Sign In

or

No password needed β€” we'll email you a sign-in link.

πŸ”₯The Rager

Antico Nuovo

Italy Done Right, From Piedmont to Sicily

East Larchmont Village Β· Los Angeles Β· Italian Β· Visit Website β†—

date-nightold-world-focusdeep-cellarnatural-wine

Reviewed April 7, 2026

Wingman Metrics

List VarietyDeep & Eclectic
MarkupFair
GlasswareVarietal Specific
StaffKnowledgeable & Friendly
Specials & DealsSeasonal Rotation
Storage & TempProper

First Impression

The wine list at Antico Nuovo lands with the same intention as the room itself β€” considered, rooted, and not trying too hard. You flip through 200-plus bottles and immediately clock that someone who actually knows Italian wine built this list. It's not a Greatest Hits of Pinot Grigio and Chianti; it's a love letter to the regions that matter.

Selection Deep Dive

Piedmont and Sicily anchor the list with serious depth β€” we're talking Barolo and Barbaresco from Giacomo Conterno and Gaja sitting alongside Etna Rosso and Nero d'Avola from Arianna Occhipinti and Cos. That's not an accident; that's a sommelier with a point of view. Brunello di Montalcino adds Tuscan gravity, while France shows up through Burgundy and the RhΓ΄ne to round things out without overreaching. The gaps are few: if you're hunting New World or anything outside the Italian-French axis, you're at the wrong restaurant β€” and honestly, that's fine.

By the Glass

Twenty to thirty by-the-glass options is generous for a restaurant of this size, and the price range of $14–$22 is reasonable for Los Angeles. With Haley James running the wine program, the glass pours reflect the same regional intelligence as the bottle list β€” expect Sicilian and Piedmontese options that you won't find at your average neighborhood Italian spot.

πŸ’°Best Value

Arianna Occhipinti Nero d'Avola (Sicily) β€” $14-$22 by the glass

Occhipinti's natural-leaning Sicilian reds punch well above their price point β€” earthy, structured, and genuinely interesting. Getting this by the glass at Antico Nuovo's price range is a win.

πŸ’ŽHidden Gem

Cos (Sicily)

Cos is one of Sicily's benchmark producers β€” amphora-aged, low-intervention, historically significant β€” and most tables will walk right past it to grab the Barolo. Don't. It's the kind of bottle that changes how you think about the island.

β›”Skip This

Gaja Barbaresco

Gaja makes extraordinary wine. It also carries extraordinary restaurant markup. At the top of the bottle price range here, you can drink exceptionally well elsewhere on this list without paying the Gaja premium. Save the Gaja for a special occasion β€” or buy it retail.

🍽️Perfect Pairing

Giacomo Conterno Barolo + Wood-fired meats from the hand-cranked rotisserie

Conterno Barolo is built for exactly this: smoke, char, and serious protein. The wine's structure and tar-and-roses character cuts through rich rotisserie meat in a way that makes both the food and the wine taste like they were waiting for each other.

πŸ”₯ The Bottom Line

Antico Nuovo's wine list earns its Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence β€” this is one of the better Italian-focused programs in Los Angeles, run by someone who clearly cares. Send a friend here for wine without hesitation.

Comments

Cmd+Enter to post
Loading comments...

Sign In

or

No password needed β€” we'll email you a sign-in link.

Get the Weekly Wingman

One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.