Al Forno
Venice on the Providence waterfront, wine included
Federal Hill · Providence · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 7, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
The wine list at Al Forno reads like a love letter to the Veneto — and honestly, given the wood-fired Italian cooking coming out of that open kitchen, that's not a bad thing. It's focused and intentional, not scattered. You won't find yourself flipping through pages of random California Cabs here.
Selection Deep Dive
The list leans hard into northeastern Italy, with a clear Veneto spine running from entry-level Valpolicella Classico all the way up to aged Amarone. The 2016 Amarone Crosara de le Strie and the 2013 Amarone Riserva Monte Danieli are the headline acts, and they're legit. That said, if you're hoping for Piedmont, Tuscany, or anything outside Italy, you're going to be disappointed — the geographic range is narrow enough that it starts to feel limiting by the time you're ordering a second bottle. The Ripasso fills the middle tier nicely, but there's a noticeable gap in white wine depth.
By the Glass
Eight to fourteen pours by the glass is a workable range for a restaurant this size, and the Carpene Malvolti Prosecco is a solid opener — familiar enough to not scare anyone off, but a legitimate producer rather than anonymous bubbles. The glass program mirrors the bottle list's Veneto focus, which means you're getting consistent quality within a narrow lane.
2021 Valpolicella Superiore Ripasso — $55
Ripasso hits the sweet spot for this kitchen — enough body and dried-fruit richness to hold up to the wood-fired flavors without requiring you to commit to a full Amarone price tag. It's the move for a table that's ordering across the menu.
2022 Valpolicella Classico
Most people at a table with Amarone on the list will walk right past the Classico, and that's a mistake. A good Valpolicella Classico is lighter, brighter, and frankly more food-friendly for a multi-course Italian dinner than its heavier Veneto cousins. Don't sleep on it.
2013 Amarone Riserva Monte Danieli
The wine itself is probably excellent, but Amarone Riserva at a restaurant markup on a decade-old vintage is a significant spend — and without a knowledgeable floor staff to walk you through what you're buying, you're paying a premium largely on faith. Save this one for a shop where you can do the homework first.
2016 Amarone Crosara de le Strie + Dirty Steak with Hot Fanny Sauce
Amarone's concentrated dark fruit and grippy tannins are built for char and fat. The Dirty Steak's wood-fired crust and assertive sauce need something with enough structure to push back — this Amarone doesn't flinch.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Al Forno is a Veneto specialist in a city that mostly plays it safe with Italian wine, and there's real value in that focus. Just go in knowing the list won't surprise you geographically, and the markup means you're paying for the room as much as the bottle.
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