Serious Italian Juice in an Unexpected Zip Code
Saratoga Springs · Italian, Northern Italian
Reviewed April 20, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Taverna Novo’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
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.
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.
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.
Downtown · Saratoga Springs · Casual Italian
Wheatfields is a reliable neighborhood Italian stop, and the wine list does exactly what it needs to — it covers the room without taking any risks. The Dr. Konstantin Frank Riesling and the Louis Jadot Mâcon Village are the two picks worth seeking out; everything else is competent filler at markups that could be friendlier. If you want to drink well here, order by the glass and go off the beaten path.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Saratoga Springs · Winery Bistro
Thirsty Owl Saratoga is a single-producer concept that leans all the way in, and if you're curious about Finger Lakes wines in a comfortable dining setting, it's a genuinely good place to learn the range. The wild card badge fits: you won't find the usual suspects here, but that's exactly the point. Go in knowing what you're signing up for and you'll walk out pleasantly educated.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Saratoga Springs · Italian / Pizzeria
Village Pizzeria's wine list is a pleasant surprise for a Saratoga Springs Italian spot — fair prices, a serious BTG count, and enough Italian-regional picks to reward the curious. It's not a destination wine list, but if you order the Lugana or the Vermentino instead of the default Pinot Grigio, you'll drink well without overthinking it.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Saratoga Springs · New American / Fine Dining
Morgan & Co. has built a wine list that respects its guests without overcharging them — fair pricing, a meaningful by-the-glass selection, and enough off-the-beaten-path picks to reward the curious. It's not a destination wine list, but if you're in Saratoga Springs and want a reliable bottle alongside a fine dining meal, you're in good hands. Go for the Sancerre, take a flyer on the Falanghina, and let someone else order the Rombauer.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Saratoga Springs · Italian
Noah's Italian made a bold structural call — every wine by the glass, no exceptions — and the Italian-focused selection backs it up with real producers like Ratti, Tornatorre, and Buglioni rather than the usual suspects. We don't know what's on the plate or who's pouring, but on the strength of the wine list alone, this is worth a visit if you're in Saratoga Springs and want to drink Italian wine without committing to a full bottle.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Saratoga Springs · Winery tasting room / light bites
Adirondack Winery isn't trying to be a destination wine list — it's a tasting room that wants you to leave with a bottle of something you didn't know was made in New York. The pricing is genuinely fair across all 36 labels, the Baco Noir and Cab Franc give curious drinkers something worth lingering on, and the Meritage 2019 at $44.99 tops out the range without gouging anyone. If you're passing through the Lake George area and curious about what northeastern New York actually grows, this is worth the stop.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
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.
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