This shop is so lovable! I like wine that is not precious and has some character. I want to buy wine from small producers who take pride in the wines they make. I'm so happy to have Vintage Berkeley to find great, affordable wines for me to enjoy with a meal and to serve my guests. read more

This is a fantastic wine store with a particular bent. Focus on old world wines, either from the "old world" or made in that style. You won't find KJ cabernet's here. Knowledgeable, hipper than thou staff - don't let them intimidate you! They are super nice and friendly. love this wine store. New branch opening in Elmwood. read more

Their patio is perfect to open up a bottle from their large inventory and enjoy it on a nice sunny day. I'm not sure if Berkeley police department would approve though. Their customer service was lukewarm and I personally felt this one particular worker had a snooty irritated attitude when I asked him for help. I guess someone's having a case of "the Monday's." I'll take my business to BevMo thank you. read more

This place has saved me more than once! I first came here to find a good bottle of red wine to bring to my boyfriend's family for our first Thanksgiving together. The saleslady was patient as I stumbled along and made vague guesses about their preferences, and then helped me pick out a lovely merlot that the parents ended up loving. Since then, I've dropped by to get more help for housewarming gifts and the like. Each bottle has been affordable (no more than $25) and much appreciated. Thanks for making me look more wine-savvy than I actually am! read more

Vintage Berkeley is a wonderful brick and motor wine shop. I love this place because of their understanding of today's wine consumer, as in, the vast majority of consumers are value driven. They want great wine that doesn't hurt the wallet. The best bang for your buck. Vintage Berkeley understands this consumer and they understand that there are plenty of fantastic wines to be found at under $25. Additionally, I love the fact that they not only seek out wines that taste great and are reasonably priced, but they also like to bring in bottles that are not commonly found. What that says to me is that nearly anything I purchase from them, or anything I receive from my wine club shipments, is new and exciting. That's a win win for me. The only reason I dropped 1 star, is because of their tastings. I've been to their daily tastings, as well as their major tasting events that they host monthly. My problem is that the pours are only 1.5 oz pours. I don't mean this in a greedy way, but I can barely smell and taste wine from such tiny pours, which defeats the purpose of a tasting. I understand that they want to conserve wine and save money, but if you're going to host a tasting, please ensure that the full experience of wine can easily be had by the patrons. To me, this means at least a 3 oz pour. Nonetheless, I truly do enjoy this retail shop and recommend any and all wine enthusiasts to visit this place. read more

I was already a huge fan of this space and of sister shop Solano Cellars, but wow (!) the online experience is great too. I submitted an online order for a set of incredible, well-priced wines -- with great information about each wine on the online store! -- earlier today, and it was delivered in an hour! I live nearby and got the local shipping option but what an amazing service to get it so fast. A rapid wine delivery option is much needed during these strange times -- thank you! read more

I've been going to Vintage Berkeley since 2006, and while it's not the only place I buy wine, it's the only place where I feel comfortable picking out a good wine and a great price. Their "bargain bins" in the center of the store are full of interesting wines, most of which are under $15/bottle. They've tasted and hand-picked everything they sell, and I've come to fully trust their judgment. I like that they have detailed descriptions for most of their wines because they have a lot of obscure ones from lesser-known regions. This place will make you want to move out of your wine comfort zone. When I started coming here, I was a total wine novice at 23. This was the first place I tried Sangiovese, Primitivo, and unoaked Chardonnay, none of which I would have tried from another, less trustworthy store. This place is for everyone, but it's definitely the best thing to happen to wine-loving students on a budget! read more

Definitely a no frills wine shop, which I like. I received great service. The sales person definitely did her best to find out what she thought I would like. She didn't hesitate to tell me she couldn't recommend something she hadn't tried yet. The only down side is the occassional limited selection. What they have is great, but they won't always have what your looking for. read more

12/23/2010 - longingly, still looking in SF Fantastic international wines for under $25 (although there are a few specials that are more but apparently still a bargain). Super-friendly, knowledgeable staff and laid back atmosphere who are happy to suggest pairings with dinner or just to sip and enjoy. Sadly, I am still looking for a comparable shop in SF. read more

Maria is certainly a great host, the interesting different kind of wines offered, love the ambience of the winery..,

Really nice wines, reasonable prices and great service. My new go-to place in Berkeley for wines.

