Piedmont's Greatest Hits, Downtown Manhattan Edition
Flatiron · New York · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 8, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Rezdôra hits like a love letter to northern Italy — Barolo, Barbaresco, Brunello, and a handful of regional curveballs that tell you someone here actually cares. This isn't a list built by a distributor rep; it's built by people who've been paying attention. Four sommeliers on staff, a Best of Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator since 2024, and roughly 400-500 selections deep — you're in good hands before you've even ordered a glass.
Piedmont is the obvious anchor and it doesn't disappoint: Giacomo Conterno, Bartolo Mascarello, Bruno Giacosa, and Giuseppe Rinaldi cover the traditionalist canon, while Paolo Scavino and Vietti round out the modernist side — meaning you can have an actual conversation about style here. Tuscany holds its own with Isole e Olena and Fontodi in Chianti Classico, plus Biondi-Santi and Canalicchio di Sopra for the Brunello faithful, and the obligatory trophy bottles in Sassicaia and Ornellaia for whoever's expensing dinner. What separates Rezdôra from a generic Italian steakhouse list are the off-script picks: Walter Massa's Timorasso, Bruno Giacosa's Arneis, Dolcetto d'Alba, Barbera d'Asti, and Langhe Nebbiolo give you a genuine sense of the Italian northwest beyond the big reds. Gaps exist — the list leans hard into Piedmont and Tuscany, so if you're looking for southern Italy or island wines, you'll find slim pickings.
With 20-30 options by the glass in the $15-$25 range, Rezdôra is unusually serious about its pour program for a restaurant that could easily coast on bottle sales. Expect to find Nebbiolo-based options, regional whites, and rotating picks that reflect what's actually interesting on the full list rather than just whatever needs to move. The Langhe Nebbiolo by the glass is the move if you want to taste the region without committing to a full bottle of Barolo.
Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco — $60-$80
Produttori is one of the most reliable co-ops in all of Piedmont — serious Nebbiolo at a fraction of what you'd pay for a single-vineyard Gaja. At a restaurant with this caliber of list, this is your entry point to the top shelf without the sticker shock.
Walter Massa Timorasso
Most tables walk right past this. Timorasso is a rare indigenous white from the Colli Tortonesi that ages like a white Burgundy — rich, mineral, and completely unlike anything else on the list. Walter Massa is the guy who brought this grape back from near-extinction. Order it just to say you did, then be genuinely surprised.
Sassicaia
It's a great wine. It's also available at every Italian restaurant in a 10-mile radius and marked up accordingly. At Rezdôra, the money is better spent going deeper into the Barolo producers that actually distinguish this list from everywhere else.
Isole e Olena Chianti Classico + Cacio e Pepe Tortellini
The acidity in a well-made Chianti Classico cuts through the fat of the cheese filling without muscling the pasta off the plate. Isole e Olena keeps things bright and structured — it's a Sangiovese that knows when to shut up and let the food talk.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Rezdôra is the rare restaurant where the wine list genuinely earns its reputation — deep on the producers that matter, staffed by people who can talk you through it, and adventurous enough to reward curious drinkers willing to go beyond Barolo. Yes, you'll pay Manhattan prices, but you're getting Manhattan's best Italian wine program in return.
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
· New York · Restaurant
Corima's wine list is proof that ten well-chosen bottles beat a hundred thoughtless ones every time. If you care about what's in your glass, this place is worth your attention.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Village · New York · American
Cecchi's is first and foremost a bar, but the wine list is more serious than the neon and noise suggest. Steep markups are the main ding — but if you know what to order, there's real pleasure here.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Acceptable
SoHo · New York · Steak House, Small Plates
The Corner Store is a reliable, well-credentialed wine list doing exactly what a good SoHo steakhouse should — France and California, done with intention, in a room that makes you want to order another bottle. Just watch the markup on the big Bordeaux names and let the Rhône or Burgundy side show you a better time.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Tribeca · New York · American
Farra is punching above its weight class for a neighborhood wine bar, and the Wine Spectator nod is earned — just know that the serious bottles come with serious prices, and the no-sommelier setup means you're doing some of the navigating yourself. Worth it for anyone who knows what they want; potentially overwhelming for those who don't.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Varietal Specific
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
West Toledo / Reynolds Corner · Toledo · Italian
There's one reason to come here for wine: Thursday. Half-price bottles on a standing weekly basis is a genuinely good deal, especially on the Santa Margherita. Any other night, the markups are steep and the list doesn't justify them.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
West Toledo/Monroe Street · Toledo · Italian
Carrabba's Toledo isn't a destination for wine — but it's not an embarrassment either. The Ruffino Chianti Classico alone earns its keep, and if you stick to the Italian side of the list, you'll drink reasonably well without drama.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
La Jolla · Chula Vista · Italian
Marisi is a reliable Italian wine list with genuine ambition hiding behind a steep markup structure — the producers are right, the regions are right, but you'll pay for the privilege. Go for the Produttori Barbaresco and the Pre-Phylloxera Barbera, and you'll leave satisfied.
Solid Range
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.