Italy's Greatest Hits, Beautifully Curated
Flatiron · New York · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 8, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Isabelle's Osteria arrives like a well-dressed Italian guest — confident, purposeful, and not here to waste your time. At 300-500 bottles deep with a Best of Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator, this is a list that's been curated with real intent. The Italy-first focus is immediately obvious, and immediately right.
Piedmont and Tuscany do most of the heavy lifting here, and they do it well — we're talking Giacomo Conterno and Bruno Giacosa Barolo, Biondi-Santi Brunello, and a Super Tuscan lineup that includes Sassicaia, Ornellaia, and Masseto in the same breath. The northeastern Italy section earns bonus points for including Friulian whites from Livio Felluga and Jermann, which most Italian spots in New York completely ignore. France shows up with purpose — Burgundy from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and Faiveley keeps the old-world obsessives happy — and California gets a respectable nod via Opus One and Ridge. The gaps are minor: if you're hunting for natural wine or anything outside the classic canon, this probably isn't your list.
With 20-35 pours by the glass, Isabelle's is genuinely generous here — enough options to drink well across an entire meal without committing to a bottle. We'd expect the glass program to skew toward approachable Italian reds and whites that complement the handmade pasta menu. Having sommelier Arman Miridzhanyan on staff means someone is actually minding the program, which shows.
Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco — $60
Produttori is a co-op that consistently punches way above its price point — it's serious Barbaresco made by people who've been doing this for generations, sitting on the same list as Gaja at a fraction of the cost. If the entry-level bottle clocks in near the bottom of their range, it's the smartest buy on the table.
Livio Felluga Friulian White
Everyone comes to Isabelle's for the Barolo and Brunello, which means the Friulian whites from Livio Felluga get overlooked constantly. That's a mistake. These are textured, serious whites from northeastern Italy that hold their own against the best of Burgundy — and they're exactly what you want with delicate handmade pasta.
Opus One
Opus One is a trophy wine that gets ordered for the name, not the glass. At New York restaurant prices on a list this prestigious, you're paying a significant premium for a Napa Cabernet that simply can't compete with the Italian depth around it. Save those dollars for another pour of Gaja.
Faiveley Burgundy + Handmade Pasta
A well-structured Burgundy from Faiveley has the acidity and earthiness to play beautifully off egg-based fresh pasta without bulldozing it the way a big Barolo might — it's the move when you want finesse over power.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Isabelle's Osteria is the real deal — a proper Italian wine program with serious depth, a sommelier who knows the cellar, and enough range to reward both the curious and the committed. Yes, you'll spend money, but you're in New York eating Italian food with Quintarelli on the list, so lean 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
West Toledo / Reynolds Corner · Toledo · Italian
There's one reason to come here for wine: Thursday. Half-price bottles on a standing weekly basis is a genuinely good deal, especially on the Santa Margherita. Any other night, the markups are steep and the list doesn't justify them.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
West Toledo/Monroe Street · Toledo · Italian
Carrabba's Toledo isn't a destination for wine — but it's not an embarrassment either. The Ruffino Chianti Classico alone earns its keep, and if you stick to the Italian side of the list, you'll drink reasonably well without drama.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
La Jolla · Chula Vista · Italian
Marisi is a reliable Italian wine list with genuine ambition hiding behind a steep markup structure — the producers are right, the regions are right, but you'll pay for the privilege. Go for the Produttori Barbaresco and the Pre-Phylloxera Barbera, and you'll leave satisfied.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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