Best wine store I've ever been to. I look forward to my quartlery wine club shipments two months before they're ready and have to constantly talk myself out of just stopping by to pickup a bottle or two because I would spend my whole paycheck here given the chance. The people and the wines are both the best and no bottle is over $25. read more

It takes a lot to make me jealous but this place does it to me every time I buy wine from this awesome wine store. Why didn't I open a wine store like this? And, how did these guys find such a cool building in Berkeley? I love this place so much I am going to move to Vine Street. The best place to shop for wines from Spain. They also sell killer zins for under $25.00. They make great suggestions and always greet you with a smile. Are they hiring? read more

I'm annoyed. Came here because the website said there was free tasting, the sign outside said free tasting, and the sign on the door said free tasting. Went inside and was told nothing was open. Not cool. *didnt really care about free / was more interested in trying some interesting wine at a new wine shop. Boo. read more

Summary based on several visits: --not the biggest selection in the world, but pretty comprehensive --helpful, friendly service --competitive prices --challenging parking since it's stupid Berkeley Great location (other than the congestion in the area)! read more

I had spent the better part of a Wednesday afternoon searching for 100% petit verdot. It's a rare find, as the grapes are usually just used to enhance blends. I called Bill; 10 minutes later he called me back and told me he'd have half a case in stock on Friday. I meannnn. I know where I'm buying the good wine from now on! read more

I love going to this place to find new and unusual wines. Its a lovely place to sip wine and the owner is super knowledgeable and into wine (big surprise) so its always fun to stop by and look around for something tasty to take home. I love that he seems to focus on the less known wines you won't find anywhere else; I think of him as a Kermit Lynch for the rest of the world (tho you will find a few French wines here too.) Best of all; the prices are truly reasonable so you can splurge on something here and still have enough left over for a couple of slices of Cheeseboard pizza AND a couple of good cheeses to nibble on at home with the wine! read more

I've been shopping here for months and haven't gotten around to writing a review. There isn't too much to say about Vintage Berkeley that hasn't already been said: it's great wine at good prices sold by good people. Their rather eclectic collection tends toward small-production wines from around the world; usually there are several offerings from whatever spot is hottest in wine at the moment, but you can always find good wines from the smaller Californian vineyards. They have wine for every occasion and (nearly) every budget. The cheapest bottles I've seen are around $7 or $8, so if you're looking for two-buck chuck, you might be disappointed. They have a great selection in the $10 - $20 range, and a good number of wines priced upwards of that. Staff are very knowledgeable without being snooty, and always willing to jump in and answer questions or make suggestions. They also have a wine club that seems like a pretty good deal, though it's more than I'm ready to spend on a regular basis at the moment. Might join up when I've got steadier income... All in all, Vintage Berkeley is a great little gem hidden in North Berkeley and my go-to spot when I need wine for just about any occasion. read more

This place is a hidden treasure! The staff members here are very friendly. The place offers some great tasting wines at a great price. They are small production wines that can't be found at big stores like bevmo. The downside of this place is the distance from me and the oddly strong art gallery aura this place gives out. read more

OK, I'm not sure what I missed, but I visited this place based on the numerous perfect reviews and walked out feeling like I was in the wrong place. The wines, while very moderately priced and well described, seemed to be all over the place. It seemed like the only rhyme or reason was that the whites were on one side and reds on the other. Beyond that, I didn't notice and particular groupings or order. Maybe that's by design. I also didn't find the people who worked there to be all that friendly. I was in the store for about 5 minutes and not one person said a word to me. There were 2 people working and only one other customer in the store (they were paying for their wine). I went on a Saturday afternoon, so maybe the employees were tired from a long weekend of high-paced business, but even so, they could've at least said hello. I may give this place another try one day, but it didn't seem worth a special trip to me. What am I missing? read more

After getting married at City Hall, we wanted to celebrate with dinner at Chez Panisse - with our families! Fantastic choice but the cheapest wine was $65 so we decided to do some BYOB action. And, luckily Vintage Berkeley is just around the corner. They were more helpful than I have ever experienced and made it sincerely fun to shop for wines. We told them some things we liked and they helped us pick out a selection of delicious red, white and sparkling wines that perfectly rounded out the meal. I recommend them to the 100th degree - and will even drive from SF to Berkeley to buy wine in the future (and that's saying a lot!). read more

They are amazing. Maria was very helpful, and they know very well how to act in the days of COVID. If you do not know what to pick, sheesh, just ask MARIA! She will help you - her selections were amazing and category breaking...and I am a 20+ year home-brewer, so there! read more

Whew! :) very knowledgeable staff and unique selection. I will let you know how the dornfelder trocken, rheinhessen treats me. Glad to find this inexpensive, quality and thoughtful shop. read more

Super charming space, excellent and truly unique wines, extremely knowledgeable staff and most importantly: no pressure. You can be as neurotic as you want in your decision making and not feel guilty and this is a big one for me. These folks loooove their wine! read more

1) Check out Rob M's review of 10/1/05 - says it all! 2) Go in for happy hour er, I mean, wine tasting... 3) Buy a great bottle of wine at a fair price feeling immensely satisfied with the advice, friendly conversation, and generally high level of customer service that you would expect from truly outstanding business. read more

Has it really been 10 years since I was last here? This place is still as amazing as ever. Very reasonably priced wines, from interesting, small wineries. Friendly service and good recommendations. Some wine tastings available. Something for everyone, even some beers. Simply lovely. read more

sure, kermit lynch is pretty damn good for a multitude of reasons (see my review), but vintage berkeley is the place for wine in north berkeley. i feel free to experiment with different wines because here because the guilt involved with purchasing a bottle is greatly minimized because the prices are so reasonable. the descriptions are on target and entertaining. the selection is neither underwhelming nor overwhelming. i could continue the list, the the other reviews have already sung its praises adequately enough. youve got to stop by the next time youre in the area. you can run across the street to peets, buy a used book at black oak, and then have a bowl of matzo ball soup at sauls afterward. sounds like a perfect afternoon. read more

