There’s nothing like settling down to a delicious meal paired with the perfect wine or sipping on your favorite red after a long day of exploring greater Raleigh. Cabernet sauvignon, zinfandel, merlot and sweet dessert wines: the options are seemingly endless!  Greater Raleigh is home to many restaurants and bars that offer extensive wine selections for you to explore and enjoy.

Zely and Ritz on Glenwood Avenue in Raleigh has a beautiful wine list, including unique options such as Alsatian, Germanic, Italian and Spanish varietals. With the exception of their great sweet dessert wine list, most offerings are served by the bottle, but there are plenty to choose from by the glass as well.  They also offer a superb wine dinner series that you can view here.

Also located in Raleigh, Vivace offers an extensive wine selection dominated by Italian options.  There are more than 15 options by the glass and a wide variety of bottle offerings, from Toscana to Sicilia and beyond.  They also offer wine tastings and lecture themes that are educational and tasty.

You’ll find several options of Greek wine at XIOS Authentic Greek Cuisine in Apex.  Almost all are offered by the glass and by the bottle, and you can even order a wine sampler that comes with three, two-ounce samples of any three wines that come by the glass.

If you’re visiting a little later in the summer, then be on the lookout for a special treat coming to Cary, Parea Wine Bar.  Appropriately, Parea comes from the Greek word meaning company or group of friends.  This friendly upscale wine bar will offer between 120 and 150 outstanding wines, providing you with a special treat during your stay.