il Buco

Il Buco is Italian. The name says it. The food says it. The rustic, farmhouse setting says it. The wine list…well the wine list says a lot, even if it’s not all Italian. Breadth. Depth. Quality. Value. Yes, even value if you choose very carefully.

Italy garners most of the attention. Tuscany? Check. Piedmont? Check. Good coverage from north to south? Check. Hey, where’s Val d’Aosta? Well like I said, it’s not all Italian. France. Spain. The US. Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Lebanon. Switzerland and Lebanon? Well alright! New York wines also make a strong showing both by the glass and the bottle.

Yes, Il Buco’s wine list has a bit of all of it, including a downside. Value is not its strong point, a drawback that shows up most obviously in overpriced and underwhelming selections by the glass.