Il Capriccio Ristorante
New Jersey's Italian Wine Shrine, No Passport Required
Whippany · Whippany · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 8, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
The wine list lands on your table with the kind of weight that makes you sit up straighter. This is not a laminated one-pager — this is a serious document, built over years by people who clearly care about Italy the way some people care about sports teams. Wine Spectator has handed Il Capriccio a Best of Award of Excellence every year since 2016, and the list earns it.
Selection Deep Dive
Italy is the undisputed star here — Barolo from Piedmont, Brunello di Montalcino, Amarone della Valpolicella, Chianti Classico Riserva — the peninsula is covered with depth and intention, not just the usual suspects. Super Tuscans get their moment too, with heavyweights like Sassicaia and Tignanello anchoring the prestige section. California Cabernet holds its own in the New World corner, and Burgundy Premier Cru makes a respectable showing for the France contingent. With 300 to 500 bottles in the cellar, there are enough rabbit holes to keep a table talking through dessert.
By the Glass
Twelve to twenty pours by the glass is a genuinely solid program for a New Jersey Italian restaurant of this caliber, running $12 to $20 a pour. The range tracks with the bottle list — expect Italian varietals to dominate, with enough variety that you can actually explore rather than just default to the house red. The program reads more curated than adventurous, but for this room, that's the right call.
Chianti Classico Riserva — $40
Entry point into the Italian section and the most approachable value on a list that trends pricey. Good Chianti Classico Riserva drinks well above its price tag — earthy, structured, built for food — and at the low end of this list's range it's the smart move before you commit to a Brunello.
Amarone della Valpolicella
Most tables at a place like this are racing straight for the Barolo or the Super Tuscans. Amarone gets overlooked but it's the one to order with the Osso Buco — rich, dried-fruit intensity, enough structure to cut through the braise without dominating it. It's the dark horse of the Italian reds.
Burgundy Premier Cru
Burgundy exists on this list as a courtesy, not a calling. A restaurant this focused on Italy isn't going to be sourcing the most compelling Premier Cru bottles, and at the prices this category commands, you're almost certainly getting better value staying on the Italian side of the list. Save the Burgundy budget for a wine bar that actually obsesses over it.
Sassicaia + Osso Buco
Sassicaia is Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc from the Tuscan coast — structured, cedar-edged, built to stand up to something rich and long-braised. The Osso Buco's gremolata cuts through the wine's weight while the braising liquid mirrors its depth. It's the kind of pairing that makes you stop talking mid-bite.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Il Capriccio is one of the best Italian wine lists in New Jersey, full stop — the Italy coverage alone justifies the drive out to Route 10. Markups lean steep and there's no sommelier to guide you through it, but if you know what you want or you're willing to explore, the cellar delivers.
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