Shiro Japanese Restaurant
Safe Sips for a Sushi Night Out
Indianapolis · Indianapolis · Japanese · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed March 21, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
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.
Selection Deep Dive
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.
By the Glass
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.
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