Panorama
Old City's Italian Wine Anchor, Earning It Since '93
Old City · Philadelphia · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 9, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
The wine list at Panorama lands with authority — this is not a restaurant that bolted a wine program onto an Italian menu as an afterthought. Holding a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence continuously since 1993 means they've been doing this longer than most Philly restaurants have existed. You feel that history the moment you open the list.
Selection Deep Dive
Piedmont and Tuscany form the twin pillars here, and both are handled seriously — we're talking Barolo from Giacomo Conterno, Barbaresco, Brunello di Montalcino, and the heavy-hitter Super Tuscans like Sassicaia and Tignanello sitting alongside Chianti Classico Riserva and Amarone della Valpolicella. California gets its due with Napa Cabernet and Sonoma Pinot Noir rounding out the New World presence, while France adds classical depth to what is already a 120-150 bottle list. The gaps, if any, are minor — this is a focused, curator's list rather than a phone-book exercise in showing off.
By the Glass
With 18-24 pours running between $12 and $22, the by-the-glass program punches well above the average Italian restaurant in this city. That range suggests real thought went into rotation — you're not stuck choosing between a house red and a generic Pinot Grigio. If the bottle list reflects the regions it focuses on, expect at least a few Piedmont and Tuscan options available by the glass on any given night.
Chianti Classico Riserva — $45–$55 (approx.)
Chianti Classico Riserva at the entry price point on a list this serious is almost always the move — age-worthy Sangiovese with structure and savory depth, typically at the lowest markup tier. With hand-rolled pastas and veal on the menu, it earns its keep at the table without denting the card.
Amarone della Valpolicella
People walk right past Amarone on Italian lists because it sounds like a commitment — big, brooding, concentrated. But on a cold Philadelphia night with a plate of something meaty in front of you, it's one of the most rewarding bottles on this list. Most diners order the Barolo or a Super Tuscan. Let them. More Amarone for the rest of us.
Sassicaia
Sassicaia is a legend, full stop — but on restaurant lists it almost always carries a markup that puts it well north of what you'd pay at retail, and Panorama is unlikely to be the exception. Unless it's a special occasion and money isn't the conversation, the same terroir story gets told for considerably less elsewhere on this list.
Barolo (Giacomo Conterno) + Hand-rolled pasta with braised veal
Conterno's Barolo is built on Nebbiolo's signature tension — tart cherry, tar, dried roses, firm tannins that need something to work against. Braised veal with hand-rolled pasta gives it exactly that: fat and umami to soften the grip, enough weight to match the wine's structure. This is the pairing that justifies the trip.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Panorama has been one of Philadelphia's most credible Italian wine programs for three decades and the list backs that up with producer-level specificity and fair pricing. If you're eating in Old City and wine matters to you, there's no better seat in the neighborhood.
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