Five stars for knowledge, professionalism, selection, service. I live outside the US and needed a gift in San Mateo, so I Googled "San Mateo wine stores" and read the reviews. Another poster mentioned Gerald's knowledge, so I called him. I explained my purpose, i.e., to send a memorable bottle of champagne to thank a friend who had referred some business to me. I gave him a $200 budget, and off the top of his head he made five recommendations, one of which I chose because of the interesting back story behind the wine/vintner. That night, I got an email from my friend, thanking me for the wine and raving about the impressive service. The wine was nicely gift-wrapped, and included included a card with the story I'd found so interesting about the wine. My only regret is that we don't have anything like this where I live in Mexico. read more

Weimax Wines & Spirits - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Burlingame, California

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Great selection, knowledgeable staff, and such a welcoming neighborhood feel. You can tell they care about their customers and about supporting other local businesses. Burlingame is lucky to have places like this. Highly recommend stopping in and asking for a recommendation -- you won't be disappointed. read more

Great selection. Prices fair. The owner, Gerald, knows his stuff. He finds wines in Europe and SA that are hard to find elsewhere and he finds some real bargains from smaller wineries. Get to know him and your wine shopping is done for awhile. read more

I have been browsing through Silicon Valley wine stores, big and small, for more than 40 years, buying about 500 cases over that time. And after so many great interactions with both proprietors and their inventories, I have to say that Weimax has gradually grown on me, and is now my favorite wine emporium. The physical store itself is a throw-back to the years when what mattered most in wine shopping was finding the most appropriate bottles for your purposes, across different price ranges, taking into account the foods that would accompany the wines, and according to individual tasting preferences (not critics' herd-mentality reviews). Back then, the decor was not really a consideration, rather the breadth and depth of the offerings and their decent prices were paramount. Weimax is still that kind of place. Boxes everywhere, no extra-wide aisles to accommodate shopping carts, and no fancy fixtures. But that is exactly what makes it an absolutely compelling place to slowly wend your way through the store and discover. Gerald curates an eclectic selection of wines that includes famous brands from California, France, Italy, and elsewhere, of course, but also lesser-known appellations around the world, as well as rare grapes that can be difficult to find. But these scarcer wines are not included just because they are oddities that might appeal to a wine geek, but because he has visited their places of origin, tasted them, and determined that they are quite good in quality. In my first few trips to Weimax I was very pleasantly surprised to find some of my favorite hard-to-get-but-delicious wines: a Croatian blend of teran and merlot; a negrette/tannat blend from the southwest of France; a Californian valdiguié from Knights Valley; a Turkish white wine made from the emir, narince, and sultana grapes; a German scheurebe from the Iphofen area; a 100% castelão from Palmela in Portugal. Great wines all, and just a tiny sampling of the finds I have made at Weimax. I don't live close enough to drop by the store frequently, but whenever I visit I have always found at least a case of assorted gems. I never bring a list, because I want to see what Gerald has procured since my last time there. As a result, it has always taken me an hour or more to check out all of the racks and shelves, but that is much of the enjoyment. Of course, drinking those wines is fun, too. read more

I live in Morgan Hill and don't make it to Burlingame very often, but when I do, I always stop at Weimax. I sent an email the week prior asking for 4 different types of wine. A Hawkes Bay Sauv Blanc, a Pinot Blanc, Steele Late Harvest Chardonnay, and Hyland Estates Pinot Noir. I received a prompt response letting me know the Steele no longer existed, that the Pinot Noir could be special ordered, and although no Hawkes Bay Sauv Blanc was available, there was a Chardonnay from Cru. When I arrived, the sales person got Gerald for me, and within moments I had the Cru and a Pinot Blanc blend and I was out the door. Both wines were EXCELLENT! 10 out of 10. Headed back up this weekend to try some new things. If you're in the neighborhood make it a point to stop by, tell them what you like, what your budget is, and I guarantee you will be happy. read more

