La Connessa

The wine list at La Connessa arrives with the same confidence as the room itself — polished, intentional, and a little bit showstopping. This is not a list assembled by someone who Googled 'popular Italian wines'; this is a list built by people who actually care about Barolo vintages and know the difference between a Gaja and a grocery store Barbaresco. Wine Spectator handed them a Best of Award of Excellence in 2024, and one look at the book tells you why.

The Italian side of this list is the main event — Piedmont and Tuscany dominate, and they do it well. Barolo and Barbaresco from producers like Gaja sit alongside Brunello di Montalcino and Chianti Classico Riserva, while the Super Tuscan shelf brings out the heavyweights: Sassicaia and Ornellaia make appearances for those looking to spend up. California holds its own with Napa Cabernet and Sonoma/Russian River Pinot Noir, anchored by Ridge Vineyards as a reliable flag-bearer. The list runs 300-500 bottles deep, which means there's real discovery here beyond the obvious picks — this isn't a greatest-hits-only situation.

With 12-20 pours running $12-$25 a glass, the by-the-glass program is genuinely useful and not just an afterthought. The range appears to track the bottle list's strengths, meaning you can expect Italian and California options that actually reflect the restaurant's identity rather than generic filler. It's the kind of program where you could build a great dinner purely on glass pours without feeling shortchanged.