Sandwich shop by day, Barolo temple by night
Norwalk · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 7, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Josie & Tony's’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Take Vibe Match and we’ll tell you what to order here.
Wingman Metrics
Walk in for a sub at lunch, come back at dinner and you're staring down a 200-plus bottle list that name-drops Giacomo Conterno and Dal Forno Romano like it's nothing. The dual identity — casual Italian deli by day, members-only dining room by night — makes this list feel genuinely surprising. Norwalk didn't ask for a serious Italian wine program, but here we are.
The Italian anchor is exactly what a place called Josie & Tony's should deliver: Barolo from Bruno Giacosa, Brunello from Biondi-Santi and Casanova di Neri, Amarone from both Allegrini and the impossibly concentrated Dal Forno Romano, and Super Tuscans like Sassicaia and Ornellaia sitting right there on the list. France shows up with Burgundy at village and premier cru levels — not just filler, actual intent. California gets its seat at the table too, with Stag's Leap and Jordan representing Napa Cab without going completely trophy-wine crazy. The range is genuinely ambitious for a Connecticut neighborhood restaurant, and Wine Spectator's Best of Award of Excellence since 2024 backs that up.
Fifteen to twenty-five options by the glass is a healthy pour program for a list this size — enough to actually explore without committing to a full bottle. We'd want to know how often those pours rotate, because a static glass list undermines a dynamic bottle selection. No active specials program means what you see is what you get, every night.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley — $40s
Jordan consistently delivers polished, food-friendly Napa-adjacent Cab at a price point that doesn't require a second mortgage — on a list where bottles push north of $500, this is the play if you want California without the markup pain.
Allegrini Amarone della Valpolicella
Everyone's eyes go straight to the Barolos and Super Tuscans, but Allegrini's Amarone is a serious wine from a producer who gets unfairly overshadowed by Dal Forno's cult status on the same list. Rich, structured, and far more approachable in price — most tables walk right past it.
Sassicaia, Tenuta San Guido
Sassicaia is a legitimate icon, but on a restaurant list it's almost always priced at a level where you're paying for the name as much as the wine. Buy it at retail, cellar it yourself — ordering it here likely means absorbing a markup that stings even before the first pour.
Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino + Osso buco
Brunello's high acid and iron-tinged tannins are built for braised meat. Casanova di Neri's version has the weight to stand up to osso buco's richness and the structure to cut through the marrow without losing a step — this is the pairing that justifies the whole list.
The Bottom Line
A genuinely unexpected wine program hiding inside a Norwalk Italian spot that also slices sandwiches at noon — the Italian cellar alone is worth the reservation. Pricing runs steep and there's no sommelier to guide you through it, but if you know what you're looking for, this list rewards the effort.
· Jersey City · Italian
Porto by Antonio delivers a credible Italian-forward wine list with genuine high points — Promis, Barbaresco, Brunello — and a by-the-glass program that actually gives people choices. Markups get aggressive at the top, and the Caymus pricing is frankly embarrassing, but if you stick to the Italian core and the smart mid-range picks, you'll drink well here.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Toledo · Italian
Zia's isn't trying to be a wine destination, but it's trying harder than most Italian spots in Toledo — fair prices, a mostly by-the-glass program, and enough Italian producers to keep things honest. Go for the Antinori, order the Riesling to impress your date, and leave Castle Rock for the grocery run.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· McKinney · Italian
Bravo! is a competent chain wine program — wide by-the-glass selection, a few Italian producers worth noting, and prices that are steep but not insulting. You're not coming here for the wine list, but you won't regret ordering either.
Crowd Pleasers
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.
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