Italy's greatest hits, all under one roof
Midtown · New York · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 8, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Fasano lands with real weight — not just in page count, but in intent. This is a room built for Italian wine, and the list knows exactly what it is. Between 800 and 1,200 selections deep, it reads less like a menu and more like a love letter to the peninsula.
The Italian coverage here is genuinely exceptional. Piedmont anchors the list with Giacomo Conterno Barolo and Bruno Giacosa alongside Gaja's Barbaresco — that's the holy trinity of Nebbiolo, not just one token bottle. Tuscany holds its own with Biondi-Santi Brunello, Sassicaia, Tignanello, Solaia, and Ornellaia all present, meaning the Super Tuscan canon is covered wall to wall. Allegrini's Amarone rounds out the northeast, and Castello di Ama's Chianti Classico Riserva gives the list some approachable middle ground. The non-Italian selection exists, but it's clearly not the point — nor should it be.
With 18 to 30 options running $18 to $60 a glass, the pours skew upscale but give you a real shot at tasting something serious without committing to a full bottle. The range covers enough of Italy's major regions to make the by-the-glass program feel like a structured tour rather than an afterthought. No evidence of active rotation or a featured weekly pour, which is the one missed opportunity here.
Chianti Classico Riserva by Castello di Ama — $90–$120 (est.)
In a list stacked with $400+ trophy bottles, Castello di Ama's Riserva represents a chance to drink serious Sangiovese from a top producer without the damage. It's a grounded, structured wine that holds its own in this room.
Amarone della Valpolicella by Allegrini
Guests tunnel-visioning on Barolo and Brunello tend to scroll right past Allegrini's Amarone. That's a mistake. It's one of the benchmark producers in Valpolicella, and Amarone in a warm, intimate room like this is an underrated play.
Solaia (Antinori)
Solaia is a genuinely great wine — no argument there — but it's also one of the most aggressively allocated and marked-up Super Tuscans on the market. At a restaurant at this price point, you're paying a significant premium for the name recognition. Tignanello gets you 90% of the experience at a more defensible number.
Barolo by Giacomo Conterno + Costata di manzo (dry-aged ribeye)
Conterno's Barolo is built for exactly this moment — high acid, firm tannins, and a savory backbone that cuts through the fat of a dry-aged ribeye and makes both things taste bigger. This is the pairing the list was designed around.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Fasano is the kind of Italian wine list that makes you annoyed it took you this long to visit. The markups sting, but the depth and curation are the real deal — and the team on the floor clearly knows what's in those bottles.
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
· New York · Restaurant
Corima's wine list is proof that ten well-chosen bottles beat a hundred thoughtless ones every time. If you care about what's in your glass, this place is worth your attention.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Village · New York · American
Cecchi's is first and foremost a bar, but the wine list is more serious than the neon and noise suggest. Steep markups are the main ding — but if you know what to order, there's real pleasure here.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Acceptable
SoHo · New York · Steak House, Small Plates
The Corner Store is a reliable, well-credentialed wine list doing exactly what a good SoHo steakhouse should — France and California, done with intention, in a room that makes you want to order another bottle. Just watch the markup on the big Bordeaux names and let the Rhône or Burgundy side show you a better time.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Tribeca · New York · American
Farra is punching above its weight class for a neighborhood wine bar, and the Wine Spectator nod is earned — just know that the serious bottles come with serious prices, and the no-sommelier setup means you're doing some of the navigating yourself. Worth it for anyone who knows what they want; potentially overwhelming for those who don't.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Varietal Specific
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
West Toledo / Reynolds Corner · Toledo · Italian
There's one reason to come here for wine: Thursday. Half-price bottles on a standing weekly basis is a genuinely good deal, especially on the Santa Margherita. Any other night, the markups are steep and the list doesn't justify them.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
West Toledo/Monroe Street · Toledo · Italian
Carrabba's Toledo isn't a destination for wine — but it's not an embarrassment either. The Ruffino Chianti Classico alone earns its keep, and if you stick to the Italian side of the list, you'll drink reasonably well without drama.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
La Jolla · Chula Vista · Italian
Marisi is a reliable Italian wine list with genuine ambition hiding behind a steep markup structure — the producers are right, the regions are right, but you'll pay for the privilege. Go for the Produttori Barbaresco and the Pre-Phylloxera Barbera, and you'll leave satisfied.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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