Solid Italian list, no surprises, no complaints
Colonie · Albany · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 9, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Nové Italian Restaurant’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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.
Loudonville · Albany · New American Steakhouse
A steakhouse wine page with a long glass list and a Coravin group for bigger names, but no prices online, so judge it by phone or at the table. For a steak, try the Jordan Cabernet or the Caymus from the Sommelier Selections; for something different, the Hermann J. Wiemer Dry Riesling. Confirm what is pouring and the prices before you order, since the page is undated and says selections may vary. This unrated guide covers the posted wine page, not service, storage or markups.
West End · Albany · British Pub
A short pub wine list where every one of the 15 wines has both a glass and a bottle price. Order the $27 Gionelli Pinot Grigio, or the $45 Tarani Malbec for a red; both are also poured by the glass, at $9 and $13. Confirm current availability and prices. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Delmar · Albany · American
Normanside's posted drink menu is short and glass-friendly, with 23 wines carrying a glass price from $9 to $15. Order The Wine for Pizza with the $16 pepperoni Detroit-style pie, or take the $12 Pessimist by Daou for a darker red. Confirm current availability and prices before you go; this unrated guide covers the posted drink menu, not service, storage or markups.
Downtown · Albany · Seafood
Jack's is an oyster house first, and its wine lists back that up with French whites by the glass and the bottle. Start with a half dozen oysters and a glass of the Antoine de la Farge Menetou-Salon at 18, or go for the bottle of Reverdy Ducroux Sancerre at 84; for red, the $14 Catena Malbec is the lowest-priced glass. Confirm current lists and prices when you book; this unrated guide covers the posted wine lists, not service, storage or markups.
Downtown Albany · Albany · Italian
Cafe Capriccio's glass list is short and Italian-led. Try the Scaia Corvina or the Castello di Bossi Chianti before the usual Pinot Grigio, and put the Barolo with the Pork Osso Buco. The posted list shows no prices, so ask what each glass costs and confirm what is open. This unrated guide covers the posted glass list, not service, storage or markups.
Western Ave · Albany · Mediterranean
Barcelona's bar menu posts more Spanish and Italian range than you might expect, from Rioja Crianza to a $125 Brunello. Try the Albariño at $9 $35 with seafood, or the Juan Gil red blend at $11 $40 if you want something fuller. Most wines show two prices with no unit labels and the page is undated, so confirm which is glass and which is bottle, and today's availability, when you order. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
· Dacula · Italian
Antonetas isn't a wine destination, and it isn't trying to be — it's a family-friendly neighborhood Italian with a wine list that covers the basics and stays out of the way. If you're after a solid glass of something red with your Lasagna in a no-fuss setting, you won't be disappointed. Just don't show up expecting to geek out over the list.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Alpharetta · Italian
Crust is a solid neighborhood Italian spot where the wine list is a supporting player, not the headliner — and that's fine. Come for the rigatoni alla vodka and garlic knots; order a glass of whatever red they're pouring and don't overthink it. We'd send a friend here for dinner without hesitation, just not for the wine list alone.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Marietta · Italian
Vespucci's isn't a wine destination, but it doesn't pretend to be — and that honesty is refreshing. The one move that earns real respect here is the Monday half-price bottle deal, which turns an ordinary weeknight into a genuinely good value. Show up on a Monday, order the Eggplant Parmigiana, grab a bottle at half price, and you've had a solid dinner without thinking too hard about it.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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