Golf Coast Glamour With Serious Wine Cred
Pebble Beach · Monterey · New American, Grill · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 23, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed The Bench’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at The Bench lands the way the 18th hole at Pebble Beach does — impressive, a little intimidating, and clearly designed to make you feel like you've arrived somewhere. It's a serious California-centric list anchored by big names, with enough Burgundy and Bordeaux depth to keep the old-world crowd from sulking. This is not a list assembled by a restaurant that treats wine as an afterthought.
The list runs 200 to 400 bottles deep and leans hard into California's greatest hits — Peter Michael, Kistler, and Marcassin represent the Chardonnay ceiling, while Harlan Estate, Opus One, Dominus, and Ridge Monte Bello anchor the Cabernet side with genuine prestige. The Central Coast gets a shoutout through Bernardus Marinus, which is a smart local inclusion that nods to the restaurant's Monterey roots. Burgundy and Bordeaux fill the gaps for guests who find California fruit bombs too obvious, giving the list enough range to satisfy most serious wine drinkers. The gap here is anything outside the France-California axis — no real exploration of Italy, Spain, or the Southern Hemisphere.
With 15 to 25 pours available by the glass at $16 to $40, there's genuine choice here rather than the usual afterthought lineup of four whites and four reds. The pricing per glass reflects the zip code rather than generosity, but the quality floor is higher than most. We'd expect the glass program to rotate with the season — whether it actually does is another question.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon — $65
Jordan is the rare Sonoma Cab that punches above its price point with elegance over extraction — on a list where bottles start climbing fast, it's the smart order for anyone who wants a serious red without a serious headache the next morning.
Bernardus Marinus
Most tables at The Bench are busy ordering Napa trophy bottles while this Carmel Valley Bordeaux blend sits quietly on the list — made from estate fruit just down the road, Marinus is structured, age-worthy, and priced like a local rather than a legend.
Caymus Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus Special Selection is fine wine, but at a venue like The Bench it will almost certainly be marked up to a price that makes no sense when Ridge Monte Bello and Dominus are sitting right next to it on the list — you're paying for the label recognition, not the experience.
Peter Michael Chardonnay + Lobster Bisque
Peter Michael's Chardonnay brings enough richness and toasted oak to hold up against the cream and depth of the bisque, while the wine's bright acidity keeps the whole thing from feeling heavy — it's the kind of match that makes you look smart without trying.
The Bottom Line
The Bench is a splurge destination, full stop — the markups are steep and this is never going to be your casual Tuesday wine list. But the depth, the staff, and the sheer quality of producers represented make it worth it for a special occasion when someone else is paying, or when you've just birdied 17.
· 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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