The Winery Restaurant & Wine Bar
California Coast's Most Serious Wine Program
Newport Beach · Newport Beach · Seafood, Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 7, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
The name is not subtle, and neither is the list — a bound wine book of 400-600 selections greets you before the bread does. This is a restaurant that built its identity around wine first and figured out the kitchen second. Walking in with ocean views and dim lighting, you know immediately this isn't a place where the wine list is an afterthought.
Selection Deep Dive
California and France are the twin pillars here, and they're built to hold serious weight — Shafer Hillside Select, Ridge Monte Bello, Joseph Phelps Insignia, Dominus Estate, and Château Margaux 2018 all sharing the same list is a statement. The Burgundy presence via Louis Jadot is the one place where the depth feels a touch shallow compared to the Napa firepower, but it's hard to complain when Ridge Monte Bello is on the menu. Sommelier Liz Ferro has clearly shaped this into a California-centric list with enough French gravitas to satisfy the Francophile at the table. Wine Spectator has handed out a Best of Award of Excellence here every year since 2015, and the list earns it.
By the Glass
Thirty to fifty options by the glass is genuinely impressive — most places offer a dozen and call it a day. The range spans enough ground that you're not stuck choosing between the house Chardonnay and the house Cab, and at a venue with this much bottle depth, expect the glass pours to rotate with the cellar's priorities. The $12 entry point keeps it accessible; the ceiling on glass pours makes this one of the more ambitious BTG programs on the Newport coast.
Flowers Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2021 — $98
Flowers is one of the consistently underrated Sonoma Pinot producers — coastal, structured, and a legitimate step above the usual restaurant Pinot options at this price point. On a list where bottles routinely push $200+, this is where to anchor your spend.
Ridge Monte Bello
Most tables here are ordering Opus One or Caymus because they recognize the names. Ridge Monte Bello is the insider's move — one of California's most age-worthy Cabernet blends, made in the Santa Cruz Mountains with a track record that rivals anything in Napa. It tends to get overlooked next to the flashier labels, which means you might actually get it.
Rombauer Chardonnay 2022
Rombauer is fine. It's also everywhere — every grocery store, every TGI Fridays with a wine list, every hotel minibar. At $85 a bottle on a list this deep, you're paying a premium for the comfort of a familiar label. There are far more interesting Chardonnays within reach of this price.
Far Niente Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 + Filet Mignon
Far Niente Cab is polished and structured without being aggressive — it has the weight to stand up to a filet but won't bulldoze the cut's natural tenderness. Classic California Cabernet meets classic steakhouse, and this kitchen clearly knows how to cook beef.
Wednesday — Half-price wine night every Wednesday — the single best reason to rearrange your week around dinner here.
🔥 The Bottom Line
The Winery earns its name and its Wine Spectator hardware — this is one of the most serious wine programs you'll find attached to a waterfront seafood and steak concept in Southern California. Markups are real, but Wednesday's half-price wine night is your move if you want to explore the upper tiers without the full damage.
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