Old-World Soul Meets Central Coast Cellar
Pacific Grove · Monterey · Mediterranean / European · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 23, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Fandango 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 Fandango hits you like a well-curated wine shop in the middle of Pacific Grove — which is to say, you don't quite expect it. Champagne goes deep fast, and the California section has real ambition. This is not a list that was thrown together.
Fandango runs a legitimately serious cellar. The Champagne section alone spans from Domaine Chandon Etoile to a Bollinger R.D. 2000 Double Magnum and a 2006 Dom Pérignon, which tells you someone here has been paying attention for a long time. The California whites lean into the Monterey County home turf — Bernardus, Talbott, Lucia Pisoni — while also reaching into Kosta Browne, Kistler, and Paul Hobbs territory for the heavy hitters. There are genuine old-world surprises tucked in, like a 1998 Weingut Robert Weil Riesling Auslese and a 1998 Domaine Weinbach Gewurztraminer Cuvée Laurence that suggest a cellar with actual memory. The Bordeaux section digs into prestige territory — Lafite 1978, Cheval Blanc 1999, Pétrus 1981 — making this feel more like a destination list than a neighborhood afterthought.
By-the-glass specifics aren't published on the website, which is a frustrating gap for anyone trying to plan a lighter evening. Given the bottle price floor of $45, we'd expect the pours to be reasonable, but we can't confirm counts or rotation — ask your server before committing to a bottle.
Morgan Winery 'Twelve Clones' Sta. Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir 2023 — $54
Fifty-four dollars for a legit Sta. Lucia Highlands Pinot from a producer who actually knows this appellation — this is the bottle you order when you want to drink well without doing math all night.
Weingut Robert Weil Riesling Auslese Kiedrich Grafenberg 1998
A 1998 German Riesling Auslese from one of the Rheingau's best estates, sitting on a list surrounded by Napa Cabs and Champagne. Most tables will walk right past it. Don't. This is aged sweetness with electric acidity and zero peers on this list.
Caymus Vineyards Napa Valley 2023
At $175, you're paying a significant premium for a wine that's become shorthand for overextracted Cab at every steakhouse in America. The list has far more interesting options at lower price points — this one's for the table that won't hear otherwise.
E. Guigal Condrieu 2022 + Bouillabaisse
Condrieu's rich, floral Viognier character plays beautifully against the saffron and seafood complexity of a classic bouillabaisse — the wine's weight matches the broth's depth without overpowering the delicate fish.
The Bottom Line
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.
· Monterey · Brewpub / New American
Alvarado Street is primarily a brewery, and the wine list knows it — it's compact, unpretentious, and priced without gouging. But it also has enough Central Coast credibility (Comanche, Curran, Le P'tit Paysan) to surprise you. If you're in the group that wants wine while everyone else debates hop schedules, you're covered and you won't overpay for it.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Carmel Valley · Monterey · Californian / Fine Dining
Lucia has the bones of a serious wine program — sommelier on staff, strong regional identity, and a setting in Carmel Valley that practically demands a good bottle. We just can't verify the specifics well enough to point you toward a particular pour or call out the markups with any precision. Go in expecting a deep, well-kept list with hotel-restaurant pricing to match, and let the sommelier do the heavy lifting. It's worth the conversation.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Monterey · Wine bar
If you're rolling through Monterey and want something more interactive than staring at a laminated wine list, The Wine Experience is a legitimate detour — especially for anyone curious about what the Santa Lucia Highlands and San Benito County are actually producing right now. We'd send a curious friend here without hesitation; we'd just tell them to skip any expectations of a formal dinner and lean into the tasting-room energy instead.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Acceptable
Carmel-by-the-Sea · Monterey · Continental / Fine Dining
Anton & Michel is the kind of room where the wine list serves the occasion rather than the other way around — and for a special-occasion dinner over beef Wellington or rack of lamb, that might be exactly what you want. We'd love to get a full look at current pricing before giving this a stronger endorsement, but the Central Coast regional focus is a legitimate draw for anyone who wants to drink local in one of California's best growing corridors. Go for the room, stay for the lamb, and ask your server what's drinking well off the list right now.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Monterey · Wine bar / Tasting room
De Tierra is a focused, fairly priced producer tasting room that makes a real argument for Monterey wine without inflating the ego or the prices. If you're driving the 68 corridor or wandering through the peninsula, this is worth a stop — just go in knowing you're here for one winery's story, not a deep-dive across regions.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Monterey · Wine Bar / Bistro
A Taste of Monterey is exactly what it advertises — a tight, local-first wine list that doubles as a crash course in what the Central Coast can do with white grapes. Pricing is honest, the regional focus is genuine, and the Wrath Falanghina alone is reason enough to pull up a stool. If you're eating along the Monterey waterfront and want something more interesting than a tourist-trap wine list, this is worth the detour.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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