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 →
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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.
Cannery Row · Monterey · Lounge
Chart House's happy hour wine program exists to keep your glass full while you stare at the Pacific — and on that level, at $8–$10 a pour, it succeeds. But if wine is actually why you're here, Cannery Row can do better.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Old Fisherman's Wharf · Monterey · Casual Seafood
Riva Fish House is a reliable pour for what it is — a casual, tourist-friendly wharf spot that keeps the wine list simple and the prices honest. Send a friend here for a glass of Chardonnay and the chowder; don't send them here expecting anything that'll make them rethink their relationship with wine.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Pacific Grove · Monterey · Mediterranean / European
Fandango is punching well above its coastal casual-fine-dining weight class with a list that has real depth, genuine age, and some legitimately exciting outliers. The markups keep it from true Rager status, but if you're in Pacific Grove and want to drink seriously, this is your spot.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
North Fremont / Beachfront · Monterey · American, Seafood
The Lantern Room is what happens when a hotel restaurant actually tries — a locally anchored wine list, a sommelier in the building, and enough interesting producers to make the steep markup sting a little less. Send a friend here if they love Central Coast wine; warn them to skip the Cab and lean into what this coast actually grows.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
North Fremont / Beachfront · Monterey · Seafood / Beachfront
Tidewater is riding entirely on its beachfront location, and the wine list makes no effort to be anything more than a functional afterthought. Stick to the glass pours, pick the most credible name you can find, and keep your eyes on the water.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Cannery Row · Monterey · New American with seafood, house-made pasta, and flatbread pizza
Lalla Oceanside isn't a wine destination, but it's a genuinely fair deal for what it is — a lively Cannery Row spot where the list supports the food without gouging you. If you stick to the Bernardus or the Albariño and grab a window seat, you'll leave happy.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Downtown Princeton · Princeton · New American
The Perch is the real deal for Princeton — a hotel restaurant that genuinely cares about wine, backs it up with a sommelier, serious storage, and a list deep enough to warrant a return visit just to explore. The markups on trophy bottles are what they are, but if you shop smart — Graillot, the Sancerre, the Furmint — you can drink extremely well without the sticker shock.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Active Program
Proper
Downtown Hilo · Hilo · New American
Coco Cantina is almost certainly a fine place to eat, but it has opted out of the wine conversation entirely. Order the Cava, enjoy your meal, and don't come here expecting more than three options.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Belmont · Charlottesville · New American
The Local isn't trying to be a wine destination, but it's doing something smarter — building a list that actually reflects where it lives. Show up on a Monday, order Virginia, and you'll leave having drunk better than you expected for less than you planned to spend.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
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