Old Carmel Charm, Serious California Cellar
Mission Street / 7th Ave · Carmel By The Sea · Upscale Contemporary American with European influence · Visit Website ↗
Updated October 2026
Reviewed July 29, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Anton & Michel Restaurant’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Anton & Michel arrives the same way the room does — with confidence and a certain old-money ease. White tablecloths, fountain courtyard views, and a list that leans hard into California's greatest hits. This is not a place trying to be cool; it's a place that's been right for decades.
The 150-200 label list is a California-forward affair with serious Napa and Sonoma representation — Ridge Monte Bello, Rochioli, Flowers, Caymus, Jordan — names that earn their spots. Burgundy and Bordeaux show up to give European cover for the traditionalists, and Carmel Valley gets a local nod via Bernardus Marinus. The gaps are real: no meaningful exploration of the Rhône, Italy, or anything south of the equator, and the list won't surprise anyone who follows wine closely. But what's here is well-sourced and well-suited to the room.
Glass pours run $14–$28, which is the going rate for fine dining in this zip code. The by-the-glass count isn't confirmed, but the range suggests a curated shortlist rather than a deep rotating program. Don't expect anything adventurous by the glass — this is a bottle-forward list.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley — $45–$65
Jordan consistently delivers polished, food-friendly Cabernet that punches above its actual cost. At Anton & Michel, it's likely the most accessible entry point into the Cabernet section without stepping into Caymus territory on price.
Bernardus Marinus, Carmel Valley
Most people at this table are scanning for the Napa heavyweights and skip right past the local bottle. Marinus is a Bordeaux-style blend from just up the road in Carmel Valley — a genuinely age-worthy wine that gives you a sense of place you won't get from another Napa Cab.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
Caymus is everywhere, marked up to the stratosphere, and leans so sweet and extracted these days that it flattens out against food rather than cutting through it. You can do better on this list.
Rochioli Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley + Rack of Lamb
Rochioli's Pinot has enough structure and dark fruit to stand up to lamb without steamrolling it — a more interesting call than reaching for another Cabernet, and it lets the kitchen's work actually show.
The Bottom Line
Anton & Michel is the kind of place you bring someone who appreciates a proper wine list and a room that respects the ritual of dinner. The pricing stings a little, and the list won't excite wine nerds hunting for discovery — but the sourcing is honest, the setting earns it, and the Bernardus alone justifies flipping past the first page.
· Carmel By The Sea · Wine Bar & Contemporary American
VIN by the Sea is a Champagne and sparkling wine bar wearing a contemporary American restaurant's jacket — and it's not trying to hide it. If you care about grower Champagne, blanc de blancs depth, and having genuine options by the glass, this is one of the better-stocked spots on the Monterey Peninsula. Pricing runs steep across the board, but the 55-glass program gives you room to find your level. Come for the bubbles, explore the Chablis, and budget accordingly.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Carmel By The Sea · Winery tasting room
Caraccioli Cellars is a one-producer list by definition, but what that producer is doing — traditional-method sparkling, Gamay Noir, Passetoutgrain — is genuinely unusual for California. Pricing and glass program details aren't publicly documented, so go in ready to be guided by whoever is pouring. If you have any affection for Champagne-style bubbles or Burgundy's wilder edges, this is worth the stop.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
· Carmel By The Sea · Hotel dining
Cypress Inn's wine list clears the bar that most hotel dining rooms trip over — it has depth, real producers, and a by-the-glass program you can actually navigate. Pricing runs steep in places, particularly on well-known bottles where the hotel markup is visible, but the Morgan Pinot and Neyers Chardonnay at the glass level make this a list worth engaging with rather than ignoring.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Carmel By The Sea · Winery tasting room
Taste Morgan is the rare tasting room that earns a detour rather than a checkbox. The pricing is genuinely fair — sometimes startlingly so — and the clone-level detail on the Pinot Noir lineup makes it educational without being tedious. If you're in Carmel and care even a little about Santa Lucia Highlands as an appellation, this is a can't-skip stop.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Carmel By The Sea · Contemporary Fine Dining
Foray's wine list does something rare in a coastal California fine dining room: it earns its ambition without gouging you for it. The Armenian red alone is reason enough to browse carefully before defaulting to a Pinot. If you're eating here, spend ten minutes with the list — there's real reward for anyone who looks past the first page.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
7th Ave / Dolores · Carmel By The Sea · New American
Seventh & Dolores isn't a destination wine list, but it's a respectable one that at least knows where it is geographically. Come for the steak, order the Wrath, and don't expect to go down any rabbit holes.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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