Michigan soul food meets genuinely thoughtful wine
Ann Arbor · Detroit · American · Visit Website ↗
Updated April 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · March 22, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Zingerman's Roadhouse’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You come here for the fried chicken and the mac 'n cheese, and then the wine list quietly surprises you. It's 36 bottles — not deep, but curated with a real point of view: American producers, women winemakers, and underrepresented voices get the floor here. That's not something you see at most comfort-food institutions, and it earns some real respect.
The list leans hard into American terroir, which makes sense given the Roadhouse's whole mission of celebrating regional foodways. Michigan shows up proudly with L. Mawby and Laurentide representing the Leelanau Peninsula. Carol Shelton's Wild Thing Viognier from Placer County adds some California firepower, and the Rare Wine Co. Madeira is a genuinely adventurous inclusion that you'd never expect alongside a bowl of gumbo. The focus on women and underrepresented winemakers gives this list a spine that most casual American spots completely lack.
Eight to twelve options by the glass is a decent spread for a place this size. The rotation appears to track with the bottle list's ethos — American-focused, purposeful. We'd like to see a bit more transparency on what's actually pouring by the glass on a given night, but the foundation is there.
Carol Shelton 'Wild Thing' Damiano Vineyard Viognier Placer County 2023 — null
Carol Shelton is a legend of California winemaking and this Viognier from a single Placer County vineyard is the kind of bottle that rewards curiosity. It fits the list's American-focus ethos while offering real winemaker pedigree you'd expect to pay more for elsewhere.
The Rare Wine Co. Historic Series Madeira Savannah Verdelho Special Reserve NV
Most people stare right past Madeira on a wine list — that's a mistake. This Verdelho is nutty, rich, and practically immortal in the glass. At a place serving NOLA Gumbo and hearty American fare, this is the wildest and most rewarding pour on the list. Order it after dinner or alongside something savory and bold.
Laurentide Sweet Riesling Leelanau Peninsula MI
Supporting Michigan wine is admirable, but a 200% markup — $54 at the table for a bottle that retails around $18 — is hard to swallow no matter how much you love the state. The sweet Riesling style also won't do much for you with this menu. Skip it and spend those dollars elsewhere on the list.
Carol Shelton 'Wild Thing' Damiano Vineyard Viognier Placer County 2023 + NOLA Gumbo
A full-bodied, aromatic Viognier can take the heat and spice of a proper gumbo and hold its own — the stone fruit and floral weight in the wine cut right through the roux-richness without getting steamrolled. It's a confident match that reflects both the wine's California swagger and the dish's Southern roots.
The Bottom Line
Zingerman's Roadhouse is doing something genuinely interesting with a small wine list — the intentionality around American producers and underrepresented winemakers punches above the restaurant's casual comfort-food weight class. The markups keep it from being a go-to wine destination, but if you're already here for the fried chicken, don't sleep on the Madeira.
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
· Bakersfield · American
Yard House Bakersfield is a beer hall that happens to sell wine, and the list makes no effort to hide that. Markups are aggressive, selections are safe to the point of being anonymous, and the only reason to open a bottle here is if your table voted against another round of IPAs. If you're wine-focused, redirect your budget to the Jean-Luc Colombo Rosé by the glass and call it a night.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Yountville · American
The Kitchen at Priest Ranch is a one-winery show, and that's exactly the point. If you want to spend an evening exploring what a single Napa estate produces across whites, rosé, Zinfandel, Merlot, and multiple Cabernet expressions — including older large-format bottles — this is a genuinely interesting way to do it. Just don't come expecting breadth or outside discovery. Send a friend here if they love Priest Ranch or want to.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
· Baltimore · American
Give the international and local sections a look before defaulting to Burgundy. Sula at $70 and Old Westminster at $90 offer different budget options. These are posted bottle prices, not guaranteed stock; confirm availability. This menu guide doesn't rate service or cellar conditions.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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