If you're downtown and want some wine this is the place to go. They have something for everyone. Today they had 3 different flights (2 were $15 and 1 was $20). There was a flight of 3 whites, one that had 2 whites and a light red, and a third that had all reds. The wines are from varying vineyards and represent regions from all over California. I had the monster mash wines that were a few different blends. They were bold, earthy, and super tasty! The service was fast, knowledgeable, and let you enjoy the wines without being overly pushy. It was dog friendly inside which was perfect for a chilly November night. They also had some wines in cans to go! read more

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Absolutely lovely wine bar in downtown Santa Cruz. The vibes were immaculate, and the wine was quite good, too. It's a cozy inside, but they have outdoor seating too. It's a dog friendly bar, and the owner was very kind and explained a lot about the wines. Would for sure come back! read more

Another Italian style wines. We walked in Saturday around 5pm. It's located in downtown area. Cute tasting room with a lot to plant decors like those carnivore plants. Tasting fee is $15 or $25 for 3 wines. The wines weren't our style. Too light for us and didn't taste good. They allow you to bring snacks to enjoy with your wine. read more

Birichino - 8/17/24 menu - Wineries Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Exceptional, relaxed tasting experience at Birichino, specializing in local wines (Central Coast and unique Bay Area locals) including unique whites (Malvasia), pinots and Old-vine versions of carignan and other French varietals. The winery originally launched in in the early 2000s to make Malvasia, a group of wine grape varieties of ancient origin, most likely originating in Greece. Malvesia Bianca is the most well known and widely grown of the Malvasia family of grapes grown throughout the world, including locally in the San Joaquin Valley, and in Italy, Greece and Rioja in Spain. The Birichino Malvasia Biancha is grown on a rocky site in Monterey County. They can offer a side by side tasting with three expressions of this wine, including traditional, an orange version and a sparkling sour expression. Wonderful! We loved the tasting room here, both from a hospitality and an education perspective. It was homey, relaxed, fun and they played great music. The flights are a first-rate experience, and a two bottle purchase will wave $15 tasting fees. The wine labels are artistic and eclectic. Don't miss a tasting at Birichino if you are in town. read more

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My bookclub was having its first meeting and after reading reviews and looking at the pictures this seemed like the coziest spot to delve into literature. I called a week earlier to reserve a table for 8 and was quickly accommodated. Not to mention whoever answered and took my reservation was kind, friendly and had great phone etiquette. When I walked in our reservation was clearly marked and the woman pouring wine and acting as hostess was amazing. She was quick to get our tastings together and made sure to ask if we needed anything and was just so pleasant all around. We all mentioned how we wished we new about this soot sooner. Wine was nice and I ended up buying 2 bottles. Looking forward to my next visit. read more

Birichino - Wineries Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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Thank you to my friend Chris F. for bringing me here these past few times. I believe I'm now really a fan of Birichino as one of the best local wineries that Santa Cruz has to offer. This location is their main tasting room and it feels almost like an exclusive club lounge when you enter. The staff here are very friendly and really connected with my friend and made him feel like a valued member of their wine club. Not all places do this and it's great to see them take high value in their patrons. A tasting sets you back just $10 and I have to say that the wine is fantastic. We got to try six different kinds in two different glasses so they intentionally make sure you distinguish your reds from your whites. Bottles go for around $20 - $40 which I would not consider to be expensive at all for high quality wine. Food offerings are also available whenever they host events. My first time, we were given complimentary grilled cheeses which went fantastically with their wines. Most recently, they partnered with Kickin' Chicken nearby to deliver some bomb wings for the crowd. Thanks Birichino! Looking forward to visiting again in the future. read more

Birichino - a group of people sitting at a bar - Wineries Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

