The Wine Experience
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First time here, Sis and I just walking in the area. The gentleman who assisted us provided subpar customer service but was definitely more engaged with the larger table across from us, I'll leave it there. In either case, Nate came in and was absolutely amazing. He didn't even take our original order and was so friendly and personable. Ordered a flight with 2 sparkling and 4 white ($30) definitely good value and Sis was pleased overall with the selection. She loved the sparkling and even considered buyers by a bottle. They make the sparkling off site but it's there's.
Nate was super friendly and patient with our somewhat boisterous group of 6 ladies & our token male after a bit. Charcuterie offerings were perfect and fresh. We all did tastings, each slightly different. I personally did not care for Pinot but my friend liked it. Cab was on point. Grenache was good. Malbec and Tannat were my favs. In house chocolates were amazing! Make sure you get these to go with your wine and don't wait until you're almost don't like I did.
The wife and I were visiting Monterey and the aquarium. While riding the trolley we passed this business so we decided to stop by on the next trip. I was intrigued by the idea of blending our own custom wine. So for $99 you get to samples 6 wines and then decide which 4 varietals you would like to use to create your blend. We chose Grenache, Petite Sirah, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. We experimented with different percentages of each. They give you beakers and tools to make it easy to pour exact percentages of wine. We came up with 2 blends that we liked and paid an extra $45 for the second bottle. Overall it was a really good experience and really fun to do. Pricing is a little high though.
My fiancée and really enjoyed our time here! It's really cozy and intimate and the staff were so friendly. We walked in and sat down. It looked like a group was doing some sort of more in depth formal tasting or event in a different room, looked like they were having lots of fun! Right away the staff were warm and welcoming. Gave us lots of recommendations on what wines to try but he was also so sweet and gave us lots of recs for restaurants to try for dinner since we're from out of town. We each did a 4 pour wine tasting for $20. They're served in test tubes which I thought was cute and saves a lot of room on the table. My favorite was the vognier, def on the sweeter side but I loved how fruity it was. We also had the baked Brie with apricot pepper game which we inhaled lol. Served in a cast iron skillet so it stays warm a bit longer. Also has the pretzels. Honestly, you can skip this. Queso was good but it's not memorable.
Nice little wine bar with small bites in the Cannery Row area. They had some nice wine choices and beers. Charcuterie and flatbreads and other snacks. Wine flights in test tubes which looked a bit bizarre but was popular! Good service with only one person working when I went. I went with a glass of their Brut which was slightly sweet for me , and their sourdough pretzel with Dijon mustard. The pretzel was nice and warm and the mustard had a great kick. Nice little gifts available too. I liked that it had groups and just solos having a glass of vino at the end of the day. Cozy feel.
They have blankets. Texas girls in California. Really cute place. Quaint and simple. I ordered the flight: Zinfandel, Syrah, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon. The Zinfandel surprised me--fruit forward and jammy. Nice wine. The Syrah was easy drinking. The Malbec had a great finish. The Cab was interesting: mint and chocolate. Weird. We also ordered the baked Brie which was okay. I prefer my Brie with a baguette, but alas. The gentleman that works there (or maybe owns it??) was very friendly.
Came for a wine blending event and had a great time! We ended up bottling our favorite blend and had it labeled with a custom photo! Service was great.
Had such a cute date night at this wine tasting spot! The staff was friendly and welcoming. We ordered a charcuterie board that was aesthetically pleasing and delicious. Definitely a great spot for couples looking for something fun to do together.
My boyfriend and I were in Monterey for our anniversary and we decided to stop in here after seeing the positive reviews. We heard it was a great place for first timers however i would say it's more for people who have an idea of what they're looking for. We didn't know much about wine and were kind of ignored at first and when we asked about the wines (we were clueless and it was pretty obvious) the guy helping was kind of short with us..which is okay because he started talking to us after our drinks. I would probably stop by again and give it another chance!
Dear Craig, This place is pretty close to your home. It's a great place to chill, drink some wine or beer, and plays games. The staff was so friendly. They helped with choosing a wine and were a wealth of info on what to do in the area. Jack
The wine experience was my favorite accidental discovery! My MIL and I were on the hunt for a tasting room while my little one napped in his stroller. I honestly was super interested in trying this place but I was so wrong and am so glad we popped in! The flights are served in 4, 6, or 8 pours and you can pick and choose the wines you want to try. They are served in test tubes while full pours and carafes come in beakers. I tried the Chardonnay, Viognier, Rose, Pinot Noir, and Cab Sauv. I actually had the rose twice it was so good. I was pleasantly surprised that I really enjoyed each pour. The man working suggested tasting the Viognier last as a dessert wine and that was a great call. He was also so sweet and attentive without being overbearing. It seemed he knew some of the regulars but treated us equally as kindly. We loved the atmosphere and how fun it felt overall. I can't wait to return soon!
