Nazara Indian Bistro

You don't expect to flip open a wine list at an Indian bistro in Cary and find Stag's Leap and Jordan sitting next to the butter chicken, but here we are. Nazara has held a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence since 2017, and it shows — this is clearly a restaurant that takes wine seriously, even if the list reads more California greatest hits than adventurous deep cuts. It's a pleasant surprise in a strip-mall suburb.

The list runs 80-120 bottles and leans hard into California, which is exactly what Wine Spectator flagged as their strength. You'll find the usual suspects — Rombauer Chardonnay, Sonoma-Cutrer Russian River Ranches, Jordan Cab — all competently chosen and broadly crowd-pleasing. What's missing is any meaningful nod to Old World styles or aromatic whites that would actually sing alongside tandoori spice and rich curry sauces; a Gewürztraminer or an off-dry Riesling would do wonders here. The list won't surprise you, but it won't embarrass you either.

Ten to sixteen pours by the glass in the $9-$14 range is a respectable spread for a restaurant that isn't a dedicated wine bar. You're not getting obscure rotating picks, but having Sonoma-Cutrer and Meiomi Pinot Noir available by the glass means you can drink something genuinely decent without committing to a bottle. The program feels set-and-forget — don't expect the list to look different next month.