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

Wonderful neighborly service and they were fabulous to work with when my husband and I purchased our wine there for our wedding.

What a great wine store! An interesting selection of wines from all over the world, excellent descriptions, and wonderful recommendations from the staff. Love the prices and uncommon finds! read more

Cute and affordable wine shop in gourmet ghetto. The person working was really insightful in helping me find what I was looking for. Not a huge selection, but big enough and really unique wines. I tried Por Que No - woman winemaker. So yummy! I highly recommend it. Tasty, yummy stuff :) read more

The staff are always passionate and knowledged on their inventory. All wine is made in small batches so if you need a gift for someone who loves wine and you want something that will not be at Safeway or BevMo (although those places aren't horrible for deals) I would recommend this place. They usually have a couple of bottle open and the wine club is a great value although they used to have it where you could just buy their special mixed 6 pack of the month without being a club member. If I lived closer I would definitely be there all the time! read more

i love, Love, LOVE this place. the selection isn't overwhelming and the prices are super reasonable. my suggestion - tell them what you like and let them pick out a mixed case. the staff really knows what they are doing. i get some wine varitels that i know and like already and they always pick a few wines that surprise me as well. never had a bottle from here i didn't enjoy. read more

I love this wine shop, but I always feel like an idiot when I venture in for some high-quality, small-investment wine. I think I'm intimidated by the two guys that run the place because they look very wine-savvy, and I'm something of a novice. That being said, I think I would feel more comfortable if they could pull off a warmer, less-aloof demeanor. read more

My favorite wine store. The selection is always appealing and wide enough to stretch our tastes; the prices are always reasonable; the staff are always very friendly and informative. Bonus points for being in a charming old pumping station with a cozy courtyard. read more

Great selection and good prices. Knowledgable staff of young guys who don't make you feel like a wine troglodyte when asking questions. Honestly, I've never been disappointed with a purchase from here. read more

This place is cute. No doubt about it. And you can usually score a decent bottle of wine here in the $15 range. The owner is a douchebag though. I've interacted with a really nice woman on the Vintage Berkeley staff who was delightful to talk to. But the guy who was pointed out as the owner was just about the most pretentious jerk I've ever met. I'm on the fence about this one, because the wine is decent and nicely displayed (though you can do almost as well at the grocery store - NOT Trader Joe's, mind you, a real grocery store - if you know what to look for and have time to browse). But I hate to put my dollars in the pocket of someone so arrogant who is going to treat me like an idiot child when I try to buy wine from him. read more

This is a nice little wine shop that has moderately priced bottles from less than well known producers. Most of the wines they sell are pleasant and drinkable, I've bought a few duds there but hey the prices are cheap. They payoff is hitting a reasonably priced yummy bottle that you wouldn't come across elsewhere. My strategy there is to go on a sample run and buy a few bottles and then come back and buy more of what I like. Vintage Berkeley has allowed me to move away from the safety of mass produced wines for regular drinking and explore quirky aspirational wine makers. Thanks for that ! read more

I have come here on several occasions in the last two years to seek recommendations and buy wine for our occasional wine and cheese parties. For my fiance and I, people who do not know our wine but always invite our french friends and friend who works at Wine Spectator, this place is just FAB! The people working here know their wine. The wine is quite unique and very reasonably priced. The wine is from all sorts of regions that we never would have considered. They are good at telling us what wines will go well with what cheese. They seem to have a real excitement for it! We are always very pleased with their recommendations and so are our guests!! read more

Every bottle of wine in this store is under $25. They have an excellent selection and offer a lot of tastings. This is owed by the same people as Solano Cellars which is also an excellent wine store. The staff is knowledgeable and friendly and happy to answer any of your questions. Definitely a place I buy a lot of wine from. read more

I have never bought a bad bottle of wine here, or indeed a less than really good one. Sometimes I make a game of buying the two cheapest wines on offer and they are always universally above par. The owners are helpful but never pushy and it seems they must taste every bottle personally and not only that, but taste them immediately on opening and then a bit later as well. Great wine store in the tradition of little European wine stores. read more

I agree with most of the positive reviews here. This is a great moderately priced wine shop. I especially like the cooler full of whites, vino verde, and bubbles... Good advice and great service. read more

if you're not a 40-something soccer mom you might have a little trouble getting help (they leaped over every mom that came in), but snooty proprietors aside this place is really great. most of their wines are about $7-25 with a really wide selection. when i did finally get the owners attention they seemed very knowledgeable read more

Cute place. Got there for a tasting and they were out of the tasting wines. Ask about a particular wine...nope, only in half bottles. Half bottles are handy, but one would think they would have full bottles as well. I think there is a bit of a click and until you spend a ton of money or are in the click... your just a tourist. I may give them another go around, but lord knows there are plenty of wine shops. Wish I had a better experience. read more

