Kamal Kouiri
Wine Director & Managing Partner
Curating the largest all-Greek wine list in the U.S. is the challenge and love of Wine Director and Managing Partner Kamal Kouiri, who has been a part of the Molyvos family since 2001. Kamal is passionate about providing guests with a roadmap to Greek wines, eagerly sharing his expansive insight in approachable ways, from wine pairing recommendations at dinner to guiding guests through their first Ouzo experience.
Traveling to Greece at least once a year, Kamal tours wineries and meets winemakers on both the islands and the mainland to ensure he continues to have the pulse of Greek viticulture. With more than 60 indigenous grape varietals grown throughout Greece to keep track of, Kamal prides himself on continuing to introduce new labels that are exclusively available to diners at Molyvos. This vast, personal knowledge of Greek wine-making is what allows Kamal to showcase boutique and specialty producers from all over Greece, while offering a selection of over 750 labels, including 60 wines by the glass.
Kamal’s dedication to Greek viticulture has been recognized by Wine Enthusiast’s “Award of Unique Distinction” and Wine Spectator’s “Award of Excellence” in 2012 and 2013, as well as “Best of Award of Excellence” each year since 2014. Unsurprisingly, his passion has also helped Molyvos become one of Wine Enthusiast’s “Five Best Wine Bars in New York City” as well as making their “100 Best Wine Restaurants” in 2015 and 2016. In 2018, the Greek Wine Industry awarded Kamal the Greek Wine Industry Award award, given to an individual in the wine trade or media who, through their work, has had a significant impact in creating awareness for Greek wine internationally.