Greek wines hiding in a gyro joint
Downtown Greenville · Greenville · Greek and Mediterranean · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 15, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Kouzina’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
Walk into a counter-service Greek spot expecting soda and you find Assyrtiko on the list — that's already a win. The wine program here is modest in size but clearly put together by someone who actually cares about the food-wine connection. It's not flashy, but it's doing something most casual Mediterranean spots in the South Carolina upstate aren't even attempting.
The list runs 40–80 bottles with a smart Mediterranean spine — Greece leads the charge, with Italy, Southern France, and Spain filling the gaps. The Greek selections alone — Boutari Moschofilero, Domaine Sigalas Assyrtiko, Alpha Estate Xinomavro, Tselepos Mantinia — read like a short course in what the country actually does well. These aren't tourist-trap Greek wines; Sigalas is a Santorini benchmark and Alpha Estate is one of the best producers working with Xinomavro in Amyndeon. The non-Greek side of the list keeps things approachable without dumbing down.
Eight to fifteen pours by the glass is a healthy number for a casual spot at this price point. If the Greek bottles make it to the glass program — and they should — there's real opportunity here to order something you've genuinely never tried before without committing to a full bottle. Rotation isn't confirmed, so ask what's open; the answer might surprise you.
Boutari Moschofilero — $
Moschofilero is one of Greece's most food-friendly whites — floral, crisp, low alcohol — and Boutari does it reliably well at a price that won't make you flinch at a counter-service restaurant. It's the kind of bottle that makes a $12 gyro feel like a considered meal.
Alpha Estate Xinomavro
Most people see a Greek red they don't recognize and order a Cab instead. Don't. Xinomavro from Alpha Estate has the structure of Barolo and the savory punch of Northern Rhône — it's genuinely serious wine that most diners walk right past.
Tselepos Mantinia
Tselepos makes a perfectly fine Moschofilero-based white from Mantinia, but if the Boutari is on the list at a lower price point, it's hard to make the case for paying more for a marginal upgrade at a casual counter-service spot. Save your dollars.
Domaine Sigalas Assyrtiko + Chicken Souvlaki
Sigalas Assyrtiko is volcanic, lean, and electric with acidity — it cuts right through the char on the souvlaki and amplifies the lemon and herb notes without competing with them. This is the pairing that makes the whole list worth it.
The Bottom Line
Kouzina is a counter-service gyro spot with a Greek wine list that would embarrass a lot of full-service restaurants — that's the Wild Card situation right there. If you're anywhere near Greenville and curious about what Greece actually tastes like in a glass, this is a weirdly perfect place to find out.
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