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One of those great little quirky gems that makes Alameda what it is.
They have a long and ever-changing list of wines that taste more expensive than they are. Add in one of their well-selected cheese plates (aged Gouda with olive loaf!) and you've got the perfect combo for alfresco people watching.
Bottle prices are set low, at a retail level, so expect a corkage if you drink it there. This isn't uncommon. I really prefer this, actually, because I can get great prices for a few bottles of well-sourced wine to take home after trying 'em there.
This isn't the place for bland, by-the-book service. The owner is dedicated to her business and knows her stuff when it comes to wine. She's always up for lively conversation and definitely shares her opinions. I've never had a problem there (except with a couple of customers who were starting shit with the staff). The owner and servers have always greeted my friends and me warmly.
Gonna head there now to pick up a bottle of Bell Syrah for a dinner party tonight!
Once upon a time, in a kingdom by the sea, there was a very lonely and sad, but hot, princess, searching for a knight in shining armor (ok, Nisan) to come along and steal her heart, give her goosebumps, and put up with her intense neuroses and bitchy nature.
At the same time, there was a handsome prince charming who happened to frequent a website which was frequented by the princess as well. As luck would have it, the prince met the princess by chance in an enchanted garden (Lucky 13), the princess gave him a magical love potion (Red Stripe), and the rest is history...
After a night of champagne and cavorting with friends (fellow yelpers) at a grand drinking hall (Harry's Bar) on a hill with breathtaking views (Pac Heights), the prince and the princess decided to be royal together (no- we waited til the 5th or 6th date) and kissing commenced and a formal date was made.
Ok. End fairy tale. It's still on, but the honeymoon's over :) Our first date was at Village Cafe in Alameda (don't ask why). Since that was the first place that we shared that first-time-alone discomfort and special drink-enough-to-make-some-bad-decisions time, we traverse the palace gates (bay bridge) and head over there for greasy italian memories.
You can imagine my despair when we got there last week to find it closed. CLOSED! I cried, stomped my feet, and pinched myself in hopes I would wake up from this nightmare. The prince (Matthew R) comforted me by taking me to this awesome wine shop/bar for cheeses and meats, olives and nuts, and an amazing bottle or two of a delicious Malbec from Mendoza (sounds like a circus act). The owner and the knowledgeable staff are outstanding, the vibe is completely laid back and unpretentious, and the prices are really great considering current economic climate.
The snacks and nibbles menu is expansive for a place that really does toe the line between a store and a bar. There's a little patio in the front or a long bar to sidle up to indoors. We were so happy (drunk), we almost forgot that our specialist place ever had (un)magically disappeared . Oh well...we still got Lucky 13. And I'm pretty much the luckiest princess ever. Because I got the prince. And now I've got Alameda wine bar- a new reason to leave SF every now and again.
I don't know what other people are complaining about. The owner seemed fairly decent, maybe a little rough around the edges, but it's a nice little shop to purchase a bottle of wine to celebrate any occasion.
The Moscato d'Astis are located in a tiny corner in the shop. Ask the owner to give you what's available. One tastes like eating strawberry pie (oh my!) and the other is a crisper, lighter finish. One even combines the two worlds, both red and white grapes.
Prices for such wines range from $10-$19. Collaborate with your friends and enjoy a bite to eat as well, while indulging in the bubbly.
I had never been insulted by a business owner as I passed on the street in front of their establishment...that has changed. As my partner and I passed the Alameda Wine Company we were met with a torrent of profanities that made me blush (almost impossible to do). As I stood in shock I was told that I should move on. I told the addressor that I thought her language was extreme and uncalled for. She told me that she didn't care and that she was the owner of the establishment. I told her that with her attitude I would never enter her establishment...she didn't care and spewed more profanities.
What a pathetic soul...if one is present.
First, I will say that I think the place is actually pretty classy, and the wine selection is pretty decent. It is where I first discovered Hatcher's Meritage wine (back in Sept 2008).
