Old World Obsession Hiding in Tribeca
Tribeca · New York · American · Visit Website ↗
Updated August 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 8, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Restaurant Marc Forgione’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The list at Marc Forgione lands with the quiet confidence of someone who doesn't need to shout. Four hundred-plus bottles skewed hard toward France and Italy — this isn't a greatest-hits list, it's a collection. You know immediately that someone here cares.
Burgundy is the obvious anchor: DRC, Henri Jayer, and Domaine Leroy all make appearances, which tells you this list has both depth and a serious acquisition budget. Loire is punching above its weight too — Didier Dagueneau's Pouilly-Fumé and Henri Bourgeois Sancerre sit alongside each other like a proper Loire argument waiting to happen. The Rhône section brings Guigal's La Mouline and Château Rayas, two bottles that could carry a list on their own. Piedmont rounds it out with the holy trinity: Giacomo Conterno's Barolo Monfortino, Bartolo Mascarello, and Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco — you don't see all three in one place very often.
Twelve to eighteen options by the glass is a solid spread for a room this serious. We'd expect the pours to rotate with the kitchen's seasonal direction, though without a dedicated sommelier on staff, the selection likely leans toward safe, accessible choices rather than anything adventurous. What's there should be well-stored and properly served — the list's DNA suggests the bar is set high even for the casual pour.
Henri Bourgeois Sancerre — $60–$80 est.
Henri Bourgeois is one of the most consistent names in the Loire, and on a list that goes deep into four-figure Burgundy, this bottle is the entry point that actually drinks. Clean, precise, and exactly what you want with anything light coming out of the kitchen.
Domaine Tempier Bandol
Most people at this table are hunting Burgundy, which means the Tempier Bandol gets overlooked. That's a gift. One of the great wines of Provence — structured, earthy, built to last — and it tends to look inexpensive next to what's sitting around it on this list.
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti
It's here, it's real, and it's priced accordingly — which means the markup on a bottle already worth thousands is doing serious damage to your credit card. Unless someone else is paying, DRC at a restaurant is always a harder argument than DRC from a retailer.
E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Mouline + Apple Pie Soufflé
Hear us out: La Mouline's Viognier co-fermentation gives it a floral, almost honeyed edge that cuts against rich dessert in a way a big Syrah can't. It's an unexpected move that actually works — and it turns the soufflé into a proper wine moment rather than an afterthought.
The Bottom Line
Restaurant Marc Forgione earned its Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence every year since 2015, and the list holds up — old world obsession, serious producers, and the kind of depth that rewards people who actually read the back pages. Just know you're paying New York prices and come with a strategy.
NoHo · New York · Italian
Il Buco has one of the most compelling Italian wine lists in New York City — deep, principled, and staffed by people who actually care. The markup is real, so budget accordingly, but this is a room worth splurging in.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown · New York · Steakhouse
STK Downtown is a place where people order Champagne to celebrate, not to drink — and the wine program is built accordingly. If you're here for the vibe and someone else is paying, pop the Dom and enjoy it; if you actually care about what's in your glass, you're in the wrong room.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Midtown · New York · Upscale Seafood & Steakhouse
Three happy hour wines do not a wine program make. Ocean Prime is a place you eat well and drink safely — but if wine is a priority, this list will let you down before the bread basket arrives.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
Midtown · New York · Steakhouse
STK Midtown is a great place to see and be seen, but the wine list is there to pad the check, not to excite you. If you're here for the experience, lean on the cocktails or grab a glass of Bonanza at the bar — don't expect the bottle list to reward any real curiosity.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Midtown West · New York · Russian-American
The Russian Tea Room treats wine as an afterthought dressed up in Champagne flutes — five famous labels at punishing prices with no range, no by-the-glass program, and no apparent curiosity about wine beyond what looks impressive on a table. Go for the spectacle, order the caviar, but don't come here expecting a wine list.
Grocery Store
Gouge
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· New York · Restaurant
David Burke Tavern's list is a Chardonnay lover's comfort zone with a solid sparkling section propping up the top — but the narrow focus and steep pricing mean you're paying for familiarity, not discovery. Send a friend here if they want California whites and a glass of Champagne; send them somewhere else if they want to explore.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Baltimore · American
Give the international and local sections a look before defaulting to Burgundy. Sula at $70 and Old Westminster at $90 offer different budget options. These are posted bottle prices, not guaranteed stock; confirm availability. This menu guide doesn't rate service or cellar conditions.
· Key West · American
Caroline's Café is not a wine destination, and it's not trying to be — the identical pricing across all five house labels makes that abundantly clear. If you're in Key West looking for something interesting in your glass, keep walking; if you just need a cold pour of Chardonnay with your lunch and aren't asking questions, $8 gets you there without drama.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Kerns · Portland · American
Noble Rot is the rare restaurant wine program that would hold up as a standalone wine bar — deep list, sharp staff, fair prices, and a view that makes the whole experience feel earned. Send your friends here. Send yourself here.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
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