Omakase vibes, Burgundy depth, zero apologies
Greenwich · Japanese · Visit Website ↗
Updated August 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 7, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Hinoki’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Hinoki lands like a serious statement — 350 to 500 bottles deep in a room that's supposed to be about sharing small plates and raw fish. It's the kind of list that makes you slow down before you order, because there are real decisions to be made here. Three sommeliers on staff (Jose M. Cuevas, Christopher Medyna, and Osvin A. Lucero) means someone at this restaurant actually cares, which in Greenwich is never guaranteed.
California and Burgundy anchor the list, and they do it unapologetically — Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Leroy Gevrey-Chambertin, Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet, and Faiveley Chambolle-Musigny on the French side; Kistler Chardonnay, Opus One, Screaming Eagle, and Harlan Estate flying the California flag. Italy shows up with purpose too — Gaja Barbaresco and Antinori Tignanello aren't filler picks, they're intentional. The depth is real, though the ceiling climbs fast past $1,000 on the prestige bottles, which will feel very natural to the Greenwich crowd and slightly dizzying to everyone else. Gaps in natural wine and broader European coverage are the only real knocks on an otherwise impressive build.
Twenty to thirty-five by-the-glass options is an ambitious pour program for an izakaya concept, and the range likely spans from approachable whites to something with actual terroir behind it. With a sommelier team this engaged, the glass list should rotate with purpose — ask what's open and let them steer you, because the answer will usually be better than pointing at the menu.
Faiveley Chambolle-Musigny — $60+
Chambolle-Musigny from a house like Faiveley is village-level Burgundy done right — silky, red-fruited, and built for food. In a list that runs stratospheric on the prestige end, this is the entry point into real Burgundy without committing to a car payment.
Antinori Tignanello
Everyone at this table is staring at the Burgundy section, and Tignanello is sitting there quietly being one of Italy's most compelling blends — Sangiovese with Cabernet backbone, savory and structured. On a Japanese-leaning menu, it's an unexpected move that actually works.
Screaming Eagle
Yes, it's Screaming Eagle. Yes, it's famous. But at Greenwich markups on a bottle that's already priced for collectors, you're paying a premium on a premium on a premium. The wine is great. The math is not.
Kistler Chardonnay + Yellowtail
Kistler is rich but precise — textured California Chardonnay with enough acidity to cut through fat and enough fruit to complement the clean, buttery quality of good yellowtail. This is the kind of pairing that makes the sommelier nod slowly.
The Bottom Line
Hinoki earned its Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence and the list backs that up — serious producers, serious depth, and actual human beings who know the cellar. Greenwich pricing means you'll pay for the privilege, but if you're here for omakase and you want a bottle of Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet to go with it, this is exactly the right room.
Greenwich · Greenwich · American, Chinese
Mōlì is the rare restaurant where the wine list is genuinely as ambitious as the room — a three-sommelier program, 300-plus bottles, and real depth in California and Burgundy tucked inside a gorgeous historic building on Greenwich Ave. Yes, markups are steep, but this is Greenwich, and you're getting legitimately serious wine for the spend.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Greenwich · Greenwich · French, Mediterranean
L'Escale is the real deal — a deeply considered French wine list in a setting that actually earns it, backed by seven years of Wine Spectator recognition. The pricing skews premium and a dedicated sommelier would sharpen the experience, but if you're willing to spend at this level, few restaurants in Connecticut will reward you more.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
· Decatur · Japanese
Umi is built around Champagne, and if that's your thing, there are genuinely exciting bottles here — from the Billecart-Salmon Rosé to the Salon Cuvée S for when someone at the table is feeling reckless. The markups run steep across the board, and outside of sparkling, the list doesn't have much to say. But if you're celebrating something and want bubbles with your omakase, this is exactly the right room.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· San Jose · Japanese
Ozumo pulls off something most restaurants don't bother attempting: a tight, curated by-the-glass program that actually reflects a point of view. The Loire and Burgundy presence alongside skin-contact Pinot Gris and volcanic Soave tells you someone made real choices here. If you're eating Japanese and want to drink something more interesting than the house Pinot Noir, this list delivers — especially in that $13–$19 range.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Vail · Japanese
Matsuhisa Vail carries recognizable Burgundy producers, which suggests someone cares about the wine program at some level — but the public-facing documentation is so thin we can't make a credible case for the list as a whole. Until there's transparency on pricing, glass pours, and the full bottle selection, Vail's wine-forward crowd would be taking a blind leap ordering here. Go for the food; treat the wine as a bonus if something good shows up.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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