So I absolutely love the service here and the attention you get from the waiters. Also the customers that visit here are mostly super nice and awesome. It'll be a nice day at this tasting room just because you met some kind people on your day out. The outside seating is also very lovely. Enough space between tables and good sun to shade ratio. Also SUPER dog friendly! Love that the waiter brought out a blankie for my little pupper to sleep on, a bowl of water (I had left mine at home and wouldn't have stayed as long if they hadn't offered me one), and brought out some yummy dog treats. Super awesome service and super dog-friendly place. They only thing that I didn't absolutely love was the wine, it was good, but not amazing. I'm a sparkling wine fan, and I ordered the Bubble Bath flight. It was good, but not great. Probably my favorite overall was the Jurassic Park Chenin Blanc. I'd order a glass or two of that next time I visit. I think a lot of people love the reds there, but unfortunately, I'm not a red wine type of person! So if you are, please make your own decisions on whether this place is for you! I do wish they had food though. I bought a bottle of the Jurassic Park Chenin Blanc, but only because I thought I could just drink it there (and it would be more cost-effective to buy a bottle if I was staying). Since they don't sell food, you can't drink the bottle there, you can only take it home. Wish I had known that before I paid for the bottle. Overall, will be back for a glass or two of sparkling wine with my pupper though! Great service will always make me come back! read more

Birichino - Bubble Bath - Wineries Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Amazing! Great customer service and follow up. Wines were delicious and they were super pet friendly. Love this addition to the downtown area. MUCH better daytime vibes than Bad Animal that didn't seem to want to serve anyone. read more

The ambiance of the tasting room is so charming. Art nouveau vibe compliments really enjoyable wine flights. I had the white wine flight. I'll definitely return for the reds and mixed flight. Bottles are at a good price point, too! read more

I wish Yelp allowed me to give Birichino 10 stars because everything about this thoughtful company deserves it. I discovered their amazing wine when I was planning my wedding. I needed wines that would appeal to many palates, have a reasonable price point, and have gorgeous wine labels to fit the table settings. The Birichino Portfolio worked perfectly and is exceptional. I love wine and live close enough for afternoon trips to Napa and Sonoma, so please take my advice and go to Santa Cruz and try their wine. I'm still a wine club member 3 years later and often find myself driving from Sausalito to Santa Cruz to taste my favorites (all the sparkling bottles) and discover new ones at their charming downtown tasting room. read more

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Amazing wines, cozy atmosphere and attentive staff. Staff is extremely knowledgeable and friendly. Perfect wine tasting for date night or girl's night. Tonight they were offering three different tasting flights. We tried all three! Highly recommend if you are looking for a local wine tasting experience! read more

Birichino - two glasses of wine on a bar - Wineries Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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This is the tiny yet mighty wine tasting thingy just off the main downtown drag of pacific ave. Parking is street only which means there is no parking. There is that public library lot right next door which I hate, and a parking garage kinda sorta cat a corner which I like. So overall parking right close by is no big deal. This is a small spot. Most of the seating is at the counter, with a few small table spots for the antisocial, and a super comfy loungy couch for the decadent (coughs in decadent manner). Overall the space is rife with natural lighting and subtle old world wine cues. While small it is most certainly cozy and friendly. The owners are present when it's open-so when you drop on by, you are speaking with the experts-and they are experts. They know everything-and I mean everything- about the product. They know the source, the varieties, the aging, the blending, the origin (and generation) of the vines used, the legacy underpinnings of the wine they make and the world market-historical,general and specific. Chose your questions carefully as they will be answered in rich detail. No food on site, but you can bring in your own snackables. Aha you say but what about the wine? Glad you asked. It's unique, quality, complex, impressive and flippen awesome. I could waste space trying to describe it, but that would not do it justice. Suffice to say that this is one of the best small wineries I've ever tried. The pinot noirs and zinfadels are solid, and they've made a specialty of not so common finds such as vermentino. If terroir is your thing, this is a must do. Pricing is around twenty bucks a bottle more or less depending on choices made, and is entirely worth every penny. I extremely very much enjoyed this place. read more

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The ladies working here today were phenomenal! So much fun to stop in for a tasting en route back to oakland. They had folks doing crossword puzzles and everyone seemed to know one another. The wines were delicious and the tasting was $10. Well worth it! read more

Birichino - Tasting menu - Wineries Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

