Serious Cellar Meets Island Farm Table
Waikiki · Honolulu · Farm to Table, Regional · Visit Website ↗
Updated August 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 7, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Solera’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Solera lands like a quiet flex — no flashy gimmicks, just a 300-500 bottle program that means business in a town where most restaurants are happy to slide you a mediocre Pinot Grigio and call it a day. California, France, and Italy anchor the list with real intention, and a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence since 2023 tells you this wasn't assembled on autopilot. You get the sense someone actually cares.
California leads with the heavy hitters: Opus One, Ridge Monte Bello, Caymus, and Kistler Chardonnay cover both the prestige seeker and the serious drinker. France brings genuine depth — Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet and Barolo names like Giacomo Conterno and Biondi-Santi Brunello di Montalcino show this isn't just a token Bordeaux and done situation. Oregon sneaks in with Domaine Drouhin, which is a nice nod for guests who want something between the Old and New worlds. The gaps are hard to identify from the outside, but if you're hunting natural wines or anything from the Southern Hemisphere, you may be out of luck.
With 20-35 by-the-glass options ranging from $12 to $25, the pour program is one of the stronger ones you'll find in Honolulu — this isn't a six-bottle-by-the-glass situation. The range suggests some thoughtful curation rather than just dumping the cheapest case options into stem rotation. We'd love to know how often the list rotates, but even a static 20+ glass list at this quality level beats most of the island.
Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir — $60–$80 (est. bottle range)
In a list dominated by Napa heavyweights and blue-chip Burgundy, Drouhin Oregon is the play for anyone who wants elegance without the four-figure commitment. It's serious wine that won't require a moment of sticker shock.
Giacomo Conterno Barolo
Most tables at a Hawaii farm-to-table spot will reach for California Cab or something French. Conterno Barolo is one of the benchmark names in Italian wine and it's sitting right there — order it, let it breathe, and thank us later.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus is fine wine that's been so relentlessly over-ordered at restaurants everywhere that the markup is essentially baked into its cultural moment. With Ridge Monte Bello and Opus One on the same list, there's no reason to default to the crowd pleaser.
Kistler Chardonnay + Locally sourced fish preparation
Kistler is rich and textured without being a butter bomb — it has enough acidity to cut through any delicate preparation and enough weight to match the natural sweetness of fresh Hawaii fish. This is the pairing that makes the island setting make sense.
The Bottom Line
Solera is quietly one of the most serious wine destinations in Hawaii, and the farm-to-table menu gives you plenty of reasons to open something special. Yes, you'll pay for the privilege, but a sommelier who knows the list and a cellar stocked with Conterno and Leflaive isn't something you find at every beachside restaurant.
· Honolulu · Steakhouse
Morton's Honolulu gives you a competent, Cabernet-saturated list that will reliably satisfy the guest who came for a big steak and a big red — just don't expect any surprises, and watch the markup on the entry-level bottles. Send a friend here if they want comfort, not if they want discovery.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Waikiki · Honolulu · Latin American / Tasting Menu
El Cielo earns its reputation on atmosphere and food, but the wine program is a black box — and in a city where you're already paying tourist-tier prices, a list you can't see or trust is a list you should probably skip. Order a cocktail and save the wine night for somewhere that wants to earn it.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Waikīkī · Honolulu · Steakhouse
Ruth's Chris Waikīkī is a dependable splurge for steak night, but the wine list is corporate comfort food — Napa-forward, markup-heavy, and unlikely to surprise you. If wine is the point of your evening, this isn't your destination; if steak is the point, it'll get the job done.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Proper
Waikiki · Honolulu · Seafood / Steak
Chart House Waikiki is giving you a safe harbor, not a destination — the list is functional, the by-the-glass selection is surprisingly broad, and a couple of smart picks exist if you know where to look. Come for the ocean views and the fish; just don't expect the wine list to match the scenery.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Honolulu · Honolulu · Hotel Wine Bar
Vintage 1901 is a well-organized hotel wine bar doing exactly what it should — giving visitors something better than the minibar without demanding too much effort or knowledge. The port program is legitimately great and worth your time; the rest of the list is competent, if a little sleepy on value.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Honolulu · Rooftop Wine Bar
Tchin Tchin is a perfectly pleasant place to drink wine with a view, and nearly everything being available by the glass means you can graze without committing to a bottle. Just don't come expecting discovery — come expecting a solid pour and a great sunset.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Fairhope · Fairhope · Farm to Table, Regional
The Hope Farm is punching well above its zip code — a serious wine program with a credentialed sommelier in a city most people have never heard of, anchored by a half-price Wednesday that borders on absurd. The markups on the Napa flagship bottles are a legitimate gripe, but if you navigate around them, there's a genuinely rewarding list here worth the drive down to the bay.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Active Program
Proper
Poughkeepsie · Poughkeepsie · Farm to Table, Regional
Crew has held a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence since 2011 and it's earned — this is one of the better-reasoned wine lists in the Hudson Valley, especially for anyone who wants to drink local without sacrificing quality. Send a friend here if they're curious about New York wine; keep them away if they're dead-set on a deep cellar dig.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
La Jolla · La Jolla · Farm to Table, Regional
A.R. Valentien earns its Wine Spectator credential without drama — the California list is deep, the sommelier is the real deal, and the setting alone makes it worth the drive up Torrey Pines Road. Just go in knowing you'll pay resort prices and that the world beyond California largely doesn't exist here.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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