Davio's Northern Italian Steakhouse

The wine list at Davio's Lynnfield reads exactly like the room looks — polished, confident, and firmly rooted in California and Italy. It's a crowd-pleasing steakhouse list that knows its audience, which is mostly people who want a big Cab with their dry-aged ribeye and aren't here to be challenged. That's not a knock — it's just the truth.

The California section is the clear star, anchored by heavy hitters like Caymus, Jordan, Silver Oak Alexander Valley, and Stag's Leap — the kind of names that move bottles in a steakhouse without much selling required. Italy holds its own with serious depth: Antinori Tignanello, Sassicaia, Brunello di Montalcino producers, and Barolo from the likes of Gaja and Ceretto give the Italian side real credibility. This is a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence list that has held that recognition since 2014, and it shows — there's backbone here. The gaps are in adventurous territory: don't come looking for natural wine, Jura oddities, or much beyond the Franco-Italian-California trifecta.

With 20-35 options by the glass running $12-$22, the pour program is genuinely solid for a suburban steakhouse. You're likely to find a few of the California stalwarts available by the glass, which is convenient if your table is split on red and white. The rotation appears static rather than seasonal, so don't expect surprises — but consistency has its own value.