Safe Sips for a Sushi Night Out
Indianapolis · Indianapolis · Japanese · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed March 21, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Shiro is short, California-centric, and clearly built to not scare anyone off. It's the kind of list a restaurant puts together when wine is an afterthought — functional, inoffensive, and unlikely to generate much excitement.
You're looking at a tight roster of recognizable, grocery-store-friendly labels: Bonanza Cab, J. Lohr, Elouan Pinot Noir, Babich Sauvignon Blanc. The lone standout with any real provenance is the Livio Felluga Pinot Gris from Friuli — an Italian producer that absolutely doesn't belong in this lineup, in the best possible way. Beyond that one detour, the list stays firmly in Napa and California comfort territory with zero representation from regions that would actually sing alongside Japanese food — think Alsace, Mosel, or even domestic Riesling.
The by-the-glass program is limited to what we can confirm: Bonanza Cab and Babich Sauvignon Blanc are both available by the glass. That's a thin offering for a full-service dinner restaurant — if you want anything outside those two, you're committing to a bottle.
Babich Sauvignon Blanc 2018 — null
New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is one of the few wine styles that genuinely works with sushi — bright acidity, citrus-forward, no oak to fight the fish. Babich is a reliable producer and this is the most food-friendly pick on the list. Available by the glass, which makes it the easy call.
Livio Felluga Pinot Gris 2016
This is the one wine on the list that would make a serious wine drinker do a double-take. Livio Felluga is a benchmark Friuli producer and their Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris is nothing like the thin, watery versions most people tolerate at Italian-American restaurants. It has texture, stone fruit, and enough body to hold up to richer sushi and sashimi preparations. Skip past the Cabs and find this one.
Bonanza Cab Sauv
Bonanza is a cheap, bulk-production Napa label from Chuck Wagner. It retails for around $20 and it's fine for what it is — but it's probably not priced at $20 here. Cabernet Sauvignon is also just a rough match for a Japanese menu. Pass.
Livio Felluga Pinot Gris 2016 + sashimi
The Felluga has the weight and acidity to complement delicate raw fish without bulldozing it. Most reds on this list would overwhelm sashimi; this white actually works with it.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Shiro's wine list won't win any awards, but the Livio Felluga hiding at the bottom is a genuine find. Come for the sushi, order the white wine, and don't let anyone pour you a Cab.
Downtown Indianapolis · Indianapolis · American Steakhouse
Prime 47 is a dependable, California-forward steakhouse list that earns its Wine Spectator Award of Excellence — not because it takes risks, but because it executes the classics reliably and keeps the Cabs flowing. Send a friend here if they want a good bottle with a great steak; just don't send them expecting to discover anything new.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Indianapolis · Indianapolis · French, Japanese
Vida is the kind of wine program that makes you wish more mid-sized American cities had a Jared May running their lists — deep Burgundy, serious California, and a dining concept that actually justifies both. Yes, you'll pay for it, but this is a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence winner for real reasons.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown Indianapolis · Indianapolis · American Steakhouse
St. Elmo is the rare steakhouse that earns its Best of Award of Excellence without feeling like it's trying to impress anyone — the list is deep, the wines are real, and Monday half-price night is genuinely one of the best deals in Indianapolis. The markups can sting, but the bones of this program are excellent.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Proper
Herron-Morton Place · Indianapolis · Fine-Casual American
Tinker Street is the wine list that Indianapolis shouldn't have yet somehow does — globally curious, genuinely deep in spots, and anchored by a few pours that would feel at home at a serious wine bar in any major city. The markups on entry-level bottles keep it from being a full Rager, but the ambition earns a trip.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Mass Ave · Indianapolis · Southern, American, Brew Pub
The Eagle is a genuinely great place to eat fried chicken — the wine list, however, is an afterthought dressed up in a menu. Drink the beer, order the bubbles if you must, and save your wine curiosity for somewhere that reciprocates.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Indianapolis · New American
Cerulean is exactly what a serious restaurant in a mid-sized American city should be doing with wine — real producers, fair pours, a sommelier who actually knows the list. Send your friends here, especially if they're doing the tasting menu.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Hartford · Hartford · Japanese
Sakura Garden's wine list won't win any awards, but the pricing is fair, the options are drinkable, and the Riesling alone justifies ordering a bottle. Come for the hibachi, have a glass of something cold, and don't overthink it.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
West Side/Stillwater · Stamford · Japanese
Fin II is here for the sushi and hibachi, and the wine list makes no bones about that. Come for the food, order sake, and if you must have wine, grab the Riesling and move on.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
South Eugene · Eugene · Japanese
Makoto's wine list is exactly what it is — a small, sensible selection built for a neighborhood Japanese spot that cares more about the food than the cellar. Order the Riesling, don't overthink it, and you'll leave happy.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
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.