Golf Coast Glamour With Serious Wine Cred
Pebble Beach · Monterey · New American, Grill · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 23, 2026
RagingWine reviewed The Bench’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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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.
Pacific Grove · Monterey · Sustainable Seafood / Californian
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
Pacific Grove · Monterey · Seafood-focused California/American
The Beach House at Lover's Point is a reliable coastal wine stop — not a destination for wine lovers, but a perfectly decent list for a date-night dinner with a sunset backdrop. Don't come chasing cellar depth; do come ready to drink local and enjoy the view.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Pebble Beach · Monterey · Steakhouse / American Tavern
The Tap Room is a reliable resort wine list — not inspiring, not embarrassing, and marked up like the real estate it sits on. If you're at Pebble Beach anyway, the list does the job; just go in with eyes open and budget accordingly.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Pebble Beach · Monterey · Seafood-focused California cuisine
Stillwater earns its reputation on setting and execution, and the wine list is professionally managed with real producers and proper care — but the pricing reflects the zip code more than it reflects generosity. Go in with eyes open, lean local, and let the view do the rest.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Pebble Beach · Monterey · Italian
Pèppoli is the real deal for Italian wine in a resort setting — deep list, knowledgeable staff, and an Antinori-anchored program that takes the Italian canon seriously. Just go in knowing that Pebble Beach prices apply across the board, and steer toward the mid-tier bottles where the value actually lives.
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
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