I, too, have had a couple of bad experiences with the owner. One was particularly bizarre. On a slow day one afternoon, we struck up a conversation with our wine pourer. The owner came in, and, after louldly exclaiming "wow..there is nobody here!" took him aside, and told him she was letting him go for the day. After sending him to the back room, she told us "I can't have him talking to the customers and not working when I'm paying him $12.00 per hour."
Also - she hates Rosenblum (one of my local faves), for some godforsaken reason.
If you've been in Alameda for awhile you're sure to notice the spiffed up Park Street and a few other spots around the island. With the arrival of the Alameda Wine Company -- a quaint little spot next to the new movie theater -- we're finally getting what ex-urbanites deserve. You know, a classy little place to grab a drink and not feel like you're in a bar or need to order a meal.
It did take me awhile to finally patronize the place but about a week ago my partner and I stopped in for a drink. I had a delicious British beer, The Speckled Hen, and she had some white wine. She loved it but I can't remember what it was.
We'll definitely be back and perhaps try some of the snacks. I love olives and they seem to offer a few varieties. Unfortunately there's a lot of cheese and fancy meat and fish stuff. As a vegan, I wouldn't really be able to indulge. It would be lovely to have some veggie spreads (pesto, olive, sundried tomato -- sans any cheese) to accompany the delicious bread.
Just for the record, I always thought this place was " weird." What would appear to be a welcome addition to downtown Alameda is atually a trip into another dimension.
Don't know if they got hip to this and changed it, but they charge corkage on wine you order and drink there. Not your wine, but theirs. Doesn;t make any sense.
I happen to not care for the wines here. My gf explained that I don't have a sophisticated pallate. Probably so.
The final straw was the alameda journal cover a couple months ago. The owner felt " blue" since she couldnt shorten her work hours, so she shaved her head and painted her face blue, then took emo pics for the reporters. I should it to my other half and said " I can't support this."
A day later the guy who runs Fireside Lounge painted his face "red".
Alameda is so weird and awesome !!
The Alameda WIne Company is in a great location that offers outside seating. Located in the Alameda Theater complex gives it a charming sociable feel with lots of people walking to and fro.
I was enjoying a bottle of wine with a friend visiting from New Orleans when the owner got into an obnoxiously loud argument with the people sitting next to us. The patrons said this wasn't the first time they were picked on by the owner and stated that they would never come back again. Despite the argument the patrons paid the bill and as they were leaving the owner called one of the ladies a cunt.
Wow! I couldn't believe my ears. I thought for sure we were going to have the owner come over and apologize...but absolutely nothing! Not even, "I'm sorry." There is no reason that a customer should be treated like that no matter what the problem was. It was poorly handled and she shouldn't have flown off the handle, offering the patrons a potent brew of ponging curses.
Though this wine bar is in walking distance from my apartment and has an enchanting location, I will never go back there again.
Ok, yes, the owner is a bit eccentric. However I personally found her to be a friendly eccentric in a micro mini. HOT!
She also really knows her stuff. Double hot!
My husband and I walked in, looked bewildered and were cordially invited to imbibe and enjoy free meat plate...mmm meat plate. But I digress..
You can either enjoy 6 oz glass of wine for 6 something (on avg) or a 'tasting glass' of 3 oz for around 3 something (on avg.). We opted to get two tasting glasses each but were having a hard time choosing what we wanted. The owner just kept putting 'splashes' of this and that in front of us (separate glasses of course) and we drank a lot. A lot, a lot. And then a lot more. Too bad we had to drive or we'd have had even more! wine! yay!
We sat at the main counter and the owner graciously asked us to fill out a survey which we did, because, well, my husband likes to give his opinion on everything and why the hell not. We were drinking wine and hanging out!
All the while we enjoyed meat plates. Free, high quality meat plate. Of course next time we go back it probably wont be free because my understanding is that she is trying this meat out because the distributor is vying for her business. But I'd buy this meat next time anyway. It went nicely with the wine.
