Sunset Views, Solid Pours, Resort Prices
Mauna Kea Resort · Kailua-Kona · Contemporary Hawaiʻi Regional Seafood · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 24, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Manta Restaurant at Mauna Kea Beach Hotel’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You open the wine list while the Pacific breeze comes in off Kaunaʻoa Bay and the sun starts doing its thing on the horizon — and honestly, the view is doing more heavy lifting than the list. Twenty-seven labels isn't a lot for a resort of this caliber, but what's here is curated rather than chaotic. It reads like someone made real choices, even if they played it conservatively.
California dominates, which makes sense — Napa and Sonoma names like Shafer, Vineyard 29, Duckhorn, and Ramey anchor the reds, and they're all respectable picks. France shows up in the right places: Billecart-Salmon and Collet handle the Champagne duty, Domaines Ott covers Provence rosé, and there are nods to Burgundy and Alsace. The gaps are real though — South America is absent, Italy gets minimal love, and there's nothing particularly adventurous or small-producer. This list won't surprise you, but it won't embarrass you either.
The by-the-glass count wasn't pinned down in our research, but the selection spans the expected categories — sparkling, white, rosé, and red — with quality pours like the Domaines Ott rosé and likely a house Chardonnay option. Rotation appears minimal; this feels like a set list that changes with the seasons at best. For a resort at this price point, we'd want more pours, more often.
Domaines Ott 'BY.OTT' Côtes de Provence Rosé 2022 — null
In a setting this warm and coastal, a proper Provence rosé is exactly right. BY.OTT is the more approachable tier from Ott but it's still the real deal — dry, mineral, and built for fish and ocean air. At resort pricing it's still not cheap, but it's the wine that earns its keep most honestly against the menu.
Vöcal 'Sabroso' 'Enz Vineyard' Cabernet Pfeffer, Lime Kiln Valley 2019
Nobody at the table is ordering this, and that's a mistake. Cabernet Pfeffer is a near-extinct Californian oddity — a grape so rare most wine lists don't bother. The Enz Vineyard in Lime Kiln Valley is one of the only places still growing it seriously, and Vöcal is doing right by it. If your server can actually talk you through it, order it immediately.
Orin Swift 'Abstract' Red Blend, Napa Valley 2019
Abstract is a perfectly fine, crowd-friendly red blend — but it's also widely available at retail for well under $40. At resort markup it's going to land somewhere that makes the value math look ugly. There are more interesting and better-valued bottles on this list.
Shafer 'Red Shoulder Ranch' Chardonnay, Carneros 2021 + Fresh local catch of the day
Red Shoulder Ranch is one of California's benchmark Chardonnays — rich enough to stand up to a buttery local fish preparation, but with enough Carneros acidity to keep it from going heavy. The volcanic minerality in the wine has a subtle conversation with whatever's coming in fresh off the Kona coast that day.
The Bottom Line
Manta is a beautiful place to drink wine — the setting alone earns a pass on some of the list's shortcomings. But you're paying resort premiums for a 27-bottle list that plays it safe, so go in knowing the view is part of what you're buying.
· 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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