Great View, Decent Wine, Steep Tab
Cannery Row · Monterey · Contemporary Californian Seafood · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 23, 2026
RagingWine reviewed The C Restaurant + Bar’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 The C arrives with the confidence of a hotel restaurant that knows its audience — tourists, expense accounts, and couples celebrating something. It's California-focused, legible, and inoffensive, which in Monterey isn't nothing. But crack the pricing and that ocean breeze gets a little expensive real fast.
The list leans hard into California, which makes sense for this address — Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot from Morgan, Pisoni, and Roar anchors a solid Central Coast section that actually has regional credibility. Napa Cabernet gets its requisite real estate with Jordan, Duckhorn, and Far Niente doing the heavy lifting. There's a nod to Burgundy, presumably for the guests who want Old World validation, but the French section feels tacked on rather than curated. Gaps are real: no sparkling beyond the obvious, minimal rosé, and nothing that would surprise a seasoned drinker.
Somewhere between 12 and 18 pours, which is a reasonable flight deck for a hotel bar with this kind of foot traffic. The by-the-glass program is predictable — expect a Central Coast Chardonnay, a Santa Lucia Pinot, and a Napa Cab to always have a spot. Rotation appears minimal; this list reads like it was set at the start of the season and hasn't changed since.
Far Niente Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2019 — $210
At 75% over retail, it's the least aggressive markup on the entire list. For a bottle this well-regarded, $210 is still a lot — but relative to everything else here, it's the closest thing to a fair deal. If you're going big, go here.
Roar Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands
Most tables at a Cannery Row hotel are reaching for whatever Napa Cab they recognize. Meanwhile, Roar is doing genuinely exciting work in the Santa Lucia Highlands — a cooler-climate Pinot with real tension and length that actually makes sense next to the seafood on this menu. It's the right call and most people walk right past it.
Daou Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles 2021
150% markup on a $30 retail bottle is a hard no. Daou is a fine everyday Cab, but at $75 on this list you're paying a premium for a wine that belongs on a steakhouse by-the-glass menu. The value math doesn't work.
Morgan Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands + Seasonal Fish Entrée
Morgan's Santa Lucia Pinot has enough acidity and red fruit clarity to stand up to a buttery pan-seared fish without stomping all over it. It's the rare red that actually earns its place at a seafood table, and Morgan is one of the more consistent producers in the region.
The Bottom Line
The C is a reliable hotel wine list with a genuinely strong California backbone — but the markups are real and the program shows no signs of anyone pushing it forward. Drink the Santa Lucia Pinots, skip the easy-name Cabs, and enjoy that view.
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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