Il Gattopardo
285 Bottles Deep and Unapologetically Italian
Midtown · New York · Southern Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed March 23, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
The wine list at Il Gattopardo arrives like a small novel — 285 labels, mostly Italian, with the kind of depth that makes you want to cancel your plans and stay for a second bottle. This is a list built by someone who actually cares about the country they're cooking from, not just the optics of a thick binder. Midtown Manhattan restaurants don't usually earn this kind of attention, but here we are.
Selection Deep Dive
Piedmont is the clear obsession here, and we're not complaining. Barolo and Barbaresco anchor the list with serious producers like Luciano Sandrone (Le Vigne) and Bruno Giacosa (Asili Riserva) — these aren't filler names, they're the real deal. The Veneto gets its due with Tommasi's Amarone Classico holding court, and Sicily shows up with enough range to remind you the island makes more than just Nero d'Avola quaffed poolside. France isn't forgotten either — Champagne and Burgundy fill supporting roles without overpowering the Italian identity of the list.
By the Glass
Sixteen by-the-glass options is a solid number for a restaurant of this caliber, and the pours reflect the same Italian-first philosophy as the full list. Don't expect a parade of California Cabs here — this is the place to finally try a proper glass of something from Campania or a Sicilian white you can't pronounce yet. We'd love to see more rotation, but what's on offer is well above average for the neighborhood.
Amarone Classico, Tommasi — $50 (estimated entry bottle range)
Tommasi's Amarone is a workhorse producer making genuinely complex wine without the vanity pricing of the collector names on the same list. If it's near the floor price, it's the move — you're drinking serious Veneto for what a mediocre Cabernet costs elsewhere on this block.
Barbaresco Asili Riserva, B. Giacosa
Most tables order Barolo without looking further, which means the Giacosa Barbaresco Asili Riserva gets overlooked. Asili is one of the great single vineyards in all of Piedmont, and Giacosa is one of the handful of producers who can be mentioned without qualification. This is the kind of wine people travel to Italy to drink.
Dom Pérignon P2
At a restaurant with a $16,850 ceiling on bottles, the prestige Champagne markups are predictably punishing. Dom Pérignon P2 is a fine wine, but you're paying Manhattan luxury tax on top of an already-inflated retail price. The same money stretches dramatically further staying on the Italian side of the list.
Barolo Le Vigne, L. Sandrone + Veal Chop Milanese
Sandrone's Le Vigne Barolo blends fruit from four distinct Langhe sites into something layered and structured without being brutal — exactly what you want against a big veal chop. The wine's acidity cuts the richness of the breading and fat, and the fruit keeps things lively through the whole plate.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Il Gattopardo is the rare Midtown restaurant where the wine list actually earns the price of admission — if you're serious about Italian wine, this is a pilgrimage worth making. Pricing is steep, as expected at this address, but the depth and curation are the real thing.
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