Zaytinya

You open the wine list at a buzzy mezze spot in Culver City and instead of the usual Cali Cab and Italian suspects, you get a deep dive into Greek varietals most diners couldn't pronounce on a good day. It's a bold move, and it works. Wine Spectator just handed them an Award of Excellence in 2025, and walking through this list, you understand why.

Zaytinya's list runs 150-200 bottles with Greece as the unapologetic anchor — Santorini, Naoussa, Drama, Peloponnese all represented with producers who actually matter. Domaine Sigalas and Gaia Wines bring serious Aegean pedigree, while Kir-Yianni's Xinomavro and Alpha Estate's Syrah give the red side some spine. The Eastern Mediterranean thread extends beyond Greece with nods to Lebanon and beyond, keeping things cohesive with the mezze concept rather than just grafting on a generic international list. The gap is depth outside the core Greek focus — if you want serious Burgundy or Napa, this isn't your room, and that's fine.

Twenty to thirty pours by the glass is genuinely impressive for a restaurant at this price point, and the range skews Greek across the board — meaning you can work through Assyrtiko, Malagousia, and Agiorgitiko all in one sitting without ordering a full bottle of anything. Glass prices land between $12 and $18, which is honest money for Culver City. The rotation doesn't appear to change much, but when your house selections are this focused and well-chosen, that's less of a problem.