Picked up a few German beers and a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc for the next evening, while waiting for my restaurant pickup across the street. Spoke to the owner's nephew, who was super helpful. I definitely plan on going back to browse through their extensive wine offerings. Looks like their inventory is stacked! read more

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Bewildering array of an insane collection of quality brands, popular crowd, pleaser bottles, and many unique and unfamiliar logos all crammed into a tiny little cool city shack. This became a museum for my little mixology nerd which likes to break out into random festival. Seeing anything that I do not recognize. If it wasn't for my friends, I would have spent a good two hours here! We found the owner to be a bit reclusive but helpful. There is so much to browse and pricing wasn't obnoxious considering California. read more

Weimax Wines & Spirits - Fun location - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Burlingame, California

This 1-Star review is not for the business. I love this business, but one of their employee is the reason for the 1-Star. I do not know this employee's name but he's a white guy in his 30s, big, and always in a bad mood. Today he sneezed with a lot of customers around him and did not even attempt to cover his face. Not with his hands or arms. This little common courtesy to not spread his particles all over the store is not known to him. There were little kids and elderlies in there. Sneeze particles can travel for many feet and stay in the air. It's ridiculous this employee has no common decency. Every time I come here he seems like he's miserable. To make it worst, he was smoking a cigarette by the entrance. I hate to not come here because of him, but it's hard to come here knowing I have to deal with him. The saying that the staff make or break a business, and it holds very true here. read more

It would be a disservice to not to write a proper review considering I'm here at least once a month and adore this place. Do the people of Burlingame even know what a world-class shop they have right under their noses? The owner is a Grandmaster of spirits and quietly one of my favorite people. "Gerald...I need a Barbera De Alba in the $25 range..." He seemingly closes his eyes and reaches to the left and deftly plucks two perfect bottles. "Gerald...I need an extra dry prosecco for the wife and her friends and TV night. $15-$20 please." Eyes still closed, he reaches to his right and snags his favorite bottle and presents it for my purposes. All the while, describing the family that owns the winery somewhere in Italy that I can't pronounce and have easily forgotten. He tells me about the varietal, the crafting technique and echo-friendly practices that they employ. His eyes almost dance as he recounts how quickly they bottle and get it to market to preserve the highest level of freshness. I continue: "Do you have any Amarone, by chance?" He looks me in the face and, without hesitation, counters with: "Young man, nothing here happens by chance..." I reply with: "Excellent, do you have any Amarone...by design?" I think we already know the answer. Another bottle sold. A complete experience all the way down to the tasting notes for each bottle you've purchased printed right on the receipt. Another successful haul. Wait...I forgot...I came here for the tequila. See you next week, sir. read more

Came in with the intention of getting two bottle of champagne but the price was so good, I walked out with 6 bottles.

This is, in my opinion, the best place to buy wine. You can either blow a ton of money or they even have like $4 dollar bottles of table wine, that aren't bad. I'm not a sommelier or anything, but I know enough. For myself, what I find is the most impressive part of Weimax is that they have cheap bottles that are legit good. The other great thing about them is that they have descriptions of the wine that give a true sense of what it's like. The staff can answer any question... I like the feel of the place. It seems comfortable? They aren't snooty so ask your question! read more

Very helpful in helping me choose my dinner wine today! Great selection from my mini visit and prices are not bad :) maybe next time I'll be able to do some wine tasting read more

Weimax Wines & Spirits - a bottle of wine in a pink purse - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Burlingame, California

what an awesome little place. How did we miss this place each time we've visited. Stopped in to take a looksee. Wow, Wow, Wow. You want a $6 bottle, they've got it. Want at $600 bottle, I'm sure they have that too. They even have a small little tasting room in the back. Told him I would like to try something super sweet, yet light. He poured up I'm not even sure what it was lol but it was quite tasty. Wish we would've had more time because I definitely would have loved to sit and chat and sip w the older gentleman who may have very well been the owner, as we saw a pic of him from back in the day and he had hair lol. Definitely recommend skipping the chain places and giving this place a try! read more

