Nine-Ten
La Jolla's coastal wine list done right
La Jolla · La Jolla · Californian, Farm to Table · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 7, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
Tucked inside the Grande Colonial Hotel on Prospect Street, Nine-Ten hands you a wine list that feels like it means business — 300-plus selections organized around California, France, and Italy, with enough serious names to know this wasn't assembled by someone clicking a distributor catalog. The coastal setting earns its price tag, and so does the list, mostly.
Selection Deep Dive
California is the star and the program leans into it hard: Kistler Vineyards Chardonnay, Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon, Ridge Monte Bello, Dominus Estate, and Caymus Special Selection give you a legitimate cross-section of Napa and beyond. France shows up credibly with Louis Jadot Burgundy holding down the old-world anchor, and Italy gets a proper nod via Marchesi Antinori's Tignanello — one of the more satisfying Super Tuscans you'll find on a coastal California list. The range skews toward crowd-favorite producers, which means depth junkies hunting grower Champagne or obscure Rhône bottlings will come up short, but for what it is — a hotel restaurant wine list in La Jolla — this one genuinely overdelivers.
By the Glass
Twenty to thirty by-the-glass options is a serious commitment, and Nine-Ten earns points just for keeping that count. The selection tracks the bottle list's California-forward identity, so expect Chardonnay and Cabernet-adjacent pours to dominate. There's no evidence of aggressive rotation or a tasting-flight program, but the sheer volume of options means most tables will find something worth ordering.
Duckhorn Vineyards Merlot — $60
At the lower end of Nine-Ten's bottle range, Duckhorn Merlot punches well above what most people expect from Merlot — structured, fruit-forward, and instantly recognizable to wine-curious diners who want something reliable without paying Napa Cab prices.
Marchesi Antinori Tignanello
On a list this California-heavy, most tables default to Napa and never look left. Tignanello is a Sangiovese-Cabernet blend from Tuscany that drinks with more complexity and food-friendliness than anything in its price neighborhood — and in a room full of people ordering Caymus, it's the move that makes you look like you know something.
Caymus Vineyards Special Selection
It's a perfectly fine bottle, but Caymus Special Selection has become the default splurge for diners who don't know what else to order — and restaurant markup reflects that demand. You'll pay a premium for the name recognition alone. The Ridge Monte Bello or Spottswoode will give you more wine for the money and far more to talk about.
Kistler Vineyards Chardonnay + Hamachi Sashimi
Kistler's Chardonnay brings enough body and oak-touched richness to hold up against the fatty, buttery texture of hamachi without overwhelming the fish's clean, oceanic brightness. It's the kind of pairing that makes you wonder why you ever drank anything else with raw fish.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Nine-Ten has the credentials — Wine Spectator's Best of Award of Excellence since 2021 — and the list to back them up. Pricing runs steep as expected for La Jolla, but the depth and quality of producers on offer make this worth the spend if you're willing to look past the obvious bottles.
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