Aya Sushi

The wine list at Aya Sushi reads like a greatest hits album of California wine — familiar, well-executed, and clearly designed to reassure rather than surprise. That's not necessarily a knock; in an upscale omakase setting, comfort and quality still beat chaos. The Wine Spectator Award of Excellence they've held since 2023 is earned, even if it's not for adventurousness.

This is a California-forward list through and through, anchored by recognizable names from Sonoma and Napa: Sonoma-Cutrer, Cakebread, Jordan, Stag's Leap, Duckhorn, Rombauer. The 80-120 bottle range gives enough depth to navigate a long omakase without repeating yourself, but don't come looking for Burgundy rabbit holes or natural wine tangents — they're not here. What you do get is a focused, confident execution of the California canon, with sommelier Aaron D'Souza available to help navigate it. The gap is obvious: for a cuisine built around delicate fish and nuanced umami, there's a conspicuous absence of lighter reds, aged whites, or anything with the kind of acidity that makes sushi sing.

Ten to sixteen options by the glass is a genuinely solid showing for a restaurant this size, and it means you can mix and match pours across a long tasting menu without committing to a full bottle. The glass selection tracks closely with the bottle list — California whites and reds dominate — so expect Rombauer and Meiomi to be holding down the pour line. Rotation appears limited; this feels like a set program rather than something that changes with the seasons.