Atlanta's sneaky-smart Mediterranean wine list
· Atlanta · Mediterranean · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · September 24, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Kitty Dare’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Twenty-five labels, all available by the glass — that's either a bold statement of confidence or a logistical nightmare, and at Kitty Dare it reads as the former. The list skips the Napa Cab-and-Pinot safety net entirely and lands somewhere between a natural wine bar and a passport control desk. Lebanese old-vine Merwah sitting next to white Tempranillo from Rioja sitting next to a Slovenian field blend — this list has a point of view.
The whites carry the list. You've got the Krasno from Brda (Ribolla Gialla, Malvasia, Sauvignonasse, Pinot Grigio) doing field-blend duty at $48/bottle, the Château Ksara Merwah from 70-year-old Lebanese vines at the same price, and a Dopff & Irion Alsatian Sylvaner-Pinot Blanc blend that most Atlanta restaurants wouldn't dare stock. Skin-contact fans get The Ned Pinot Gris from New Zealand, which earns its spot. Reds are leaner — a Bordeaux blend, a Tempranillo, a Montepulciano, and Bishop's Peak Pinot Noir — but nothing embarrassing. The one conspicuous absence is anything from Greece or the broader Eastern Mediterranean, which feels like a missed opportunity given the cuisine. Still, the overall breadth across France, Italy, Spain, Lebanon, and Slovenia is genuinely unusual for an Atlanta restaurant menu.
Every bottle on the list is also available by the glass, which is either very generous or a signal that turnover is high enough to keep things fresh — we're inclined to trust it. Glass pours run $13–$18, with the bulk of the list anchored at $13, making experimentation genuinely low-stakes. The Paula Kornell Sparkling Brut at $14/glass gives you an easy opener before you start adventuring.
The Bottom Line
Kitty Dare is punching well above its weight for an Atlanta restaurant wine list — fair prices, genuinely adventurous selections, and the rare willingness to pour all of it by the glass. We don't have visibility into service or food specifics, but the list alone is worth coming for. If you want a Lebanese white from 70-year-old vines for $13/glass, this is your place.
· Atlanta · New American / Tasting Menu
Choose your courses, then choose your glasses. Bacchanalia's posted pairings give you concrete options: Carl Loewen Riesling at $24 with crab, or Ca' La Bionda Ripasso at $27 with duck. Ask which suggestions match tonight's menu before committing to the wine bill.
Midtown · Atlanta · Southern European
Start with the $14 Vostinic-Klasnic Ikons if you want to explore beyond familiar grapes, or the $16 chilled La Galoche Gamay if that's your lane. Lyla Lila's posted glass list makes trying something different a one-glass decision, not a whole-bottle commitment.
· Atlanta · New American
Siren has a wine list that punches above its weight in a few key areas — particularly the by-the-glass whites and the Champagne bottle program — but the markup structure means you're spending real money to access it. If you're the kind of diner who wants to order Furmint on a Tuesday night in Atlanta, this is one of the few places that makes that possible, and that alone earns it a spot on the shortlist.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Regional Italian
Make Monday your bottle night at Indaco: half off bottles priced up to $100, then $50 off above that. Ask for the current bottle list before choosing; the discount has a ceiling, even if your wine budget doesn't.
Atlanta · Atlanta · Vietnamese
NAM Kitchen is doing something genuinely unexpected: running a thoughtful, fairly priced 68-label wine list inside a Vietnamese restaurant, anchored by a strong sparkling section and some legitimately food-smart white wine choices. If you're the kind of person who wants a real glass of wine with your bún bò Huế, this is worth knowing about.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Steakhouse
Il Premio is a steakhouse that took its wine list seriously enough to skip the obvious plays, and the result is one of the more interesting Italian-focused lists in Atlanta right now. It's compact, priced fairly across the board, and built for exploration — whether you're going glass by glass through the Italian regions or just need a solid bottle of Chianti Classico at $72 to make a steak dinner feel right. We'd send a friend here specifically for the wine.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Mediterranean
Fia has the bones of a genuinely good wine program — thoughtful white selections, a few hidden gems, and a Champagne section that sets a mood — but steep markups and a list that doesn't stray far from the expected hold it back from greatness. Go for the Aligoté or the Trebbiano d'Abruzzo, skip the trophy bottles, and you'll drink well without feeling taken.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Monterey · Mediterranean
Dametra Cafe isn't a wine destination, but it's not trying to be one either — and that honesty is refreshing. The sparkling selection is genuinely fun, prices are fair across the board, and the few left-field picks like Chateau Musar Jeune give the list just enough personality. If you're in Monterey and want a bottle that doesn't feel like a markup shakedown, this is a safe call.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Paso Robles · Mediterranean
Petra Mediterranean Bistro is sitting on prime Paso Robles real estate and serving a wine list that could have come from a suburban chain restaurant. With no local producers, no Central Coast representation, and mass-market bottles marked up to $38 a pop, the wine program feels like an afterthought. If wine matters to your evening, you're better off grabbing a bottle from a nearby tasting room and asking about corkage.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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