Italy's Greatest Hits, No Filler
Hudson Yards · New York · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 8, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Locanda Verde - Hudson Yards’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list lands like a love letter to the Italian peninsula — specifically the parts that matter most. Piedmont and Tuscany dominate, and they should, because when your roster includes Giacomo Conterno and Biondi-Santi, you lean in. This isn't a list trying to be everything; it's a list that knows exactly what it is.
With 350 to 500 bottles and a clear Italian axis, Locanda Verde Hudson Yards goes deep where it counts. Barolo gets the full treatment — Giacomo Conterno, Bruno Giacosa, and Gaja anchoring a Piedmont section that could hold its own against dedicated wine bars. Tuscany matches the ambition with Biondi-Santi and Poggio di Sotto on the Brunello side and the full Super Tuscan pantheon — Sassicaia, Ornellaia, Tignanello — for those with the budget and the occasion. There are smaller, quieter gems tucked in too: Pieropan's Soave and Produttori del Barbaresco adding balance and value alongside the headliners. Italy outside these two regions is thin, but when your coverage of the two best regions is this thorough, it's hard to complain.
Twenty to thirty options by the glass is generous, and the program here shows real thought — you're not stuck choosing between anonymous Pinot Grigio and house Chianti. Nebbiolo d'Alba selections and Vernaccia di San Gimignano show up to give the glass pour program some personality. Glasses run $14 to $25, which is honest for Hudson Yards without being punishing.
Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco — $14–$25 by the glass
Produttori is a co-op that consistently punches above its price point — structured, serious Nebbiolo without the Gaja tax. In a room full of trophy bottles, this is the one that makes you look smart.
Pieropan Soave Classico
Everyone's chasing Barolo and nobody's talking about the Soave, which is exactly why you should order it. Pieropan is the benchmark producer for the appellation — mineral, precise, and a fraction of the price of anything in the Piedmont section.
Sassicaia
It's a great wine — no argument there — but at a Hudson Yards restaurant with a prestige Italian list, the markup on a bottle this famous is going to be brutal. You're paying for the name recognition as much as the wine. The money goes further almost anywhere else on this list.
Fontodi Chianti Classico + Rigatoni all'Amatriciana
Fontodi's Chianti Classico has the acidity to cut through the guanciale fat and the Sangiovese fruit to mirror the tomato. It's a textbook match that doesn't feel like homework — just a very good dinner.
The Bottom Line
Three sommeliers, a 400-bottle Italian deep-dive, and proper glassware in one of New York's glossiest new developments — Locanda Verde Hudson Yards earns its Wine Spectator hardware. The markups get steep at the top end, but the depth and expertise here make it worth the trip.
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
· Healdsburg · Italian
Ciao Bruto is running one of the smallest and most coherent wine lists in wine country, which is either audacious or brilliant — probably both. If you want a 200-label deep-dive, go somewhere else. If you want eight smart picks at prices that won't make you wince, this is the move in Healdsburg.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Geyserville · Healdsburg · Italian
Diavola earns its Wild Card badge because it's a wood-fired pizza joint that punches well above its weight on wine — sommelier on staff, regional focus, and a setting that practically demands you order a second glass. We can't give you the bottle-by-bottle breakdown until we get eyes on a current list, but the bones here are good enough to say: don't just order a beer and move on.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Healdsburg · Italian
Ca'Bianca is a genuinely lovely place to eat, and if the food lives up to its reputation for house-made pasta and classic Italian technique, a bottle of something from the list is absolutely worth ordering. We just can't tell you exactly which bottle to order yet — the wine program's specifics aren't publicly documented well enough for us to make a confident call. When in doubt, ask your server what's local and what they're excited about, and go from there.
Plays It Safe
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.
List Variety
Markup
Glassware
Staff
Specials & Deals
Storage & Temp
