Italy in a bottle, Boca on the bill
North Boca Raton · Boca Raton · Italian Fine Dining · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 10, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Novello Ristorante Italiano & Wine Bar’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Novello lands with some real authority — this isn't a restaurant that bolted a few Italian bottles onto a generic list and called it a wine bar. You get a focused, Italy-centric book that signals someone here actually cares. The bottle range and a sommelier on the floor confirm this is a serious operation, even if Boca Raton pricing means your wallet will feel it.
Novello leans hard into the Italian classics: Tuscany and Piedmont anchor the list, with strong showings from Veneto, Sicily, and Campania rounding things out. The prestige names are present — Sassicaia, Gaja Barbaresco, Antinori Tignanello — which gives the list genuine gravitas. What's less clear is whether there's depth below the marquee bottles, but with 150-250 selections and a sommelier steering the ship, the bones are solid. Gaps likely exist in French and New World options, but if you came to an Italian wine bar for Napa Cab, that's on you.
A BTG program running 20-35 options is genuinely impressive and rare — most restaurants top out at 10-12 and call it a day. At $14-$24 a glass, you're paying Boca prices, but the range means you can actually explore: a Sicilian Nero d'Avola one round, something from the Collio the next. Rotation isn't confirmed, so don't assume the list reinvents itself seasonally.
Planeta Nero d'Avola — $55
Planeta is one of Sicily's most reliable producers and Nero d'Avola at this price point is a genuine steal compared to the trophy bottles dominating the list. It's food-friendly, approachable, and won't require a second mortgage.
Livio Felluga Pinot Grigio Collio
Most people see Pinot Grigio on an Italian list and assume it's filler. Livio Felluga's Collio expression is the counter-argument — structured, mineral, and nothing like the bland stuff poured at airport bars. It gets overlooked because it doesn't have a famous name, but it punches well above its category.
Gaja Barbaresco
Gaja is world-class and nobody disputes that. But Gaja Barbaresco at a South Florida restaurant markup is going to land somewhere that makes you wince. Unless you're celebrating something that genuinely warrants it, the bottle-to-value ratio here is a tough sell — you're paying a premium on top of a premium.
Antinori Tignanello + House-made pasta with braised meat
Tignanello — Sangiovese and Cabernet — has the structure to stand up to rich, slow-cooked meat and the acidity to cut through a heavy pasta sauce. It's a classic Italian pairing that actually earns the word classic.
The Bottom Line
Novello is the best Italian wine list in Boca Raton you're likely to find, and the BTG program alone is worth the trip. Just go in knowing the markups reflect the zip code, not a bargain hunter's paradise.
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Deep & Eclectic
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Occasional
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