Hawaii Farm Country Hiding a Surprisingly Legit List
· Kamuela · Restaurant · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed October 24, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Merriman's Restaurant Waimea’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Eighteen labels isn't a lot, but the way this list is put together tells you someone's paying attention. You've got Champagne next to Crémant, Sancerre next to Vouvray, and Linne Calodo sharing a menu with La Rioja Alta — that's not an accident. For a restaurant sitting on the slopes of Waimea on the Big Island, this list punches well above its weight class.
The list leans heavily Old World in white — the Champalou Vouvray and Auchère Sancerre are genuinely serious pours, and the Mönchhof Riesling rounds out a white section that actually has range. Red side, La Rioja Alta's 'Viña Alberdi' Tempranillo and La Quercia Montepulciano d'Abruzzo keep the European flag flying, while Obsidian Ridge Cabernet and Linne Calodo's 'LC Red' hold down the California side with credibility. The list is short, but there are almost no filler bottles — nearly every selection earns its spot. The one real gap is depth in Burgundy and anything from the Southern Hemisphere.
This is where Merriman's Waimea really earns its keep — seventeen of eighteen labels are available by the glass, which means the full list is essentially a by-the-glass program. Prices run $15 to $25 per glass, with happy hour dropping select pours to $10. That kind of access on a list with Failla Chardonnay and Lallier Brut Champagne is genuinely unusual.
The Bottom Line
Merriman's Waimea runs a lean, genuinely curated wine program that rewards the curious drinker — and the happy hour $10 pours on a list that includes Sancerre and Failla Chardonnay is a deal you shouldn't walk past. If you're on the Big Island and want a glass of wine that actually reflects some thought, this is your stop.
18 wines captured from the source list, including wines not yet matched to our catalog. Availability, vintages, and prices can change. View source wine list.
Happy Hour Red Wine Special $10
Happy Hour Menu
$10.00 / glass
Happy Hour White Wine Special $10
Happy Hour Menu
$10.00 / glass
All Wine BTG $2 OFF
Happy Hour Menu
Prosecco 'Ohana Brut, Veneto, IT $15
Sparkling
$15.00 / glass
Brut Rosé De Chanceny, Crémant de Loire, FR $18
Sparkling
$18.00 / glass
Champagne Lallier Réflexion R.021 Brut, Champagne, FR $25
Sparkling
$25.00 / glass
Sauvignon Blanc Frog's Leap, Napa Valley, CA 2024 $18
White
$18.00 / glass
Sauvignon Blanc Auchère, Sancerre, FR 2022 $20
White
$20.00 / glass
Pinot Grigio Giocato, Goriska Brda, SI $16
White
$16.00 / glass
Chardonnay Failla, Sonoma Coast, CA 2024 $19
White
$19.00 / glass
Chenin Blanc Champalou, Vouvray, FR $18
White
$18.00 / glass
Riesling Mönchhof 'Estate', Mosel, DE $17
White
$17.00 / glass
Grenache Blend Matthiasson, Dunnigan Hills, CA $16
Rosé
$16.00 / glass
Cabernet Sauvignon Obsidian Ridge Estate, Lake County, CA 2021 $20
Red
$20.00 / glass
Pinot Noir 'Estate', Sta. Rita Hills, CA 2024 $19
Red
$19.00 / glass
Tempranillo La Rioja Alta, 'Viña Alberdi', Rioja, ES $18
Red
$18.00 / glass
Montepulciano d'Abruzzo La Quercia, Abruzzo, IT $16
Red
$16.00 / glass
Grenache Blend Linne Calodo 'LC Red', Paso Robles, CA $20
Red
$20.00 / glass
· Shelter Island · Restaurant
The Terrace is doing more than most resort wine programs bother to do — 22 by-the-glass options, genuine regional variety, and local Long Island producers given real shelf space. The markup is the friction point: this is resort pricing, and you'll feel it most on recognizable labels like Moët. Lean into the Macari pours and the Chianti Classico Riserva, skip the obvious bottles, and the list more than holds its own for a summer night on Shelter Island.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Santa Fe · Restaurant
SkyFire's bar list is small but surprisingly self-aware — the Gruet duo gives it local credibility, the Billecart-Salmon and Gautherin Chablis give it real range, and the zero-proof inclusions show someone actually thought about the full table. Markups trend steep as expected for a resort property, so pick your spots wisely. If you're settling in for a high desert sunset, start with the Gruet and let the list earn your next pour.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· East Hampton · Restaurant
The Palm East Hampton is a strange and quietly wonderful anomaly: a legacy steakhouse chain running a six-bottle all-natural wine list priced like it forgot to account for zip code. If you are open to something unexpected and don't need your hand held, the Crochet Sancerre alone is worth the stop. Just don't come hoping for a deep cellar or a glass pour.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
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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