Solid coastal pours with a local lean
Waterfront · Santa Barbara · Seafood-focused American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 11, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Bluewater Grill Santa Barbara’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Bluewater Grill lands exactly where you'd expect from a polished waterfront seafood spot — recognizable names, approachable prices on the low end, and just enough local Santa Barbara representation to feel intentional. Nothing here is going to surprise a seasoned wine drinker, but it's also not going to embarrass anyone. It's a list built for the view and the cioppino, not for nerding out.
The 40-60 bottle list skews heavily toward California, with a light nod to Santa Barbara County that at least shows someone was paying attention to geography. You'll find Santa Barbara Winery Chardonnay alongside national crowd-pleasers like Sonoma-Cutrer, Meiomi, and Kendall-Jackson — safe choices that move fast at any restaurant with ocean views. Duckhorn Sauvignon Blanc is the one bottle that signals a slight upgrade in ambition. The gaps are real though: no sparkling, no rosé worth mentioning, and nothing that would make a wine-focused diner choose this spot over a dedicated wine bar down the street.
Twelve to eighteen pours by the glass is a generous count for a casual-fine spot, and the range covers the obvious bases — Chardonnay-forward whites, easy-drinking reds, a Sauvignon Blanc. Prices run $13–$20 a glass, which starts to feel steep when the pour is Kendall-Jackson and not something more interesting. The rotation doesn't appear to change much seasonally, which is a missed opportunity given how active Santa Barbara County's wine scene is right outside the door.
Santa Barbara Winery Chardonnay — $45
Local, well-made, and actually representative of the region you're sitting in. At the lower end of the bottle range, this is the pick that makes the most sense — you're drinking something with a sense of place rather than a label you could grab at any airport.
Duckhorn Sauvignon Blanc
Most tables in a seafood restaurant default to Chardonnay on autopilot, but Duckhorn's Sauvignon Blanc is crisper and cleaner with shellfish and lighter fish preparations. It tends to get overlooked here precisely because the Chardonnay options dominate the conversation — don't let that happen to you.
Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay
Widely available at retail for around $15 a bottle. Ordering it here at restaurant markup means you're paying a significant premium for something you could grab at a grocery store on the way to the beach. There's better options on this very list.
Sonoma-Cutrer Russian River Ranches Chardonnay + Cioppino
The Russian River Ranches Chardonnay has enough body and fruit weight to hold up against the briny, tomato-forward broth of the cioppino without getting steamrolled. It's not a delicate pairing — it's a rich wine meeting a rich dish, and the result is cohesive rather than combative.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Bluewater Grill is a reliable waterfront wine experience, not an exciting one — if you want a solid glass of California white with great views and good seafood, it delivers. But the markup and the grocery-store label situation mean savvy drinkers should steer toward the local Santa Barbara bottles and leave the national brands where they belong.
Montecito · Santa Barbara · Italian
Tre Lune isn't trying to reinvent anything — it's a well-loved Montecito Italian with a wine list that earns its Wine Spectator nod and leans intelligently on Margerum's local chops. Send a friend here knowing the wine will be fairly priced and thoughtfully chosen, even if the excitement ceiling is comfortable rather than thrilling.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Santa Barbara · New American / California Cuisine
Finch & Fork is a reliable pour in a great wine region — the list champions its Santa Barbara backyard with real conviction, even if the markups occasionally make you wince. Send a friend here if they want to drink local and drink well; just steer them toward the Foxen and away from the M5.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Santa Barbara · Italian Pizzeria
Ca' Dario Pizzeria isn't a wine destination, but it's not trying to be — the list does its job, the prices are fair, and the Santa Barbara rosé alone justifies looking past the cocktail menu. Send a friend here if they want solid Italian wine with their pizza and zero fuss.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Waterfront / Cabrillo Blvd · Santa Barbara · Italian Steakhouse
Ca' Dario Steakhouse is a reliable wine destination for anyone who wants serious Italian bottles with their steak without having to navigate a 300-label monster list. The markups trend steep, especially on the celebrity bottles, but the Santa Barbara Syrah and Sicilian options give value-hunters a legitimate path.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Waterfront / East Beach · Santa Barbara · Contemporary Oaxacan and Mexican
Flor De Maiz isn't a wine destination, but it's a Wild Card in the best sense — a waterfront Oaxacan spot that took the time to build a small, thoughtful list with local producers and a genuine Mexican anchor. Come for the mole, stay for the Barden Brut Rosé.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Public Market / Downtown · Santa Barbara · Thai and Taiwanese-inspired noodle bar
Empty Bowl is a genuinely excellent noodle bar that deserves a better wine program than this — come for the Khao Soi, grab a sake, and don't let the wine list talk you into a $36 Chardonnay. The kitchen is working hard; the wine list is not.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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