Weimax Wines & Spirits - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Burlingame, California

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I love this wine shop. They have a vast selection of wine for any budget and occasion. The store is easy to navigate. It is the epitome of a mom and pop store. The staff is so knowledgeable and approachable. Good people here. The owner adds a very thoughtful and unique touch, by penning a description of each wine you purchase reflected on your receipt. I will almost always come here for my wine needs. *They also happened to have a very rare bottle of whisky that I have not been able to find elsewhere. read more

Great service and helped me quickly pick out the exact wine at the price I was looking to spend. Stop in here every time I'm in Bay Area and need a good bottle of vino! read more

Awesome store! Great selection at all price points. Gerald is super helpful - tell him what he want and your price range, and he will make several suggestions. read more

They did such a lovely job today wrapping and delivering a beautiful bottle of wine for me along with a card. They were so helpful and delivered this "thank you" gift right away! I highly recommend them! So grateful to have found them. It was exactly what I wanted! read more

I dropped off the face of the Earth for a few years, but when I came back three years later, Weimax is still here and I am SO happy. I admit, I don't know anything about wine or spirts, but thank goodness the owner and his employees do. Everyone was so kind and welcoming. They were even able to coax a smile out of my grumpy six-month old. Thank you, Weimax! read more

I have been a customer of Weimax for several years. I have always been very impressed with their top-quality wine and liquor selection along with reasonable pricing. No matter the budget, they will have something for you. I have also been satisfied with the employees but their new staff member, Khadafy, is exceptional - very knowledgeable about wines and listens to what you need and always has a top- level suggestion. He is very kind and adds to the welcoming atmosphere of the shop. He recently recommended a wine for a special family dinner, and it was a total hit - very grateful to him. Overheard another customer complimenting his work while I was there - which was deserved. Weimax is a gem - definitely one of the best wine shops in the Area and well worth a visit! read more

If you are a fan of the 49ers and watched Super Bowl XLVII, Then you are probably like me and needed to ingest a large quantity of alcohol to help cope with the bitter defeat. I recently discovered Weimax over the holidays. I was in need of some last minute gift purchases and found this place using my mobile Yelp app. A couple of Yelp friends (who I trust) had rated them highly and it sounded like the perfect place to get my drunk on. This tiny family run wine shop has plenty to choose from, but what sets them apart is the knowledge and service by the warm and friendly staff. On my first visit I went in asking for a 2004 vintage sparkling/Champagne. I was given several choices and given specific details about each of the bottles. I finally decided upon a special bottle from France produced by a older woman whom the wine shop owner actually met. I was so impressed that I came back for another visit, but this time needing something with a little more of a kick. Tequila, one of my favorite gifts to share was in order. And again they have plenty to choose from, everything from your old favorites to smaller lesser known and interesting labels. Now just to make sure that my two previous visits were no fluke, I stopped in for a third time. This time for a case of holiday wine, a bottle of Carpano (sweet vermouth), two half bottles of wine and a split champagne. Do I sound like an alcoholic or what? This is might be one of my top finds of 2012. Lets just hope that the 49ers can finish the job next season so I can ease up on my liver. read more