My friends came up recently for a girls weekend, and I knew that I wanted to give them the best that Santa Cruz has to offer. I had passed by this tasting room a few times prior during my downtown visits, and could tell immediately that this was a gem. And boy, were my expectations surpassed! The tasting room itself is quaint, but luxuriously cozy. There are so many impeccable details that I often found my eye wandering to something new the entire visit. It's gorgeous! On top of that, the wines are fabulous. We did a tasting flight, and all three of us were continuously impressed with ALL of the offerings! My personal fave was the Vin Gris. My only regret is that I wish I could remember the wine associate's name who helped us. She was absolutely incredible, not only in her wine knowledge, but in helping us identify a few other cool places off the beaten path to check out. read more

Birichino - I could live here. Seriously luxurious! - Wineries Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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Let me start off by saying that I love Birichino! I live in a neighborhood where everyone knows each other and several neighbors recommended the Vin Gris. So, I had been buying from New Leaf. One day I had the privilege of visiting the tasting room with a good friend. Located in the previous spot of the "toy store." It was a rainy day and busy. But, we had no problem finding a few seats at the bar. The owners seem to be involved with every step of the wine making process including working the bar. At times I'm intimidated by wine tastings. I'm no expert, but I like what I like. We were treated well here like our opinions and understanding of their procurement mattered. Worth the return and continued purchases at New Leaf! read more

Great wines! Great service! This is a Santa Cruz gem. I stumbled onto their tasting room about a year ago and was happily surprised by the owners knowledge and passion for wine. Since then I've purchased several cases and always been happy with my selections. Alex and John have an obvious passion to what they do and it translates to fantastic wines. I've stopped in several times and I always learn something new, enjoy non-run of the mill varietals, and have a great time. Thank you! read more

What a place. What a lovely, joyful, cozy place. I'm still having a hard time coming to terms that I am no longer in Santa Cruz.. and this place has a lot to do with that. We walked in on a Friday afternoon in a group of four, no reservation. We were greeted by a kind man with long flowing hair who was watering the indoor carnivorous plants on the windowsill while Celia Cruz was playing (RIGHT!?). A few more seconds, and you take in what seems like that typical cozy shop you wish you were at when you're looking for ambient music on YouTube. To set the scene like that, who wouldn't want to spend some time there!? Anywho, John introduces himself, and he gives us a rundown of the lineups and the fun begins. It was also at that point where I learned John wasn't any ordinary tasting room associate. There was something mysterious, but inspiring about the guy- he carries himself with such humility, but is easily one of the most seasoned, intellectual and well rounded people in the winosphere I've come across. We're getting settled in and John swings by with the first wines. For me that was Cinsault Blanc de Noir. A perfect introduction to the innovation and daring philosophy of this place- a wonderfully confusing wine with characteristics you'd find in a red wine but with that juiciness you crave in a cold white, but the richness of great champagne. Just wonky, classy and riveting wine. Next up was the Semillon and that thing was WOW. That glass went from a handful of sliced limes to this bundled up melange of apricots and guava. Then came the outstanding Chardonnay that showcased this lovely stony, briney almost reminiscent of a green apple soaked in lemon juice with maybe a zing of mint note. After that I came back to the Semillon to find the most lovely cotton candy-like but key lime pie tasting creamy white. My god. 3/3 was not the finale though---- oh no. Our group asked John about Chenin Blanc from Jurassic Park Vineyard and the way his face lit up was something that I'll never forget- and at that moment, without him even having to say anything, I just *knew* John was no ordinary tasting room associate: this was his passion and his project. He was THE GUY. He brought out an example of a Chenin Blanc that he pulled from somewhere and as soon as the scents of gardenia, honey, rocks and wax hit me (obviously with a taste to confirm), I just remember thinking "I've come across the Domaine Huet of my side of the world." I'd say something between the Sec version of a chilly vintage for Haut Lieu or Clos du Bourg for you wine geeks. It's incredibly hard to summarize that Chenin John poured into just four words, but trust me, that is a *MAGICAL* wine that I'll never forget. As if that mind blowing wine wasn't enough, John comes back with another bottle of Chenin Blanc and drops the word "botrytis" and I nearly fainted. Equally delicious (just like all Huet wines) but with that funky ginger/overripe pear note. The vintages? I know what they are but I'm not telling. Just know any given vintage of this Chenin will age just as well as any Huet. You're thinking, "okay John is great blah blah blah" and I'd agree with the first four words, but then John brings out two wines from the same vineyard- a Pinot Noir and a Mourvèdre. Side by side. For any of you who don't understand the fun word of "terroir", I think these two wines will summarize it well- both wines were unique (and mighty tasty) BUT they both had this elegance, this freshness, this compounding and equalizing feel- evidence of not only the vineyard, but the gentle and transparent hand that Birichino uses on ALL of their wines. By this point, I'm just in awe and shock at being at a winery, being guided on this what felt like a multigenerational tour of international grapes that have made their home in California and were carefully guided into bottle by John and Co.. I've been to a lot of wineries, tons of great ones, but few that don't feel the need to make wines that shout, but rather convince you in the most formidable of ways: in that they present wonky, nearly cosmic-entity levels of power and finesse that make you question whether you've ever really had anything good to start prior to visiting? Our trip to Birichino was not just fantastic- it was riveting, inspiring, and left me wondering "did I just have a conversation (and get to drink) with the god of wine himself because I don't think there's anyone in the history of the world (past or present) who could remotely rival anything or recreating the emotions we felt while doing a tasting here." An ordinary Friday afternoon, tasting wine in Santa Cruz- that's all it took to leave me dumbfounded, confused, sad, elated and nostalgic. It feels like a piece of me stayed at Birichino but a piece of them came with me. If John wanders around while you're there, tell him Victor said hi and then proceed to be left in awe like we were. read more

