Ann Arbor's Italian anchor actually knows wine
Downtown · Ann Arbor · Italian Osteria & Pizzeria · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 4, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Fifty-one labels at a wood-fired pizza joint in Ann Arbor is not what you expect, and the list earns a second look. It skews Italian in the right ways — Brunello, Barolo, Barbaresco, Amarone — with a few sharp detours into Burgundy and the Rhône. The room is loud and fun, which sets honest expectations: this is a drinking-with-dinner list, not a cellar tour.
The Italian spine is genuinely strong. Le Potazzine Brunello di Montalcino 2020, Pio Cesare Barolo 2021, Moccagatta Barbaresco 2022, and T. Bussola Amarone 2019 on a single list in Michigan is legitimate effort — these are producers worth knowing. The non-Italian picks are selective but sharp: Alain Graillot's Crozes-Hermitage and Château de Fleys 1er Cru Chablis show someone is paying attention beyond the boot. Clos Mogador's Grenache from Priorat is a genuinely interesting addition that most comparable Italian spots would never bother with. Gaps exist in the Southern Italian and natural wine categories, but for a neighborhood osteria, the depth is real.
Twenty-eight by-the-glass options for a 51-bottle list is an unusually high ratio, which is great news for tables that can't agree on a bottle. The $10–$18 glass range covers solid everyday drinking, though the research doesn't confirm which of the heavier hitters are available by the glass. Rotation appears static rather than seasonal, which is the one area where the program could punch harder.
Marchese Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2022 — $40–$60 (bottle range)
Antinori's Chianti Classico Riserva is a benchmark wine from one of Tuscany's most reliable names. At the lower end of this list's pricing, it delivers serious sangiovese character — cherry, leather, firm structure — that holds up to a wood-fired Soppressata pizza without asking you to order carefully around it.
Alain Graillot Crozes-Hermitage 2022
Most people scanning an Italian menu gloss right past a Northern Rhône Syrah, which is their loss. Graillot's Crozes-Hermitage is one of the Rhône's great values from a producer who built his reputation on restraint and terroir. It's smoky, savory, and structured in a way that cuts through rich pasta dishes better than most reds on this list. $115 at a restaurant is steep, but this is a legitimately serious bottle.
Gosset Grand Réserve Brut NV
At $110 with no retail anchor in the data, this is a tough sell when Louis Roederer Brut NV is sitting right next to it at $85. Gosset is a fine house, but the value math here doesn't work — you're paying a significant premium for a lateral move at best. Take the Roederer.
T. Bussola Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOC 2019 + Soppressata Pizza
Amarone is built around dried-grape concentration and serious tannin, which needs fat and salt to settle down. The Soppressata pizza — pork fat, spice, char from the wood oven — gives it exactly that. Bussola's version has the structure to handle the heat and the fruit to keep pace with the richness. It's a big move for a pizza night, but it works.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Mani is a genuinely good wine list wearing a casual-Italian-restaurant costume, which means most tables will order a Chianti and move on without noticing the Barbaresco sitting three lines below it. Send your wine-curious friends here with instructions to look past the obvious — the Italian spine is the real deal, and the room makes it fun.
Downtown / Campus · Ann Arbor · New American / Hotel Restaurant
Eve is a dependable, well-kept hotel wine list that earns its place as Ann Arbor's go-to for faculty dinners and anniversary meals — just don't come expecting to be surprised. Order the Merry Edwards, skip the Stag's Leap markup, and let someone else handle the tab.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
West Ann Arbor · Ann Arbor · Upscale-casual Italian
Bravo! is a chain doing chain things with its wine list — predictable, approachable, and not particularly exciting. But the markup is fairer than most chains, the by-the-glass range is functional, and if you show up on a Wednesday, $7 Provençal rosé on the patio is a genuinely good time.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Downtown · Ann Arbor · American Gastropub
The Ravens Club isn't a wine destination — it's a late-night Ann Arbor institution that happens to have a functional wine list. Show up on a Wednesday, order the Gruet for $6, and let the spirits program do its real job.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Downtown · Ann Arbor · Japanese-inspired ramen, noodle dishes, and izakaya-style small plates
Slurping Turtle is a genuinely fun spot to eat, and the ramen deserves your full attention — but the wine list is on cruise control and nobody seems to mind. Stick to a glass of Riesling or grab a beer, and save your wine curiosity for somewhere that reciprocates it.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
South Ann Arbor · Ann Arbor · Sushi / Japanese
Nagomi is the rare sushi spot that made an actual choice with its wine program instead of just phoning it in with grocery store staples — a focused BC lineup at fair prices is exactly the kind of unexpected that earns a second look. If you're curious about Canadian wine and want a low-stakes way to explore it, this is your spot.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Ann Arbor · Korean BBQ
Tomukun is a great place to eat Korean BBQ and drink soju with friends — the wine list is just not the reason to come here. Order the Riesling if you must, or do yourself a favor and let the soju do the work.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.