Italy's Soul, Bottled and Poured on Bond Street
NoHo · New York · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Updated April 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · March 24, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Il Buco’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Take Vibe Match and we’ll tell you what to order here.
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Il Buco hits like a love letter to artisan Italy — Valentini, Radikon, Gravner, Cornelissen all in one place, on Bond Street, in a candlelit room that looks like it was transplanted from Umbria. This isn't a list assembled by a corporate beverage manager; someone with a serious point of view built this. You feel it the moment you open it.
Three to four hundred bottles deep, and the focus is laser-sharp: natural and artisan Italian producers who actually mean something. The southern Italian contingent is genuinely exciting — COS Cerasuolo di Vittoria alone signals that this list doesn't just default to Barolo and Brunello and call it a day. Josko Gravner and Radikon anchor the orange wine section in a way that's rare even for New York wine bars, let alone a full-service restaurant. The gaps, if any, are probably in the New World column — but that's a feature, not a bug.
Ten to twenty options by the glass, priced $15–$25, which is competitive for this neighborhood and this caliber of producer. Don't be surprised to see something from the Radikon or Gravner orbit poured by the glass — if it's on there, order it immediately. Rotation details are limited, but with a sommelier on staff, the program feels curated rather than static.
COS Cerasuolo di Vittoria — $50–$80 (bottle estimate)
COS is one of Sicily's most important natural producers and Cerasuolo di Vittoria is their flagship — Nero d'Avola and Frappato in one glass. At this price tier it's a relative steal compared to the prestige bottles on the same list, and it drinks with a brightness and energy that makes a long dinner more fun.
Radikon Ribolla Gialla
Most tables walk right past this and reach for something they recognize. That's a mistake. Radikon's Ribolla Gialla is one of the defining orange wines on the planet — skin-contact, textured, oxidative in the best way — and drinking it in a room like Il Buco is about as close to drinking it in Friuli as you'll get in Manhattan.
Valentini Trebbiano d'Abruzzo
Look, Valentini is legendary and the wine is extraordinary — but at Il Buco's price point for a bottle of this stature, you're paying a serious New York fine-dining premium on top of what's already a collector's wine. Unless it's a special occasion and you know exactly what you're buying, the markup here will sting. Better to enjoy Valentini at home where you can control the cost.
Frank Cornelissen (Nerello Mascalese-based) + Tagliatelle with Black Truffles
Cornelissen's volcanic Etna reds carry a mineral earthiness that echoes truffle in a way that feels almost too obvious — until you taste it and realize why it works. The wine's low-intervention structure keeps it from competing with the pasta, and the whole combination tastes like the kind of thing you'd lie about having in Sicily.
The Bottom Line
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.
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
· Atlanta · Italian
Bici's wine list won't knock you sideways, but it's honest, Italian-focused, and fairly priced — a reliable partner to the food. We'd send a friend here and tell them to skip the Sauvignon Blanc and go straight for the Greco.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
East Parkway / Elks Plaza · Gatlinburg · Italian
The Best Italian's wine list does exactly what it needs to do: keep casual diners happy, not drain wallets, and get out of the way of the garlic knots. We wouldn't drive to Gatlinburg for the wine, but if you're already there and want something decent with dinner, you'll be fine.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Vail Village · Vail · Italian
La Nonna brings a legitimately serious Italian cellar to a town where most restaurants are content to coast on their ski-town captive audience — and that deserves real credit. The markups are steep across the board, but the bones of the list are strong enough that the right bottle makes the whole evening.
Solid Range
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
