Ann Arbor's Italian Wine Anchor, Done Right
Ann Arbor · Italian
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 16, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Paesano Restaurant And Wine Bar’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Paesano reads like a love letter to the Italian peninsula — and it means it. You open it expecting the usual Pinot Grigio-and-Chianti combo platter, and instead find yourself staring down Barolo, Brunello, and Amarone sitting comfortably within a $30–$120 range. For Ann Arbor, that's a genuine statement.
The list runs 150 to 250 bottles deep and stays firmly planted in Italian terroir — which is exactly the right call for a kitchen built around housemade pasta and osso buco. The heavy hitters are all present: Barolo and Brunello di Montalcino anchor the reds, Amarone della Valpolicella adds some drama, and Chianti Classico covers the everyday-drinking middle ground. Pinot Grigio delle Venezie handles the white side of things, though the list could use more depth beyond the northeastern Italy classics — a Vermentino or Fiano wouldn't hurt. Wine Spectator has recognized this program with an Award of Excellence since 2020, and the Italian focus earns that credential.
Twelve to twenty options by the glass is a solid spread for a neighborhood Italian spot, and the $10–$18 price range keeps things approachable. We'd expect a rotating mix of the crowd-pleasing Pinot Grigio and Chianti alongside at least one or two of the more serious bottles — though without confirmed rotation, it's hard to say how often the pours get refreshed.
Chianti Classico — $30
At the low end of the bottle range, a solid Chianti Classico at Paesano gives you everything you want with the pasta and the pizza — bright acidity, Sangiovese structure, food-friendly all the way through — without denting the dinner budget.
Pinot Grigio delle Venezie
Most people order it out of reflex and move on, but a well-sourced Pinot Grigio delle Venezie is a seriously underrated food wine — crisp, mineral-driven, and a natural match for the branzino. Don't sleep on it just because it sounds like an airport order.
Amarone della Valpolicella
Amarone is a special-occasion wine that demands time and attention — and at a busy dinner service in a neighborhood Italian spot, you're probably not getting the full experience. At the top of the price range here, the value math gets harder to justify unless you're planning to linger.
Barolo + Osso buco
Barolo is basically engineered for braised meat — the tannin structure and dried cherry depth cut right through the richness of a slow-braised veal shank and make each bite taste better than the last. This is the move at Paesano.
The Bottom Line
Paesano is doing the right things with wine in a city that doesn't always demand it — a focused Italian list at fair prices, anchored by serious bottles and served in a room that actually cares about the food. Send a friend here on a date night and tell them to order the Barolo with the osso buco.
· Ann Arbor · French-Inspired
La Serre is a genuinely beautiful room with a wine list that's still finding its voice — solid enough for a date night, not yet a destination for anyone who really cares about what's in the glass. Come for the mussels and steak frites, drink something French, and hope the list grows into the space it inhabits.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Ann Arbor · Wine Bar / New American
Vinology is doing something genuinely interesting for Ann Arbor — a globally curious, fairly priced wine list with real depth by the glass and producers you won't find at the Italian place down the street. We'd send a friend here specifically for wine, which is not something we say lightly.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
· Ann Arbor · New American / Wine Bar
Spencer is a reliable wine bar doing exactly what it sets out to do — give Ann Arbor diners a comfortable, recognizable list with enough options to make everyone at the table happy. Just watch the by-the-glass pricing on the upper end, and let the Idlewild be your little secret.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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
· West Palm Beach · Italian
Cafe Sapori's wine list is a reliable Italian-leaning companion — not adventurous, not cheap, but curated enough that the right picks reward you. Skip the Whispering Angel, dig into the Tuscans, and you'll leave satisfied.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· College Station · Italian
Amico Nave is a reliable neighborhood Italian with a wine list that's serviceable but won't knock your socks off — great for a date night when the food is the star, less great if you're there for the wine. Order something Italian, keep it simple, and enjoy the room.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Hartford · Italian
Geppetto is the kind of place where the wine list actually reflects the kitchen's point of view — Italy, seriously, without apology. It's not a destination wine program, but it's a trustworthy one, and in Torrington, that earns real points.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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