Hibachi Fun, Wine List Forgot To Show Up
Silas Creek Pkwy · Winston Salem · Japanese / Sushi · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 25, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Umi Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You open the drink menu at Umi and the wine section is basically a footnote. Twenty-two labels total, and the list reads like a supermarket endcap — familiar names, zero surprises, nothing that makes you feel like wine was part of the plan here.
The list leans almost entirely on California Cabernet Sauvignon, which is a curious call for a Japanese steakhouse where lighter reds, sake, and crisp whites would actually make sense with the food. Robert Mondavi and Louis M. Martini anchor the program, and while both are perfectly drinkable, they're also the kind of wines you grab when you're late to a potluck. There's no detectable regional curiosity here — no domestic Pinot, no Riesling, no anything that nods to the cuisine on the other side of the menu. The gaps aren't interesting; they're just gaps.
Sixteen by-the-glass options sounds generous until you realize the list is only 22 bottles deep — meaning most of the program lives on the glass menu by default, not by design. House pours run $8.50 to $9 a glass, which is reasonable for Winston-Salem, but don't expect rotation or anything poured with intention. What's there is there, and it'll stay there.
Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon — $28
At $28 a bottle with a retail price around $22, the markup is barely there — you're essentially paying just a few bucks over what you'd spend at Total Wine. If you're drinking red tonight, this is the move.
Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon
Most people reach for Mondavi on name recognition alone, but Martini's Sonoma Cab consistently punches a little harder for the same price range. On a list this thin, that difference matters.
Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon
At $8.50 a glass, it's not a rip-off, but Mondavi Private Selection is a $12 retail bottle you've seen a hundred times. Save the pour for something you can't buy at a gas station.
Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon + Hibachi Filet Mignon
The char and butter from the hibachi grill give the Martini Cab something to work with — the richness cuts through the fat and the smoke gives the fruit a little life. It's not a revelatory pairing, but it's the best the list can offer.
The Bottom Line
Umi is a fun hibachi night out, and the wine pricing is honestly fairer than it has any right to be — but the list itself is an afterthought, and no amount of fair markup fixes a selection that's two bottles deep in personality. Order sake, or a cocktail, and come back to us when they add a Grüner Veltliner.
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One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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