The space itself is on the small side and I couldn't tell if there was a restroom. There were around 3 counters that you could sit at. The counter behind us had two small groups at it and they were all chatting. Surprisingly enough the chatting didn't bother us. I would think in such a small space that the various conversations going on around you would be distracting however I'm happy to report that the acoustics handle nicely in here and nearby conversations are hardly noticeable. There is also an outdoor patio which is nice on a warm evening.
The wine selection is pretty decent. And it has reasonably priced wines too. Yes, there were expensive bottles and for me because I don't like spending money on things that get ingested anything over 20 falls into that category. But there was an ample selection of great wines in the 10-15 dollar range.
In the end we purchased 4 tasting glasses and a bottle of wine. I'll definitely go back as it was a great place for a date night away from the 3 year old.
Good selection, great prices!
Evening started off a little tentative. "Wine bar" ordered the spouse. Walking distance for us. First impression - a little mismatched front to back; in the rear is a typical wine shop - an excellent selection of the grape nectars. behind the bar, slowly pulsating green/red/blue/orange shelves (are the 80s retro yet?). Forgettable seating arrangements.
We had a couple of francs, both were good. In general a good experience but not exceptional - until you add the ambiance:
Superb playlist from the start and by the end of the eve, the owner (Karen), slightly soused by this point, started team tagging iTunes with a friend (Jim) providing much entertainment and some real musical treats.
I dig this kind of personality in a place
I cannot go there more than once. The owner is its major problem....she is inappropriate from the inside out. If you can get your hands on one of her newsletters you will no doubt be mortified...and based on the escapades she describes in her newsletter you will never step foot in the bathroom and probably not in her business.
The Alameda Wine Bar is a welcome addition to Alameda. On our honeymoon in Venice and Florence, my husband and I loved stopping in wine bars, having a glass and a snack. We are thrilled to be able to do this at home. The wines are not what you find elsewhere, and the staff is very good about pouring you a little taste before you select a glass. On one recent visit, we both wanted a glass of the same wine; they suggested we just buy the bottle and take home the extra since it was almost the same price as two glasses. I love that they offer snacks from local businesses including the Cheese store in the Marketplace. But my very favorite non-wine purchase is the truffles. MMMMM. They are so yummy and paired with the right drink, even better.
I have read the other reviews and I will agree that the owner is somewhat odd. I have not found her to be rude or discriminatory, and her behavior does not take away from our enjoyment of the wine, the food, the pleasure of being out without the kids!
And New Year's Eve - that was some party!
This place is a great concept--reasonably priced wine, generous snacks, and great location in the heart of Alameda.
The wine was fine, the snacks were fine, but the staff was horrendous (particularly the owner!). She was rude and confrontational--and I'm totally meek! I was drinking my wine and enjoying some time with a friend when she came over and started berating me. I was really put off by how she treated me, and simply will NOT return to give this place my hard earned money.
There is no need to treat your customers crappy! We're paying you!
My friends and I enjoy this wine bar frequently ... for its wine, ambiance, cheeses and eccentricity.
In looking at other peoples' reviews I am amused that they seem to be, on the good side, 4 and 5 stars. On the negative side almost totally 1 star (very few 2 and 3 star reviews). Guess you love it or hate it.
Excellent selection of wines, very reasonably priced. Fine cheese plates, also at attractive prices. The music is really great, and gets better glass after glass. And I can walk there, and back, making for a safer, saner Alameda.
If you like stuffy wine palaces with staff that gushes over your mere presence, you won't be impressed. But if you enjoy personnel who are knowledgeable, with service that can sometimes run to the casual end of the spectrum, in an environment that lends itself to conversation with friends and strangers alike, you'll probably keep coming back for more, like I do.