I can't believe it's been 3 years since I reviewed it, but it has never disappointed me! Between the fun to read reviews and the truly personal service (they'll take the time to lead you through the store and fill a case), there's really no point going to a chain or a grocery store. read more

The bathtub near the door is what brought us into the shop, it was adorable and filled with sparkling wines i wanted to buy the whole thing haha. We happened to get there when a wine tasting was going on in the back and it was a lot of fun. The man explained the 4 wines perfectly and really helped us decide what we would like. We ended up buying 2 whites and 1 red from the tasting they were all very different than any wines we had tasted before. the wines were all around 20 so the price didnt scare us away, next time were in Berkeley id love to go back and get some more. read more

Small wine shop with eclectic wines. Love that they have free daily wine tastings! And their selections are like I said eclectic! You can find wines from all over the world all for under $25 a bottle. read more

I love my wine- and I love this place. Very decent prices, interesting wines from all over the world and great service. I've come in a few times with a basic menu and left with great wines to go with the meal. We bought a ton of wines here for Thanksgiving and Christmas and my oenophile family was impressed. I heart this place. read more

Love this little shop. The staff are all wine nerds--which I mean in the nicest way! Wines run the gamut price-wise and they so often have truly yummy wines for $12 to $15, you can't beat that. There's no pressure though to buy the high dollar wines, which is nice. I wish though that they had more Pinot Noirs since that's my fave. They have a monthly deal, 6 for $60, that we've done a few times. Sometimes, not such a deal, but sometimes you get a gem. They offer case discounts as well. read more

I love going to Vintage Berkeley when I want a nice bottle of wine. The employees are very knowledgeable and willing to help you pick something out. They're also not snobby if you don't know a lot about wine (which is me). I tend to go in and give fairly vague descriptions about the type of wine I'm looking for or what I want to serve it with, and they always deliver. For example, once I was looking for whites to serve with various cheeses, and they really came through on picking out perfect pairings for me. The prices are also very reasonable - some more expensive wines in the back, but unless you specifically ask for those, they'll recommend things in the $15-$25/bottle range. read more

I had a very good experience here. I found the people there to be very knowledgable and very helpful. Their inventory was a bit light (i.e. only a couple of bottles of what I was looking for), but I must say that their selection was off the charts. They had a few wines that are really hard to find, some really small production wines, and a decent selection from around the world. I took a star off of my review because this place is not cheap. K&L or that wine shop in Market Hall @ Rockridge are both cheaper by quite a bit. read more

Hands down my favorite wine store! Great, new wines for good prices. The wine club is great fun -- there's always something new and interesting, plus the staff super friendly, and knowledgeable. read more

Super cute location with a lot of history in that building. Great selection, good range of prices, and the owner is very knowledgeable. They have tasting here, but I think it's only once a day and early in the day. I wouldn't go if you are looking to taste, but this place is worth going to if you are in the area. read more

Didn't get a lot of help from the sales staff, which was nice, because we didn't ask for it. We were offered a taste of a Malbec, which we enjoyed but did not purchase--and we weren't pressured to. Sometimes I like this kind of hands-off experience. (No doubt that the staff would have been incredibly helpful if we had needed them.) The description cards were very detailed and even personal, like the writers knew exactly whom they were addressing. Got the sense that there's a community surrounding the place. Will likely return in subsequent visits to Berkeley. read more

Great staff, knowledgeable, helpful; reasonable prices, good wine tasting, dog friendly

This is a great, very personal, bargain wine store. I've never bought anything there I haven't liked. You need to have an open mind and trust the employees - what, wine from Croatia? Yes! Their handwritten descriptions are informative enough if they are busy, but I've always found them friendly and knowledgeable. Look for Preston of Dry Creek wines - they are one of the few places to sell them. read more

I've been a customer since the first week they opened on Vine Street. I'm a "little" customer, meaning I buy one or two bottles at a time rather than by the case, I can recognize red wine from white, and sometimes I come in once a week but not again for a few months. Five stars because: -- I always get a warm, friendly welcome. Everyone who works there is so nice and knowledgeable and the owner, Peter, remembers what I bought. And I must mention Stefan, who could hold his own as a sommelier anywhere in the world. -- The free daily tastings are a treat -- They have never steered me wrong -- The store is beautiful -- Prices! It's a joy and a gem to have in our neighborhood! read more

We have enjoyed all the wines and we love the staff, knowledgable, helpful, friendly and give 10% off if you buy a case.

