Stone Farmhouse Charm, California Bottle Cred
Highway 68 / Airport Corridor · Monterey · New American / California Roadhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 23, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Tarpy's Roadhouse’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Tarpy's punches above what you'd expect from a roadhouse off Highway 68 — 61 labels, real producers, and a clear California backbone that fits the room. It's not trying to be a wine bar, but it's also not handing you a laminated sheet with two reds and a house white. There's genuine effort here, even if the pricing keeps things from being a true win.
California dominates the list in the best way: Napa Cabs, Santa Lucia Highlands Pinots, Sonoma Zins, and Carmel Valley Bordeaux blends that give a proper sense of place. The Bernardus 'Marinus' from Carmel Valley is a smart local pick, and Ridge 'Lytton Springs' Zinfandel showing up means somebody building this list actually knows wine. There's a small but respectable Champagne section headlined by Dom Pérignon and Krug — fine bottles, though you'll pay full freight. Oregon gets a nod via Willamette Valley Pinots, and a few French Burgundy options round out the old-world presence without going deep.
Ten pours by the glass is a reasonable program for a casual roadhouse, and the selections cover the bases without getting adventurous. We'd love to see more rotation or a local producer spotlight given how close this place sits to Monterey wine country, but what's here is functional. Don't expect anyone to walk you through the nuances — order confidently or default to the Pinot.
Roederer Estate L'Ermitage Brut, Anderson Valley, 2019 — null
If you're going to pop bubbles at Tarpy's, skip the Dom and go for L'Ermitage. Roederer Estate's prestige cuvée from Anderson Valley is one of California's most serious sparkling wines, and it consistently undercuts the French marquee names in price while overdelivering in quality. A much smarter move than paying for the Champagne house logo.
Dehlinger 'Goldridge', Russian River Valley, 2021
Dehlinger is a benchmark Russian River producer that most diners walk right past because the name doesn't ring a bell like Kosta Browne or Williams Selyem. That's exactly why you order it. The Goldridge bottling is a serious, site-specific Pinot Noir from one of Sonoma's most respected family estates — this is the kind of wine that makes you look smart without trying.
Dom Perignon Brut, Champagne, 2012
At $460 a bottle, you're paying a steep restaurant premium on a wine that retails for around $200-250. The 2012 Dom is genuinely excellent, but this markup is hard to justify when there are far better-value sparkling options on the same list. Save the Dom for a place that earns the splurge.
Ridge 'Lytton Springs' Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley, 2021 + Oak-Grilled New York Steak
Ridge Lytton Springs brings brambly fruit, spice, and enough structure to stand up to a char-grilled steak without overwhelming it. The oak smoke on the grill and the earthy complexity of a Dry Creek Zin are basically made for each other — this is the quintessential California roadhouse pairing, done right.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Tarpy's is a reliable wine stop in a market where roadhouse dining often means a wine list that gave up — this one didn't. Markups keep it from being a destination for wine, but there are genuinely good bottles here if you know where to look.
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Chart House's happy hour wine program exists to keep your glass full while you stare at the Pacific — and on that level, at $8–$10 a pour, it succeeds. But if wine is actually why you're here, Cannery Row can do better.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Old Fisherman's Wharf · Monterey · Casual Seafood
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.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Pacific Grove · Monterey · Mediterranean / European
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.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
North Fremont / Beachfront · Monterey · American, Seafood
The Lantern Room is what happens when a hotel restaurant actually tries — a locally anchored wine list, a sommelier in the building, and enough interesting producers to make the steep markup sting a little less. Send a friend here if they love Central Coast wine; warn them to skip the Cab and lean into what this coast actually grows.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
North Fremont / Beachfront · Monterey · Seafood / Beachfront
Tidewater is riding entirely on its beachfront location, and the wine list makes no effort to be anything more than a functional afterthought. Stick to the glass pours, pick the most credible name you can find, and keep your eyes on the water.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Cannery Row · Monterey · New American with seafood, house-made pasta, and flatbread pizza
Lalla Oceanside isn't a wine destination, but it's a genuinely fair deal for what it is — a lively Cannery Row spot where the list supports the food without gouging you. If you stick to the Bernardus or the Albariño and grab a window seat, you'll leave happy.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
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