America's 100 Best Wine Restaurants 2017

The wine list may be sourced from Italy, but Ava Gene’s Italian dishes feature ingredients as local as its own garden. Beverage Director Caryn Benke works with family-owned wineries—many biodynamic, organic or both—to select bottles often not found elsewhere.

From the sommelier: “I love experiencing the moment of epiphany with a guest, when they come in with little knowledge of Italian wine, and I’m able to help them find a bottle they love. So much of this is meeting the guest where they are in terms of wine speak. I’m really proud of the time I’ve spent learning about wine as a discipline, but it’s akin to studying French for years and then arriving in Paris and realizing no one speaks like they’re in a classroom.” –Caryn Benke