Service was a bit slow-paced but this very charming tasting room in downtown is worth a visit. Very interesting wines (not a lot of places offer pet nats for example). I did the white flight but my husband did the red flight and I tasted a couple of the red blends; they were very good. I would definitely go back to sample some of their other wines. This was probably the best tasting room we visited all weekend. read more

Awesome customer service and the wines are delicious. We absolutely loved trying the place for the first time and will definitely be back. I loved that they give you a piece of chocolate with some of the tastings. Great experience! Alex was so gracious and so friendly. We will definitely be coming back! read more

Amazing wine and great price point. Alex and John have so much wine knowledge my head spins when I go there. Love the ganache! read more

We absolutely loved Birchino! The wines were amazing and even though we came in less than an hour before closing, Alex was warm and welcoming and spent time explaining each of his wines to us. The space is beautiful and the wines are both deliciously and creatively named (like the Scylla!) read more

I came with a group on a Saturday afternoon and we pretty much filled up the tasting room. One of the guys in the group had prearranged our tasting so glasses had been set out and I believe the owner was the one who went around explaining all the different wines. Birichino definitely has the most unique wine descriptions that I have read. I loved the decor of the tasting room and it seems like a perfect spot to just pop in for a glass after shopping or having lunch downtown. Parking is on the street, but so is everything downtown. read more

