Local terroir with an ocean view to match
North Fremont / Beachfront · Monterey · American, Seafood · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 23, 2026
RagingWine reviewed The Lantern Room at Monterey Beach Hotel’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Take Vibe Match and we’ll tell you what to order here.
Wingman Metrics
You open the list and Monterey County stares back at you — not in a defensive, provincial way, but in the best possible 'we actually know where we are' way. A hotel restaurant leaning this hard into hyper-local producers is not something you expect, and it earns immediate respect. The Pacific is right there through the window, the list matches the zip code, and someone clearly gave a damn.
The list is built around Monterey County AVAs and the broader Central Coast, with producers like Caraccioli Cellars, Wrath, Ghostwriter, I. Brand & Family, Common Thread, Stirm, and Odonata doing most of the heavy lifting. There's a loose international thread for guests who won't go regional, but the heart of the list is very much local. The depth isn't enormous — this isn't a 200-label cellar — but what's here is curated with intention rather than assembled from a distributor's catalog. Gaps exist in old-world representation, but that's almost beside the point when Odonata and Stirm are on the same list as a Caraccioli sparkling.
An estimated 10 to 16 pours puts the by-the-glass program in solid territory for a hotel restaurant — enough to build a full meal around without repeating yourself. Glass prices running $14 to $22 feel high but are defensible given the coastal real estate and the quality of producers represented. We'd push staff on what's rotating; a list this locally focused should be cycling seasonal pours more aggressively.
I. Brand & Family 'La Marea' Albariño — $14-$18/glass (est.)
Albariño and a bowl of Saltspring mussels in lobster coconut curry is one of the better no-brainer calls on this menu. I. Brand farms thoughtfully in the Arroyo Seco AVA and this bottling punches well above its likely price point — saline, citrus-driven, and built for exactly the seafood-forward kitchen happening here.
Stirm (local producer)
Stirm is flying under the radar of most diners who reflexively order Pinot or Chardonnay. Rob Stirm works with unusual varieties and sites across the Central Coast, and finding his wine on a hotel list is genuinely surprising — the kind of bottle worth asking staff about before you default to something familiar.
Massa Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
Lodi Cab at a Monterey beachfront seafood restaurant is a bit of a head-scratcher. Nothing wrong with Massa in the right context, but you're paying hotel markup on a bottle that doesn't belong in this lineup, and you're in a region full of better options. Order local or don't order Cab.
Caraccioli Cellars Cuvée Sparkling Wine + Saltspring Mussels in Lobster Coconut Curry
Caraccioli's sparkling wine is made in the traditional method from Santa Lucia Highlands fruit — high acid, fine bubbles, serious structure. It cuts through the richness of the coconut curry broth and lifts the brininess of the mussels without fighting the heat. It's also just a great excuse to drink Monterey County bubbles while staring at the ocean.
The Bottom Line
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.
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
Scott's Addition · Richmond · American, Seafood
Lillian is the rare spot where the wine list is more ambitious than the address suggests — a focused, France-and-Italy-forward program with legit producers, a knowledgeable floor lead, and bottle prices that don't feel punitive. Send a friend here, tell them to sit at the counter, order oysters, and ask PJ what's open.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
River North · Chicago · American, Seafood
Terrace 16 earns its Wine Spectator badge and delivers a respectable, California-and-France-focused list in one of Chicago's most dramatic dining rooms. Just don't expect to be surprised — the wine is as reliable as the skyline view, and nearly as expensive.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Natchitoches · Natchitoches · American, Seafood
Mariner's isn't trying to be a wine destination — it's a waterfront restaurant in Natchitoches that happens to take its California Cab and Chardonnay seriously, and the Wine Spectator credential is earned. Send your friends here for the view and the Steak Oscar, and trust that the wine list won't let you down.
Plays It Safe
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.
List Variety
Markup
Glassware
Staff
Specials & Deals
Storage & Temp
