Greek Grapes Take Over a D.C. Institution
· Washington · Mediterranean · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed October 21, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Zaytinya’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Zaytinya is a love letter to Greek varieties, and it doesn't apologize for it. Sixty-six bottles deep with 18 by-the-glass options, this is not your average hotel restaurant afterthought — someone here actually cares. The range runs $13–$18 a glass and $53–$275 a bottle, which for D.C. is closer to honest than most.
The Greek focus is real and confident: Xinomavro shows up in multiple expressions — rosé, red, and sparkling — while Moschofilero gets serious treatment across producers like Troupis and Mitravelas. Assyrtiko from Alexakis and Vidiano from Silva Daskalaki round out the white side with legitimate regional depth. The list ventures into Lebanon (Chateau Musar Jeune) and California (Sans Liege Syrah) for a few anchors, but those feel more like concessions to the nervous diner than genuine enthusiasm. The Greek producers are the main event, and they earn it.
Eighteen options by the glass is a legitimately good number, and the range covers sparkling, white, rosé, red, and sweet — so no category gets ignored. The $13 Dio Fili Xinomavro Moschomavro Rosé is the obvious entry point, and the glass program leans heavily into the indigenous varieties rather than padding with international filler. That's a commitment most restaurants won't make.
The Bottom Line
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.
· Washington · Brazilian Steakhouse
Fogo de Chão's wine list is exactly what a national Brazilian steakhouse chain's wine list looks like: functional, familiar, and priced for margin rather than your benefit. The by-the-glass count is impressive on paper, but most of the options are labels you've seen at your grocery store for a fraction of what they're charging here. If you're coming for the meat — and you should be — stick to the Catena Malbec and enjoy the show.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Washington · Washington · Steak House
A 20-wine by-the-glass list with every pour between $14 and $30, split across four sparkling, six white, two rosé and eight red. With a steak, start with the $26 Clos Duval Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon or the $22 Monte Antico Supremus; for the cheapest glass, take the $14 Dr. Loosen Riesling. Pour sizes aren't posted and the page is undated, so confirm today's wines. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Downtown DC · Washington · Steakhouse
A steakhouse beverage menu with 30 wines by the glass and a bottle list that is mostly California, with some France, Italy and Portugal. Start with the $9/glass happy hour Bonanza Cabernet if you arrive in the window, or the Eroica Riesling, the only Riesling on the glass list, and ask for prices because regular wine prices aren't posted. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Georgetown · Washington · Seafood, Steakhouse
An unpriced list that is easier to read for what it offers than for what it costs. If you want Bordeaux, ask for the 2020 Margaux de Brane Cantenac, or look at the Brunello di Montalcino in Sommelier's Selections, and get the price before you commit. This unrated guide covers the posted Beverage Menu, not service, storage or markups.
Washington · Washington · Latin, Vegetarian
A wide-ranging list with 14 wines by the glass from $17 to $95 and a bottle book that runs from $60 to $1,275. Start with the $17 Eichinger Grüner Veltliner or the $20 Pêcheur Trousseau, and ask for the Natural Wines section if you want something low-intervention. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Georgetown · Washington · Italian, Seafood
A very large list that is easier to navigate than it looks, because the glass page is clearly labeled in ounces. Start with the Il Monticello Vermentino (18 for 6 oz) or the Etna Rosso (19 for 6 oz) instead of reaching for the Sancerre at 26, and skim the Sommelier Selections page before you open the 60 pages. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
· 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
Buckhead · Atlanta · Mediterranean
Brassica might be hiding a thoughtful, Spain-forward wine program behind that Waldorf lobby — but we can't confirm it, and hotel dining rooms rarely earn the benefit of the doubt on pricing. If you're eating here for the butter-poached lobster or the rack of venison, go for it. Just keep your wine expectations measured until someone puts the actual list online.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Cumming, GA · Mediterranean
Santa Maria is a genuine surprise for Cumming — a 26-bottle list that manages to be both approachable and quietly adventurous, with fair pricing and some real personality in the whites. We don't have enough intel on the staff or the floor experience to call it a Rager, but the wine program itself earns a Wild Card: it's doing things you wouldn't expect, and that's worth showing up for.
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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