I think this might be another time I accidentallyonpurpose manifested a wine bar. Suzanne B and I were wishing HARD for a wine bar in Alameda, and then poof! There it was. Niiiiiiiiice.
The owner is very kind and offers local artisan snacks and an interesting variety of reasonably priced wines by taste, half glass, full glass, or bottle. We got to try a lot of new wines without breaking the bank. The cheese plate was a whole meal! And the banana chutney was amazing.
I'm not a big fan of jazz, but it worked to create a good vibe and didn't annoy me. I want to go here every night!
To fully understand my joy, I need you to close your eyes and imagine a certain brown-haired transplanted wine geek standing outside the Alameda Wine Co clapping her hands and
up
Jumping and
down
in complete and utter happiness.
I really needed a wine bar in Alameda (a certain pirate claims we manifested this place through sheer wish fulfillment), but more than that - I needed *this* wine bar in Alameda. The wine list is small but incredibly affordable. The cheese plate is generous and loaded with goodies to complement the cheese options. The retail bottle selection contains a few favorites and several with whom I hope to become closely acquainted very, very soon. The space is small inside, but the outdoor patio area promises good times on warm summer nights. It's a fabulous fit for friendly, low key Alameda.
My one concern is that the owner (low key and friendly too) has a tiger by the tail and may become overwhelmed. Every time I've been here the place is full, the owner is running around managing it all herself - and I wait a looooong time. One of the charms of going to a small wine bar is having an interaction with the person who picked the list. A couple of times, I've had the beginnings of great conversations with this owner about the wine - she clearly opened this place as a labor of love and has a lot to say - but every time she's pulled away by the demands of her success. I hope she gets some assistance so she can use her time building rapport with her eager clientele.
My girlfriend and I stopped by on Sunday around noon and very much enjoyed ourselves. I'm not sure where the rest of y'all are coming up with these incredibly cruel attacks on the owner, but we found her to be nothing but positive. She let us sample a host of wines before we even chose which we wanted a glass of. Try that at Silver Oak people...they'll laugh you out of the room.
Eclectic, yes; but who cares? She was funny, intelligent, and is providing Alameda with a great service in a prime spot.
If those of you who are completely belittling this woman would realize that she may express herself in a way you might not approve, you'd come to understand that she's got a nice little operation there. Take it for what it is. If you want a posh wine tasting afternoon, this isn't the place. It IS the place, though, for reasonably priced wine in a comfortable atmosphere with a central location.
My only recommendation would be to carry more wine. Understood you're in a small spot, so it's more difficult to do than say, but just an opinion.
Cheers!
I just reread my review and realized that my "cheap wine" comment may be deceiving.... what I meant to say is the following:
Alameda Wine Co. has fantastic wine, champagne and snacks that are EXTREMELY REASONABLE.
I love this place, when my parents were visiting we took them for wine and snacks in lieu of a late lunch. They loved it - besides the wine and food they thought the decor was fantastic. I must admit I admire and wish I could have such a neat light display in my home... maybe one day.
The staff is very helpful and provides their expertise and recommendations whenever we need it.
The food menu also makes me feel very refined... I love all the different cheeses and they've got my favorite olive spread.
Thank you Alameda Wine Co.!!
Good cheap wine! Amazing how low their prices are! This is a fun place to sit and drink some wine or… Read more »
I dropped into Alameda Wine Co. with my small dog Speedy and in a few minutes personally welcomed for a visit. Looking for a nice big flavored Cabernet I was offered a taste test, in which I just went ahead and purchased a glass. What I found was the politeness, care and knowledge of both products they carry and with internet access, products they don't carry. My doggie was offered a bowl of water which he politely sipped, while I was enjoying a taste of duck pate on a cracker.
The selection was interesting, and to me, seems to reflect the times that we are in, meaning that there was a delicious selection of both bottled wines for under $20.00 and bottle wines over $50.00. Drop by, bring a friend and salute to some good times.