Yelpsop's Fables: "The Disco Era Dinosaur" One sunny Saturday afternoon in April, in anticipation of a sizeable federal income tax return, an aging dinosaur made his way into the Birichino tasting room. He had begun his journey hours earlier, wandering through redwood forests and Pacific coastlines en route to the city of Santa Cruz, which he had last visited something like a million years ago. Things definitely had changed! There was better coffee now. And fewer megalodons. But other than that, not much had really changed. Santa Cruz embraces change slowly, like a continental plate adrift. But truth be told, the dinosaur was a bit unsure of what to expect. It had been years since he last purchased Birichino wines, usually their Malvasia Bianca or old vine Grenache, from the Half Moon Bay branch of New Leaf Community Market. But he had shifted away from them as dinosaurs are wont to do. He had been to the wine ghettos. He had taken posh vineyard and cave tours in Napa and Sonoma. He had slept in upscale roadhouses in Anderson Valley and listened to hail hammering the ground while camped out for the night outside of Los Olivos on Figueroa Mountain. He had been to Kermit Lynch more times than he could count (dinosaurs are not known for their advanced computational skills). Once arcane concepts like "Walla Walla Valley," "North Yuba AVA," "Juhfark," "Valdiguié," "Skin fermented Ribolla Gialla," "Minerality," and "Brettanomyces" no longer puzzled him (although Terry Theise's wine notes still did). He even knew where Mount Harlan actually was. He drank sparkling wines for Sunday brunch (they went great with Pterodactylus egg frittata) and old vine Carignane for weekday lunch (with Stegosaurus carnitas tacos) and finished the day with well-aged Mourvèdre accompanied by thin slices of Diplodocus prosciutto served with briny olives, Manchego cheese, and rosemary salted Marcona almonds. So, he decided to give Birichino another go, this time without the commercial crassness of grocery store shelves and shopping carts getting in the way. He went to the source. He went to Church Street. He sat down at the tasting room bar and began to sample the wines. They were fresh, lively, and light on the tongue. They made him feel young again, as if the disco era had never really ended. When the Bee Gees still shattered the silence with their deafening harmonies. When the Bering Land Bridge had not yet sunk beneath the sea and you could wander freely in the shaded depths of Monterey Canyon. When thunder lizards like him roamed the night in search of prey and random adventure. "These are very special wines," the dinosaur mused to himself. "They don't taste anything like I expected. They remind me of my ancestors, now deep within the ground, buried by layers upon layers of rock, sediment, and soil. I would serve wines like these to my most difficult of friends, like Bianca the Brontosaurus, who never likes to drink California reds. Alex the Archaeopteryx would really love this Chalone Pinot. But then again, he's been around before there even was a Pinnacles National Park, that's how old Alex is. He probably even knew Matthew the Mastadon and Sally the Giant Sloth back in the day, before the Bechthold Vineyard was even planted." The dinosaur licked his lips, took another sip of old vine Zinfandel, and smiled. 'What's the deal with this Saint George dude?" he asked the tasting room staff. "What's his beef with dragons? I mean, just between you and me, I think he has some seriously unresolved 'lizard issues.' Slaying the dragon? Come on!!! It's 2019. We don't do these sorts of things anymore. Dragons are people too, you know. Don't you even watch Game of Thrones?" Realizing he had probably had enough, the dinosaur tipped the last bit of his Cinsaut Pét-Nat into the spit bucket. He unsteadily rose to his feet, flicked his gigantic tail in the air, gathered the bottles he had purchased into his ridiculously tiny arms, and moved on. "Now I've seen everything!" said a brown pelican perched at the bar drinking a full glass of Jurassic Park Vineyard Chenin Blanc while checking his Facebook feed incessantly. "Dinosaurs in the tasting room? What's next? Walruses? Jackalopes?? Republicans ?!! Good thing I don't live here year round!" He drained his glass of wine and swiftly ordered another. A few blocks away, the dinosaur was lost in his own inner world, humming the lyrics to "The Winner Takes It All" silently in his walnut-sized brain and dreaming of his next big meal. He clutched his wines closer to his cold-blooded body, gazed skyward, and slowly made his way up Chestnut Street to Highway 1, on the long and winding road home. Moral: When wines are well made with ample amounts of love and human kindness, their appeal will span generations. Fathers, grandmothers, grandchildren, sauropods, and former ABBA roadies inclusive. There is a Birichino wine for each of them, even if they don't yet know it. Just ask a disco era dinosaur. read more

Visited Birichino to wine taste with my 2 friends on a rainy day. The worker told us we could only do a tasting if we sat outside in the Rain. We gladly thanked them and left the establishment. We did not feel comfortable giving our business to a company who was OKAY with us sitting out in the rain when they did not require wearing a mask before entry. read more

Gorgeous boutique wines, hip vibe tasting room in what looks like a Mid Century dentist's office. Read the label descriptions and you'll understand how passionate the owners are about terroir and flavor. In my opinion, the coolest wine spot in the county. read more

cute and cozy spot, I enjoyed the wine and the service was amazing. definitely will be going back