Imagine for a moment an independently-run local business filled from floor to ceiling with boxes and bottles of imported and domestically-produced elixirs - beer, spirits, but especially wine. Then, add a speakeasy-esque backroom tasting area where knowing the "secret word" (which you can find on the web site) entitles you or your above-21 guest to a free pour of wine, which you can accompany with additional sips (1/10 of a bottle, around 2.5 oz., for 10% of retail) from more than 2 dozen offerings. Roero Arneis. Pfalz Riesling. Howell Mountain Zinfandel. Napa Valley Charbono. Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Yes, even Chardonnay and Cabernet - the good kinds. Combine somewhere on the order of a century (probably more) of collective wine tasting, buying, and rating experience divided among a hard-working shop owner and a handful of valued assistants. Make sure that the proprietor visits Europe on a regular basis to tour and take pictures of new wineries and estate vineyards (including lots of hardcore barrel room porn). Make sure that he also attends major wine expos and events (like ZAP and Vinitaly), and that he stocks the vintages that he and his staff taste, and retaste, on regular bases, to ensure quality from year to year. Give him a quirky, loquacious personality that he expresses in edifying but also entertaining web postings, email newsletters, and tweets. Situate the shop on a historic commercial street in a quaint Peninsula community nestled south of San Francisco, close enough to major airports and highways for a globetrotting group of clients, including well-known wine makers, writers, and critics, to stop by for visits. Price the wines from under $10 to the sky-is-the-limit stratosphere, but keep in stock lots of fine choices in the "upper super premium" ($10-15) or "lower ultra premium" ($15 and above) categories. While K&L and Beltramo's offer bigger inventories, free parking, and larger staff to help you out, Weimax excels by being small but mighty: quirky, driven, dedicated to keeping wine traditions alive that are threatened by big box and online retail. It's as exciting as visiting a winery tasting room, and with far more options to choose from. Give out of the ordinary wines a chance here to surprise you. Zweigelt and Blaufraenkisch from Austria's Burgenland. Rioja carbonica (yes, this is a real thing). Uruguayan Tannat. Southwestern French Negrette. Sicilian Frappato. Teroldego and Lagrein from Alto Adige. interesting Zins from Napa and Sonoma. Aussie Sémillon. Albariño from San Louis Obispo County. South African Pinot Noir. Oregon Pinot Gris. Walla Walla Syrah. White wines from upstate New York to tickle the taste buds. If you savor the adventure, and if you want to take your wine tasting skills to that coveted next level, consider a visit here - and time spent researching options on the extensive, idiosyncratic web site. Even if it's not your neighborhood wine & spirits store, it may become a recurring stop that will expand your wine horizons. Anything from $10 to $200 will do for that first visit: bring a list but also ask the staff for picks, and don't leave without tasting at least a wine or two in the speakeasy/secret code back room before you leave. You'll feel like an "in the know" wine tasting connoisseur in no time! read more

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This is one of the best kept secrets in the Bay Area! Gerald has been in the business for a very long time and visits producers all over the globe. The philosophy there is to provide wines that taste better than their price point, and everything has been tasted prior to being stocked. There is a large number of choices for everyone's wallet, and the staff is ready to find a great bottle for you. A tasting bar as well. The spirits selection is incredible, and the beers are solid. They are happy to gift wrap your purchase and special order anything that is in the marketplace. Tasting notes even show up on your receipt! This is a very serious wine store. You'll be hard up to find the big mass-produced labels here, but when you start bringing some recommended bottles home, you will understand why. read more

Weimax Wines is a gem, and they've been around long enough in the area to deserve the compliment both from myself and from my father, who used to pop in here back in the day from time to time and browse their selection. The owners are helpful enough to make you wonder what you did to deserve so much special treatment. It's a rare thing to walk into a wine shop and feel that the selection (or the staff for that matter) conjures the word "accessible," and yet, everything here is just so. Little paper signs scattered about the cases provide you with little tips on the wine's origin, what the going price for a bottle is elsewhere, and whether or not you're getting your money's worth. Additionally, there are some wonderful tips on pairings- it helps that the people here can appreciate good food! In short, this shop has something for everyone- rarer appellations for the connoisseur, bargain bins for the bargain hunter, and a box of Legos in the corner for, well, small kids and people like me. There's a nice selection of spirits on the right wall upon entering for those who don't prefer wine comprised of some common items and some I'd never seen before. There's also a little tasting room in the back for those suffering from particularly eager tastebuds. In short, you get the impression that Weimax is continually keeping an eye out for what's new, what's old, bottles that have a story and lastly, bottles that won't fail to impress at a party (even under $6.00). Given that Burlingame is a short hop from SFO, treating yourself a little at this shop is a great way to celebrate one's arrival on the West Coast. read more

