Lagoon Views, Legit Pours, No Apologies
Wailea · Seafood, Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Updated October 2026
Reviewed April 13, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Humuhumunukunukuapua'a’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You're sitting over a lagoon, staring at the Pacific, and the wine list lands in your hands — and it's actually good. A resort restaurant with a Wine Spectator credential and a named sommelier (Ken Caldwell) behind the program isn't what you expect when you book a table somewhere that requires you to spell out its name. The California and France focus makes sense here: familiar enough for vacation mode, serious enough to reward the curious.
The 150-250 bottle list leans hard into California — Duckhorn Merlot, Far Niente Chardonnay, Stag's Leap Cab, Jordan, Cakebread, and yes, Opus One for when someone's celebrating something big. France shows up with Louis Jadot holding down Burgundy duties. There's a nod to the Pacific Northwest with Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir, and Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc earns its spot as a natural match for the island seafood. The list isn't going to surprise anyone who's eaten at a serious steakhouse before, but it's well-curated and properly stocked — no obvious lazy filler here.
Twenty to thirty-five options by the glass is genuinely impressive for a resort dining room — that's not a token effort. At $14–$22 a glass, you're paying resort prices, full stop, but the range means you can work through a few different styles across a long dinner without committing to a bottle. We'd love to see more rotation and adventurous pours in the glass program, but what's here is solid.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling — $60
On a menu built around fresh Hawaiian fish, an off-dry Riesling is a genuinely smart call — it bridges the gap between the ocean flavors and the kitchen's tropical touches. It's also likely the most approachable price point on the list, and Washington Riesling punches well above its cost here.
Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir
Everyone at a beachfront steakhouse is reaching for the Stag's Leap or the Jordan, which means the Drouhin Oregon Pinot quietly waits for someone smart enough to order it. It's got the elegance of a Burgundy-trained winemaker working Pacific Northwest fruit — lighter, cooler, and a better call alongside the island fish preparations than any Cab on the list.
Opus One
Opus One on a resort list means one thing: it's there to be ordered by the table that wants to spend money, and the markup will reflect that. At a beachfront seafood restaurant in Wailea, a powerful Napa Bordeaux blend is also just the wrong wine for most of what the kitchen is doing. Save Opus One for a different night.
Far Niente Chardonnay + Fresh island mahi-mahi
Far Niente's Chardonnay is rich and barrel-influenced without going overboard — it has the body to stand next to a firm, meaty fish like mahi-mahi while its citrus and stone fruit notes echo whatever bright, tropical elements the kitchen brings to the plate. It's a classic California Chardonnay doing exactly what it should.
The Bottom Line
A resort wine program that actually earns its Wine Spectator credential — Ken Caldwell's list is focused, properly managed, and deep enough to make dinner interesting. You're paying resort markups, so go in eyes open, but the setting is ridiculous and the wine backs it up.
Wailea · Wailea · Regional Hawaiian
Ka'ana Kitchen is a reliably well-run resort wine program with real talent behind it — three sommeliers, legitimate producers, and a list that earns its Wine Spectator badge. Just know going in that you're paying Wailea prices, so calibrate your order accordingly and lean on the staff to find your value play.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Wailea · Wailea · Asian, Hawaiian
If you're eating at Hotel Wailea anyway, the wine list is a genuine reason to linger — just come on a Wednesday, eyes open, and go deeper than the obvious names. The markups sting, but the depth is real and this is one of the most serious wine programs on Maui.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Willing but Green
Occasional
Proper
Georgetown · Washington · Seafood, Steakhouse
An unpriced list that is easier to read for what it offers than for what it costs. If you want Bordeaux, ask for the 2020 Margaux de Brane Cantenac, or look at the Brunello di Montalcino in Sommelier's Selections, and get the price before you commit. This unrated guide covers the posted Beverage Menu, not service, storage or markups.
Back Bay · Boston · Seafood, Steakhouse
A beverage book that covers a lot more than California: 19 glass pours up front, then Napa, Burgundy, Bordeaux, the Rhône and Piedmont behind them. If you are spending, look at the Kistler Les Noisetiers Chardonnay at $175; if you are not, the Zlatan Otok Plavac Mali is the lowest-priced full bottle at $39. This unrated guide covers the posted drinks list, not service, storage or markups.
Bend · Bend · Seafood, Steakhouse
Brickhouse posts a steakhouse list with a long Washington Cabernet section and 6 oz glass pours from $12. Start with the $12 Green Wing Cabernet by the glass, or step up to the Eyrie Estate Pinot Noir at 85 for a bottle; if you are spending, the Quilceda Creek Cabernets in the Washington section run 425 to 475. Confirm today's availability and prices; this unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.