4.3 Most wine joints are stuffy, frustrating affairs that have a limited selection and speak in a language that places some people on the outs. Not so much Vintage Berkeley. I started going here as a freshman at Cal, where while they were good enough at checking my ID, they were equally good about taking someone my age and being open to answering any and all questions I had about their wines, or getting to know wine in general. Still holds true now. Always appreciated their variety, the totally random selection -- it allows you to try a pretty diverse selection of solid wines, within budgets, and from appellations and designations that aren't often touted in California or elsewhere. I mean, c'mon, Oregon, Washington, Austria, Germany, Italy, Argentina, Chile, Australia, New Zealand, all parts of Cali France and Spain plus the occasional crazy like Lebanon all under one roof, most at about 15-25 dollars a pop? All of this works out pretty well for people who want to try new wines or get a solid introduction into finding their wine preference. The only thing that suffers is the affability of the front-of-house. Some folks are awesome, and some are aloof. The aloof ones, while not perhaps intentionally irksome, tend to find helping you a chore, or your questions as bothersome naivete. While this doesn't happen often, the times it has kind of kill the vibe. A vibe that gets revived once you open the bottles. read more

The wine selection was awesome and the sales woman was even better. She was engaging, knowledgeable and fun. I bought two very different wines: one classy, more expensive champagne and a cheap party wine. I can't wait to go to their free wine tasting (every day starting at 4pm). read more

It's so easy to walk out of this store with a couple bottles of great wine for less than $40. The little description cards are informative and witty, and I always agree with them once I get home and pop that cork. I love the repurposed space and the contemporary exposed industrial boutiquey embiance that this place exudes. Thanks guys! read more

nice shop at with a quality selection of wines! i loved the little notes on each and every bottle. we ended up getting an unti rose here, and i can't wait to try it! read more

i don't drink alcohol but i had a wine and cheese party once and the workers there were really helpful. everyone loved the wine and they said it went well with the cheese (from the another 5-star, cheeseboard). the workers are awesome, the wine is affordable, and the building looks cool. read more

our last stop in the gourmet ghetto. we went hoping to find a few good wines to compliment the cakes we purchased from masse's pastries. we left with 3 different spiked grape juices, all of which were very good in flavor. to top it off the staff here is very knowledgeable, which made it very easy for us to make a decision and the prices can't be beat! read more

This place deserves more than 5 stars in my book, what a fantastic wine shop. Let's see, what's not to love? First, it is totally the opposite of most wine shops you go into, it is NOT snooty at all. These guys clearly love wine and take it seriously yes, but without the attitude that often goes with it. Second, they have handwritten descriptions for each of their wines that actually say something more than "vibrant, crisp, with apple". Third, they do wine tasting every day except Sundays, M-F 4pm-7pm, Saturday 2pm-4pm. Nothing beats learning about wine than tasting it with people who enjoy wine. Fourth, they avoid the bigger wineries for the most part and focus on small, quality vintners from around the world. Fifth, all their wines are $25 or less because if you know wine there's usually no reason to spend $$$ to get a bottle that you'd be excited to serve to friends. The store is small, set in an old EBMUD pumping station that's been tastefully decorated, you won't go wrong here. read more

When I am not drinking beer flavored water I like to get into a good bottle of wine. Like many of you I too got really excited about drinking wine after Trader Joe's came to the Bay Area, oh and because of my family's european attitude about wine with dinner on special occasions......But Vintage Berkeley has me swearing off Trader Joe's wine. Peter and all the folks at Vintage Berkeley are super nice, not pretentious at all, and they specialize in bargain wines that actually taste good and don't give you a really bad sulfite headache. Okay - they do not have much of anything under 6.50-7.00, but they do have a smashing selection between 7.00 & 15.00. And believe me if you spend $15.00 on a bottle there it's going to taste like a $30-$40 bottle anywhere else. You can learn a lot about wine there too, read the wine descriptions that are thoughtfully written & humorous and indulge in their daily tastings, ask as many question as you like, you will not be talked down to. It's in a great location, right in the heart of the gourmet ghetto. AHHH, I love North Berkeley.......(ps-for super cheap wine see my review of the Grocery Outlet) read more

The thing I love about Vintage Berkeley is that it truly is a unique wine shop. The challenging thing about VIntage Berkeley is that it truly is a unique wine shop. You have no familiar labels to cling to when you search through their inventory. All of their labels are little known to most people, so buying a bottle of wine at Vintage Berkeley requires the buyer to take a leap of faith. My advice? Feel secure in the recommendations made by the staff at Vintage. They will explain wines with unpretentious, plain language, and they will never give you a hard sell. I have never had a bad bottle of wine from Vintage. SOme are better than others, but more often than not the wine you purchase there will be very enjoyable. I have had more than a few bottles that are downright incredible. Wines range from a modest $8 - $25, and will typically as good, if not better than wines that sell for double to triple their price. Cheers! (Latest favorite - Hobo Cabernet Sauvignan) read more