I love this store. The descriptions alone are worth a short detour from Shattuck. Most everything is extremely affordable. Why gamble $6 at Trader Joes when you could spend $12 here for a quality wine? I do like to gamble now and then, but if I want to make sure it's delicious I'll spend the extra moolah here any day. The free tastings ain't half bad, neither. read more

Went in last week to see if they had Amarone. They sold me a $90 bottle that we brought to dinner tonight, undrinkable . I did an Internet search and found it selling for $60 to $80 . Clearly very poorly stored and over priced. I buy wines from Kermit Lynch, Paul Marcus, Vino and other local stores. This is the worst of the worst, poor wines with sales people who couldn't care less about your enjoyment of wine. Stay away. read more

As I mentioned in my Gregoire review this is the best wine shop in Berkeley. Housed in the former Berkeley fire house this fair establishment is a well preserved piece of Berkeley history. Really great selection of fairly priced great wine. And the knowledgeble unpretentious service can't be beat (although it can be rivaled by their sister shop in nieghboring Albany.) If your feeling anti-social or do-it-yourseflie and want to choose your own bottle there is an informative, helpful and humorous write up attached to every bottle. The fun doesn't stop there; check out the rotating art exibits. And that's not all folks, the storefront is enhanced with a wonderful patio complete with benches to sun yourself like a nieghborhood cat. You don't even have to purchase wine to enjoy these benches- it's open to everybody! But you should purchse wine because you wont find a better wine buying experience in Berkeley, I promise. read more

Ti, Ryan and Pytro were wonderful to work with so so helpful with my wine selections.

This is a gem of a place and perfectly located in the gourmet ghetto. What a super funky fresh building! Peter, one of the owners, is super nice and gives great suggestions without an ounce of pretentious snobbery which I sometimes get at other wine stores. The selection is awesome and very reasonably priced. Great descriptions of each wine too. One downside...this place is turning me into a wino! read more

Based on a single visit my experience at Vintage Berkeley was pleasant and enjoyable. A star for service, a star for ambiance, and a star for product. I appreciate the LARGE selection of sub $30 wine as well as the adequate selection of sparkling wine. I stopped in to pick up bubbly for a formal party and left with 6 bottles of a Prosecco that everyone including myself was very happy with. The staff was helpful in my selection and the so were the individual descriptions provided for each wine. I will definitely return for non sparkling wine and hopefully be able to add a star for further exceeding expectations :) read more

Whatever you do, do NOT shop at this wine store. They are so OVER-PRICED. I purchased a bottle of Rose there for $19.00 and then found the very same bottle of wine at a nearby store for $9.95 (I kid you not). I went in to see if they had a bottle of wine that was included in a recent column in the NY Times on 20 bottles of wine for under $20. They had the wine I was looking for, which was listed at $17.99 in the NYT article, but they were selling it for $24.00. There are so many good wine shops in the area...try Vino just up the street on College Avenue or Paul Marcus Wines further up College Avenue in Market Hall. They both have great selections, are very helpful, and won't rip you off. read more

Awesome wine buying experience. Staff is very knowledgeable and incredibly nice, and the wines that they stock are an incredible value. We bought a mixed case based solely on their tasting notes and loved every single bottle. We will definitely be regulars here. read more

Recommended by a close family friend, we visited Vintage after an amazing experience at the Cheese Board. Located in an old pump house and set back from the street, its unique location only adds to its appeal. Tons of foreign wines, most of which are under $25 and a knowledgeable staff to help you navigate through them all. The woman who helped me listened to my description of what I was looking for and without a patronizing air, recommending a sparkling wine ($18) which was amazing; just as she has explained it. This will be an essential stop after future Cheese Board visits when I am home. I can only hope they decide to open a shop in Chicago! read more

The wine selection is awesome, the staff very sweet and helpful and the atomosphere is great! I had my dog with me and they let her come in and sit by the door. They were very nice about it and baby talked her the entire time I was browsing. What a great place! read more

I can't wait to actually see this store in person. I have ordered wine from them over the phone. Once I needed just one bottle of champagne delivered. They usually do no deliver if it is less than a case, but the guy who helped me offered to take it over personally as the recipient was only about 6 blocks from them. Talk about great customer service! read more

They're friendly-- they pick good wines -- and they're in an area you're already getting food. Does anything beat eating a slice of cheeseboard pizza, drinking a Peet's coffee, and buying a delicious bottle of wine to drink that night when the sun is shining and you've just finished a hike in Tilden? read more

How I love this little wine shop! You know what I really love the most? Their cute little write-ups on each wine - it's almost poetic, always witty, and spot-on. They rarely have bottles more than $25, and offer regular free wine tastings. read more