Wasabi
Prestige Labels, Zero Effort, All Markup
Madison · Madison · Japanese Sushi & Asian Fusion · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed March 28, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
Thirteen labels. That's the whole list. For a restaurant billing itself as an elevated dining experience, the wine program reads more like an afterthought someone typed up in 2019 and never revisited. What's here is recognizable to anyone who's ever glanced at a TGI Fridays wine menu.
Selection Deep Dive
The list leans hard on California and Champagne prestige bottles — Rombauer, Caymus, Veuve, Dom — with token nods to New Zealand and Chile. There's no nuance here, no discovery, no regional curiosity. It's a greatest-hits compilation built entirely for name recognition, not quality-to-price ratio. If you've ever wanted to drink Caymus next to a spicy tuna roll at a 4x markup, Wasabi is your spot.
By the Glass
Eight of the thirteen labels are available by the glass, which sounds generous until you realize the glass prices start at $12 and climb to $45. The selection doesn't rotate — what's on the list is the list, full stop. There's no sense that anyone is curating this program week to week.
Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label — $145
It's still marked up, but Veuve is Veuve — reliable, crowd-pleasing, and actually makes sense with sushi. If you're going to spend here, at least get something that works with the food.
New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc
Whatever they're pouring from New Zealand is almost certainly the most food-friendly wine on the list for Japanese cuisine — bright acid, citrus, no oak — and probably the most fairly priced option. Most people here will reach for the Rombauer out of habit. Don't.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon
Two hundred and twenty dollars for a bottle of Caymus at a sushi restaurant. That's the whole note. Caymus retails around $80-90. You're paying for the label twice over, and a big jammy Cab is the wrong call next to delicate fish anyway.
Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label + Sashimi
Champagne and raw fish is one of the few truly reliable pairings in the world. The toasty, yeasty Veuve cuts through fatty tuna and salmon without stepping on the clean flavors. It's the one move on this list that actually makes sense.
❌ The Bottom Line
Wasabi's wine list exists to sell you something you already recognize at a price you'll regret in the morning. Skip the bottle, order sake or a cocktail, and save the wine budget for somewhere that earned it.
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