Carmel Charm With a Serious Bottle List
Ocean Ave / downtown · Carmel By The Sea · Mediterranean · Visit Website ↗
Updated August 2026
Reviewed July 29, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Dametra Cafe’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Dametra reads like someone with good taste got a little carried away at a fine wine auction. About 130 labels deep, it leans heavily into California prestige bottles and drops a few international ringers — Lebanese reds, Italian icons — that feel genuinely out of place in the best possible way for a lively Carmel cafe.
California dominates the bottle list, with Napa Cabs front and center — Caymus Special Selection, Opus One, Joseph Phelps Insignia, and DAOU Soul of a Lion from Paso Robles covering the big, bold, crowd-pleasing spectrum. Italy shows up with real muscle: Antinori's Tignanello, Gaja's Brunello via Pian Delle Vigne, and another Antinori Brunello round out a respectable Italian section. The real curveball is Chateau Musar Gaston Hochar 1998 — a Lebanese red with serious age that has no business being here and absolutely should be. France is present via Champagne (Dom Perignon, Veuve Clicquot) but feels more of an afterthought than a focus.
Eighteen pours by the glass is a solid program for a casual Mediterranean spot, running $14–$20 a glass. The range suggests accessible everyday options alongside a few step-up pours, though without specific by-the-glass labels confirmed, don't expect the heavy hitters to show up in half-pours. It's enough variety to match food without feeling trapped.
DAOU Soul of a Lion, Paso Robles, 2019 — Not publicly listed
DAOU's flagship is one of the most compelling Cabernet-based blends coming out of Paso Robles — serious structure, Napa-adjacent quality, without the Napa price ceiling. On a list dominated by $180–$750 Napa prestige pours, this is likely your best bang-for-the-bottle play if you want something with real substance.
Chateau Musar, Gaston Hochar, 1998
A 1998 Lebanese red on a menu in a Carmel cafe is so unexpected it almost reads as a typo. Chateau Musar is one of the world's most distinctive wines — earthy, oxidative, complex in ways that defy easy comparison. Most tables will walk right past it for the Opus One. Don't be those tables.
Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
At $180 a bottle, you're paying a hefty premium for a wine that retails widely and delivers a predictable, plush experience. Caymus is fine — it's just not exciting, and at this markup in a tourist-heavy Carmel spot, it's a crowd-pleaser tax. Spend that money on the Insignia or the Musar instead.
Antinori Tignanello, 2019 + Lamb dishes
Tignanello's Sangiovese-Cabernet blend has the acidity and savory depth to cut through rich lamb fat and complement Mediterranean herbs. It's a natural match for the kitchen's focus on bold, aromatic flavors without overwhelming the food.
The Bottom Line
Dametra is a lively Carmel institution that takes its bottle list more seriously than its casual vibe suggests — the markups sting, but the range is genuinely interesting and a few bottles here are worth seeking out. Send a friend who wants something special with dinner, just tell them to skip the Caymus.
· 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
· West Palm Beach · Mediterranean
Florie's is a hotel wine program that tries harder than it has to, and that counts for something. The all-by-the-glass format is genuinely practical, the French selections show real taste, and a few pours — the Schloss Lieser, the Armand Heitz — would be highlights at any standalone wine bar. The markups are what they are: you're inside a Four Seasons. Go in with eyes open, order the Riesling, and let someone else order the Opus One.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· West Palm Beach · Mediterranean
Del Mar is a Reliable pour in a city that doesn't always try that hard at wine — the Coravin program and the 34-glass lineup show real effort, and the Assyrtiko alone is worth the visit if you're ordering seafood. Markups on the California icons are steep, so steer toward the European picks and you'll drink well without feeling taken.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Washington · Mediterranean
Zaytinya's wine list is one of the more focused and honest Greek programs you'll find at a mid-to-high scale restaurant in D.C. The by-the-glass selection is wide, the pricing doesn't insult you, and the Greek variety depth is genuinely impressive. If you've been waiting for a reason to finally figure out what Xinomavro tastes like, this is your spot.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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