To me, offering a duck pate on a cracker deserves that fifth star and gave me the confidence to walk out with a wine that they let me taste. I think without that treatment, I would just pay for the glass I purchased. Wonderfully done people.
Interesting comments about Karen, the owner. I met her and I thought she was awesome. When our conversation was over and I was blathering on, yeah, she was a dick but I totally deserved it. She gave me the time of day and was cool and then I was drunk and wouldn't shut up. If you can't deal with that you're a self absorbed baby.
Anyway, Alameda Wine Co has some awesome wines at awesome prices and you can walk out of there spending $25 with 2 bottles. Karen was nice enough to let me taste 2 chards before ordering - same brand, but one was oaked and one un-. This place is straightforward, well located, and the has the best prices in town next to trader joe's....but as I told Karen, I'm skipped TJ's now and visiting her for my wine needs!
I'm so happy that Alameda has a wine bar!! I only come back for the holidays, but what a great addition to the growing Part Street scene. After stumbling across it on Yelp while looking for a place to grab post-dinner drinks with friends (we chose Scobies for the pure nostalgia...don't judge), I decided to bring a friend here for a glass of wine to catch up on old times.
The inside is intimate and on the small side. There's one long table in the middle of the room that can fit 10-12, and then a few smaller corner tables for more private conversations. The outside patio is very cute and great for people watching..but it's December and freezing, so we opted for the end of the long table.
There's a white board that points out the day's specials. I'm usually a fan of reislings (they had a flight for $11.50!), but opted for a glass of the Malbec to warm me up. Since we were only here for drinks, we didn't pay much attention to the food menu, but I was surprised at all the options! I love cheese plates, and some of their options sounded so yummy.
You can buy wine by the tasting glass, full glass, or bottle. I opted for just a glass, since we were meeting friends shortly afterwards for dinner. It was delish and hit the spot perfectly. My friend had never had a Malbec, but I think I might have converted her!
The staff did seem a bit awkward in how they communicated with patrons (I prefer to be left alone), but all in all it was a great first experience and I will definitely be back the next time I'm in Alameda!
Being just around the corner from this place, the b/f and I decided to venture out on opening night. While service was a tad slow, we didn't let it phase us considering there were quite a few friends there to lend their good wishes. The b/f and I tried 5 different wines, with the Tres Ojos Old Vines Garnacha '06 stealing the show (enough that we took home the bottle for all of $9.50 ) and the Licoco Indico '06 blend of Carignane and Petite Sirah coming in a close second. The prices are ridiculously low (for tastes, glasses or bottles) and the cheese plate we had was far and away more generous than one from any other wine bar I've been to. Owner Karen was quite nice, taking time out of her busy evening and a few problems to chat with us and give us a complimentary taste of a digestif that was surprisingly good.
There are four tables outside (I know where I'm going on the next hot evening) and two bars indoors plus four seats next to the window. All the food comes from local (if not solely Alameda) purveyors and the jazz music provided nice ambiance. We'll definitely be back!
I've read some of the reviews of this place and have tried this place a couple of times.
First, I will say that the owner is a bit sassy, and by her own description, "mouthy", however, I think this is part of the charm of the place. While she will relay little bits of her saga with getting her establishment up and running, she is also giving colorful recommendations for what kinds of wines she's pouring that week, giving you small tastes before you commit to a whole 3 or 6 oz pour. And again, I think the colorful conversation is part of the whole charm.
I have gone in a few times for a bit of a late lunch with the bar snacks she offers, including a couple of DELIGHTFUL choices from J.P Seafood, as well as different charcuteries (depending on what's available at the Saturday Farmers' Market) and cheeses. Each time I have gone, I have walked out of there full and tipsy.
Then there's the wine list - which is wonderfully progressive and affordable. I love that the Wine Co. offers 3 oz glasses so that you can construct your own wine flight. I like finding new finds and walking out with a few bottles that don't break my budget. (If you don't take into account that after I've "tasted" 4 wines, of COURSE I need to buy 7 bottles instead of just the one.)
