Nemea Greek Taverna

The wine list at Nemea arrives looking like a proper Greek education — Assyrtiko, Xinomavro, Malagousia, names that'll make your tablemates squint. It's a focused, curated list that takes Greek wine seriously in a city that mostly doesn't. What you lose in depth, you gain in direction.

Nemea leans hard into its Greek identity, which is exactly what you want here. The list runs through the greatest hits of the Greek canon — volcanic Assyrtiko from Santorini, structured Xinomavro from Naoussa, and aromatic Malagousia that most California restaurants have never heard of. Producers like Domaine Sigalas, Alpha Estate, Ktima Gerovassiliou, and Kir-Yianni give the list real credibility. California and Italy make supporting appearances, but they're not why you're here. The gaps are real — no deep back-vintage options, limited exploration outside the major Greek appellations — but for an upscale taverna, this list punches well above the neighborhood average.

Glass pours are estimated in the 8-14 range, which would be generous for a list this Greek-focused. If the by-the-glass selection mirrors the bottle list, you should be able to work your way through a solid Greek flight across both white and red. At $12–$18 a glass, you're paying downtown San Jose prices, so lean toward the bottles for better value.