Since opening Ricardo’s Italian Café (ricardositaliancafe.com) in 1989 with her husband and chef, Mark, certified sommelier Michelle Adams has had more than two decades to assemble her broad list of well-selected, modestly priced, and impeccably stored (read: climate-controlled) wines. Whether you’re ordering Sonoma Valley cabernet from Gundlach Bundschu or a half bottle of Chateau Montelena chardonnay, you’ll receive proper wine service here at an excellent price.
Where does one go to enjoy a truly global wine list that pairs with classic Italian food? To Bar Napoli (cafenapoli.com/barnapoli). One wonders whether the throngs of well-heeled drinkers at the always-buzzing Clayton bar have even noticed the extensive wine list (presented on iPads). It’s a massive, worldly selection with plenty of Napa Valley cabs and old-world Barolos, in addition to some surprising Burgundies, including Domaine de la Romanée-Conti—one of the rarest, most cherished in the world.
When Jim Fiala grabbed a prime corner in Maplewood more than six years ago, he wanted to create an “artisan” Italian restaurant with a nod to tradition. The wine list at Acero (fialafood.com/acero) echoes this focus perfectly. Esoteric values (Nerello Mascalese), classic staples (prime Barbaresco), and rare gems (Gravner Bianco Breg) all find a home on one of the best-calculated lists in St. Louis. This all-Italian list suits both midweek dining and the special-occasion splurge.
The best-kept secret in STL wine? Bar Italia (baritaliastl.com). Tucked upstairs, away from the still-hip bar, sits a conditioned wine room, patiently aging cases of wines that have long since disappeared from other restaurants: 20-year-old Barolo, mid-’90s Super Tuscan blends, a 22-year-old Sardinian cabernet… The selection is stunning in its depth and stature. On your next visit to Bar Italia, ask for the big wine list—400 strong—and be amazed.
