Long Island Italian Done With Conviction
Huntington · Huntington · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 19, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Piccolo Restaurant Of Huntington’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Take Vibe Match and we’ll tell you what to order here.
Wingman Metrics
The list at Piccolo lands with the confidence of a restaurant that's been doing this for 20 years — because it has. California and Italy share top billing, which makes sense when you're eating Northern Italian food on Long Island. The Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator, held since 2005, isn't just a plaque on the wall here; the list actually earns it.
California Cabs anchor the list hard, with Caymus and Silver Oak both showing up as expected crowd-pleasers. Italy brings more personality — Antinori Tignanello, Gaja Barbaresco, and solid Brunello representation from Banfi give the Italian section real teeth. France gets some love via Louis Jadot Burgundy, though it feels more like a supporting cast than a co-star. The 150-250 bottle range is respectable for a neighborhood Italian spot, covering the classics without stretching into truly adventurous territory.
Ten to sixteen options by the glass is a solid spread for this kind of room — enough to explore without overwhelming a table that just wants something to drink with their pasta. Expect the usuals like Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio and Meiomi Pinot Noir to anchor the pour list. Rotation appears limited; this reads more like a curated standing lineup than a list that changes with the seasons.
Louis Jadot Burgundy — $55
Jadot is a reliable house at a price point that won't make you wince when you're three courses deep. On a list that skews toward big California Cabs, this is the understated move that actually works with the food.
Antinori Tignanello
Most tables at a place like this reach for Silver Oak without blinking. Tignanello — a Sangiovese-Cabernet blend from one of Tuscany's great producers — is the more interesting bottle on this list, and it actually makes sense with what's coming out of the kitchen.
Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio
A fine wine in a vacuum, but Santa Margherita has been the safe airport-lounge Pinot Grigio for decades. On a list with legitimate Italian depth, this feels like a placeholder. There's better to be had here.
Gaja Barbaresco + Osso Buco
Barbaresco's firm tannins and cherry-leather character go toe-to-toe with the richness of braised veal shank. This is a textbook Piedmontese pairing and one of the better reasons to spring for something serious off this list.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Piccolo is a dependable, well-stocked Italian list that leans into its California-Italy strengths without much risk-taking. If you know what you want and order with intention, you'll drink well — just don't expect surprises.
Huntington · Huntington · Italian
Jonathan's is the kind of neighborhood Italian spot that actually earns its white tablecloths on the wine side — knowledgeable staff, a serious Italian backbone, and Wednesday half-price nights that make the steep markups more palatable. We'd send a friend here without hesitation, especially if they're skipping the Opus One.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Proper
Huntington · Huntington · Seafood, Steakhouse
IMC is a reliable wine destination for the California-focused crowd — not a place to discover anything new, but a solid bet if you want a well-stored bottle of familiar juice with a serious steak. Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence feels right: this list earns it, even if it doesn't push it.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Huntington · Huntington · Italian
La Parma II has built one of the most credible Italian wine lists on Long Island — the Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence since 2019 is earned, not decorative. If you're coming in for a celebration and want to drink real Barolo or a proper Super Tuscan with your dinner, this is your room.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Rainbow Curve / I-49 Corridor · Bentonville · Italian
The Bertani Amarone and Col d'Orcia Brunello sitting on this list are like finding a Rolex in a vending machine — impressive that they exist, but the surrounding context makes the whole thing feel absurd. Come for the pasta, drink the Chianti Classico, and lower your expectations accordingly.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Square · Bentonville · Italian
Tavola Trattoria isn't trying to be a wine destination, but it has enough going on — solid Italian depth, fair pricing, reasonable glass options — to earn your business on a date night in Bentonville. Stick to the classics and let the balcony do the rest.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown / Central Ave · Bentonville · Italian
Sestina is doing something genuinely interesting for Bentonville — an Italian-focused, bubble-forward list with real producers and regional ambition tucked into a small but considered 26-bottle program. The red wine gap and unknown by-the-glass program hold it back from greatness, but if you're in Northwest Arkansas and want to drink better than average, this is the spot.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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