Browncroft's Italian anchor pulls its wine weight
Browncroft · Rochester · Contemporary Italian · Visit Website ↗
Updated October 2026
Reviewed April 15, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Grappa Rochester’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Grappa arrives with a confident Italian backbone and a California ambition that outpaces most neighborhood spots in Rochester. It's not a one-trick-pony list of generic Pinot Grigios — though a couple of those do show up. The range from a $9 glass to a $550 bottle signals a restaurant trying to serve both the Tuesday pasta crowd and the Saturday splurge table.
The Italian side leans into approachable DOC territory — Borgo dei Mori Pinot Grigio from the Veneto, Casalini Montepulciano d'Abruzzo — solid, honest, unexciting. Where Grappa earns its name is the California column: Ridge Monte Bello 2020 and Opus One 2018 sitting on the same list as a $36 Montepulciano is a genuinely interesting choice for a neighborhood trattoria. The gap, though, is in Tuscany proper — no serious Chianti Classico, no Barolo, no Brunello — which feels like a miss for a restaurant wearing Italian on its sleeve. If you're hunting old-world depth beyond the Abruzzo, you're going to feel the absence.
Glass pours start at $8-$9, which is fair for Rochester, but the by-the-glass program appears to be a small, static selection rather than an evolving rotation. The Banfi 'Le Rime' Pinot Grigio likely anchors the white pours — it's a competent, crowd-friendly bottle that does its job without surprising anyone. We'd love to see a red by the glass with a little more ambition, but what's here is serviceable for the price.
Casalini Montepulciano D'Abruzzo DOC 2018 — $36
Montepulciano d'Abruzzo at this price point consistently overdelivers — earthy, food-friendly, with enough structure to hold up to red sauce and roasted proteins. It's the honest workhorse of the Italian wine world, and at this price it's the move for anyone not looking to blow $100+ on a Napa Cab.
Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello Red Blend 2020
Most diners at a neighborhood Italian spot are going to scroll right past Ridge Monte Bello on the way to the Opus One — which is a mistake. Monte Bello is one of California's most serious wines, a Santa Cruz Mountain Cab blend with a track record going back decades. It rewards patience at the table in a way that flash-label Napa bottles rarely do.
Opus One Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
At $550 on a restaurant list, you're paying a significant premium for a wine that retails around $350-$400. Opus One is a great bottle, but it's also the most over-ordered trophy wine in America — the kind of thing people buy to announce a purchase rather than to drink. The Monte Bello next to it is more interesting and almost certainly better value at this address.
Casalini Montepulciano D'Abruzzo DOC 2018 + House-made pasta with red sauce
Montepulciano and tomato-forward pasta is one of those combinations that exists for a reason — the wine's natural acidity and rustic red fruit cut through the sauce without competing with it. It's the kind of pairing that doesn't need explaining, it just works.
The Bottom Line
Grappa is a reliable neighborhood Italian with a wine list that punches above its zip code, anchored by some legit California pours alongside its Italian regulars. The markups get steep at the top end, but if you stick to the middle of the list, you'll drink well without the regret.
Downtown · Rochester · Spanish & Mediterranean
A list of 14 wines posted with paired, unlabeled numbers and 14 bottles from $40 to $100, two of them from the Finger Lakes. Start with the Columna Albariño alongside the patatas bravas, or order the $40 Mille Reves Vouvray if you want a bottle for the table, and ask what the paired numbers in the Wine section stand for. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Park Ave · Rochester · Gastro-pub
A short, familiar 11-wine list for a gastro pub, with every price between $10 and $13 and no unit posted. Pair the Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling or The Show Malbec with the Jumbo Chicken Wings, and ask whether those prices are per glass. This unrated guide covers the posted drinks selection, not service, storage or markups.
South Wedge · Rochester · Italian
A one-page, Italy-first list of 31 wines where the two-price house pours run $10 to $12 and $36 to $42, and the top price is $90 for The Prisoner Cabernet. Start with the $40 Brancher Valdobbiadene Prosecco, and ask which price on the slash entries is the pour. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups, and the list is undated.
Woodcliff Hotel & Spa · Rochester · New American
A broad online list with a real Finger Lakes section and a few friendly glass pours. Order the $10 Hahn Pinot Noir or the $15 Apollo's Praise Scheurebe by the glass, or pick a New York bottle like the $35 Thirsty Owl Dry Riesling, and confirm current prices because the list is a live online menu. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Pittsford / Monroe Ave Corridor · Rochester · Upscale Steakhouse and Seafood
A steakhouse list built on familiar names, with a few surprises like a Finger Lakes Riesling, and no prices posted online. Order the 14 oz ribeye with the Jordan Cabernet from the Coravin list, or open with the Riesling, and ask for prices before you order. This unrated guide covers the posted wine program, not service, storage or retail markups.
Pittsford Plaza · Rochester · Sushi and Japanese-inspired contemporary dining
Start with the $15 glass of Bandol rosé or Green Rows Pinot Noir, and keep the $55 Green Rows bottle in mind if the table wants red. Confirm current availability and prices, since the menu is stamped 8-14-26. This unrated guide covers the posted drinks selection, not service, storage or markups.
Back Bay · Boston · Contemporary Italian
An Italian-led list with bottles into the thousands and a glass page that gives you a way in. Order the $33 Giacosa Fratelli Barolo 2019 by the glass, or step up to a Coravin pour like the $54 Patrizia Cencioni Brunello di Montalcino 2018, and confirm prices before you go. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
· Henderson · Contemporary Italian
This is not a wine list — it's four wines — but they're four good, regionally diverse Italian wines at fair prices from real producers. If you're eating at North Italia Henderson and someone at your table knows what Greco di Tufo or Negroamaro actually are, you'll be pleasantly surprised. If you're expecting depth, options, or a proper cellar program, you won't find it here.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Harrisburg Area · Harrisburg · Contemporary Italian
Trevi 5 is a dependable Italian wine list for a hotel restaurant — better than it has to be, not as exciting as it could be. If you're here for a special occasion, the Brunello and Barolo options give you somewhere to go; if you're a regular, the markups will eventually sting.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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
