Ritz glam meets Rogan Josh, surprisingly well
Dana Point · Dana Point · Indian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 11, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Kahani’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
A wine list at an upscale Indian restaurant inside The Ritz-Carlton is already a conversation starter — and Kahani doesn't waste the moment. The list lands with confidence: Italy, France, and California front and center, backed by a proper sommelier in Georgi Stoianov who actually knows what's on it. This is not the wine program your average tikka masala spot is running.
Eighty to one-twenty bottles isn't massive, but Kahani uses the space intelligently, leaning on a trio of heavy-hitter regions. Italy gets real representation with Antinori from Tuscany, Gaja from Piedmont, and Marchesi di Barolo — that's not a list built by someone phoning it in. France shows up via Louis Jadot in Burgundy, and California brings Caymus and Rombauer to the party, which will keep the Napa faithful happy. The gaps are real — no serious sparkling depth, and the list doesn't venture much beyond its three anchor regions — but what's here is curated, not random. Wine Spectator gave it an Award of Excellence starting in 2025, and that tracks.
Ten to sixteen pours by the glass is a respectable spread for a restaurant this size, running $12–$18 a glass. The range covers enough ground that you're not stuck with two options and a shrug. We'd like to see more rotation to match the ambition of the kitchen, but what's available is competent and food-friendly.
Meiomi Pinot Noir — $12–$18 by the glass
Easy to dismiss as a crowd-pleaser, but Meiomi's soft fruit and low tannin structure actually work harder at this table than most would expect — especially if you're navigating spice-forward dishes. At the low end of the glass price range, it's the sensible move for anyone ordering across multiple courses.
Marchesi di Barolo (Barolo)
Most tables at Kahani are going to reach for California or something approachable, which means the Barolo from Marchesi di Barolo sits underordered and underappreciated. Nebbiolo's grip and earthiness against a braised lamb or a heavily spiced dish is a genuinely interesting combination — this is the bottle that rewards a little curiosity.
Rombauer Chardonnay
Look, Rombauer has its fans, but at Ritz-Carlton markup on an already recognizable bottle, you're paying a lot for something you could find at your local wine shop for half the price. The big, buttery profile doesn't do the Indian spice-driven menu any favors either. There are better uses of your money on this list.
Gaja (Piedmont) + Rack of Lamb
Gaja's structure and dark fruit intensity match the richness of a properly prepared rack of lamb, and there's enough acidity to cut through any fat without fighting the spice. This is the kind of pairing that makes you feel like you planned it — even if you just got lucky.
The Bottom Line
Kahani is the Wild Card because nobody expects a serious wine program inside a Ritz-Carlton Indian restaurant — and yet here we are, with Gaja on the list and a sommelier who can tell you why it matters. Steep prices are the price of the address, but if you're eating here anyway, the wine list absolutely earns your attention.
Dana Point · Dana Point · Italian
Luciana's isn't going to challenge your assumptions about wine, but it'll take care of you — fair prices, a few genuine gems buried in the California lineup, and a Wednesday half-price night that's legitimately worth planning around. Send your friends here if they want a great bottle with dinner, not a lecture about terroir.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Dana Point · Dana Point · Steak House
Bourbon Steak earns its Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence and then some — a deep, well-kept list with a real sommelier behind it, set against one of the better views in Southern California. The markups reflect the zip code, but this is where you go when the occasion demands it.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Lafayette Street · Canandaigua · Indian
Flavors isn't a wine destination, but it's not pretending to be one either — the list is honest, the prices are fair, and the Fox Run Riesling alone justifies ordering a bottle. Come for the food, drink the Riesling, and don't overthink it.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown / Near Falls · Niagara Falls · Indian
Zaika isn't a wine destination, but the Niagara half of this list is a legitimate reason to skip the mango lassi and explore what's growing 20 minutes away. For Falls-area dining, that's more than we expected.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Duluth · Indian
India Palace is a genuinely solid spot for Indian food in Duluth, but the wine program is collecting dust. Steep markups, a California-only list that ignores everything that actually works with spiced cuisine, and zero signs of anyone caring enough to change it — order a mango lassi and save the wine for somewhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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