Taverna Novo
Serious Italian Juice in an Unexpected Zip Code
Saratoga Springs · Saratoga Springs · Italian, Northern Italian
Reviewed April 20, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
You're on Beekman Street in Saratoga Springs — not exactly a wine destination — and then the list lands and you do a double take. Brunello, Barolo, Sassicaia, Ornellaia: this is not a neighborhood Italian restaurant playing it safe. Someone here genuinely cares, and it shows from the first page.
Selection Deep Dive
The Italian spine is the real story: Piedmont gets proper representation with Barolo producers, Tuscany shows up with Brunello di Montalcino and Chianti Classico Riserva, and the Super Tuscans (Sassicaia, Ornellaia) give the list some serious horsepower. Amarone rounds out the big reds with exactly the kind of muscle that belongs next to wood-fired anything. California isn't an afterthought either — Napa Cab and Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir anchor the New World section without overstaying their welcome. The list clocks in around 150-250 bottles, which is more than enough range to be interesting without becoming a homework assignment. Wine Spectator has handed out an Award of Excellence here every year since 2019, and the Italy-California focus they flagged holds up.
By the Glass
Twelve to twenty pours by the glass is a genuinely respectable program for a small neighborhood spot — that's enough rotation to keep regulars from getting bored. We'd like to see more transparency on which specific producers are pouring by the glass, but the range of the bottle list suggests the glass program isn't just the dregs. Ask your server what's open; the answer will tell you a lot about how seriously they take it that night.
Chianti Classico Riserva — $45
Chianti Classico Riserva at the low end of this list's price range is almost always the sweet spot at an Italian-focused restaurant — structured enough to handle the bolognese, honest enough not to need a fancy story. At Taverna Novo's pricing, you're almost certainly getting more wine than you're paying for.
Amarone della Valpolicella
Most tables at a place like this gravitate toward the Barolo or the Super Tuscans, which means the Amarone gets overlooked. That's a mistake. Amarone is a dense, dried-grape monster that absolutely sings next to anything coming out of a wood-fired oven, and it tends to be less aggressively marked up when it's not the headline act on the list.
Sassicaia
Sassicaia is a trophy wine, and restaurants know it. Pricing on prestige Super Tuscans like this one tends to reflect the name recognition more than the actual pour cost — you're paying for the cachet. Unless it's a special occasion and you specifically came for it, the same money spent on Brunello or a lesser-known Barolo producer will drink just as well and feel like a smarter call.
Brunello di Montalcino + Bolognese
Brunello's Sangiovese backbone — high acid, firm tannin, earthy red fruit — is basically engineered to cut through a rich, slow-cooked meat sauce. It doesn't fight the bolognese; it makes it taste more like itself. Classic pairing for a reason, and Taverna Novo gives you exactly the right ingredients to pull it off.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Taverna Novo is quietly punching above its weight for Saratoga Springs — a legitimate Italian wine list with real producers and fair prices tucked into a small neighborhood room. If you're up here for the races or just passing through, this is absolutely worth detouring for a bottle.
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