Wine Bar
Unclaimed profilePaesano Restaurant & Wine Bar
Ann Arbor, MI · $$
Inebrious
Beverage Program Score
The editorial take
Paesano Restaurant & Wine Bar builds its beverage identity around an exclusively Italian wine list organized by region from north to south, with by-the-glass pours from $8 to $16 and bottles from $28 to $135. The bottle list spans Barolo, Barbaresco, Brunello di Montalcino, Amarone, and Etna Rosso, and the venue hosts seasonal wine dinners with Italian winery owners, winemakers, and importers. Cocktails include a Paesano Old Fashioned, Paesano Martini, and Pineapple Mai Tai, while mocktails and non-alcoholic sparkling wine round out the menu.
- What should I order?
- Start with the Andreola Prosecco NV by the glass at $10, then move to the G.D. Vajra 'Albe' Nebbiolo Barolo DOCG '22 at $85 if you want a bottle with regional specificity. For a cocktail, the Paesano Martini with Knickerbocker Barrel-Aged Gin, orange bitters, and Contratto Bianco vermouth is a $14 pour with named components.
- Who will enjoy this place?
- Drinkers who want an Italian-only wine list with regional organization and both by-the-glass and bottle formats will find the most to work with here. The cocktail menu and mocktail section also give non-wine drinkers named options at $6 to $15.
- When should I go?
- The seasonal wine dinners are the clearest reason to plan a visit, including the Evening with Maddalena Pasqua di Bisceglie of Musella Winery at $89 per guest plus tax and gratuity. Otherwise, the by-the-glass list and cocktail menu are available for a regular evening visit.
- What should I expect to spend?
- By-the-glass wines run $8 to $16, bottles $28 to $135, and cocktails $6 to $16 with most at $13 to $14. Mocktails are $6 to $10, and the non-alcoholic Mionetto sparkling wine is $9 by the glass or $36 by the bottle. Wine dinners are $89 per guest plus tax and gratuity.
- What makes the beverage program distinctive?
- The wine list is exclusively Italian and organized by region from north to south, with a retail program offering bottles, 4-packs, 6-packs, and cases plus curbside pickup. Seasonal wine dinners bring Italian winery owners, winemakers, and importers to the venue, and the Wine Spectator Award for Excellence 2025 is displayed on site.
Beverage categories
We only score what a venue sets out to do. Categories a venue doesn't attempt are left unscored rather than penalized.
Cocktails
The in-house cocktail menu covers rotating house specialties, mocktails, and nightcaps with named spirits and prices. The Paesano Old Fashioned, Paesano Martini, and Pineapple Mai Tai show specific brand and ingredient choices, and the menu runs $6 to $16 with most drinks at $13 to $14. Non-alcoholic mocktails and nightcaps sit alongside the cocktails.
Menu strengths
- — The menu spans cocktails, mocktails, and nightcaps, with prices from $6 to $16 and most cocktails at $13 to $14.
- — House specialties rotate, giving the list room to change beyond the current named drinks.
Standout selections
- — Paesano Old Fashioned: Knob Creek Bourbon, Angostura Bitters, sugar cube, and muddled orange and cherry at $13.
- — Paesano Martini: Knickerbocker Barrel-Aged Gin, orange bitters, and Contratto Bianco vermouth at $14.
- — Pineapple Mai Tai: Goslings dark rum, Rhum JM rum agricole, orgeat syrup, pineapple syrup, and lime juice at $15.
Pricing: Cocktails $6-$16, most $13-$14; mocktails $6-$10.
Wine
Exclusively Italian list organized by region from north to south, with both by-the-glass and bottle formats.
Menu strengths
- — Exclusively Italian list organized by region from north to south, with both by-the-glass and bottle formats.
- — Bottle range of $28 to $135 covers Barolo, Barbaresco, Brunello di Montalcino, Amarone, and Etna Rosso.
- — Seasonal wine dinners bring Italian winery owners, winemakers, and importers to the venue, including the Musella Winery dinner at $89 per guest plus tax and gratuity.
Standout selections
- — Andreola Prosecco NV, Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG at $10 by the glass or $42 by the bottle.
- — Antinori Bramito della Sala Chardonnay '24, Umbria at $16 by the glass or $64 by the bottle.
- — G.D. Vajra 'Albe' Nebbiolo, Barolo DOCG '22 at $85 by the bottle.
- — Vietti 'Castiglione' Barolo DOCG '20 at $131 by the bottle.
Pricing: By-the-glass wines $8-$16; in-house bottles $28-$135; retail bottles $12-$75.
Nonalcoholic
The cocktail menu includes a Mocktails section with Drivers Seat, Sicilian Sour, and Lapo's Negroni, priced $6 to $10. The wine list adds Mionetto alcohol-removed sparkling wine at $9 by the glass or $36 by the bottle. These are dedicated non-alcoholic options rather than afterthoughts, with named ingredients and clear pricing across both the cocktail and wine sides of the menu.
Menu strengths
- — Dedicated mocktail section with three named drinks: Drivers Seat, Sicilian Sour, and Lapo's Negroni.
- — Mionetto alcohol-removed sparkling wine offers a non-alcoholic wine option by the glass or bottle.
- — Mocktails are priced $6 to $10, and the non-alcoholic sparkling wine is $9 by the glass or $36 by the bottle.
Standout selections
- — Drivers Seat: Amaro Lucano NA Vermouth, orange juice, honey simple, lemon juice, and soda at $6.
- — Sicilian Sour: pomegranate syrup, lemon juice, and Orange Pellegrino at $9.
- — Lapo's Negroni: canned non-alcoholic Negroni with juniper and bright citrus notes at $10.
- — Mionetto alcohol-removed sparkling wine at $9 by the glass or $36 by the bottle.
Pricing: Mocktails $6-$10; non-alcoholic sparkling wine $9/$36.
How it sits with the food
The wine dinner format pairs courses with Italian wines, including the Musella Amarone della Valpolicella Riserva 2017 as a course V pairing. The by-the-glass and bottle lists are built around Italian regional wines that suit the restaurant's Italian menu.
Inebrious does not score kitchens, food or the restaurant overall. We review the beverage program only.
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