But definitely a wonderful way to spend a Thursday afternoon - lunching and sipping and forgetting about all the work I'm putting off for the day.
The owner complained about not having enough money to eat dinner. I suggested Ole's around the corner on Park St. She then replied there were too many "fat black people" standing in line. When I complained this was offensive she started throwing the F bomb at me and said "go ahead, write me up on Yelp". I was not familiar with yelp but looked it up and here is my comment.
Inexpensive good wine.
Tasty cheese.
What better way to prepare for a movie.
Not really sure what the other person doesn't get about the $5 corckage, this is pretty standard for these kind of places.
A good place to drink wine and eat cheese..... what else is there to do in life?
I liked the wine list and the prices are low. We had a really enjoyable Friday night here, sitting outside on a warm night, drinking wine, and watching people walk by.
I definitely see what other Yelp users say about the customer service, but luckily we didn't engage the proprietress or the waiter very much so we didn't get all the negativity.
The wines are decently priced and come as both tastes and full glasses. The weirdest thing is that, if you want a bottle, you have to add on $5 for a corkage fee. Now, I understand why they do this as they also sell wine at a retail price, and I understand that the bottle should cost more when you order it at a bar or restaurant, but the way they have it set up is totally weird. Why not just have the regular bottle prices and then a big sign that says "All wines $5 off for retail purchases" instead of having to add $5? That way, it feels like you're almost getting the wine at a discount if you buy a retail bottle or two to take home instead of paying a penalty for ordering a bottle.
Still, it was an enjoyable evening and the wines were good, interesting, and presented well. I liked their glassware and the modern look of the bar. I'll be back for after dinner drinks in Alameda for sure.
1. As soon as I walked in the door the woman behind the bar looked at me like I was some sort of moron. Maybe I am but I don't need someone to justify it for me.
2. Even though I was the only one in there she never said hello or had any sort of greeting. I think my mere existence angered her. The overall mood was a winter tundra.
3. I enjoy wine and have a moderate level of knowledge and appreciation. She sighed after every question I had for. She then decided to cut down a local winery with sincere hatred. What I heard coming out of her mouth was nothing short of vicious and malicious.
Essentially, I felt like a third class citizen from the moment I walked in there. I think this is my worst experience since I have participated in yelp. I was for a brief second unsure if there would ever be happiness again.
Okay, here's the deal. If you are unlucky enough to encounter the owner, you will never want to come back here, even if the other servers (a gentleman and a young lady) were okay, and the food and wine are good enough. I had read the yelp reviews, 1 stars and all, and wanted to form my own opinion. I found that most of the negative reviews were actually being kind. I can not say how scary the owner is, as in thank-dog-for-72-hour-lock-ups scary. She clearly made the wrong life decision about working with customers, and is now trying to bitch everyone into believing to the contrary. If my spiritual practice allowed me to label someone a crazy, bitter, heinous, scary-ass bitch I would, but it doesn't.
It was nice to have some wine and cheese before watching a movie. The owner seemed to know a lot about her wine and he pairings. She was spot on with her recommendations. I'm not sure about the atmosphere of the place though. The guy that was working there seemed to be very out of place. Very casual and fake. The owner lady seemed to be trying very hard to be nice. Almost a bit phoney. However, sitting outside and watching Alameda walk by while drinking some good vino was very nice.
We've found the staff of the Alameda Wine Co. to be exceptionally knowledgeable and genial. We've never had a bad time there. Our only observation (and this is not a complaint) is that the Wine Co. could make better use of the space that it has and that the counter occupies a disproportionate percentage of the overall space. The food and wine have been top-notch, which is, in the end, all that truly matters.
What's happened to sleepy Alameda? There is no time to sleep anymore, there is way too much to do and one of those things is to drink wine. Lots of it. I had a great time here Friday night with E. We tasted several wines and purchased a few more. The selection is eclectic, the prices great, the menu looks tasty. I can't wait for my next visit!
