Sign In

or

No password needed — we'll email you a sign-in link.

✔️The Reliable

Capriccio

Boardwalk Italian With Serious Wine Credentials

Atlantic City Boardwalk · Atlantic City · Italian

date-nightold-world-focussplurge-worthycasual-vibes

Reviewed April 18, 2026

Wingman Metrics

List VarietySolid Range
MarkupFair
GlasswareBasic Stemmed
StaffWilling but Green
Specials & DealsOccasional
Storage & TempProper

First Impression

Walk into Capriccio and the wine list feels like the room — white tablecloths, ocean views, a sense that someone here actually tried. The 200-plus bottle list leans hard into California and Italy, which tracks for a classic Italian steakhouse on the Jersey Shore. This isn't a risk-taker's list, but it's not an embarrassment either.

Selection Deep Dive

The California-Italy axis is well-executed: you've got Sassicaia and Tignanello on the Super Tuscan side, Brunello and Barolo representing the traditional Italian heavyweights, and a solid California contingent anchored by Caymus, Silver Oak, Opus One, and Far Niente. The list has held a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence since 2017, and you can feel that institutional care — there's actual thought behind the producer choices, even if the overall selection doesn't push into adventurous territory. Don't come looking for Jura or Georgian amber wines; this list is built for people who know what they like and want to find it done well. Gaps exist in the Southern Hemisphere and anywhere off the beaten path, but within its lane, Capriccio delivers.

By the Glass

Twelve to twenty pours by the glass is a respectable spread for a restaurant of this size, and options like the Cakebread Chardonnay and Duckhorn Chardonnay give the white wine side some real credibility. We'd like to see more rotation and a few curveballs — a Barolo or a Tignanello by the glass would turn this section from good to great.

💰Best Value

Antinori Tignanello Toscana 2020 — $45

Tignanello retails north of $80 in most markets, so $45 a glass (or a competitive bottle price) at a boardwalk restaurant with ocean views is genuinely solid. This is the wine that earns Capriccio its Wine Spectator cred.

💎Hidden Gem

Gaja Barbaresco 2021

Most tables here are ordering Caymus and Silver Oak on autopilot, which means the Gaja Barbaresco sits quietly on the list waiting for someone paying attention. One of the most compelling producers in all of Piedmont, and at $38 a glass it's the smartest pour on the menu.

Skip This

Opus One Napa Valley 2020

At $95 a glass, Opus One is always a flex purchase more than a value decision — you're paying for the name as much as the wine. The Tignanello or Sassicaia will give you a more interesting experience for less money.

🍽️Perfect Pairing

Sassicaia Bolgheri 2021 + Veal Chop Parmesan

Sassicaia's Cabernet-forward structure and savory dried herb character cut right through the richness of a veal chop without steamrolling the meat. It's the kind of pairing that makes the food taste better and the wine taste better — that's the whole point.

🍷Half-Price Wine Night

TuesdayHalf-price wine night on Tuesdays — a legitimate reason to plan your AC trip around the mid-week calendar.

✔️ The Bottom Line

Capriccio isn't trying to be a wine destination, but it's a genuinely solid list for what it is — an upscale Italian on the Atlantic City Boardwalk with real producers, fair prices, and a Tuesday half-price night that's worth planning around. If you're already there for the osso buco, you're in good hands.

Sign In

or

No password needed — we'll email you a sign-in link.

Comments

Cmd+Enter to post
Loading comments...

Sign In

or

No password needed — 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.