Santa Monica's Natural Wine Headquarters Done Right
Santa Monica · Los Angeles · Wine bar with Californian small plates and oyster bar · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 21, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Walking into Esters feels like someone finally asked a wine-obsessed friend to design a bar — the list lands on the table and it's immediately clear this isn't a restaurant that sells wine, it's a wine shop that happens to feed you. The Art Deco bones give the room a relaxed chicness that doesn't try too hard, and the list itself has the same energy: confident, curious, zero filler.
250-plus labels sounds like a lot until you realize nearly all of them earn their spot. France, Italy, Spain, and California anchor the list, but the real story is the producer curation — Occhipinti, Envinate, Lopez de Heredia, Arnot-Roberts, Dirty & Rowdy — these are names serious drinkers chase down, not filler bottles lifted from a distributor catalog. The natural and small-producer lean is genuine rather than performative, and the geographic range means you're not locked into a single style or worldview. If there's a gap, it's that the New World presence outside California stays thin, but that's a deliberate choice, not an oversight.
Roughly 15 to 20 pours rotate seasonally, which means the list you saw last month may not be the list tonight — in a good way. Prices run $13 to $20 a glass, which for the caliber of producers on this list is genuinely reasonable by Los Angeles standards. The rotation keeps things interesting and rewards repeat visitors who want to work through different regions and styles.
COS Frappato — $58
Frappato from COS is one of Sicily's most food-friendly reds — bright, low tannin, works with everything on the table — and it typically retails around $25-$30. At this price point relative to the competition on this list, it's the bottle that drinks above its weight without making you do math all night.
Jolie-Laide Trousseau Gris
Most people walk past anything labeled Trousseau Gris because they've never heard of it, which is exactly why you should order it. Jolie-Laide is one of the few producers working seriously with this obscure Californian-adopted variety, and the result is a textural, copper-tinged white that sits somewhere between skin-contact and conventional — interesting enough to talk about, easy enough to drink through without thinking too hard.
Lopez de Heredia Viña Cubillo Crianza Rioja 2015
Lopez de Heredia is a legendary producer and Viña Cubillo is a genuinely great wine, but at $72 on the list against a $32 retail price, you're paying a 125% markup for a bottle you can pull off the shelf at any decent wine shop for half the price. Love the wine, hate the math here — save this one for home.
Clos Cibonne Tibouren Rosé Tradition NV + Oysters
Clos Cibonne's Tibouren rosé from Provence has a saline, almost briny minerality that mirrors the oyster bar in the best possible way. It's dry and textured enough to stand up to a half-dozen on the shell without steamrolling the delicate brine. Classic pairing logic, but it works because the wine actually delivers on the premise.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Esters is the rare wine bar where the list genuinely reflects a point of view — curious, producer-driven, fairly priced for what it is — and the staff can actually talk you through it. If you're in Santa Monica and care about what's in your glass, this is the first call you make.
Downtown Los Angeles · Los Angeles · French-inspired, New American
Perch is a place people go for the view, the scene, and the Instagram moment — the wine list knows this and doesn't try very hard. Order something simple, enjoy the skyline, and save your serious wine drinking for a restaurant that wants to earn it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Hollywood · Los Angeles · Upscale Italian, Seafood
Marino is a reliable, well-curated Italian wine list that earns its stripes on selection and staff knowledge, even if the pricing makes you wince on the everyday bottles. Send a friend here for the Guidalberto and the Franciacorta — just steer them away from anything under $60.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Hollywood · Los Angeles · Neapolitan Italian, Pizza
Da Michele's wine list is narrow by design and better for it — a focused, fairly priced tour through Southern Italy that most pizza spots in LA wouldn't dare attempt. If you're even mildly curious about Campanian wine, this is one of the better excuses in the city to start learning.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Los Angeles · Los Angeles · Seafood
Water Grill is a reliable choice for serious wine with serious seafood — the list is deep enough to reward exploration, and the sommelier presence means you can actually ask for help. The markups sting, but this is Downtown LA and you knew that walking in.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Bel-Air · Los Angeles · Modern Californian with European/Mediterranean influences
This is a serious wine list dressed in a garden party — the depth is real, the sommelier is engaged, and if you're willing to pay the Bel-Air premium, the experience delivers. Just go in knowing the bill will reflect the hedge-lined address.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Beverly Grove / West Hollywood · Los Angeles · Greek / Mediterranean
Kassi Club is a party restaurant with a wine list that punches above its vibe — if you ignore the markup and order Greek, you're going to drink well. Send a friend here specifically to work through the indigenous varietals; just tell them to skip the Chablis.
Small but Thoughtful
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.