Coastal California focus hiding serious Burgundy ambitions
Downtown Monterey · Monterey · New American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 23, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Cella Restaurant + Bar’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Take Vibe Match and we’ll tell you what to order here.
Wingman Metrics
Set inside the historic Cooper Molera Adobe with a heated pergola patio, Cella's wine list arrives looking like it was curated by someone with a real point of view — not just an afterthought printed off Wine.com. Thirty labels sounds thin, but the selection punches well above its size. This is a list with a thesis.
The list leans hard into California Chardonnay — Flowers, Roar, Scar of the Sea, Patz & Hall Dutton Ranch, and Lavinea all make appearances, giving you a credible survey of coastal and Willamette producers worth exploring. But the real surprise is the Burgundy corner: Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey shows up twice, with a Saint-Aubin 1er Cru and a Mersault, which is legitimately exciting for a 30-bottle list in a tourist-heavy coastal town. The sparkling section also deserves credit — Deutz, Billecart-Salmon, Schramsberg J.Schram, and a Bruno Paillard Blanc de Blancs Magnum from 2002 sitting at the top of the range. What's missing: almost no red wine presence in the data, and zero mention of Pinot Noir by the bottle, which feels like an odd gap given the Central Coast address.
By-the-glass options aren't published clearly, which is a mild frustration when you're doing a family-style $105-per-person menu and want to mix it up across courses. Based on the list architecture, we'd expect a small rotating glass program, but Cella isn't broadcasting it — you'll need to ask your server directly. That lack of transparency is a miss for a restaurant operating at this price point.
Domaine Hippolyte Reverdy Sancerre 2024 — $45-range
Hippolyte Reverdy is a reliable, well-priced Sancerre producer that consistently over-delivers on the Loire's signature citrus and flint profile. On a list that otherwise skews premium, this is the bottle that gives you serious French white credibility without requiring a second mortgage.
Scar of the Sea Vinos de los Ranchos Chardonnay 2023
Most people at this table are going to grab the Flowers or the Patz & Hall because the names are familiar — and that's exactly why you should order this instead. Scar of the Sea is doing some of the most interesting site-specific work in Santa Barbara County, and 'Vinos de los Ranchos' is a single-vineyard bottling that reflects old-vine complexity most guests will completely walk past.
Louis Roederer Cristal 2012
Cristal is a genuinely great Champagne, but at $825 on a restaurant list you are paying a significant premium for the name recognition and the bottle shape. The Bruno Paillard Magnum from 2002 sitting nearby is a far more interesting conversation and almost certainly a better dollar-per-ounce story if you want to go big.
Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Mersault 2023 + Duo of proteins with seasonal sides
Colin-Morey's Mersault brings that signature combination of richness and precision — enough body to hold up against roasted or pan-seared proteins, enough acidity to cut through whatever seasonal fat is on the plate. It's the kind of wine that makes a multi-course family-style menu feel intentional rather than accidental.
The Bottom Line
Cella is a tourist-adjacent restaurant that's quietly doing more with its wine list than it gets credit for — the Colin-Morey Burgundies and the Scar of the Sea alone justify a closer look. Just know you're paying Monterey waterfront prices, and go in with a plan or you'll default to the Cristal and regret it.
Pacific Grove · Monterey · Sustainable Seafood / Californian
Wild Fish isn't trying to be a wine destination, but the list punches thoughtfully above its weight with genuine regional focus and fair pricing. If you're eating here — and you should be — drink local and let the terroir match the catch.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Pacific Grove · Monterey · Seafood-focused California/American
The Beach House at Lover's Point is a reliable coastal wine stop — not a destination for wine lovers, but a perfectly decent list for a date-night dinner with a sunset backdrop. Don't come chasing cellar depth; do come ready to drink local and enjoy the view.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Pebble Beach · Monterey · Steakhouse / American Tavern
The Tap Room is a reliable resort wine list — not inspiring, not embarrassing, and marked up like the real estate it sits on. If you're at Pebble Beach anyway, the list does the job; just go in with eyes open and budget accordingly.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Pebble Beach · Monterey · Seafood-focused California cuisine
Stillwater earns its reputation on setting and execution, and the wine list is professionally managed with real producers and proper care — but the pricing reflects the zip code more than it reflects generosity. Go in with eyes open, lean local, and let the view do the rest.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Pebble Beach · Monterey · Italian
Pèppoli is the real deal for Italian wine in a resort setting — deep list, knowledgeable staff, and an Antinori-anchored program that takes the Italian canon seriously. Just go in knowing that Pebble Beach prices apply across the board, and steer toward the mid-tier bottles where the value actually lives.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Pebble Beach · Monterey · Hawaiian Fusion
Roy's at Pebble Beach is a dependable wine list in a stunning setting — competently assembled, a little overpriced for what you get, and unlikely to surprise you. Order smarter than the tourists at the next table and you'll drink well here.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Melbourne · New American
Brevardian Riverfront is a dependable dinner destination where the setting does a lot of the heavy lifting and the wine list gets out of the kitchen's way. It's not a destination for wine lovers, but it won't embarrass itself either — send a friend for the date night, just temper expectations on what's in the glass.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Medford · New American
Hearsay is quietly doing something right in a wine market that doesn't get enough credit — local producers, smart bubbly program, and a by-the-glass list that gives you real options without holding you hostage to a bottle. If you're passing through Medford and think this is a beer-and-cocktails situation, reconsider.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Peoria Heights · Peoria · New American
Fusion 45 is doing something genuinely ambitious for Peoria — a creative kitchen with Old World wine ambitions is not nothing — but until we can get eyes on the actual list with prices, we're cautiously optimistic rather than fully sold. Worth a visit, worth asking your server what's good to drink.
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.
List Variety
Markup
Glassware
Staff
Specials & Deals
Storage & Temp
