Harbor Views, Honest Pours, No Surprises
Old Fisherman's Wharf · Monterey · Casual Seafood · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 23, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Riva Fish House’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Riva Fish House is exactly what you'd expect from a lively wharf spot where the real star is the view and the clam chowder. It's short, approachable, and built for people who want a glass of something cold and coastal without overthinking it. No one's coming here for a deep-dive into Burgundy, and that's fine.
The list leans hard into California and the Pacific Northwest, which makes geographic sense when you're sitting on Monterey Bay. You'll find names like Mer Soleil Chardonnay and Meiomi Pinot Noir — crowd-tested labels that move quickly in a tourist-heavy environment. There's no real adventurousness here: no skin-contact wines, no small producers, no regional deep cuts from Sta. Rita Hills or Willamette's lesser-known appellations. What you get is a tightly curated hits parade that keeps things moving during a busy dinner rush.
The by-the-glass program runs roughly 8–14 options in the $10–$16 range, which is reasonable for a waterfront spot where rent isn't cheap. Expect the usual suspects — a Chardonnay, a Pinot Grigio, a Pinot Noir — rotated at a pace that suggests the list hasn't changed much since the last menu reprint. Don't expect anything on the glass list to surprise you, but the pricing is fair enough that you won't feel robbed.
Mer Soleil Chardonnay — $13
Mer Soleil is a legitimately good Central Coast Chardonnay — richer than you'd expect at this price point, with enough weight to hold up alongside a bowl of clam chowder without getting lost. At mid-tier glass pricing for a wharf location, it's the smart order.
Coppola Pinot Grigio
It gets overlooked because the Coppola brand feels more movie memorabilia than serious wine, but this Pinot Grigio is crisp, clean, and genuinely refreshing with fried seafood. Most people reach past it for the Chardonnay without giving it a shot.
Meiomi Pinot Noir
Meiomi is a perfectly fine grocery store Pinot, but at restaurant markup it's hard to justify when you can buy it at Safeway for $15. Save the red wine budget for somewhere with a more interesting bottle.
Mer Soleil Chardonnay + Clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl
The Chardonnay's buttery weight and subtle oak echo the richness of the chowder without fighting it, and the wine's acidity cuts through the cream just enough to keep things from feeling heavy. It's a simple match, but it works.
The Bottom Line
Riva Fish House is a reliable pour for what it is — a casual, tourist-friendly wharf spot that keeps the wine list simple and the prices honest. Send a friend here for a glass of Chardonnay and the chowder; don't send them here expecting anything that'll make them rethink their relationship with wine.
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Small but Thoughtful
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Basic Stemmed
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Acceptable
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Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
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Proper
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Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Acceptable
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Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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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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