Old World royalty in a hotel worth staying for
Flatiron · New York · American, British · Visit Website ↗
Updated August 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 8, 2026
RagingWine reviewed The Clocktower’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You open the wine list at The Clocktower and it feels like someone handed you a passport to the Côte de Nuits. This is not a hotel restaurant wine list that plays it safe — it's a serious document, running close to 500 selections and leaning hard into France's greatest hits. The Ian Schrager setting signals ambition, and the list delivers on it.
The French triumvirate of Burgundy, Rhône, and Bordeaux anchors everything here, and the depth is legitimate. You'll find Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and Leroy sitting alongside Henri Bonneau's Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Château Rayas — that's not padding, that's curation. Rhône fans are particularly well served, with E. Guigal's Côte-Rôtie and M. Chapoutier's Hermitage representing the northern end, while Domaine Tempier Bandol adds a Provençal wildcard. Bordeaux is no afterthought either: Château Pétrus and Château Léoville-Las Cases confirm this list is built for the long game, not impulse orders.
The by-the-glass program runs 20 to 30 options with a $15–$30 price window, which is honest for this zip code and this caliber of room. Sommelier Yumilka Ortiz keeps the pours relevant to the broader list's identity, so you're not stuck choosing between two generic Chardonnays while Burgundy legends sit untouched in the cellar. Rotation details aren't public, but a list this size suggests the glass program doesn't go stale.
Domaine Tempier Bandol — $60+
On a list dominated by four-figure Burgundy, Tempier is the entry point that actually drinks above its price tag. Rich, structured, built for the Beef Wellington, and not yet marked into the stratosphere the way the Rhône headliners are.
M. Chapoutier Hermitage
Most tables here are chasing Burgundy or Bordeaux, so Chapoutier's Hermitage gets overlooked. That's a mistake — northern Rhône Syrah at this level is as age-worthy as anything on the list and regularly outperforms its price relative to the DRC crowd.
Château Pétrus
It's on the list and it's real, but you're paying Manhattan hotel markup on top of Pétrus's already absurd secondary market pricing. Unless someone else is signing the check, the money goes further almost anywhere else on this list.
Henri Bonneau Châteauneuf-du-Pape + Beef Wellington
Bonneau's Châteauneuf has the weight and savory depth to stand up to pastry-wrapped beef without bulldozing it. The wine's earthy, spiced character echoes the duxelles inside the Wellington in a way that feels less like coincidence and more like the list was built for this dish.
The Bottom Line
The Clocktower is what happens when a hotel actually invests in wine instead of just stocking it — a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence since 2023 that feels genuinely earned. Send your most France-obsessed friend here and tell them to skip the Pétrus.
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
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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