Solid Italian list, no surprises, no complaints
Colonie · Albany · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 9, 2026
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.
· Albany · Italian, Steakhouse, Seafood
Choose by budget, check bottle size, and confirm the current menu. We haven't independently assessed service, glassware or storage.
Downtown Albany · Albany · Steakhouse
Order by the glass and explore: the posted menu gives you Riesling, Chablis, Cahors and Rioja without a bottle commitment. Pentimento at $16 is our price-conscious red starting point. Check the current list before ordering; the complete cellar, service and storage haven't been independently verified.
West Albany · Albany · Italian
Grappa ’72 gives you several ways into Italian wine without committing to a prestige bottle. Our move is Nozzole Chianti Classico Riserva at $47/bottle for the table, or Bigi Orvietto at $9/glass if you want your own white. Confirm the current vintage and price when ordering.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown/Clinton Square · Albany · Modern Mexican / Latin-inspired
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
Warehouse District/Riverfront · Albany · Wine Bar / American Small Plates
The Shaker & Vine is Albany's best argument for the self-pour wine bar format — the markup is shockingly fair, the riverside setting earns its keep, and the list is approachable without being embarrassing. Don't come hunting for rare producers, but do come for a relaxed pour with a view.
Solid Range
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Colonie · Albany · Classic Italian-American
Lombardo's wine list is the culinary equivalent of a comfortable booth — nothing revelatory, but nothing offensive, and it gets the job done alongside a plate of baked ziti. Send a friend here for the food and tell them to order the Barolo if they want to feel like they tried.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
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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