Stunning harbor views, forgettable wine list
Old Fisherman's Wharf · Monterey · Seafood and American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 23, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Old Fisherman's Grotto’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
The view of Monterey Bay does a lot of heavy lifting here, and the wine list is content to let it. You open the menu expecting something that reflects the incredible wine country sitting literally in Old Fisherman's Grotto's backyard — Carmel Valley, Santa Lucia Highlands, right there — and instead you get a roster of grocery store staples priced like they're aged in a vault. The location promises more than the list delivers.
Thirty to fifty labels sounds like a reasonable list until you see what's on it: Robert Mondavi Private Selection, Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve, Francis Coppola Diamond Collection, Ménage à Trois. These are mass-market, supermarket-shelf bottles, and there's nothing wrong with drinking them at home for $10-$13 — but that's exactly where they belong. The local focus they advertise (Monterey County, Santa Lucia Highlands, Carmel Valley) never really materializes into anything interesting or producer-specific. Dom Pérignon showing up at $265 feels less like a curated splurge and more like a Hail Mary for celebration tables who don't know to ask questions.
Eight to twelve pours sounds generous until you realize the by-the-glass roster is almost certainly pulling from the same bench of crowd-pleasing nationals. There's no evidence of any rotation or curation program — what's on the list today is probably what's been on the list for years. If you're ordering a glass here, stick to something cold and simple and let the clam chowder do the talking.
Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County 2020 — $58
Still a 190% markup on a $20 retail bottle, which is painful, but Martini Sonoma Cab is at least a legitimate wine from a historic producer — it's the least embarrassing option on a list that's mostly worse on value.
Dom Pérignon
At $265 it's not a steal, but if you're celebrating something real and you want one bottle that actually earns its place on this waterfront, this is the only option that doesn't feel like a regret. Everything else on the list is available at your local grocery store for a fraction of the price.
Ménage à Trois Red Blend California NV
A $10 retail bottle priced at $36 — a 260% markup on one of the most basic, anonymous red blends in California. This is a hard pass.
Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay 2022 + Award-winning clam chowder
It's not an exciting pairing but it's an honest one — the KJ Chard is soft, lightly oaked, and unoffensive enough to work alongside a creamy, briny bowl of chowder without getting in the way. Expectations managed accordingly.
The Bottom Line
Old Fisherman's Grotto is a genuinely fun place to eat seafood with a harbor view, but the wine list is a tourist trap dressed in a menu cover. You're better off skipping the bottle and ordering a cocktail — or walking five minutes inland where Monterey County's actual wine story starts to get interesting.
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Wild Fish isn't trying to be a wine destination, but the list punches thoughtfully above its weight with genuine regional focus and fair pricing. If you're eating here — and you should be — drink local and let the terroir match the catch.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Pebble Beach · Monterey · Steakhouse / American Tavern
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Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Pebble Beach · Monterey · Hawaiian Fusion
Roy's at Pebble Beach is a dependable wine list in a stunning setting — competently assembled, a little overpriced for what you get, and unlikely to surprise you. Order smarter than the tourists at the next table and you'll drink well here.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Walnut / Retail corridor · Bentonville · Seafood and American
Bonefish Grill Rogers is not a wine destination, but it's not a disaster either — the list is safe, the glass pours are plentiful, and you won't feel cheated if you stick to the by-the-glass options. Send a friend here for the Bang Bang Shrimp; tell them to manage their wine expectations accordingly.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Okemos · Lansing · Seafood and American
Real Seafood Company Okemos is a dependable neighborhood anchor where the wine list won't embarrass you or excite you — fair prices and familiar faces make it easy, just don't come expecting discovery. Order the La Marca with the oysters and leave the wine nerd hat at home.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Oregon District/Downtown Fringe · Dayton · Seafood and American
Jay's is a Dayton institution, and the wine list knows it — leaning on crowd-pleasing brands with markups that assume you're not shopping around. Come for the fresh fish, order the Beaujolais, and don't overthink the rest of the list.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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