We wanted to check out another tasting and especially since this place was right across the hotel. Fun place with unique tasting test tubes, games and small bites. Wine tasted good along with the spinach and artichoke dip and pretzel. Service was quick and friendly. The vibe is fun and relaxing especially on the comfy couches. I'd like to come back here next time I'm in town.
Wine was good. The moscato wasn't my favorite tho, but other wines are very flavorful. I love the service here, they are very friendly and know how to take care of customers. Will come back.
I've been here a few times and am definitely a fan! There's a nice selection of whites and reds on tap, so there is something for everyone. I recommend getting the flights and you can choose your favorites. They also have 3-4 beers on tap. The menu only has a few small plate options for food, so I do wish they had a few more choices to choose from. However, everything I have tried (which is basically everything), is delicious!!! You GOTTA try the baked brie with the jelly on top. It's the best. They also have the friendliest staff. Every time we have been in, they are always starting a conversation with us and being very attentive. They have some cool gadgets and merchandise for purchase. Basically, if you are really hungry, I probably wouldn't recommend coming here. BUT if you want a glass (or few) of wine and a snack, you gonna try this place! read more
2 years ago
Business owner information
Brent V.
Thank you very much!
4 years ago
5 years ago
We ordered a wine flight, the baked brie and the charcuterie board. The wine was decent but everything else was very underwhelming. The brie was swimming in the pesto and olive oil it was served with and half the crostini served with both boards were stale. There was also only one server so service took forever. Had to walk up to the counter to pay. Terrible for the price. Give this one a miss read more
The Wine Experience was just across the street from our hotel so we knew we wanted to stop by. We decided to get a bottle of the sparkling wine because that was our major MO for the holiday we were having. We did not regret that choice. We also went for the cheese plate (another MO of our trip) which was VERY tasty and a great size. The staff was knowledgeable and we had an awesome time just sitting and enjoying our time at the Wine Experience. Because we had a bottle we didn't get to experience the awesome tasting experience they do, but we got to watch many around us use the test tube tasters which seems SO fun and such a fun way to do tastings. read more
6 years ago
Really happy to see this wine bar open on a weekday night. Selection of wines is very solid with a great collection of local reds. Highly recommend the Charcuterie board which was excellent. Service was great as well. If you are in Monterey and you like wine, this is a must visit. read more
6 years ago
COVID time review. Cute place on Cannery Row. Service was outstanding. Ordered flight of four whites, baked brie and olives. Would love to more wines to choose from but that's a standard wish for me. Reasonable price for Monterey. I'll definitely return. read more
3 years ago
Walked in and did a wine blending experience and got to create our own label. Lots of fun and nice staff. Pizza and pretzel was good too. read more
One of the better wine tasting spots on Cannery row. Nice setup and the wine selection is much better than other spots. We also tried the cheese plate which was decent. The petite Vardot and Sirah were quite good on this visit. The place is new and has a clean look. Wine selection is OK. I can see myself coming back here to just hangout. Tip. The washrooms are in the hotel next door. read more
4 years ago
This place is fantastic and I am not really a wine drinker. However, I am the one who ended up getting two bottles to take home. The service was a 10/10. The adorable atmosphere was also a 10/10. We ended up going back again in our 4 day stay. I can't say enough good things about this place. I will be back. read more
6 years ago
I don't live in the area--visited Monterey and after a bike ride, my husband and I came in. The outside of the building is adorable with flower branches on the walls. The outside seating and grass looks very well-maintained. We sat inside and bc of covid19, there was about maybe 5 inside seating available: one table in the back, one table towards the door, two couch areas, and a counter seat area--they are all away from each other so I felt safe and felt that this business could be trusted. The 3 men working were kind and personable. I ordered the wine flight--4 at $15 and husband got the beer flight, same price. Very reasonable pricing with reasonable flight portions. We also got four chocolates to go with my wine which was delicious and you know they're not using cheap chocolates. I'm sad I'm not a local bc I think I would come here all the time. Their local wines are absolutely delicious, customer service is rocking, and the outside and inside is beautiful and clean. A great place and ambience to relax with people who share a love of chilling with some glasses. read more
3 years ago
5 years ago
4 years ago
It was a great ambiance and the wine tasting was great. We'll definitely be going back when we visit Monterey read more
5 years ago
5 years ago
Business owner information
Brent V.
