The Cathedral. Burgundy Nerds, Welcome Home.
Upper East Side · New York · French · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 5, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Daniel’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Daniel arrives like a small encyclopedia — and we mean that with full respect, not sarcasm. Nearly 2,000 selections spanning the greatest appellations in France make it immediately clear this program is taken seriously, staffed seriously, and priced accordingly. You're not here for a casual Tuesday glass; you're here because you mean it.
Burgundy and Bordeaux are the twin engines, and both run deep — we're talking Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Henri Jayer Vosne-Romanée, Armand Rousseau Chambertin, and Leroy Musigny in the same cellar, which is not a sentence you type without pausing for a moment. The Rhône section is equally serious with Chave Hermitage and Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape holding court, while Champagne covers Krug Clos du Mesnil, Salon Blanc de Blancs, and Jacques Selosse for the grower crowd. Germany gets proper respect with Egon Müller Scharzhofberger Riesling on the list, a name that signals the team isn't just checking boxes. The one honest note: this list skews almost entirely Old World — if you're hunting New Zealand Pinot or California Cab, you're in the wrong room.
Around 20–30 pours by the glass, with prices ranging from $18 up past $150 — so yes, a single glass here can cost more than a bottle elsewhere, and that's a feature not a bug depending on your mood. The selection rotates and reflects the depth of the cellar, meaning you can genuinely find something interesting without committing to a full bottle. For a kitchen this serious, it's a strong program that lets a solo diner or a two-top access wines they'd otherwise need a small loan to buy outright.
Dom Pérignon 2015 — $450
At a restaurant at this level, $450 for a vintage Dom is actually in the neighborhood of reasonable — you're not getting gouged on a name that moves at every steakhouse in Midtown. It's the entry point to the Champagne section that doesn't feel like punishment, and the 2015 is drinking beautifully right now.
Egon Müller Scharzhofberger Riesling Kabinett 2020
Most tables at Daniel are locked in on Burgundy before they sit down, which means the German section gets glanced at and ignored. That's a mistake. Egon Müller's Kabinett is one of the most elegant, age-worthy whites in the world, and at $285 it's not cheap — but relative to everything else on this list, it's a steal and a conversation starter.
Château Margaux 2019
At $1,100 a bottle with no retail comparison available, we can't tell you this is a bargain — and it almost certainly isn't. The 2019 vintage is young, tight, and needs time it's not going to get on your dinner table tonight. If Bordeaux is the move, there are better-drinking options at lower prices elsewhere on this list.
Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Landonne 2019 + Pheasant with foie gras and black truffle
La Landonne is Guigal's darkest, most muscular single-vineyard Côte-Rôtie — pure Syrah with iron, smoke, and serious structure. Against pheasant layered with foie gras and black truffle, the wine's savory depth and earthy backbone match the dish note for note without either one flinching. This is why French wine and French food evolved together.
Monday — Half-price wine on Monday evenings — which, at Daniel's price points, is genuinely significant. A bottle that's $400 on Saturday becomes a much more approachable Monday decision.
The Bottom Line
Daniel holds a Wine Spectator Grand Award for a reason — this is one of the finest restaurant wine programs in the United States, full stop. Prices are steep across the board, but if you're going to spend real money on wine at dinner, there are very few rooms in this country better equipped to make it worth it.
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
Georgetown · Washington · French
Lutèce is a strong place to explore French wine with a firm budget in mind. The posted list runs from a $64 Southern Rhône red to $600 Champagne, so tell Chris Ray what you want to spend and let that guide the conversation. Confirm prices and availability when you book or arrive.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Paso Robles · French
Cépage is a destination restaurant in a destination wine region — the kind of place you plan a Saturday around, not somewhere you stumble into. The wine program appears honest to its terroir and purpose, though pricing at this caliber of operation rarely favors the guest. If you're already out on Highway 46 with a reservation in hand, you're likely going to have a very good time; just don't arrive expecting a sprawling global list or a killer value-hunting opportunity.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Weston · Weston · French
The Left Bank is the rare small-town wine program that genuinely surprises you — not by accident, but because someone with real taste built it. If you're driving through Vermont and need a reason to stop in Weston, this list is it.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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