Weimax Wines & Spirits - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Burlingame, California

Have shopped here for 19 years. Was introduced to Gerald (the proprietor, who you'll see some reviews mischaracterize as "unfriendly") by a knowledgeable wine publicist. Ever since, I have dropped in for specific wine/spirit needs, to stock up on an amazing array of value wines, or to grab something high-end for a special occasion. Here's the thing about Gerald: he can seem a little prickly, but I've learned it's because he knows his success depends on delivering great value no matter what you need--not on his bedside manner. Example: during the early weeks of the pandemic I was reluctant to enter any stores, but wanted to restock and preferred to buy local vs. ordering from a winery. I called Gerald, told him what I wanted and asked if he had a delivery option. He just said, "sure. $10 extra." I said, "great!," thinking I might see the wine a day later brought by UPS. About an hour later, Gerald was huffing and puffing (with face covering) up our front steps lugging the case of wine I'd ordered. HE was the delivery service. I have since picked up orders using all the usual safety measures, and he takes pains to wipe down every bottle and keep the store safe. With so many small merchants struggling to survive, I hope this spurs you to forego big-box stores and buy your wine locally. If you're near Burlingame, PLEASE patronize Weimax. Gerald will grow on you. That's Gerald, and that's Weimax. Great selection, expert help, extra-mile service. read more

Nice older very polite couple run this place. Very good wine selection...great website too. They had the hard to find wine I was looking for. read more

What a hidden gem! The gentleman there was super nice and knowledgeable. Highly recommend!! A lot of cool and rare bottle. We will come back for their wine testing next time! read more

Khadafy who is fairly new to Weimax Wines and Spirits was extremely helpful today when I purchased wine. He gave me some very good tips and later he carried all the bottles to my car where he carefully placed them in my trunk. Gerald is always helpful but Khadafy goes over and beyond to help me. This is a great place to find high quality wines with staff who know their business. read more

I can't believe I have lived nearby for 19 years and this morning was the first time at Weimax and meeting Gerald. I am hosting Friendsgiving, so I wanted champagne and prosecco to start the night, a white wine and light red wine to go with dinner, and an accompanying drink with dessert. My only caveat was that guests will be a blend of people who appreciate wine and other people who are little more connoisseurs-like. I wanted special, but did not want to break the bank. With that, I walked out with the Agrapart Champagne, Sorelle Bronca Prosecco, Soalheiro Alvarinho, En Route Pinot Noir, and Niepoort Colheita and Graham's Malvedos Port. I'm so excited for my meal and these beautiful accompaniments. Gerald was knowledgeable and helpful. The receipt includes some details of the wine, too. Just a wonderful shop, which I will be visiting again. read more

I moved to San Mateo Park from San Francisco two years ago when I discovered Weimax. Having an appreciation of and a decent collection of wine, it is important to me that I buy my wine from a shop with both value and high end special occasion bottles. More importantly is the knowledge and service level I experience. Well, Weimax checks all boxes. The knowledge and service of Gerald and Ellen is exceptional. I can walk in and tell them I'm looking for a chenin blanc to go with Delfina chicken and Ellen hands me the perfect pairing. Most recently I held a virtual holiday lunch which required 24 bottles of six different wines with labels peeled to be shipped to as many addresses across the country within a tight timeline. Gerald helped me select the wines and not only got it done but even identified an address mistake In my spreadsheet. I peeled a label off one of my bottles and it was not easy. The lunch was a success including the blind wine competition/tasting thanks to Weimax! I highly recommend this special place on Broadway in Burlingame. read more

The best little wine shop, jam-packed with a large selection of wines and liquors from around the world. They are very helpful and I enjoy supporting our local wine ship. read more

Love this place! I like the personal service and unique selections of wine. I can't remember buying any bottle I didn't like. The downside: It's hard to leave this place with just 2 bottles. read more

