Fratello's Italian Grille

The wine list at Fratello's reads like a greatest hits of approachable restaurant wine — recognizable names, nothing that's going to challenge you, nothing that's going to embarrass you. It fits the room: a lively millyard dining room where the brick oven pizza and live music are the headliners. Wine is supporting cast here, and it knows its role.

The list runs 50-70 bottles with a lean toward California and Italy, which makes sense given the concept. You've got your Canyon Road shelf staples anchoring the entry level, a few Italian workhorses like Banfi Chianti Superiore, Davinci Chianti, and Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio in the middle tier, and then a short Napa splurge shelf with Rombauer, The Prisoner, and Leviathan for anyone feeling ambitious. The Frescobaldi Toscana Remole is a quiet bright spot — actual Italian character on a list that otherwise doesn't go out of its way to find it. There are real gaps: no Barolo, no Brunello, no serious white Burgundy, and the sparkling section is basically Lamberti, Lamarca, and a Gloria Ferrer Brut.

Twenty-plus by-the-glass options is genuinely generous for a casual Italian-American spot, and the $6.50–$14 range keeps it accessible. The problem is that a big chunk of those pours are Canyon Road across its entire lineup — Cab, Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Pinot Grigio, Sauv Blanc, White Zin, Moscato — which inflates the count without adding much diversity. Step past Canyon Road and you can land on Santa Margherita or a Chianti by the glass, which is worth doing.