Mediterranean soul, serious Old World cellar
West Village · New York · Mediterranean
Reviewed April 8, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Mēdüzā Mediterrania’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Mēdüzā hits like a well-worn passport — Italy, France, Spain, and California all accounted for, each with genuine depth. For a candlelit Mediterranean spot on Hudson Street, the ambition here is real. This isn't a restaurant that threw a wine list together; someone thought hard about this.
Sommelier Shawn Teng has built a 400-600 bottle list that leans hard into Italy — and it shows in all the right ways. Barolo is represented by Giacomo Conterno and Bruno Giacosa, Brunello by Biondi-Santi and Ciacci Piccolomini; that's not filler, that's conviction. France holds its own with Burgundy Grand Crus from Faiveley and Domaine Drouhin, plus Champagne from Billecart-Salmon and Pol Roger. Spain gets real respect with Muga and La Rioja Alta anchoring the Rioja section, and the southern Italian corner — Donnafugata, Planeta, Feudi di San Gregorio's Greco di Tufo and Fiano di Avellino — is exactly the kind of thing a Mediterranean-focused kitchen earns the right to pour.
Twenty to thirty-five options by the glass is a serious commitment, and the $12–$25 range means you can work your way through something interesting without ordering a bottle. We'd expect the Sicilian and southern Italian whites to anchor the glass list here, which makes sense given the food. Rotation isn't confirmed, but the breadth of the program suggests there's something worth asking Shawn about on any given night.
Feudi di San Gregorio Greco di Tufo — $14
Southern Italian whites this well-sourced rarely show up on NYC restaurant lists at entry-level glass prices. Greco di Tufo has the structure to handle the food here — crudo, mezze, whole fish — and it's the kind of bottle that costs $30 at a wine shop but drinks like a considered choice.
Ciacci Piccolomini Brunello di Montalcino
Biondi-Santi is the headline name on any Brunello list, but Ciacci Piccolomini quietly overdelivers for the price. It's the pick for anyone who wants to explore serious Sangiovese without paying the trophy-wine premium that Biondi-Santi commands.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
Jordan is a fine wine — approachable, consistent — but at NYC restaurant markup it's hard to justify when the same dollars buy you something from Barolo or Rioja with far more personality and provenance. The Napa section feels like it exists to comfort the room, not excite it.
Muga Rioja Reserva + Lamb chops with herbs
Muga Reserva is built for exactly this situation — enough structure to stand up to the char on the lamb, enough fruit and savory depth to play with the herbed crust. It's a classic pairing that doesn't feel like a cliché when the wine is actually good.
The Bottom Line
Mēdüzā is the rare West Village spot where the wine list earns as much attention as the food — a Best of Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator in its first year of eligibility says something. Yes, markups run steep as they do everywhere in this zip code, but the depth and curation here justify the trip.
Midtown · New York · French Brasserie
La Grande Boucherie earns its place as a reliable stop for wine in Midtown, especially if you're leaning French. The glass list is genuinely wide and has some smart picks buried in it — the Fleurie and the Wiemer Riesling both punch above their price points. Markups trend steep as you climb the bottle list, so your money works hardest in the by-the-glass section. If you're here for the brasserie experience, the wine program holds up its end of the deal.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· New York · Steakhouse
BLT Prime's wine program is glass-only, which limits your options if you came for a big bottle moment, but the pricing is honest and the selection is more thoughtful than most steakhouses bother with. If you're keeping it casual and ordering by the glass, you can drink well here without feeling taken advantage of — and that's not nothing in this city.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· New York · Restaurant
The Palm Midtown is not where you'd expect to find Puzelat and Ruth Lewandowski sitting next to each other on a wine list — which is exactly what makes it worth a second look. Six bottles is a short menu, but all six are defensible picks at prices that don't insult you. If you're in the mood to trust the list and not overthink it, this works.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Murray Hill · New York · Classic American Steakhouse
Wolfgang's is a reliable steakhouse wine experience in the sense that you know exactly what you're getting: a list built around the bottle you already know, priced for the room you're sitting in. If you're here to close a deal over a Porterhouse for Two, the wine list will do its job without embarrassing anyone — but it's not going to surprise you, and it's almost certainly going to cost more than it should. Go in with eyes open and a strong second-choice red in mind.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· New York · Mediterranean
Zaytinya's wine list is a rare thing in New York: a focused, regionally coherent program that commits hard to Greek and Eastern Mediterranean varieties without making you feel like you need a flashcard to order. The by-the-glass selection alone — 18 options, all under $18, featuring producers most wine lists wouldn't touch — makes this worth visiting even before the food arrives. If you eat here and order a Cabernet, that's on you.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
SoHo · New York · Italian
A long bottle list with Italian, Burgundy and Champagne sections, fronted by a 22-wine glass page. For a glass, try the Skerk Orange Wine from Friuli at 25/95, and for a bottle on a lighter budget, the Volpaia Vermentino at 60; upstairs in the café, the labeled list pours Palistorti di Valgiano's orange Tuscan blend at Glass $22. Confirm prices before you order, because the site's Upstairs Café dinner menu and the beverage PDF do not match. This unrated guide covers the posted wine lists, not service, storage or markups.
· West Palm Beach · Mediterranean
Florie's is a hotel wine program that tries harder than it has to, and that counts for something. The all-by-the-glass format is genuinely practical, the French selections show real taste, and a few pours — the Schloss Lieser, the Armand Heitz — would be highlights at any standalone wine bar. The markups are what they are: you're inside a Four Seasons. Go in with eyes open, order the Riesling, and let someone else order the Opus One.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· West Palm Beach · Mediterranean
Del Mar is a Reliable pour in a city that doesn't always try that hard at wine — the Coravin program and the 34-glass lineup show real effort, and the Assyrtiko alone is worth the visit if you're ordering seafood. Markups on the California icons are steep, so steer toward the European picks and you'll drink well without feeling taken.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Washington · Mediterranean
Zaytinya's wine list is one of the more focused and honest Greek programs you'll find at a mid-to-high scale restaurant in D.C. The by-the-glass selection is wide, the pricing doesn't insult you, and the Greek variety depth is genuinely impressive. If you've been waiting for a reason to finally figure out what Xinomavro tastes like, this is your spot.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
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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