Birichino is the real deal! I know wine and these wines are beAutiful and pair well with food. John-one of the winemakers-poured wine for us and explained about the grapes and vineyard sites. Birichino is a great addition to Santa Cruz. We loved the rose (vin gris), grenache and cinsault. We will be back! read more

Love everything about this place. The wines is al exceptional, I never leave with out buying a few bottles. The service is always friendly and makes you feel right at home, eager to chat and tell you about the wine. Great vibes. This place turned me on to the world of pet nats and I have fallen in love. Can't recommend it enough. read more

A fantastic selection of balanced, creative, and meticulously polished wines. I talked a lot of with Alex, whom with his business partner, have created some of the best wines I've tasted in quite awhile. These wines and this tasting were truly unique. The wines are simply phenomenal. The signature of these wine makers appear to be steel-barrel, slightly dry, complex flavors. Vines are often from cold, sandy regions, with limestone. You can almost taste the spirit of Santa Cruz in their white wines. You can feel the passion. The amount of effort, the planning and experimentation that goes into each wine is inspiring. I absolutely love their style. They are also very easy to talk to; I couldn't recommend them more! read more

Birichino Winery and Tasting room is Top Shelf! Great people and Great Wine! Highly recommend! Great way to spend an hour or two in downtown Santa Cruz! read more

Best wine tasting bar in town. Very friendly owner and staff who are knowledgeable about the region. Great variety of wines, and very thoughtful decor- a truly relaxing fun Californian ambience. A great place for a date or to hang out with good friends. read more

Love this place, was only my second time there and had the most lovely time with my friends. John is incredible! Such good conversation and so much knowledge, I'm completely intrigued about learning more about wine, and of course drinking it! Looking forward to going back soon! My favorites: the Rosé and Scylla! read more

The service at the tasting room is excellent and the folks are friendly and knowledgeable. I love their mission and passion for organic natural wines! The wines are tasty and creative. A must visit for anyone curious about the Santa Cruz wine scene! read more

Excellent service and delicious wine. We tasted each of the three flights (bubble bath, single site Pinot, and old vibe cinsault and Mourvèdre) and they did not disappoint! Will definitely become a regular spot for us. read more

Absolutely awful! Was in there this afternoon with a group of 10 and spent twenty minutes trying to order some bottles of wine but the PRETENTIOUS staff refused to help us. I kept looking at them with the "hi I would really like to give you my money" and they kept helping other people even those who arrived after us! We left and went to Front & Corner and had an amazing experience. Seriously go somewhere else and I promise you will have a better experience! read more

Wines are delicious, room is adorable and what was really the best is the service! Very generous with time, pours and you can tell the product is made with love. Will be buying this stuff forever. My favorites are the Petulant Naturel and the Muscat, but I loved everything I tried. Random, but the noses of the different wines are each exceptional, a real stand out quality for me. I also enjoy how this brand has a sense of humor about what they do (read their labels). Not even one teensy bit of stuffiness here, and thank goodness! Really an excellent experience all around. read more

Best wine in Santa Cruz. PERIOD! Having lived and worked in the Napa & Sonoma wine industry for years I tend to think I was spoiled once I moved to SC. Overall wine in this area is fine, but not great. Birichino is the exception. The wine here is unique, balanced, and simply absolutely delicious! Not to mention the price point. Can't beat it! Must try & trust me you will buy. Hey Birichino ever need a hand with those moody people expecting walk in service for a group of 10 on a busy holiday weekend let me know ;) read more

Birichino is simply beautiful. From every last one of their wines to the space that has been created to sip it in. John and Alex are so kind, fun to listen to, and a wealth of knowledge. My new favorite spot in Santa Cruz. Hooray! read more

Tasting started off well, but once a high profile club member came in, we were ignored for the rest of the tasting. Good wines, poor service. read more

My new favorite... love the wine, love the space and love the people gathered there. Must visit if you are in Santa Cruz!