Gjelina

The wine list at Gjelina hits differently than you'd expect from a buzzy Venice scene restaurant. Instead of the usual California-heavy crowd-pleaser lineup, you're looking at grower Champagnes, deep Loire cuts, and Italian oddities that suggest someone with actual opinions built this list. It's the kind of list that makes you want to skip the cocktail.

The list leans hard into France and Italy, and it's better for it. Grower Champagnes from Chartogne-Taillet and Jacques Lassaigne anchor the sparkling section, while the Loire shows up with a 1997 Moulin Touchais Chenin Blanc — a genuinely rare find on a restaurant list in LA. The Italian presence is similarly considered, with G.D. Vajra's Barolo Chinato and Lombardy metodo classico bottles that most places wouldn't even think to stock. California makes an appearance too, but it's curated rather than reflexive — the Moraga Sauvignon Blanc from Bel Air is a local curiosity worth seeking out. The one gap: if you're hunting for broad Southern Hemisphere or Spanish representation, you'll come up short.

The by-the-glass program runs 12–18 options and rotates, which is the right call for a list this adventurous. Prices start around $25 a glass, which is Venice pricing — you're paying for the zip code alongside the wine. The rotation means what you read about online may not be what's poured tonight, so ask the staff what's moving.