California Classics Meet the Pacific at Sunset
Kohala Coast · Mediterranean · Visit Website ↗
Updated September 2026
Reviewed April 13, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Meridia’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The list lands on your table just as the sun starts dropping over the Pacific, and honestly, the setting does half the work for it. You're at a white-tablecloth restaurant on the Kohala Coast inside the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, so the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence hanging on the program's reputation feels right at home. California and Italy lead the charge — which, for a Mediterranean menu, is a reasonable bet.
The 150-250 bottle list leans hard into the California heavyweights and Italian prestige tier — Caymus, Stag's Leap, Duckhorn, Jordan on one side; Antinori, Gaja, Banfi, and Sassicaia holding down the Italian front. It's a crowd-pleasing hits album more than a deep-cuts record, but when those hits are Tignanello and Gaja Barbaresco, you're not exactly slumming it. The gaps show where you'd hope for more: minimal exploration of Sicily, Sardinia, or southern Italian producers that would make more natural sense alongside a Mediterranean menu. Still, for a resort restaurant in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, the depth is genuinely impressive.
Somewhere between 12 and 20 pours by the glass, running $12–$18, which is reasonable for a resort property of this caliber. Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio and Rombauer Chardonnay are almost certainly anchoring the white side — reliable, crowd-familiar, and not exciting, but they'll sell all night. We'd push staff to walk you toward something further down the list before you default to the obvious.
Jordan Winery Cabernet Sauvignon — $45
Jordan consistently punches above its price point — structured, food-friendly, and honest California Cab without the Napa trophy-wine markup. On a list where bottles climb fast, this is where you land if you want quality without the regret check.
Banfi Brunello di Montalcino
Most diners at a resort wine list head straight for the California Cabs, completely overlooking this. Brunello with lamb chops or the Mediterranean sea bass is a proper move, and Banfi's version offers serious Sangiovese depth without requiring you to spend Gaja money.
Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio
It's fine. It's also $15 retail and ordered by people who don't look at the list. You're in a beautiful restaurant in Hawaii with Gaja and Sassicaia on the menu — Santa Margherita is autopilot, and you can do better here.
Antinori Tignanello 2020 + Lamb chops
Tignanello is the rare bottle that earns its price tag on a resort list — Sangiovese backbone with Cabernet structure, savory and dark-fruited in a way that matches the char and richness of lamb chops without fighting the herbs on the plate. This is the dinner you came to Hawaii for.
Wednesday — Half-price wine night on Wednesdays — the single best reason to time your reservation accordingly.
The Bottom Line
Meridia isn't a destination wine list, but it's a genuinely solid one for a beachfront resort on the Big Island — the California-Italy focus makes sense, Wednesday's half-price wine promotion is worth knowing about, and a few bottles here (Tignanello, Gaja, Sassicaia) are the real deal. Go for the sunset and the lamb, and let the list do its job.
· West Palm Beach · Mediterranean
Florie's is a hotel wine program that tries harder than it has to, and that counts for something. The all-by-the-glass format is genuinely practical, the French selections show real taste, and a few pours — the Schloss Lieser, the Armand Heitz — would be highlights at any standalone wine bar. The markups are what they are: you're inside a Four Seasons. Go in with eyes open, order the Riesling, and let someone else order the Opus One.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· West Palm Beach · Mediterranean
Del Mar is a Reliable pour in a city that doesn't always try that hard at wine — the Coravin program and the 34-glass lineup show real effort, and the Assyrtiko alone is worth the visit if you're ordering seafood. Markups on the California icons are steep, so steer toward the European picks and you'll drink well without feeling taken.
Solid Range
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
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