Not a friendly place... Not an open-minded business owner.. I will not visit this place again. The prices are probably really high too. Sad.. read more

The owner of this shop is wonderful and they have an amazing selection of wines. Came by to pick up a wine as a gift for a coworker and had no idea what to get. Came in with a general description of his preferences, along with a price range, and he introduced me to some choices that he thought would be good. Was very thorough and I appreciated the quick backstory for each wine! Coworker also loved the choice so definitely recommend going here if you're looking for good wine! read more

There's liquor stores, and then there's liquor stores in Burlingame. Weimax definitely fits the socio-economic climes of the neighborhood, taking the term 'liquor store' to a uncharted level of civility and chicness. Ok, so it doesn't look fancy at first glance - with it's old timey neon sign and crowded rows of wine boxes. But look a little closer and you'll notice the incredible beer selection with imports and crafts galore, mix your own 6-pack option, extensive wine notes to accompany each label and the most helpful staff you've yet to encounter while shopping for booze. We stopped here on Cinco de Mayo to pick up some party favors and were amazed to find all of our favorite things: Saison du Pont beer in the cork top bottle, mini splits of Veuve, artisan ginger beer, and some friendly faces. The kid behind the counter graciously gave some recommendations and mentioned that his grandfather opened the store 60ish years ago. It was so adorably quaint, I wanted to slap someone. And then...on the receipt...was a short paragraph describing the beer we had purchased, letting us know it's "beer rating" and tasting notes. On the receipt! The one thing that makes you depressed after you spend frivolously. Brilliant. I love these guys. Please do pinch their cheeks for me when you stop in, which you will, because liquors stores like this are a rare breed. read more

Very awesome, locally owned wine shop in Burlingame. It's filled to the brim with high-quality bottles of vino and the guys who run the store couldn't be any nicer. You could ask them any question and they'll probably have an answer since they personally selected each and every variety within. My favorite part about getting wine from Weimax? Take a look at your receipt and there's a description of the wine at the bottom. How cool is that? They must take a lot of TLC when inventorying their wine OR have a very diligent employee who handles this part of the POS system. Side note: check out their Last Call barrel. Nothing wrong with the wines, per se. Either they have a few bottles that just didn't sell or as they so kindly put, "we're sick of looking at it" so it's heavily discounted. read more

I happened to purchase more wine in napa than I anticipated. This put me in a situation where my flight was 3 hours from taking off and I needed to a way to get it home. Luckily I found this shop which was within walking distance of my airport hotel. The owner of the store provided me with a shipping container and egg crates for each of the bottle of wines I purchased in napa. He only charged $15 for packing the wine and I'm happy to report that the case of wine made it through a cross-country flight without incident. I highly recommend this store for anyone that is in need of wine or the emergency wine packing job that I needed. Thanks! read more

Weimax Wines & Spirits - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Burlingame, California

Mara Rooney. Spanish Rioja. Swoon. Did not see it coming, not at all. Best wine shop no one knows about. read more

Ive passed this place countless times now. From the outside it looks like an old run down liquor store. On the inside, it is an absolute treasure trove of things booze. The Amaro selection alone got me started. The Sauturnes/Barsac selection is incredible. Hard to find bourbons, Jurancons, and many other things. Very eclectic selection, very deeply knowledgeable staff. read more

Weimax and their staff really came through for us! We were picking out wine for our wedding and every staff member helped us make great selections. Even gave us a taste test between two of the reds we were trying to decide on. We put in a big order from them and they had it ready on time without an issue. Their wines range from inexpensive to"top shelf" and all of them are delicious.Thanks again guys! read more

After hearing about this place for a few years I finally made it here! The person helping us out was extremely friendly and knowledgable. He gave us a short tour of the store that helped us. He also showed us a fantastic bottle of Rioja that we bought and it's delicious! I can't wait to go back and ask for more suggestions for Spanish and Portuguese wines. read more