Hakkasan Miami

The wine list at Hakkasan arrives in a leather-bound folder that weighs more than the actual effort put into it. This is a high-end chain (yes, a Michelin-starred chain) that treats wine like an afterthought—safe picks, luxury labels, and markups that assume you're expensing it. The whole setup screams "we know you're here for the Peking duck, not the Pinot."

The list leans heavily on Champagne, Burgundy, and Bordeaux—the usual suspects for any restaurant trying to look serious without taking risks. You'll find plenty of recognizable names (Dom, Krug, DRC if you're feeling reckless), but almost nothing adventurous or region-specific that would actually complement Cantonese cuisine. A few Rieslings and Grüner Veltliners pop up, which shows someone once had the right idea, but the rest reads like a corporate wine director's greatest hits. There's virtually no exploration of Austrian whites, Alsace, or even interesting Champagne grower bottles that would sing with the food.

The glass program exists but doesn't inspire confidence. Expect the usual mid-tier Chardonnay, a Pinot Grigio, maybe a Sancerre, and a couple reds that won't offend anyone. Pours likely run $18-$24 and rotate about as often as the menu—which is to say, rarely. This is fine-but-forgettable territory, designed for people who want "a glass of white" and don't care what's in it.