Caravaggio Ristorante
Old World Royalty on the Upper East Side
Upper East Side · New York · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 8, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
The wine list at Caravaggio lands like a greatest-hits album for Italian wine nerds — Giacomo Conterno Barolo, Biondi-Santi Brunello, Gaja Barbaresco, all in one place, all under one roof on East 74th Street. This is a serious list built by people who take Italy seriously. Wine Spectator has handed them a Best of Award of Excellence every year since 2010, and one look at the cellar tells you why.
Selection Deep Dive
Tuscany and Piedmont are the twin engines here, and they run hot. You've got the full Super Tuscan murderers' row — Sassicaia, Ornellaia, Solaia, Tignanello — alongside Brunello heavyweights from Biondi-Santi and Casanova di Neri. The Piedmont contingent is just as formidable, with Giacomo Conterno and Bruno Giacosa Barolo sitting alongside Gaja Barbaresco. Beyond Italy, they've rounded out the list with Champagne (Krug, Cristal), Bordeaux (Château Margaux), Burgundy (Domaine de la Romanée-Conti), and California (Opus One, Caymus Special Selection) — smart additions that make this a full-service cellar without losing its Italian identity. The 400-600 bottle depth means there's real discovery to be had, not just the same ten trophy bottles every UES Italian trot out.
By the Glass
With 15-25 pours available, the by-the-glass program is genuinely generous for a room this formal. You're not getting DRC by the glass, but the Italian selections rotate through quality producers that let you taste the list without committing to a full bottle at trophy-wine prices. Ask Giuseppe Bruno or Manny Parades what's open — these two know their stuff and won't steer you wrong.
Amarone della Valpolicella, Allegrini — $130
Allegrini's Amarone is a legitimate powerhouse — rich, structured, age-worthy — and in a list full of four-figure bottles, it's the one that lets you drink at the level of the room without the credit card guilt. Order it with anything braised on the menu.
Brunello di Montalcino, Casanova di Neri
Everyone reaching for Biondi-Santi is paying for the legend. Casanova di Neri is making some of the most consistent, layered Brunello in Montalcino right now — it's in the same conversation and frequently overlooked next to the famous names on this list.
Caymus Vineyards Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus Special Selection is a fine wine, but it's also one of the most marked-up bottles in the country at restaurants like this. You're at a serious Italian cellar — drink Italian. There are a dozen bottles on this list that will outperform Caymus at this price point and actually fit the room.
Barolo, Bruno Giacosa + Bucatini all'Amatriciana
Giacosa's Barolo brings tar, roses, and serious tannic structure that cuts right through the guanciale fat and tomato richness in the Amatriciana. It's a classicist move that works every time — old-school Italian wine meeting old-school Italian pasta.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Caravaggio is the real deal — a genuinely deep Italian cellar staffed by people who give a damn, in a setting that earns its formal reputation. Markups are what you'd expect for the Upper East Side, so come with a plan and lean hard into the Italian selections where the list truly shines.
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