The Med, without the flight cost
Northwest Portland · Portland · Mediterranean
Updated October 2026
Reviewed April 12, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Mediterranean Exploration Company’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list here reads like a passport — Lebanon, Greece, Israel, Spain, France — and it's immediately clear this isn't a place that defaulted to Napa Cab and called it a day. For a Pearl District restaurant in a city that often plays it safe with European selections, this list has actual conviction. The regional focus is tight enough to feel curated, not overwhelming.
MEC leans hard into the Eastern Mediterranean and it pays off — Château Musar from Lebanon alone earns serious credibility, and the Greek selections push well past Assyrtiko-only territory. The Domaine Weinbach Riesling shows they're not afraid to bring in Alsatian heavyweights alongside lesser-known producers like Oenogenesis from Macedonia. Spain shows up via the Basque Country with the Artomana Txakoli, which is exactly the kind of unexpected detour that makes a list like this worth reading twice. The gap is anything outside the Med corridor — if you want New World, you're mostly on your own.
Twelve pours by the glass is a respectable count, and the program appears to mirror the bottle list's geographic adventurousness rather than retreating to safe crowd-pleasers. The Domaine Ott Rosé makes a smart appearance here — recognizable enough for the hesitant diner, good enough for the person who actually knows wine. We'd like to see more rotation, but what's here earns its place.
Artomana 'Xarmant' Txakoli, Basque Country, SP 2023 — $45
At 50% over retail, this is the fairest markup on the list and Txakoli is exactly the kind of high-acid, low-ABV white that was made to cut through olive oil-rich mezze. Most people will walk past it — that's your gain.
Oenogenesis 'Mataroa Nautical' Macedonia, GR 2024
Macedonian wine from Greece is still flying under most diners' radar, and that's precisely why you order it. This isn't a tourist wine — it's the kind of bottle that makes a table pause mid-conversation.
Domaine Ott 'By Ott' Rosé 2024
At $39 on a $25 retail bottle, it's not highway robbery, but By Ott has become the safe Provençal rosé that every restaurant reaches for when they want something recognizable. With a list this interesting, ordering the comfortable choice feels like a missed opportunity.
Château Musar + Lamb meatballs
Musar's blend of Cabernet, Cinsault, and Carignan grown in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley has a savory, earthy character that mirrors the spiced lamb without steamrolling it — this is a regional pairing that actually means something.
The Bottom Line
MEC is the rare restaurant where the wine list does genuine geographic storytelling instead of just filling pages. If you're willing to let go of what you know and order by region rather than grape, this list rewards you.
Dundee · Portland · Italian, French, American
The official site identifies The Dundee Bistro as closed. The wine selections described here are historical context, not current availability. This notice does not establish a closure date or a future reopening.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
Pearl District · Portland · Italian/Mediterranean
A restaurant list with 15 pours by the glass from $11 to $17 and a bottle list from 40 to 1100, split by country. Start with the Hacienda Lopez de Haro Rioja Crianza '22 at $12, or the Tenuta di Lilliano Chianti Classico '22 at $16 alongside the Radiatore, and confirm prices because the list is undated. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Southeast Portland · Portland · Charcuterie/American
A charcuterie restaurant with a natural-leaning wine list and a 12-pour glass list on the dinner menu. Start with the $14/glass Hoppenot gamay, or split the $55 Stick Figurine orange wine across a board, and confirm current availability. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
King · Portland · Spanish
A Spanish tapas-bar wine page with glass and bottle prices from 13/50 and a ten-sherry list. Start with the Pago del Cielo Celeste Verdejo at 13 a glass, try the chilled Vara y Pulgar Tintilla at 17 if you want something different, and order the Miquel Pons Cava with the croquetas. The page says the posted menu may differ from the restaurant's, so confirm prices. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Downtown · Portland · New American with Asian Influences
A long list sorted by style, with glass pours from $9.50 to $20, a Coravin tier above that, and bottles that climb to $750. Start with the A to Z at $13.50 or the Roederer Estate Brut at $20, and confirm current prices because the list isn't dated. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Alberta Arts · Portland · Italian
An Italian-leaning bottle list with an Oregon side, and no glass pours posted. Order the $65 Bow and Arrow Gamay, or the $65 Keltis 'Zan White' Slovenian Orange Blend if you want an orange wine, and confirm availability. This unrated guide covers the posted Spring & Summer ’26 beverage menu, 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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