Piedmont Royalty Hiding in Midtown's Shadow
Chelsea · New York · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 8, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list lands with the quiet confidence of someone who doesn't need to brag. Four hundred-plus bottles anchored in Piedmont and Tuscany, with Ruben Reyes holding things together on the floor — this is the kind of list that makes you want to skip the cocktail menu entirely. It earns its Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence without leaning on it like a crutch.
The Italian backbone here is genuinely serious: Giacomo Conterno and Bruno Giacosa Barolos sit alongside Angelo Gaja's Barbaresco in territory that most NYC restaurants gesture at but never fully commit to. Tuscany shows up strong too — Biondi-Santi Brunello, Sassicaia, Tignanello — all the heavy hitters accounted for without feeling like a trophy case. The list smartly rounds out with California depth (Ridge Monte Bello, Caymus) and a nod to New York via Hermann J. Wiemer from the Finger Lakes, which tells you someone on the wine team actually pays attention. Champagne gets proper representation with Krug Grande Cuvée on the list, so the full arc from aperitivo to digestivo is covered.
Twenty to thirty-five options by the glass at $15–$25 is a legitimately solid program for a room with this ambition, and the range tracks with the broader list rather than defaulting to the usual suspects. That said, we'd love to see a little more rotation to keep regulars on their toes — what's here works, but it can feel like the BTG list is running on cruise control compared to the bottle depth.
Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco — $60
Produttori is one of the great co-ops in all of Nebbiolo country — serious, age-worthy wine at a price point that's almost unfair given what's sitting next to it on this list. When the neighbors are Gaja, this one quietly outpunches its price tag.
Hermann J. Wiemer Riesling
A Finger Lakes Riesling on a room full of Barolo devotees? Most tables walk right past it. Don't. Wiemer is the standard-bearer for New York Riesling — high acid, precise, and stunning with seafood. It's the sleeper pick on a list that otherwise demands your attention in a different direction.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus is fine wine, but it's also everywhere — and at New York restaurant prices, you're paying a significant premium for something you could grab at any wine shop. With Ridge Monte Bello and serious Italian reds available, there's no reason to default to the Napa crowd-pleaser here.
Borgogno Barolo Cannubi + Tagliatelle al Ragù
Cannubi is one of Barolo's most prized crus — perfumed, structured, and built for exactly this kind of slow-cooked meat sauce. The tannins cut through the fat, the acidity lifts the pasta, and both get better together. This is the combination you come to L'Amico for.
🔥 The Bottom Line
L'Amico is the real deal for Italian wine in New York — deep on Piedmont, honest on Tuscany, and staffed by someone who actually knows the list. Markups will sting, but a room with Giacomo Conterno Barolo and a Finger Lakes Riesling on the same menu has clearly earned its Best of Award of Excellence badge.
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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