Big Bottle Dreams on a Lava Rock Island
· Kailua-Kona · Wine Shop / Small Plates · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed September 20, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Kona Wine Market’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Walking into a wine market on the Kona Coast with Shafer Hillside Select and Allegrini La Poja on the shelf is not what you expect in a town better known for coffee and sunburns. The list is compact — 35 labels — but whoever curated it has a point of view. This isn't a resort gift shop with overpriced Meiomi; someone cared.
The range punches across Italy, California, France, and the Pacific Northwest without getting lost. You've got the Allegrini Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2019 sitting next to the Alois Settimo Pallagrello Nero 2022 — a southern Italian grape that most shops on the mainland wouldn't touch. California Cabernet gets plenty of love, from the approachable Alexander Valley Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 all the way up to the Shafer Hillside Select 2016 for the big spenders. The sparkling corner is genuinely solid — Bele Casel Asolo Prosecco and De Chanceny Cremant de Loire Rose offer real alternatives to Champagne at sane prices. The main gap is white wine depth and anything from the Southern Hemisphere or Spain.
By-the-glass options aren't documented in the available data, which is a real blind spot for a shop that also functions as a small plates destination. If you're stopping in for a pour rather than a bottle, confirm with staff what's open before you commit.
The Bottom Line
Kona Wine Market is the kind of wine shop that makes you do a double-take when you're expecting tourist-trap bottles and instead find Shafer Hillside Select and a Campanian obscurity on the same shelf. The list is small but it's edited, not lazy, and the pricing is fair for Hawaii. If you're staying on the Big Island and want a serious bottle without driving to a resort bar and paying resort prices, this is your spot.
· Kailua-Kona · Pop-up Wine Bar / Events
Kona Wine Nights earns its Wild Card badge precisely because it defies the normal restaurant wine calculus — you're buying into an experience led by a sommelier, scored by local musicians, and framed by a Hawaiian sunset. We can't verify the specific bottles or pricing, so we're not going to pretend otherwise, but the concept is genuinely compelling for anyone who wants something more than a Caymus pour at a hotel bar. If you're in Kailua-Kona and want a wine night that feels like it was designed with intention, this is worth the ticket.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Acceptable
· Kailua-Kona · Modern Hawaiian / Tasting-Style
CanoeHouse is a beautiful place to drink wine — the setting, the seafood, and the overall experience justify the splurge on a special night. But the wine program itself appears to be resort-standard: solid, Champagne-and-Burgundy-leaning, and priced for the zip code rather than the quality in the glass. Come for the view and the lobster tempura; don't come expecting a list that surprises you.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Hilton Waikoloa Village · Kailua-Kona · Steak & Seafood
Kamuela Provision Company has a stunning setting and almost certainly a strong kitchen, but its documented wine program is barely a program at all. If you're here for the view and the fresh catch, order something off the cocktail menu instead — one Chardonnay at a 3x markup isn't worth building a dinner around.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Kailua-Kona · New American / Hawaiian
Magics Beach Grill earns its reputation on atmosphere, not its wine program — and there's nothing wrong with that, as long as you know what you're walking into. If the sunset and the fresh fish are the draw, go for it; just don't expect the list to keep pace with the view. A happy hour window from 2–5 pm and again at 8 pm to close gives you a reason to order a glass without overthinking it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
· Kailua-Kona · Italian-Inspired / Casual
Kai is a great place to watch the sun drop into the Pacific with something cold in your hand — just don't expect the wine list to be the reason you went. The program is serviceable for the setting, but with resort-level markups likely baked in, the cocktail menu might be a smarter play. If wine is your priority, lower your expectations before you sit down; if the view is your priority, you're exactly where you should be.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Kailua-Kona · Seafood / Steakhouse
Huggo's is a reliable enough place to drink wine if you're already there for the view and the fresh fish — just don't come expecting value or discovery. The regional mix is competent, the setting is genuinely spectacular, and the list will get you through dinner without incident. If you're a wine-first traveler, this probably isn't your destination, but it's a perfectly reasonable stop if the ahi tuna is calling your name.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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