Your team was so fun!! Glad we were able to host your event. Carrie
7 years ago
Found this place on Yelp and am thankful for it. We ate a filling lunch at the Cliff House in the afternoon so were looking for light bites. Found exactly what we were looking for at the Wine Experience. We decided to split the flight of 5 wines first (that's because I am lightweight) and all of the wines were delightful (most favorite Petite Verdot, least favorite Merlot), they had a decent cheese plate with good pepper jelly, goat cheese, cheddar and blue and some crostinis. Added marcona almonds and warmed up olives to go with the spread. It all went down perfectly with the wines. Frankly, I liked the wines here better than I liked them at Napa's wineries. So there. read more
5 years ago
5 years ago
5 years ago
100% going to try to get back there again before we end our vacay. Staff has excellent customer service. Neither of us are very experienced with wine and he was nice enough to bring us some suggestions. We ordered a flight of 4 and he brought us a 5th at no extra charge to help introduce us to other types. One think to note is they stop serving food an hour before closing according to their menu. So excited to come back! Great for pics too. read more
I stopped by The Wine Experience with a group of friends for drinks ahead of dinner. We loved the fact that they had lounge seating - a couch and two chairs. We each ordered a flight of wine, mine a "red" flight included 3 from Monterey and another from greater California. The wines were my least favorite compared to other wine tasting rooms in the area but the service was stellar. Definitely order the Tangerine & Chili Marinated Green Olives, they are amazing! read more
6 years ago
Great wine, yummy snacks, perfect location for get togethers, they even have mad otter ale on tap. What more could you want? I'm a fan! You can drink wines by the flight or glass and there's an option to blend your own. Cheers! read more
5 years ago
Definitely an experience! Definitely worth visiting. The wine is average. Not worth buying. Doing the flights are great along with ordering chocolates and the $30ish charcuterie board. Had a great time. The staff was great as well & super accommodating. read more
11 years ago
Came here for my first wine tasting. Had a great time and was treated well by the hostess...great appetizers and choices of wine! Also had a selection of beer to choose from! read more
5 years ago
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10 years ago
The Wine Experience is a cute little wine bar off of Cannery Row in Monterey. TWE is a great place to drop in for one of their many wines "on tap" but this review is for one of TWE's specialty classes. This August, I booked the wine blending class for 18 people for the bridesmaids and groomsmen in my wedding. I worked with Brent and Cassandra to set up the reservation for our group, which went very smoothly. When we arrived, the back classroom was all set up with four stations, each with four single-varietal wines (pinot, syrah, grenache, and petit sirah) and a range of equipment. Brent gave a short introductory lesson on wine blending then set us loose in small teams to create our own wine blend. Over the course of about an hour and a half, each of the four teams in our wedding party created six or more wine blends and then chose their favorite. At the end, Brent and his team helped us bottle up a few bottles of each team's favorite blends (based on the team's favorite blend formula) that we could take home. They even printed a custom label for each bottle that we created, which was a great personal touch. Brent and his staff were extremely professional and really helped our group have a lot of fun. Being able to take home bottles of wine that we created with our custom labels was a great souvenir for our wedding. For our specific purpose, kicking off our wedding weekend in the Monterey/Carmel area, this was the perfect activity. read more
7 years ago
Absolutely fantastic service! The charcuterie board was delicious...plus they give you a surplus of crostini!! I love the decor, the simplicity, and the presentation of "test tubes" for the various wine flights! Delicious wines and incredibly helpful staff when asked about the area and a good seafood restaurant in the area! Can't wait to go back again! read more
11 years ago
This place is so cool! The vibe is awesome! Brent, the owner, will help you test and make great wine blends! The snacks are delicious, especially the cheese flight! And they have a graphic designer who will make custom labels for bottled wine or custom blends. I created a wine basket for a wedding present with two wines with custom labels, a candle, and cool chocolates for about $100. I'll definitely be hanging out here on future visits! read more
6 years ago
8 years ago
We recently had a team building at The Wine Experience and couldn't have been more happy with our event! Carrie was extremely helpful with the planning process which allowed our event to go off without a hitch! We had a blast blending and having a "Wine off" between our two teams. To final amazing touch was that Carrie then offered to deliver our final blended wine bottles to a nearby restaurant where we had dinner plans! Now that's what I call customer service!! I highly recommend this to any group looking for a team building event. read more
9 years ago
The scale gets it right, she was truly intrigued and excited at our input of her wines. She truly had some of the best tasting wine on this trip. I highly recommend the tasting room at this place, and I cannot wait to get back here. The wind here bursts with labor, and is not overpriced for how great it is. Super impressed with the knowledge of the staff read more
6 years ago
Business owner information
Brent V.
So sorry you had that experience Marie. We like to provide the best…
9 years ago
9 years ago
5 years ago
More info about The Wine Experience
381 Cannery Row
Monterey, CA 93940
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(831) 324-4974
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https://www.wineexperience.org
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