285 Bottles Deep and Unapologetically Italian
Midtown · New York · Southern Italian · Visit Website ↗
Updated April 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · March 23, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Il Gattopardo’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
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.
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.
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.
NoHo · New York · Italian
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.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown · New York · Steakhouse
STK Downtown is a place where people order Champagne to celebrate, not to drink — and the wine program is built accordingly. If you're here for the vibe and someone else is paying, pop the Dom and enjoy it; if you actually care about what's in your glass, you're in the wrong room.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Midtown · New York · Upscale Seafood & Steakhouse
Three happy hour wines do not a wine program make. Ocean Prime is a place you eat well and drink safely — but if wine is a priority, this list will let you down before the bread basket arrives.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
Midtown · New York · Steakhouse
STK Midtown is a great place to see and be seen, but the wine list is there to pad the check, not to excite you. If you're here for the experience, lean on the cocktails or grab a glass of Bonanza at the bar — don't expect the bottle list to reward any real curiosity.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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
Downtown Napa · Napa · Southern Italian
Oenotri is the rare Napa restaurant where the wine list is actually trying to say something — and what it's saying is 'go to Sicily.' Markups keep it from being a slam dunk, but the list's conviction and the quality of producers make it worth the trip if Italian natural wine is your thing.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Old Bellevue · Bellevue · Southern Italian
Carmine's is a dependable wine experience in a room that earns it — the Italian backbone is solid, the Marc Hébrart alone proves someone cared when building this list, and 13 by-the-glass options gives you real choices. Just mind the markups and steer away from the California name-drops.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Federal Hill · Providence · Southern Italian
Enoteca Umberto is a tiny room with a focused, honest wine list that punches well above its square footage. If you want to drink Southern Italian wine with Southern Italian food the way it's meant to be drunk, Federal Hill has your table.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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