In case you’re looking for yet another extraordinary way to wine on the beautiful Monterey Bay in Northern California, you’re in luck. Stave Wine Cellar has just opened its doors on the entrance courtyard of The Inn at Spanish Bay, smack dab on the scenic Pebble Beach coast.
Devoted to nothing but vino, Stave Wine Cellar is an intimate social lounge and wine shop designed for the enjoyment of a wide selection of varietals, hard-to-find bottles, and adventurous, off-the-beaten-path “Geek of the Week” gems discovered by the staff sommeliers.
A long bar, luxurious leather club chairs, tables for 1 or 10, and a romantic stone fireplace create a cozy setting, as does the warmth of the knowledgeable staff who guide guests through tastings on request. Nearly 30 wines are available by the glass, bottle or “taste,” plus eight craft beers by the glass, and a menu of nibbles including Puglia olives, country pate, truffled Marcona almonds, and an ever-changing artisan cheese and charcuterie platter. (Cowgirl Creamery Pierce Point for me, please, paired with a Fontsainte Rose.)
“When we were designing Stave Wine Cellar, our vision was for it to be a place that reflects the charm and casual character of The Inn at Spanish Bay, but with a contemporary style all its own,” said Wendy Heilmann, Director of Wine and Spirits for Pebble Beach Resorts. “Stave Wine Cellar is all about exploration and the experience of different varietals, and this is a place for anyone and everyone curious about the world of wine.”
More than 250 wines are available for purchase by the bottle. To expose visitors to tastes outside of Monterey County, wines by the glass include regional and international wines from Spain, France, Germany, Italy and Argentina, and California regions including Sonoma, Mendocino County, Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz. Stave Wine Cellar also has a Coravin device, which allows guests to explore exceptional wines such as Sine Qua Non, Kistler, Caymus, Screaming Eagle and Opus One without having to purchase an entire bottle.
Named after a “stave” (the individual strips of wood that form a wine barrel), the Stave Wine Cellar is open daily from 11 a.m. – 7 pm and has announced its first season of 5 – 7 pm special events. September 22 kicks things off with a tasting of California cabernets and other full-bodied varietals; October 1 stars PlumpJack Winery, CADE Estate Winery and Odette tastings from the heart of Napa Valley’s renowned Oakville region; October 13 pays homage to the Monterey Bay wineries featuring ROAR, Garys’ Vineyard, Rosella’s Vineyard and Sierra Mar Vineyard, and will be hosted by ROAR owner Gary Franscioni; October 27 features tastes of Napa Valley’s Robert Craig cabernets and current releases of the Robert Craig Bordeaux Blend; November 12 spotlights cabernets and chardonnays from Napa’s Miner Family Winery; November 17 focuses on a pre-holiday tasting of wines designed for the Thanksgiving and Christmas table; and December 2 serves Lanson, a classic French champagne producer, just in time for the New Year bubbly selections.
