Manta
Pacific Views, California Muscle, French Finesse
Kohala Coast · Kohala Coast · Hawaiian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 7, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
You're sitting at the edge of the Pacific Ocean, the sun is doing something dramatic on the water, and someone hands you a 250-bottle wine list heavy on California and Burgundy. It's a lot to take in — in the best way. Manta leans into the resort setting without apologizing for it, and the wine list follows suit: ambitious, polished, and priced accordingly.
Selection Deep Dive
The list runs 250 to 350 bottles deep with California and France doing most of the heavy lifting, which makes sense given the Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence they picked up in 2024. You'll find the expected California power players — Opus One, Caymus Special Selection, Stag's Leap Cabernet, Duckhorn Merlot — alongside serious French benchmarks like Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet and Louis Jadot Gevrey-Chambertin. It's not an adventurous or genre-bending list, but it hits the marks a fine dining oceanfront room needs to hit. What's missing is anything from Hawaii itself or the broader Pacific Rim — a missed opportunity given the setting and the kitchen's commitment to local sourcing.
By the Glass
With 20 to 30 by-the-glass options running $15 to $25, the pour program is one of the stronger aspects of the list for anyone who doesn't want to commit to a full bottle over a long sunset dinner. The range tracks the bottle list — expect Chardonnay, Cabernet, and likely some Burgundy representation at the glass. There's no indication of frequent rotation or a dedicated BTG spotlight program, so what you see is probably what you'll always get.
Jordan Winery Cabernet Sauvignon — $60
Jordan consistently punches above its price point — structured, food-friendly, and recognizable to most guests without requiring a second mortgage. In a list that runs well into the triple digits, this is where you get a genuinely satisfying California Cab without the resort surcharge hitting too hard.
Louis Jadot Gevrey-Chambertin
Most tables at a Hawaii resort beach dinner are going to reach for the big California Cabs, which means the Jadot Gevrey-Chambertin gets overlooked. That's a mistake. Earthy, dark-fruited Burgundy from one of the Côte de Nuits' top appellations is exactly the kind of wine that sings next to a mushroom dish or the local catch prepared with umami-forward ingredients.
Opus One
Nobody's going to talk you out of ordering Opus One if that's what you want — it's a great wine. But at a resort in Hawaii, you're almost certainly paying a 3x to 4x markup on a bottle you can find anywhere, and the flex doesn't earn you anything at this particular table. Spend that same money on something you can't get at your local wine shop.
Kistler Chardonnay + Seared scallops
Kistler is rich, structured, and has enough acidity to hold its ground against a properly seared scallop. The wine's texture matches the dish without flattening it, and the Pacific Ocean backdrop makes this an almost unreasonably good moment.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Manta is the kind of wine list that earns its award — deep enough to reward exploration, anchored by serious producers, and properly stored in a room that takes wine seriously. The pricing is resort pricing, so go in with eyes open, but this is unquestionably one of the better wine programs you'll encounter on the Big Island.
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