Great Views, Brutal Markups, Zero Effort
Kohala Coast · Kailua-Kona · Mediterranean · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 24, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Meridia at Westin Hapuna Beach Resort’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The Mediterranean concept gives us hope — Spain, Italy, Greece, Southern France, that's a canvas with real potential. Then you open the list and find Kim Crawford and Meiomi sitting right where the Txakoli and Assyrtiko should be. The ocean view is doing a lot of heavy lifting here.
For a restaurant that bills itself as Mediterranean-inspired, the wine list reads more like a hotel banquet package than a thoughtful regional program. California dominates with the usual suspects — Cakebread, Silver Oak, Decoy, Sonoma-Cutrer — while the stated focus on Spain, Italy, and Greece barely registers in practice. Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio is the token Italian gesture, and we'd bet the Greek and Southern French sections are similarly thin. There are no adventurous producers, no small-grower finds, nothing that says anyone thought hard about what wines actually belong alongside grilled octopus and paella.
Expect somewhere between 8 and 14 pours, almost certainly anchored by the same names on the bottle list — La Marca Prosecco to start, Kim Crawford for the table that always orders Kim Crawford, maybe Meiomi for the Pinot crowd. Rotation appears nonexistent; this is a set-it-and-forget-it program through and through.
Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley — $195
At 129% markup it's the least egregious option on a list built to punish you. It's still $110 over retail, but relative to everything else here, it's as close to fair as Meridia gets.
Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay Napa Valley
Not a hidden gem in any exciting sense, but at 144% markup it's the most reasonably priced white on the list and at least a recognizable, consistent pour — damning-with-faint-praise territory, but that's where we are.
La Marca Prosecco
A $16 bottle of grocery-store Prosecco priced at $52 is a 225% markup on something you can find at every Trader Joe's in America. Do not toast your vacation with this.
Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay Napa Valley + Fresh local fish
Cakebread's Napa Chard has enough richness and oak to stand up to buttery preparations without trampling delicate island fish. It's the least-bad choice on a list that doesn't actually try to match its Mediterranean menu.
The Bottom Line
Meridia has the setting, the concept, and the menu to deserve a genuinely interesting wine list — instead it serves up resort-hotel boilerplate at punishing markups. Order the paella, drink the cocktails, and save the serious wine for somewhere that cares.
· 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
· Washington · Mediterranean
Zaytinya's wine list is one of the more focused and honest Greek programs you'll find at a mid-to-high scale restaurant in D.C. The by-the-glass selection is wide, the pricing doesn't insult you, and the Greek variety depth is genuinely impressive. If you've been waiting for a reason to finally figure out what Xinomavro tastes like, this is your spot.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· New York · Mediterranean
Zaytinya's wine list is a rare thing in New York: a focused, regionally coherent program that commits hard to Greek and Eastern Mediterranean varieties without making you feel like you need a flashcard to order. The by-the-glass selection alone — 18 options, all under $18, featuring producers most wine lists wouldn't touch — makes this worth visiting even before the food arrives. If you eat here and order a Cabernet, that's on you.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Buckhead · Atlanta · Mediterranean
Brassica might be hiding a thoughtful, Spain-forward wine program behind that Waldorf lobby — but we can't confirm it, and hotel dining rooms rarely earn the benefit of the doubt on pricing. If you're eating here for the butter-poached lobster or the rack of venison, go for it. Just keep your wine expectations measured until someone puts the actual list online.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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