Power Dining Wines That Mostly Earn Their Keep
Back Bay · Boston · Northern Italian Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Updated April 2026
Reviewed March 25, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Three hundred and five labels inside a converted jailhouse — yes, Davio's lives in the Liberty Hotel, which used to be a Charles Street jail, and the wine list has the same don't-mess-with-me energy. It's heavy, it's serious, and it leans hard into the steakhouse-Italian axis that built this place's reputation. You're not here for experimentation; you're here because you want a great bottle and someone who knows how to open it.
The list is anchored by California Cabernet and Italian reds, with Champagne doing the heavy lifting on the sparkling side — Krug Brut Rosé NV and Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label NV lead that charge. Italy shows up properly with Produttori del Barbaresco 2019 and Barolo from Bovio, which is a welcome nod beyond the usual Super Tuscans and Pinot Grigio filler. California gets the full steakhouse treatment: Jordan, Silver Oak, Peter Michael Belle Côte 2019 — this is not a list trying to surprise you, it's a list trying to close the deal. France, Argentina, and New Zealand get a seat at the table but feel like supporting cast rather than headliners.
Twenty-four-plus by-the-glass options is genuinely strong for a steakhouse, spanning $12 to $40 a pour, which means there's a real entry point whether you're expensing dinner or just treating yourself. The range covers enough ground that you're not stuck choosing between two sad options — La Crema Chardonnay at $15 holds the budget end, while the top pours push into territory where you'd rather just buy the bottle. No evidence of regular rotation or a curated weekly program, which is a missed opportunity at this level.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 — $29
Jordan retails around $55 and this is a by-the-glass pour — getting Alexander Valley Cab at that price in a Boston steakhouse without a markup-induced nosebleed is legitimately good value. Order it with the dry-aged steak and don't overthink it.
Barbaresco Produttori del Barbaresco 2019
The Produttori cooperative is one of Piedmont's most reliable houses — serious Nebbiolo without the ego-pricing of single-vineyard Barolo. Most tables here will walk right past it chasing Silver Oak, which means more for anyone paying attention.
Joel Gott 815 Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
This is a $30 retail bottle sitting at $58 on the menu — nearly double, for a label you can find at any grocery store wine section. There is no version of this that makes sense when Jordan is available at $29 by the glass.
Peter Michael Belle Côte 2019 + Branzino
Belle Côte is Peter Michael's Knights Valley Chardonnay — rich but precise, with enough acidity to cut through the fish without steamrolling it. This is the move if you're skipping red meat and want something worth talking about.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Davio's wine list is exactly what it promises: a well-stocked, professionally run steakhouse program with genuine depth in the right places and markups that occasionally make you wince. Send a friend here if they want a proper bottle and someone who can help them find it — just steer them clear of the grocery-store Cabs dressed up in steakhouse pricing.
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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