Paradise Views, Predictable Pours, Solid Execution
Kailua-Kona · Asian, Hawaiian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 13, 2026
RagingWine reviewed ULU Ocean Grill and Sushi Lounge’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You're sitting oceanside at the Four Seasons Hualalai, lava rock and Pacific waves framing every sip — and the wine list matches the room more than it challenges it. It's polished, resort-safe, and designed to offend absolutely no one. That's not a knock exactly, but if you showed up hoping for discovery, temper expectations before you open the menu.
The 80-120 bottle list leans hard on California, France, and Italy — exactly what Wine Spectator flagged as their strengths, and exactly what you'd expect from a Four Seasons property playing to its audience. You'll find Jordan Cab, Far Niente Chardonnay, Duckhorn Merlot, Kistler Chardonnay, Louis Jadot Burgundy, and Antinori Super Tuscans — all respectable names, all reliably crowd-pleasing, none of them particularly surprising. There's no real exploration into Pacific Rim wines, no local Hawaiian producers, which feels like a missed opportunity given the setting and the Asian-Hawaiian menu. The list is curated by someone who knows wine well enough to avoid mistakes, but not someone pushing the conversation forward.
Ten to sixteen options by the glass at $12–$18 is a reasonable spread for a resort restaurant at this price point. Don't expect the list to rotate much — this feels like a program that found its groove and settled in. That said, the quality baseline is solid; you're not getting poured grocery store juice just because you ordered by the glass.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon — $45 (bottle estimate)
Jordan is always a reliable benchmark Cab — approachable, well-structured, and recognizable enough to feel like a safe call. At the lower end of the bottle range here, it's one of the few picks where the markup doesn't sting too badly relative to what's in the glass.
Antinori Super Tuscan
Most tables at a Hawaiian resort are reaching for California Chardonnay or Cab — the Antinori Super Tuscan gets overlooked. It's a bold, structured red with enough acid and backbone to actually hold up against some of the meatier local beef preparations on the menu. Worth the detour.
Far Niente Chardonnay
Far Niente is a fine wine, but it's also one of the most marked-up Chardonnays in the California canon when it hits resort wine lists. You're paying a Four Seasons premium on top of an already premium bottle — the Kistler gives you a better experience-to-dollar ratio if you want to stay in that lane.
Kistler Chardonnay + Fresh local fish preparations
Kistler's Chardonnay brings enough weight and texture to complement the richness of fresh Hawaiian fish without bulldozing the delicate flavors you're actually there to taste. It's got the acid to cut through any butter or light cream sauce, and the fruit profile stays out of the way.
The Bottom Line
ULU is a beautiful place to drink wine — the setting does half the work — but the list plays it safe in a room that could afford to take a few risks. Come for the ocean air and the local fish, order the Jordan or Kistler, and enjoy the view.
· Kailua-Kona · Modern Hawaiian / Tasting-Style
CanoeHouse is a beautiful place to drink wine — the setting, the seafood, and the overall experience justify the splurge on a special night. But the wine program itself appears to be resort-standard: solid, Champagne-and-Burgundy-leaning, and priced for the zip code rather than the quality in the glass. Come for the view and the lobster tempura; don't come expecting a list that surprises you.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Hilton Waikoloa Village · Kailua-Kona · Steak & Seafood
Kamuela Provision Company has a stunning setting and almost certainly a strong kitchen, but its documented wine program is barely a program at all. If you're here for the view and the fresh catch, order something off the cocktail menu instead — one Chardonnay at a 3x markup isn't worth building a dinner around.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Kailua-Kona · New American / Hawaiian
Magics Beach Grill earns its reputation on atmosphere, not its wine program — and there's nothing wrong with that, as long as you know what you're walking into. If the sunset and the fresh fish are the draw, go for it; just don't expect the list to keep pace with the view. A happy hour window from 2–5 pm and again at 8 pm to close gives you a reason to order a glass without overthinking it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
· Kailua-Kona · Italian-Inspired / Casual
Kai is a great place to watch the sun drop into the Pacific with something cold in your hand — just don't expect the wine list to be the reason you went. The program is serviceable for the setting, but with resort-level markups likely baked in, the cocktail menu might be a smarter play. If wine is your priority, lower your expectations before you sit down; if the view is your priority, you're exactly where you should be.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Kailua-Kona · Seafood / Steakhouse
Huggo's is a reliable enough place to drink wine if you're already there for the view and the fresh fish — just don't come expecting value or discovery. The regional mix is competent, the setting is genuinely spectacular, and the list will get you through dinner without incident. If you're a wine-first traveler, this probably isn't your destination, but it's a perfectly reasonable stop if the ahi tuna is calling your name.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Kailua-Kona · Wine Shop / Small Plates
Kona Wine Market is the kind of wine shop that makes you do a double-take when you're expecting tourist-trap bottles and instead find Shafer Hillside Select and a Campanian obscurity on the same shelf. The list is small but it's edited, not lazy, and the pricing is fair for Hawaii. If you're staying on the Big Island and want a serious bottle without driving to a resort bar and paying resort prices, this is your spot.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Kailua-Kona · Kailua-Kona · Asian, Hawaiian
ULU earns its Wine Spectator badge by doing the basics right in a setting that could easily get away with doing nothing right at all. Send a friend here for the ocean view and the fresh fish — just temper expectations on wine discovery.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Kapolei · Kapolei · Asian, Hawaiian
Island Vintage Wine Bar is exactly the kind of place that earns its Wild Card badge — a thoughtful, Award of Excellence wine program inside a casual Hawaiian concept in a strip mall outside Honolulu. Show up on a Wednesday, order the Tignanello, and stop second-guessing it.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
Waikiki · Honolulu · Asian, Hawaiian
Island Vintage is the wine bar you didn't think you'd find in a Waikiki shopping center, and that surprise is exactly why it earns the Wild Card. Bring a light appetite, skip the obvious pours, and let the setting do the rest.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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