Big cellar, bigger markups, undeniable selection
Back Bay · Boston · Northern Italian Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Updated April 2026
Reviewed March 23, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Three hundred and sixty-three labels. That number lands like a Brunello at a Wednesday dinner — serious, a little intimidating, and hard to ignore. The list skews Italian and Californian, which makes perfect sense for an upscale steakhouse that bills itself as Northern Italian, and the depth on both fronts is genuinely impressive.
Tuscany and Napa are the twin anchors here, and they hold. You've got Gaja's Pieve Santa Restituta Brunello in magnum, Opus One in a 3-liter format if you're feeling theatrical, and a solid mid-tier Chablis Grand Cru from Domaine Vocoret et Fils for the table that actually wants to eat food with their wine. The Champagne selection hits the expected luxury notes — Krug Brut Rosé, Veuve Clicquot — without venturing anywhere adventurous. What's missing is any meaningful Old World depth outside of Italy; there's no serious Burgundy rabbit hole to fall into, no Rhône worth getting excited about, and the by-the-glass options won't surprise anyone who's been to a nice steakhouse before. Still, for the restaurant's identity, the list delivers.
Eighteen pours, priced $12–$20, covering the expected steakhouse bases — a Cabernet, a Chardonnay, something sparkling. It's a functional program that won't embarrass anyone, but there's no real rotating energy here; this feels like a list that gets reviewed once a year and left alone. If you're drinking by the glass, manage your expectations accordingly.
Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 — $180
At roughly 80% over retail, Silver Oak is actually the least punishing markup on the list for a bottle people recognize and genuinely enjoy. Not a steal, but relative to what surrounds it, it's the move for a table that wants to drink well without getting completely wrecked on the check.
Domaine Vocoret et Fils Vaudesir Chablis Grand Cru 2020
Everyone at a steakhouse is reaching for the Napa Chardonnay. Don't. This Chablis Grand Cru from a reliable Vocoret is the more interesting, more food-friendly pick — laser-focused minerality that will actually cut through whatever richness lands on your plate.
Frank Family Chardonnay Napa Valley 2018
A 209% markup on a $55 retail bottle is hard to justify when the Vaudesir Grand Cru is sitting right there on the same list. Frank Family is fine wine, but at $170 you're paying for familiarity, not quality.
Gaja Pieve Santa Restituta 'Rennina' Brunello di Montalcino 2016 1.5L + Dry-aged prime steak
A Brunello from Gaja's Montalcino estate in magnum format next to a properly dry-aged prime steak is the whole point of a room like this. The wine's structure and dark fruit complexity stand up to the beef without steamrolling it — and a magnum means no one at the table feels shortchanged.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Davio's is a serious cellar wrapped in steep markups — the selection earns respect, but your wallet will feel it. Go in knowing what you're paying for, pick strategically, and the wine experience holds up.
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
Post Office Square · Boston · Cuban
Mariel earns its Wine Spectator credential by being genuinely thoughtful about a list that could have easily phoned it in. If you're in Boston's Financial District and want something more interesting than another steakhouse Cab Franc, this is exactly the kind of wild card worth having in your back pocket.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Back Bay · Boston · Seafood
Atlantic Fish is a reliable, well-run wine program in a room that takes its seafood seriously — Greg Bergeron keeps the white Burgundy and Italian whites sharp and the BTG list honest. Markups will sting on the big bottles, but if you navigate toward the value end of the list, you'll drink very well.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Lovejoy Wharf · Boston · American, Seasonal
Alcove isn't a destination wine list, but it's a genuinely solid one with fair prices and enough depth to reward the curious drinker. If you're coming for the view and the lobster risotto, you'll leave happy on the wine front too — and that's more than most waterfront spots in Boston can say.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Beacon Hill · Boston · American, Small Plates
1928 Beacon Hill is exactly what a Beacon Hill neighborhood spot should be on wine — honest, Italy-forward, and priced fairly enough that you won't feel the sting. It's not a destination list, but it's a very good reason not to skip the wine.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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