641 Bottles Deep and Still Surprising
SoHo · New York · Modern American · Visit Website ↗
Updated April 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · March 25, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Estela’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Six hundred and forty-one bottles. That's not a wine list — that's a statement of intent. Estela's list hits you like a dense, well-organized library where someone has actually read every book on the shelf. This is the kind of program that makes you want to cancel your dinner plans and just sit at the bar working through it page by page.
France anchors the list, as it should, but there's genuine range across Old World Europe and thoughtful New World representation that doesn't feel like an afterthought. The presence of André Beaufort's Demi-Sec Champagne — a grower producer that most restaurants wouldn't touch for fear of confusing their guests — signals that whoever built this list is playing for the curious drinker, not the safe one. The Rare Wine Company Boston Bual Madeira is the kind of inclusion that earns credibility: Madeira is chronically underserved at restaurants, and putting it on the list at all shows range and intellectual honesty. The price ceiling of $7,000 tells you there's serious cellar depth, but the floor at $65 means you don't need to be a hedge fund manager to participate.
By-the-glass specifics weren't available to us at time of review, but with a list this size and a sommelier on staff, expect a rotating selection that punches above the usual suspects. At a place like this, ask your server what's open — you'll likely get something more interesting than what's printed.
André Beaufort Demi-Sec Champagne (Pinot Noir) — $65+
Grower Champagne from a biodynamic producer who's been doing it since the 1970s — this is the kind of bottle that costs a fraction of what a big house would charge for less interesting juice. Demi-Sec gets dismissed as 'sweet' by people who've never tried a good one. Don't be that person.
Rare Wine Company Boston Bual Madeira
Madeira is one of the most food-friendly, age-worthy, and underappreciated wines on earth — and almost nobody orders it. The Boston Bual sits in the sweet spot between dry and rich, with an oxidative complexity that makes it genuinely exciting. Most tables will walk right past this and order a Barolo. Their loss.
Top-tier trophy bottles ($1,000+)
The ceiling on this list stretches to $7,000, and at a downtown bistro with steep baseline markups, the prestige bottles get hit hardest. If you want to flex, this isn't the room for it — the real value here is in the mid-range, not the stratosphere.
André Beaufort Demi-Sec Champagne (Pinot Noir) + Burrata with salsa verde and anchovy
The Demi-Sec's subtle sweetness and high acidity cut through the fat of the burrata while the Pinot Noir base has enough body to hang with the anchovy's salt punch. It's a counterintuitive move that works exactly because this Champagne isn't trying to be brunch bubbles.
The Bottom Line
Estela is one of the few restaurants in New York where the wine list is genuinely worth your attention before you ever look at the food menu. The markups aren't gentle, but the curation is exceptional — send any serious wine drinker here without hesitation.
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
· Round Rock · Modern American
Grey Orchard isn't trying to be a wine destination, but the list punches above its 18-label weight class — fair prices, smart glass pour access, and the RARA bottles keeping things interesting. If you're in Round Rock and want a thoughtful glass over dinner without a lot of drama, this works.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Overland Park · Modern American
Silo Modern Farmhouse punches above its suburban weight class with a white-focused list that shows genuine curation and pricing that won't insult you. It's not a destination wine list, but it's exactly the kind of reliable program that makes a neighborhood restaurant worth coming back to.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Naperville · Modern American
Entourage earns its stripes as a genuinely thoughtful suburban wine list — fair pricing, more depth than the address suggests, and a by-the-glass program that actually tries. We'd send a friend here without hesitation, especially if they're willing to wander past the Chardonnay section.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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