Old World Soul, New World Markup Problem
Plymouth · Detroit · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed March 22, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Three hundred and fifty labels at an Italian steakhouse in Plymouth, Michigan — that gets our attention fast. The list leans hard into Tuscany and Piedmont, which is exactly right for a room that smells like butter and sounds like Sinatra. The vibe says white tablecloths and serious wine; the pricing says they know it.
The Italian backbone here is genuinely impressive for suburban Detroit — Tuscan and Piedmontese producers anchoring a list that has real depth, not just Chianti and a Barolo they found at Costco. The presence of Mischief & Mayhem's Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru signals someone behind the list has taste and ambition; that's a serious Burgundy that has no business sitting next to a bread basket in Plymouth, and we mean that as a compliment. The California section pulls in names like Belle Glos Meiomi Pinot Noir, which is crowd-pleasing but a little safe given how interesting the rest of the list can get. There are gaps in the by-the-glass program that keep this from being a true destination list, but the bottle selection rewards anyone willing to dig.
By-the-glass details are thin on the ground here — the restaurant doesn't make it easy to know what's available without sitting down and asking. That's a minor frustration when the bottle list is this deep. If the pours rotate with any thoughtfulness, there's potential; if they're just defaulting to Santa Margherita and a house red, that's a miss the kitchen doesn't deserve.
Belle Glos Meiomi Pinot Noir — null
It's not the most adventurous pick on a 350-label list, but Meiomi is reliably crowd-pleasing, widely recognized, and tends to be priced more reasonably than the European heavy-hitters here. If you're at a table with mixed wine opinions, this is the move.
Mischief & Mayhem Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru
Most people at a suburban Italian steakhouse are reaching for a Barolo or a Super Tuscan — and both are fine choices. But a Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru from Mischief & Mayhem is a genuinely exciting Burgundy from a producer that punches hard. The kind of bottle most diners here will overlook entirely, which is their loss.
Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio Alto Adige
At $42 for a bottle that retails around $20, you're paying a 110% markup for the privilege of ordering the most recognizable Pinot Grigio in America. It's not a bad wine, but it's a lazy order at a lazy price. Spend that $42 elsewhere on this list.
Mischief & Mayhem Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru + Piedmontese Filet
A Grand Cru Burgundy and a Piedmontese filet is the kind of pairing that makes a dinner memorable. The earthy, iron-tinged depth of the Clos de Vougeot cuts through the richness of the beef without overwhelming it — and the prestige on both sides of the plate feels earned.
✔️ The Bottom Line
La Bistecca has the bones of a genuinely great wine destination — 350 labels, real Italian depth, and at least one Grand Cru Burgundy that has no business being this accessible. The markups take some of the shine off, but if you know where to look on this list, you can drink very well in Plymouth.
Renaissance Center · Detroit · Regional Steakhouse
Highlands is a reliable special-occasion wine stop backed by a knowledgeable sommelier in Kevin Williams and a Wine Spectator Award it's held since 2022. The list won't surprise you, but at 71 floors up with a bone-in ribeye in front of you, you probably weren't asking it to.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Corktown · Detroit · Italian, Swiss
Alpino is doing something genuinely unusual for Detroit — an alpine-themed kitchen with a wine list that actually matches the room's ambition, not just its vibe. Send your friends here, tell them to order Austrian, and sit near the fireplace.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Southfield · Detroit · Northern Italian
Bacco is the kind of wine program that makes you feel like Detroit's been holding out on you — 11,000 bottles, a sommelier who actually knows the cellar, and a room serious enough to let a 2000 Gaja breathe properly. The prices will make your eyes water, but this is a destination list worth the trip.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Rochester Hills · Detroit · Italian
La Collina is a perfectly decent neighborhood Italian spot that treats its wine list like an afterthought — familiar names, steep markups, no real sense of curation or care. Drink the Brunello or order a Negroni and don't look back.
Crowd Pleasers
Gouge
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Detroit · Detroit · Contemporary American
The Apparatus Room is the wine list Detroit didn't know it needed — thoughtful, fairly priced, and backed by a sommelier who actually shows up. If you're eating downtown and you care about what's in your glass, this is your spot.
Solid Range
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Unknown · Detroit · Steakhouse
Shanahan's is playing a different game than most Detroit restaurants — the wine list is destination-worthy on its own merits, even if the markups reflect the ambition. If you're serious about wine with your steak, this is where you go.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
La Frontera · Round Rock · Italian
Macaroni Grill's wine list is functional in the same way a vending machine is functional — it'll get you a drink, but nobody's excited about it. If wine matters to you even a little, you're better off at almost any independent Italian spot in the area.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Wooster Square · New Haven · Italian
Tre Scalini is the rare neighborhood Italian that backs up a serious room with a serious wine list — 425 bottles, a sommelier, and real Italian depth all say someone's paying attention. Markups run steep on the prestige stuff, but value is absolutely findable if you know where to look.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
The Greene · Dayton · Italian
Bravo is not a wine destination, and it doesn't try to be — but Wednesday nights at the bar with $7 pours of Ruffino Chianti and a pasta dish is genuinely a decent night out in Beavercreek. Skip the wine list the other six nights unless you're okay paying chain markups for supermarket bottles.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
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