Piedmont Royalty Hiding on Amsterdam Avenue
Upper West Side · New York · Italian, Mediterranean · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 8, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Lucciola hits you like a Barolo negroni — rich, serious, and completely intentional. This is not an Upper West Side afterthought list padded with Meiomi and Whispering Angel; this is a 300-500 bottle deep dive into the soul of Italian winemaking. Sommelier Alexandra Lascu has clearly spent time in Piedmont in spirit if not in person.
The Italian backbone here is exceptional. Piedmont anchors everything — Giacomo Conterno, Bruno Giacosa, and Gaja represent the full spectrum from traditional to modern Barolo, and Produttori del Barbaresco gives you a more accessible entry point into Nebbiolo greatness. Tuscany shows up strong with Biondi-Santi and Poggio di Sotto Brunello alongside the Super Tuscan hits — Sassicaia and Tignanello — for the crowd that needs a familiar name on the label. The Veneto goes deep with Dal Forno Romano and Quintarelli Amarone, both of which are serious collector-grade pours that you rarely see on a restaurant list outside of a major wine destination. France gets a seat at the table too, rounding out the list without overshadowing the Italian core.
With 15-25 pours available by the glass, Lucciola gives you genuine options rather than the usual four-whites-four-reds shuffle. We'd expect the glass program to feature approachable expressions from the same serious producers on the bottle list — think Borgogno Barolo or Pieropan Soave Classico as entry points. The glass selection alone is worth building a dinner around if you want to taste across regions without committing to a full bottle.
Pieropan Soave Classico — $50-$70
Soave gets slept on constantly, and Pieropan is the benchmark producer — precise, mineral-driven white wine that drinks well above its price point on a list where bottles climb into the hundreds. Order it with the branzino and stop second-guessing yourself.
Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco
Most tables at Lucciola are chasing Gaja or Conterno, which means Produttori del Barbaresco sits quietly on the list like a secret. This cooperative produces some of the most honest, terroir-transparent Nebbiolo in all of Piedmont — and it won't make you do mental math about your rent.
Tignanello (Antinori)
Tignanello is a great wine — nobody's arguing that. But it's also one of the most widely distributed bottles in the world, available at retail everywhere, which means the restaurant markup stings harder here than on something you actually can't find. If you want a Super Tuscan, fine. But there are more interesting choices on this list.
Giacomo Conterno Barolo + Bistecca alla Fiorentina
A traditional Barolo from Conterno — structured, tannic, built for decades — meets the char and fat of a proper Florentine T-bone and suddenly everything makes sense. This is the pairing that justifies the splurge and the reservation.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Lucciola is the real deal — a Best of Award of Excellence list that actually earns it, anchored by one of the strongest Italian selections you'll find in a neighborhood restaurant anywhere in the city. The markups aren't gentle, but when the producers are Conterno, Giacosa, and Quintarelli, you're paying for access as much as anything else.
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
Decatur · Decatur · Italian, Mediterranean
Café Lily is your dependable Decatur neighborhood restaurant that happens to take its wine seriously enough to earn a Wine Spectator nod — nothing flashy, but never a disappointment. Go on a Tuesday, order the lamb, and let the half-price wine night do the rest.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Uptown Park · Houston · Italian, Mediterranean
Lombardi is a dependable upscale Italian with a wine list that earns its Award of Excellence — Italy is well-represented and the prestige bottles are genuinely exciting. Pricing leans steep and the program could use more energy, but for Houston's Uptown Park crowd looking for a Barolo with their pappardelle, this delivers.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Uptown · Dallas · Italian, Mediterranean
Avanti is pulling off something rare in Dallas: genuinely great Italian bottles at prices that feel like a Wednesday night deal every night of the week. Wednesday half-price wine just makes a great deal mathematically irresponsible — go now.
Old World Focus
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
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