All Glass, No Bottle — Wild Concept, Solid Execution
· Monterey · California Bistro · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed September 18, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Grasing's’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Grasing's opens with a bold swing: everything is by the glass, all 32 options, no bottle list in sight. That's either a confident statement about accessibility or a quiet admission that they're not trying to compete with the big cellar restaurants down the coast. Either way, it immediately changes how you think about ordering.
The list moves across a lot of ground — Champagne, white Burgundy, Loire Sauvignon Blanc, Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnay and Pinot, and a handful of European whites that most California bistros wouldn't bother with. Seeing Reverdy Sancerre alongside Columna Albariño from Rías Baixas and a Rustique Riesling from Tondre Grapefield signals someone with actual range, not just a distributor rep with a printer. The red selection is thinner by comparison — Château Larroque Bordeaux Supérieur being the lone Old World red we can identify — so if you're a Cabernet-first diner, this might not be your spot. But for white and sparkling drinkers, the depth is real.
Thirty-two by-the-glass options is the whole program, and the range is genuinely impressive — from a $15 Ronsard Blanc de Chenin Brut to a $75 Dom Pérignon 2015, with plenty of well-priced stops in between. The $15–$24 range is where the real action is, and it's crowded with worthwhile pours. Rotation cadence is unknown, but the presence of multiple 2024 and 2025 vintages suggests the list is being updated.
The Bottom Line
Grasing's is doing something genuinely unusual — a 32-deep all-by-the-glass program with real geographic range, fair pricing in the core tiers, and a few unexpected picks that reward the curious. We don't have visibility into the food menu or service quality, but on the strength of the wine program alone, white and sparkling drinkers should be very happy here. If you're in Monterey and want a glass of something actually interesting without committing to a bottle, this is worth knowing about.
· 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
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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