Fratello's Italian Grille
Solid Italian-American Anchor in the Millyard
Southside · Manchester · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 8, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
The wine list at Fratello's reads like a greatest hits of approachable restaurant wine — recognizable names, nothing that's going to challenge you, nothing that's going to embarrass you. It fits the room: a lively millyard dining room where the brick oven pizza and live music are the headliners. Wine is supporting cast here, and it knows its role.
Selection Deep Dive
The list runs 50-70 bottles with a lean toward California and Italy, which makes sense given the concept. You've got your Canyon Road shelf staples anchoring the entry level, a few Italian workhorses like Banfi Chianti Superiore, Davinci Chianti, and Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio in the middle tier, and then a short Napa splurge shelf with Rombauer, The Prisoner, and Leviathan for anyone feeling ambitious. The Frescobaldi Toscana Remole is a quiet bright spot — actual Italian character on a list that otherwise doesn't go out of its way to find it. There are real gaps: no Barolo, no Brunello, no serious white Burgundy, and the sparkling section is basically Lamberti, Lamarca, and a Gloria Ferrer Brut.
By the Glass
Twenty-plus by-the-glass options is genuinely generous for a casual Italian-American spot, and the $6.50–$14 range keeps it accessible. The problem is that a big chunk of those pours are Canyon Road across its entire lineup — Cab, Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Pinot Grigio, Sauv Blanc, White Zin, Moscato — which inflates the count without adding much diversity. Step past Canyon Road and you can land on Santa Margherita or a Chianti by the glass, which is worth doing.
Banfi Chianti Superiore — $24
Banfi's Chianti Superiore consistently punches above its price point — real Sangiovese structure, some actual tannin and cherry fruit. On a list that starts at $24, this is the bottle to order if you want Italian wine with Italian food and not just fruit-forward filler.
Frescobaldi Toscana Remole
Most tables here will walk right past this one and grab a Canyon Road or the Prisoner. Don't. Frescobaldi's Remole is a proper Tuscan blend with the kind of earthy backbone that actually holds up against red sauce and brick oven pizza. It's the most authentically Italian bottle on the list and probably the least ordered.
The Prisoner Napa Valley
At $70+ a bottle, you're paying a massive restaurant premium for a wine that retails around $40 and has become more brand than beverage. It's fine — Zinfandel-led blend, jammy, crowd-pleasing — but the value math doesn't work here when you can do far better for less on the same list.
Davinci Chianti + Brick Oven Pizza
Chianti and pizza is not a revolutionary idea, but Davinci's version has enough bright acidity and dry cherry fruit to cut through cheese and tomato without fighting the wood-fired char. Classic combo, executed right, at a price that won't hurt.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Fratello's is a reliable neighborhood Italian where the wine list does its job without embarrassing anyone — fair prices, familiar names, and a few honest Italian bottles worth seeking out. We wouldn't drive across town for the wine list alone, but we'd happily order a Chianti here any night of the week.
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