Wine Spectator Announces Award of Excellence For Sensei Lanai, a Four Seasons Resort

Wine Spectator announced the winners of the magazine’s 2025 Restaurant Awards, recognizing Sensei by Nobu at Sensei Lanai, A Four Seasons Resort  with an Award of Excellence.   

The annual Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards showcase restaurants whose wine lists offer interesting selections, are appropriate to their cuisine, and appeal to a wide range of wine lovers. The Restaurant Awards recognize thoughtfully chosen wine lists that offer quality and diversity, as well as compatibility with the restaurant’s style and menu. The Award of Excellence wine lists, which should offer at least 90 selections, feature a well-chosen assortment of quality producers, along with a thematic match to the menu in both price and style. Whether compact or extensive, focused or diverse, these lists deliver sufficient choice to satisfy discerning wine lovers. An expert panel of judges evaluated wine programs at hundreds of restaurants including Sensei by Nobu based on criteria such as menu pairings, location and quality of producers, size of wine list, price point and overall service. 

The clean food philosophy at Sensei Lanai, A Four Seasons Resort, is not only about the enjoyment of the meal, but about how an individual feels after the meal. Consuming food the way nature delivered it, with optimal nutritional benefit and flavour, is core to all dishes. Menus have been designed by world-renowned Japanese Chef Nobu Matsuhisa and his team in close collaboration with Sensei nutritionists, utilizing an evidence-led approach to nutrition within the context of full-body health.

The menu offers an extensive wine list, featuring more than 100 wines by the bottle with an emphasis on wines from France and California. Claudio Solimeo, Food & Beverage Assistant Manager at Sensei Lanai, is a Certified Court of Master Sommelier and holds WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) Level 3 qualification.

Solimeo shares, “We selected our wine list to complement Nobu’s cuisine, while also showcasing a few iconic labels that guests will recognize, even if they aren’t classic pairings. Our Coravin offerings elevate the wine experience, allowing guests to explore premium wines by the glass.”

Some of his favourite wines include the Basque (Spain) Txakolina, a mineral-driven wine with refreshing, slightly underripe fruit notes which pairs beautifully with light appetizers such as whitefish tiradito or German Scheurebe, a rare varietal from Hans Wirsching’s estate in Franken, the aromatic white complements the delicate flavours of whitefish tempura. 

The wine list also offers a number of classic pours, including Chablis and other Burgundy whites which pair well with many Sensei by Nobu dishes with citrus or seafood. Within the red wine lineup, the Pinot Noirs from Burgundy are favoured for their finesse and versatility, while Italian standouts include Gaja and Ca’ Marcanda and California labels from Far Niente, Paul Hobbs and Opus One as well as other locales.

Apart from the wine menu, guests can enjoy a curated trio of wine – champagne, red and white – and a selection of accompanying cheeses in the Resort’s Great Hall with the Vine & Rind Experience offered weekly.  Additionally, the Retreat will host dedicated wine dinners with globally renowned wineries or unique small producers for future events. 

For guests who prefer non-alcoholic beverages, the menu features a Prosecco from Mionetto, alongside an Aperol Spritz alternative made with Aperol under 0.5% ABV, signature mocktails and zero-proof beers, providing guests with sophisticated, alcohol-free options. 

The team also will welcome Crystal Ock as a new Food & Beverage Assistant Manager, transferring from Four Seasons Sydney. Born and raised in Korea, at the age of 19 she decided to pursue her hospitality career and move to Australia. Once there she studied at Blue Mountains Hotel School where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality Management. Along with having a flair for crafting cocktails, she also holds a WSET Level 2 Wine qualification.