America's Oldest Restaurant Still Swings Hard
Financial District · New York · American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 8, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Delmonico's Restaurant’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Delmonico's lands with the kind of weight you'd expect from a restaurant that's been feeding New York since 1837 — physically thick, classically organized, and unapologetically serious. This isn't a list that's trying to be cool; it's a list that doesn't need to be. When Domaine de la Romanée-Conti shows up early in the Burgundy section, you know exactly what kind of night you're in for.
Eight hundred to twelve hundred selections sounds like a flex, but at Delmonico's it feels earned — California and France do the heavy lifting, with deep verticals in Bordeaux (Chateau Margaux, Chateau Latour) and Burgundy (Louis Jadot, DRC), plus serious Italian coverage through Gaja Barbaresco, Sassicaia, and Antinori Tignanello. The Rhône gets proper respect with Chapoutier Hermitage and E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie, while Spain shows up with Vega Sicilia Unico — not just a token international section. California reads like a greatest hits of the region: Caymus, Opus One, Ridge Monte Bello, Chateau Montelena, and Peter Michael all make appearances, which will please the steak crowd immensely even if it's not the most adventurous curation. The gaps? Natural wine fans and anything from the Southern Hemisphere should lower their expectations accordingly.
With 20 to 35 pours available by the glass, there's enough range to build a proper meal around without committing to a bottle — a genuine win for solo diners and business lunches in the Financial District. The selections skew classic and crowd-pleasing, which fits the room, but we'd love to see a bit more ambition in the rotating pours. No formal by-the-glass program that changes frequently, so what you see is largely what you get.
Louis Jadot Burgundy — $60
In a list where four-figure bottles are common, Jadot's entry-level Burgundy offers genuine Côte d'Or character at the low end of the pricing spectrum — an honest pour at a restaurant where it's easy to spend multiples of this without blinking.
Chapoutier Hermitage
Most tables here go straight for the California Cabs to match the Delmonico Steak, which means the Northern Rhône section gets underordered. Chapoutier's Hermitage — serious Syrah from a serious producer — is exactly what this kitchen's red meat deserves, and you won't be fighting anyone for the last allocation.
Caymus Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus is competent, recognizable, and wildly overrepresented at steakhouses nationwide. At Delmonico's prices and with this much competition on the list, you're paying a premium for a brand name when genuinely more interesting options sit a few pages over.
Ridge Monte Bello + Delmonico Steak
Ridge Monte Bello is one of California's most structured Cabernet-based blends — earthy, age-worthy, and built for exactly this kind of serious red meat moment. The Delmonico Steak has enough marbling and weight to stand up to Monte Bello's tannin and complexity, and the result is the kind of pairing that makes you understand why people come to restaurants like this in the first place.
The Bottom Line
Delmonico's wine list is a monument to the classic American fine dining tradition — deep, serious, professionally managed by a named sommelier team, and deserving of its Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence. Just walk in knowing the markups reflect the address and the history, and order accordingly.
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
· Baltimore · American
Give the international and local sections a look before defaulting to Burgundy. Sula at $70 and Old Westminster at $90 offer different budget options. These are posted bottle prices, not guaranteed stock; confirm availability. This menu guide doesn't rate service or cellar conditions.
· Key West · American
Caroline's Café is not a wine destination, and it's not trying to be — the identical pricing across all five house labels makes that abundantly clear. If you're in Key West looking for something interesting in your glass, keep walking; if you just need a cold pour of Chardonnay with your lunch and aren't asking questions, $8 gets you there without drama.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Kerns · Portland · American
Noble Rot is the rare restaurant wine program that would hold up as a standalone wine bar — deep list, sharp staff, fair prices, and a view that makes the whole experience feel earned. Send your friends here. Send yourself here.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
List Variety
Markup
Glassware
Staff
Specials & Deals
Storage & Temp
