Italy's Greatest Hits, All Under One Roof
Midtown Manhattan · New York · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Updated August 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 8, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Masseria dei Vini’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list lands on the table like a small novel — and not the kind you skim. This is a love letter to Italy, written with real conviction, and it's clear from the first page that whoever built this list actually cares. Midtown Manhattan doesn't always earn that kind of attention.
Four hundred-plus bottles and almost all roads lead to Italy, which is exactly the right call here. Tuscany and Piedmont anchor everything: you've got Sassicaia and Ornellaia sitting alongside Tignanello, Brunello from Biondi-Santi, and Barolos from both Giacomo Conterno and Bruno Giacosa — that's not a list, that's a statement. Gaja's Barbaresco makes an appearance, and Castello di Ama's Chianti Classico Riserva gives you something to drink without requiring a second mortgage. The gaps are minor — non-Italian options feel like an afterthought — but when Italy is this well-represented, you don't miss them.
Twenty to thirty pours by the glass is genuinely impressive, and the quality tracked through the bottle list doesn't drop off when you go half-measure. Rotating options include Super Tuscans and regional Italian varieties that go well beyond the usual Pinot Grigio-and-Chianti defaults. If you're doing a solo dinner or splitting a bottle feels like overkill, you're still in good hands.
Chianti Classico Riserva, Castello di Ama — $50–$70
In a list heavy with four-figure bottles, Castello di Ama's Riserva delivers serious Sangiovese credibility without the sticker shock. It's a producer that earns its reputation every vintage, and at the entry point of this list's price range, it's the move for anyone who wants to drink well without doing math.
Amarone, Allegrini
Everyone's eyes go straight to the Barolo and Super Tuscan section, and Allegrini's Amarone gets overlooked as a result. That's a mistake. This is a structured, serious wine with the kind of dark fruit and grip that holds up beautifully against the heavier pasta dishes and braised meats on this menu. It's the sleeper on the list.
Sassicaia, Tenuta San Guido
Look, Sassicaia is a genuinely great wine. But it's also one of the most recognizable names in Italian wine, which means restaurants know they can charge whatever they want for it. At a Midtown restaurant with a prestige-forward list, the markup on a bottle this famous will hurt. You can drink incredibly well here without reaching for the trophy bottle.
Barolo, Bruno Giacosa + Pappardelle with Wild Boar
Giacosa's Barolo brings high-toned rose and tar aromatics with serious tannic backbone — exactly what you need to stand up to a rich, gamey wild boar ragu. The acidity cuts through the fat, the tannins play off the braised meat, and the whole thing tastes like someone planned it, even if you stumbled into it.
The Bottom Line
Masseria dei Vini has built one of the most focused, credible Italian wine lists in New York, and the Best of Award of Excellence since 2017 is well-earned. The markups sting, and you won't get a dedicated sommelier walking you through it — but if you know what you want, or you're willing to explore, this list rewards you.
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.
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