebbiolo from one of the region's most consistent producers. It drinks above its weight class and gives you real Barolo character without the Barolo price tag.
Nebbiolo Vertical Vintages
The fact that Contessa stocks a Nebbiolo vertical is the kind of detail that separates a real wine program from a decorated one. Most tables skip right past vertical offerings because they look intimidating or seem expensive — but this is exactly what you come to a list this deep for. Ask the sommelier which vintage is drinking best right now and let them work.
Paolo Scavino Langhe Nebbiolo (at $115)
We love the wine, but a 130% markup is hard to stomach when you know what it retails for. If your budget is tight, this one will hurt — there are almost certainly better value plays elsewhere on a 749-label list. Ask the sommelier for something off the beaten path at a better price-to-quality ratio.
Paolo Scavino Langhe Nebbiolo + Butternut Ravioli
Nebbiolo's high acid and dried cherry character cut right through the richness of butternut squash filling and whatever brown butter situation is likely going on in that pasta. It's the old-world reflex at work — northern Italian wine with northern Italian food — and it just makes sense.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Contessa is a genuinely impressive wine program with the depth and staff to back it up — the markups are steep enough to make you wince, but if you're willing to lean on the sommelier and hunt for value, there's real reward here. Send a friend who drinks Italian red and tell them to ask questions.
Comments
Get the Weekly Wingman
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.