Tiny and pretty crowded, the Alameda Wine Co. was worth braving the chilly evening air for. There were no seats inside, so we kept our jackets on, snagged an outdoor table, and warmed up with some wine and cheese. All of it was delicious, but a warning. Only order the mustard cheese if you really, really like mustard. Otherwise, it's a bit much.
We wandered in here after a wine event across town, and found spots at the tasting bar immediately. What a cool, intimate, and fun wine bar! Sal, our advisor, served me the Pinot Noir flight then put together a custom flight for my friend who likes meaty reds. Generous pours, a convivial atmosphere, and cheese wonderful cheese - what's not to love? Sal even snuck us some bites of homemade desserts that Karen was considering for the masses. It's fun comparing notes with the other winos at the tasting bar - got some great recommendations. I hope this place doesn't become so popular that it loses its intimate, wine geek vibe. Loved it, and will return again!
wonderful time and the space also... a true treasure, the newsletter was very good, every wine professional and wine lover should come to the temple and enjoy your space and you. i will encourage my entourage to visit wine mecca aka alameda wine co.
best wishes,
will be by again, maybe next week!
thanks,
tim
Gotta agree with the other one-star posters. The wine selection is fine, but the owner is genuinely frightening. Went there well before she painted herself blue and shaved her head, but even back then her out of control ranting was scary. Sometimes eccentric proprietors can be an amusing experience and keep people returning; psychotic behavior which leaves me genuinely worried about physical safety is not among those times.
My partner and I walked in at around 7pm on a Saturday eve. The house was not nearly halfway full but we received no acknowledgement from the host or the owner. We stood at the doorway for a few minutes, no way they could have missed us since it is a small place, finally the gentleman behind the counter asked "Can I help you?"-- an interesting greeting for a wine bar. We asked if we needed to be seated or just choose our own seats. "Just sit anywhere" is what we were told. When we chose seats the staff stared and did not offer menus-- we had to ask for menus. We waited ten minutes and watched the owner stumble around behind the bar. My partner noticed her teeth were red with wine. We were never tended to. Eventually, I walked up to the bar. One of the staff asked again, "Can I help you?" I said we were seated but weren't sure if we should order at the bar. The owner (Karen) saw us talking and came over. She was very rude. She explained to us in a very defensive tone that they were very busy (despite the fact the empty seats said otherwise) and that eventually when "things slow down" someone would come to our table. My partner and I were both so surprised. I had heard from a friend that the trick to enjoying the Alameda Wine Company is to come in early after they open in the afternoon. The later it gets, the worse the service. We may return because I believe in second chances but it is difficult to get past this very bad first experience. On this particular evening we left without being served.
I thought this was the cutest little wine bar and the snacks were good too. A perfect place to go before or after the movies next door. For $6 you get to taste 6 fairly decent wines on your own.
I have been in here a few times now. They have a nice wine selection, and wonderful cheese plates. The staff has always been friendly to me, and more than helpful. Nice to have a glass of wine before a bad movie...lol
Lovely lovely wine bar. Tastings almost every Tuesday and Saturday, and interesting tastings at that! Maybe mead. Maybe a series of biodynamic wines. And that's in addition to a carefully curated and ever-changing weekly wine flight. The wine menu changes weekly as well. You could go in every week and have a completely different experience. There is a food menu as well. It leans toward the organic and the slow food and is excellent. The owner is real and interesting and passionate about great wine--and about making great wine affordable. She has great taste and a quirky personality. Happy, happy, happy that this place is here!
Alameda, CA
Category: Beer, Wine & Spirits
Alameda, CA
Category: Cheese Shops
Neighborhood: Montclair Village
Category: Cheese Shops
Alameda, CA
Category: Tapas Bars
Neighborhood: Claremont
Category: Bookstores
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