Solid Italian list, no surprises, no complaints
Colonie · Albany · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 9, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Nové reads exactly like you'd expect from a polished suburban Italian spot — heavy on recognizable names, light on adventure. It's curated for comfort, not curiosity. If you know what you like and you like Italian, you won't be lost here.
The list leans hard into Italy's greatest hits: Tuscany and Veneto carry the weight, with a California section filling out the back half for the crowd that wants a Cab with their veal. There's real ambition in stocking the Marchesi Antinori Tignanello — that's a serious Tuscan Super, and it signals someone here cares at least a little. But the supporting cast — Ecco Domani, La Marca, Ruffino — is supermarket-adjacent and priced like it belongs in a fine dining room. The list sits somewhere between 60 and 100 bottles, which is enough to make a decision but not enough to get excited about.
The by-the-glass program runs 8 to 14 options, which is a reasonable spread for the format. Expect the usual suspects: a Pinot Grigio, a Chianti, probably a California red. Rotation doesn't appear to be a priority — this feels like a list that gets set once and revisited when someone notices something ran out.
Ruffino Chianti Classico Riserva — null
It's not exciting, but Ruffino's Riserva is a legitimately good Chianti Classico that holds up against the kitchen's red sauce dishes. Of the recognizable names on this list, it's the one most likely to deliver more than its reputation suggests — especially alongside the Veal Parmigiana.
Marchesi Antinori Tignanello
Most tables ordering at Nové are reaching for whatever they already know. The Tignanello is a Sangiovese-Cabernet blend from one of Tuscany's most respected houses and it genuinely earns its spot on any list. If you're going to spend money here, spend it on this — not on a marked-up Pinot Grigio.
Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio
Ecco Domani is a $10 grocery store bottle. At restaurant markup in a $$-$$$ room, you're paying a significant premium for something that has no business being on a list that also carries Tignanello. Order the Ruffino instead.
Ruffino Chianti Classico Riserva + Eggplant Parmigiana
Chianti Classico and tomato-based Italian dishes are a cliché for good reason — the wine's acidity cuts through the richness and the Sangiovese tannins don't bully the eggplant. This is the most reliable combination on the menu.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Nové is a comfortable, well-executed Italian restaurant with a wine list that mirrors its menu: familiar, competent, and priced for the room rather than for your wallet. Send a friend here if they want a reliable night out — just steer them away from the grocery-store pours and toward the Tignanello if they're feeling flush.
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Ama Cocina isn't a destination wine bar, but it's a Wild Card worth respecting — a food-forward Latin spot that actually thought about its wine list instead of phoning it in. Come for the tacos, order the Albariño, and be pleasantly surprised.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Solid Range
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Albany · Albany · Steakhouse / Lounge
677 Prime Lounge is the wine list equivalent of a perfectly cooked strip steak — nothing surprising, nothing wrong, everything exactly where you expect it to be. If you're in Albany and someone else is buying, order the Silver Oak and enjoy the room; if you're watching your tab, lean on Jordan and don't let them upsell you to Caymus.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Athos isn't trying to build the most ambitious wine program in New York State — it's trying to give you an honest Greek wine experience to go with honest Greek food, and it largely delivers. If you're eating moussaka and lamb in Albany, this is where your glass should be.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Albany · Albany · Modern American fine dining with Indonesian accents
Yono's is the best wine program in Albany and it's not particularly close — a thousand-label cellar, a sommelier who knows it, and a room built for the occasion. The markups are real and the by-the-glass list plays it safer than the cellar deserves, but if you're willing to lean on the staff and spend a little, this is one of the more serious wine experiences in upstate New York.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
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
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.