Strip Mall Thai With a Serious Wine Brain
Santa Ynez Valley · Solvang · Thai · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 27, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Na Na Thai’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
You're in a strip mall in Buellton, squinting at a wine list that somehow includes a Muscadet, an orange Huxelrebe blend, and two Stolpman labels. It doesn't make immediate sense — and that's exactly the point. Someone here put real thought into this, and it shows the moment you start reading.
Nine bottles, all available by the glass, curated with the kind of intentionality you'd expect from a wine bar, not a Thai spot next to a highway. The list leans heavily aromatic and high-acid — Crémant de Loire, Tatomer Riesling, Alsatian Edelzwicker, Muscadet — wines that were practically engineered to handle spice and citrus-forward cooking. Local representation is strong via Stolpman Vineyards, which shows up three times across the list (rosé, Sangiovese, and Sauvignon Blanc), giving the whole thing a Santa Ynez Valley backbone. The one red, a 2021 Arribas 'Saroto' from Priorat, is an odd but interesting outlier — earthy, mineral, and just grippy enough to hold up to something braised. There aren't a lot of bottles here, but every single one earns its spot.
All nine wines pour by the glass at $15–$17, which is remarkably fair given the quality of what's in the lineup. You're not getting stuck with a generic Pinot Grigio to fill a slot — the orange wine from Müller-Ruprecht alone is the kind of thing you'd expect to find at a natural wine bar in Silver Lake, not a strip mall in the Santa Ynez Valley. Rotation data isn't confirmed, but given how tightly the list is built, it reads more like a considered snapshot than something that updates seasonally.
2022 Meyer-Fonné Edelzwicker (1L) — $70/bottle
A one-liter format of one of Alsace's most reliable producers at $70 means you're getting more wine for your money with zero penalty on quality. Edelzwicker is a field blend built for the table — it's versatile, food-friendly, and quietly delicious. At a liter, it's practically an act of generosity.
2023 Müller-Ruprecht (Orange) Huxelrebe/Gewürztraminer/Chardonnay
Most people at a Thai restaurant are going to order the rosé or the Riesling and call it a night. Skip past those and land on this orange wine from Germany's Pfalz region — a blend of Huxelrebe, Gewürztraminer, and Chardonnay with the skin contact giving it texture and grip. It's unusual, it's aromatic, and it handles heat like a champion. This is the one that makes the list worth talking about.
2021 Arribas 'Saroto' Red Blend
At $17/glass or $65/bottle, the Priorat red isn't a ripoff — but it's the most out-of-place bottle on the list and the one most likely to clash with the food. Thai cuisine and a structured, earthy Priorat blend require some navigation, and without staff confident enough to walk you through it, there's a real chance this lands wrong against a green curry or a pad Thai. Stick to the whites and the orange.
2023 Tatomer 'Vandenberg' Riesling + Khao Soi
Tatomer's Vandenberg Riesling is built on cool coastal acidity and restrained residual sugar — exactly what you need against the rich, coconut-heavy, spice-forward broth of Khao Soi. The wine cuts through the fat, lifts the lemongrass, and keeps the heat from stacking up. This is the pairing that makes you feel like someone planned the whole menu around it.
The Bottom Line
Na Na Thai is a genuinely surprising wine program hiding inside a casual Thai spot in Buellton — fair prices, smart curation, and a clear point of view about what wines belong with spice-driven food. If you're driving through wine country and want something that earns its own kind of credibility, this list is worth the detour.
Alisal Ranch / Golf Course · Solvang · Casual American Grill
The Grill at the Ranch Course isn't a wine destination, but it's a smart, locally-honest list that respects its surroundings more than most golf course restaurants bother to. If you're already at Alisal Ranch, lean into the Santa Ynez producers and you'll drink well.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Buellton · Solvang · Californian farm-to-table, wood-fired, casual
Industrial Eats shouldn't have a wine list this good, and that's exactly why we like it. If you're already making the drive through the Santa Ynez Valley, this is the casual stop that earns a detour.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Santa Ynez · Solvang · Italian Trattoria
Trattoria Grappolo isn't trying to be a destination wine bar, and it doesn't need to be — it's a warm, well-run trattoria with a list that respects its address and feeds the food well. If you're in the Santa Ynez Valley and want local wines with good pasta, this is exactly the right call.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Los Alamos · Solvang · Wood-fired flatbreads and seasonal Californian cuisine
Full of Life Flatbread is the best argument for pulling off the freeway in Los Alamos — the food and the wine list are both punching way above what a casual flatbread spot has any business delivering. If you're driving through wine country and skipping this because it doesn't look like a tasting room, that's on you.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Los Alamos · Solvang · Seasonal Californian farm-to-table
Pico is the rare restaurant where the wine program is as compelling as the drive to get there. If you're making the trip to Los Alamos, the list alone is reason enough to book a table and stay awhile.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
Los Alamos · Solvang · French Bistro
Bell's is the rare small-town restaurant where the wine list is as considered as the food, and the two actually talk to each other. If you're anywhere near Los Alamos, this is a destination — not a detour.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
The Y / Emerald Bay Road · South Lake Tahoe · Thai
My Thai is a genuine Wild Card — a family Thai joint that somehow assembled a Napa Cab-heavy wine list with real bottles on it, even if the pairing logic is questionable and the markups climb fast. Come for the green curry, order the Santadi, and marvel at the fact that Heitz Trailside exists on this menu at all.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Southgate · Missoula · Thai
Zoo Thai has no business having a wine list this interesting, and that's meant as a compliment. If you're eating Thai in Missoula and you care at all about what's in your glass, this is the move.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Frederick · Frederick · Thai
Sumittra serves solid Thai food in a welcoming downtown space, but the wine list is a missed opportunity — overpriced supermarket brands with no connection to the cuisine. Order a Thai iced tea and save the wine budget for somewhere that earned it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
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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