Cantoro Trattoria
Serious Italian Wine Chops in the Suburbs
Plymouth · Plymouth · American, Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 16, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
The wine list at Cantoro Trattoria means business. For a trattoria tucked into a Plymouth strip corridor, the depth on Italian reds alone — Barolo, Brunello, Amarone, Super Tuscans — signals that someone here genuinely cares. The freshly minted Wine Spectator Award of Excellence only confirms what the list already tells you.
Selection Deep Dive
The list runs 200 to 300 bottles with a clear Italian backbone: Piedmont shows up strong with Barolo producers, Brunello di Montalcino anchors Tuscany, and Sassicaia and Ornellaia fly the Super Tuscan flag. California holds its own with Napa Cabernets from Stag's Leap and Jordan alongside Sonoma and Napa Chardonnay, while Burgundy's Côte de Nuits rounds out the French contingent. The Italy-California-France trifecta is well-executed and cohesive — this isn't a list built by committee or a distributor on autopilot. Gaps exist in Southern Italy and the Southern Hemisphere, but for the cuisine being served, the focus is defensible.
By the Glass
With 20 to 35 by-the-glass options, this is one of the more generous pours-by-the-glass programs in the Plymouth area. The selection tracks the bottle list well — expect Italian varietals alongside California standbys. No evidence of a rotating or curated BTG program beyond the standard offering, but sheer volume makes it easy to find something worth drinking.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley — $60
Jordan consistently overdelivers for its price point — polished, food-friendly Napa-adjacent Cab that rarely disappoints at a restaurant that doesn't gouge you on it the way a bigger-city steakhouse would.
Amarone della Valpolicella
Most tables at an Italian-American trattoria default to Brunello or Barolo, but a well-sourced Amarone is the move with a long, rich dinner. It's darker, more brooding, and most diners walk right past it — their loss.
Sassicaia
The Super Tuscan icon belongs on this list, but at a restaurant with steep markups, you're almost certainly paying a premium on top of an already-expensive bottle. Unless it's a special occasion and the vintage is right, your money travels further elsewhere on this list.
Barolo (Piedmont) + Osso Buco
Braised veal shank and Nebbiolo-based Barolo is one of the most natural combinations in Italian cooking — the wine's tannins and acidity cut through the richness of the bone marrow and gremolata while the earthiness in the wine mirrors the slow-cooked depth of the dish.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Cantoro Trattoria punches well above its suburban weight class with a credible, Italy-forward wine list and a sommelier who knows the cellar. Markups keep it from being a steal, but if you're eating osso buco and Barolo in Plymouth, Michigan, this is your spot.
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