California Heavyweights Meet Iron Chef Theater
Las Vegas Strip · Las Vegas · Japanese, Korean
Updated June 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 17, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Morimoto’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You're sitting inside a stunning Yasumichi Morita-designed room at MGM Grand, the light is doing something architectural, and then the wine list lands — and it's basically a California greatest hits compilation. That's not a complaint exactly, but it is a statement of intent. This list isn't trying to surprise you; it's trying to reassure you.
The 150-250 bottle list leans hard into California, and the names it drops are legitimate: Kistler Chardonnay, Ridge Monte Bello, Shafer Hillside Select, Opus One. These aren't filler picks — they're the kind of bottles that belong on a serious list. The problem is the list doesn't stray much beyond that comfort zone; there's little here to suggest anyone is pushing the program toward the natural wine movement or even a serious Burgundy detour that might actually flatter the Japanese-forward menu. For a restaurant with this much culinary ambition, the wine program plays it conspicuously safe.
With 20-35 by-the-glass options and glasses running $14-$30, the pour program is one of the better-stocked setups on the Strip. The range likely mirrors the bottle list — California-dominant, reliable producers, nothing too adventurous. Three sommeliers on staff (Kris Asakawa, Anna Gardner, Fernando Bernal) means someone should actually know what's on the list and be able to steer you toward something that works with the food.
Duckhorn Vineyards Merlot — $60–$80 est.
Duckhorn Merlot is consistently one of California's most food-friendly reds and tends to get lost in the shadow of the Cabernets on a list like this. If pricing holds anywhere near retail multiples, it's the smartest play on the menu — especially alongside the Wagyu.
Flowers Pinot Noir
Flowers' Sonoma Coast Pinot tends to get overlooked when Opus One and Shafer Hillside Select are competing for attention on the same page. But it's the bottle that actually makes sense with omakase or the toro tartare — lighter, more aromatic, and dramatically better suited to delicate Japanese flavors than a big Napa Cab.
Opus One
Opus One is a genuinely good wine — but on a Las Vegas Strip list, you're paying a significant premium on top of an already-premium price. It's also a Bordeaux-style blend that doesn't particularly flatter the Japanese menu. You're paying for the logo more than the experience here.
Kistler Chardonnay + Rock Shrimp Tempura
Kistler's Chardonnay has enough richness and texture to hold up to fried food without steamrolling the delicate sweetness of rock shrimp. The wine's restrained oak and clean acidity keep things from getting heavy — a rare California Chardonnay that actually earns its place at an omakase-adjacent table.
The Bottom Line
Morimoto Las Vegas is a better restaurant than its wine list deserves — three legit sommeliers, proper storage, and some serious California bottles trapped inside a list that doesn't take many risks. Come for the Flowers Pinot and the toro tartare, skip the Opus One markup, and let the staff do their job.
Caesars Palace · Las Vegas · French Fine Dining
This is where you come when wine matters as much as the food. The markup is Vegas-steep, but the cellar is world-class and the staff can navigate it. If you're celebrating big or chasing rare French bottles, this is the room.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Las Vegas · Restaurant
Lamaii is the rare Las Vegas restaurant where the wine list reflects a genuine point of view — the grower Champagne program alone is worth the visit. Send a friend here and tell them to order a Spécial Club.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Las Vegas Strip · Las Vegas · Steakhouse
STK Las Vegas is a bottle-list business masquerading as a wine program — three by-the-glass pours, a roster of safe California hits, and Vegas markups that'll make your eyes water. Order the Whispering Angel at happy hour, grab a bottle of Belle Glos if you're feeling generous, and save the real wine exploration for somewhere that cares.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Las Vegas · Restaurant
Diner Ross is doing something genuinely weird and kind of wonderful — a Champagne-forward list inside a Vegas diner is a wild card move that mostly works. Just don't show up expecting range beyond bubbles, and go for the growers before you default to the celebrity bottles.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Las Vegas · Steakhouse
The Palm Las Vegas is an unlikely wine discovery — a six-bottle natural and old-world-leaning list tucked inside a steakhouse institution, priced like someone forgot they're on the Strip. Don't sleep on it.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Las Vegas Strip · Las Vegas · American, Italian
Alexxa's is a Strip restaurant doing Strip things — great location, recognizable bottles, pricing that reflects the real estate. If you're here for fountain views and a glass of Cakebread, you'll be genuinely happy; if you're hunting for value or adventure, look elsewhere.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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