The Cathedral. Burgundy Nerds, Welcome Home.
Upper East Side · New York · French · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 5, 2026
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.
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
College Hill · Wichita · French
Georges is doing something genuinely impressive for its market — a focused, honest French wine list in a city where that's not a given. It's not a deep cellar and the BTG program could use more energy, but as a neighborhood bistro wine experience, it punches well above its zip code.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Skaneateles / Greater Syracuse · Syracuse · French
Joelle's isn't trying to be a wine destination — it's a French bistro that takes its wine list seriously enough to match the food, and that's exactly what it delivers. If you're eating here and drinking French, you'll leave satisfied.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Montrose · Houston · French
The Marigold Club is Houston's most interesting new wine room for anyone who thinks Champagne is a food group and France is the only country that matters — in the best possible way. Go on a Sunday, order the Delamotte, eat the Duck Wellington, and tip generously.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Proper
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.