The Annex Kitchen

The wine list at The Annex Kitchen is a pleasant gut-punch — nineteen labels, all by the glass, anchored firmly in Italian producers with enough California cameos to keep the locals happy. For Fresno, this is not what you expect walking in. Someone here actually cares.

The list leans hard into northern and central Italy, hitting Piedmont (Pecchenino Langhe Nebbiolo, Michele Chiarlo Barbera d'Asti, Malvira Brachetto), Tuscany (Fattoria di Piazzano Chianti, Ricasoli Antico Feudo Super Tuscan, Mastro Scheidt Sangiovese), and northeast Italy with Venica + Venica Pinot Grigio from Collio and Pighin Sauvignon Blanc from Friuli. The sparkling section punches above its weight — Vigna Dorata Franciacorta and Diletta Tonello Durello Metodo Classico are the kind of selections you see at wine bars, not regional Italian spots in the Central Valley. California gets a modest nod with JAX Y3 Cab, Trefethen Chardonnay, and Patricia Green Reserve Pinot Noir — all respectable choices that don't embarrass themselves next to the Italian core. The one gap: no Verdicchio, no Etna, no southern Italian representation beyond the Argiolas Vermentino from Sardinia.

All nineteen bottles are available by the glass, ranging from $9 to $18 — an unusually democratic setup that lets you range across the whole list without committing to a bottle. At $9, the Fattoria di Piazzano Chianti is your entry point; at $18, you're choosing between the Trefethen Chardonnay or the Vigna Dorata Franciacorta, which is a genuinely interesting decision to be forced to make. The breadth here is the real story: bubbles, rosé, and a Brachetto Birbet dessert-style pour round out options most restaurants never bother with.