The Peninsula Produces Some of California's Finest Wine. Here's How to Celebrate It Properly.

The Monterey Peninsula sits at the intersection of two extraordinary wine worlds: the Santa Lucia Highlands, producing some of California's most celebrated Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and the Carmel Valley, home to Cabernets and red blends that punch well above their national profile. For wine lovers, this geography is the point. For those who want to explore it properly — with the right food, the right setting, and the right guidance — a private wine dinner catered by Coastal Roots Events & Catering is the answer.

What a Private Wine Dinner Should Be

A wine dinner is not a dinner with wine. It's an event built around the bottles — where each course exists to illuminate what's in the glass, and what's in the glass elevates every plate that arrives alongside it. The pairing is the experience. Everything else supports it.

Our culinary team has been cooking alongside California wine for over thirty years. We understand what Carmel Valley Cabernet needs on the plate — and what it doesn't. We know how a Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot responds to duck versus salmon, and why the acid in a well-made Central Coast Chardonnay transforms a piece of delicate seafood into something transcendent.

We build menus that prove it.

A Menu Built for the Glass

For a private wine dinner, we draw from the finest preparations our kitchens produce. Begin with Lobster Bisque poured tableside — rich with Atlantic lobster tail and fennel confit from our Montrio kitchen — paired with a structured white Burgundy-style Chardonnay from the Highlands.

Progress to Seared Sea Scallops with creamed corn, sun-dried tomato, and aged juniper balsamic vinegar — a dish built for the delicate mid-palate of a Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir. Then the centrepiece: Snake River Farms Wagyu Ribeye, grilled over almond wood with chimichurri and boulangère potatoes, paired with the Carmel Valley Cabernet the evening has been building toward. Close with Grimaud Farms Duck Confit — gigante bean salad, pickled peaches, cherry glaze — alongside a late-pour of something complex and textured.

Every course curated. Every pairing intentional. Browse our full catering menu to understand the range of what we build into a private dinner.

The Setting

A wine dinner belongs in a space that honours the occasion. Montrio in downtown Monterey offers one of the most wine-forward environments on the Peninsula — deep wine list, intimate dining room, and a wine program built for exactly this kind of evening. Tarpy's Library Room, with its fireplace and private garden patio, is an equally compelling option for groups of up to 80.

Off-site wine dinners at private estates and vineyard properties throughout the Peninsula are a particular speciality — our team travels with the full kitchen and service infrastructure required to execute an intimate wine dinner in any setting.

The Authority Behind the Pairing

Best of Monterey County 2024. Thirty-plus years on the Monterey Peninsula. When we recommend a wine with a dish, it comes from a culinary team that has been cooking alongside California's finest producers since before most of them were well-known.

Connect with our events team to begin building your private wine dinner.

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FAQ

How many guests is a private wine dinner typically designed for?
Private wine dinners work best for intimate groups of 8–30, where conversation flows naturally across the table and each pairing can be discussed without losing the room. We can design for larger groups with a slightly adjusted format.

Can we choose the wines, or do you select them?
Both options are available. Many clients bring bottles they've been saving for a special occasion and ask us to build the menu around them. Others prefer our events team to curate the full pairing. We accommodate either approach.

Is sommelier service available?
Yes — guided sommelier service can be arranged through our events team for groups that want an educational tasting component alongside the meal.

Can you host a wine dinner at a Carmel Valley winery or vineyard?
Yes — off-site wine dinners at vineyard properties and estate venues are one of our most popular formats. Our team brings full kitchen and service infrastructure to any location.

📞 (831) 655-2999 | ✉ events@coastalrootshospitality.com | coastalrootshospitality.com