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Arlington Wine & Spirits
Category: Food Beer, Wine & Spirits Beer, Wine & Spirits [Edit]
295 Arlington AveKensington, CA 94707
(510) 524-0841
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
17 reviews for Arlington Wine & Spirits
Review Highlights
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"All the staff at the store really know their wines." In 3 reviews -
"I was there a couple of hours ago and bought a mixed case." In 3 reviews -
"...disappointed with a single bottle from Arlington Wine and..." In 4 reviews
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17 reviews in English
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Review from Jill M.
Oakland, CA
2/20/2012
We love this place! They have a great selection, and try to keep their offerings great at great prices. It's the kind of place where the owners of the store get to know you, get to know your tastes, and then can offer you wine that they know you'll love. Great service with ZERO attitude and ego. Just the right stuff.
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Review from Paul D.
Berkeley, CA
3/29/2012
You won't find a better wine shop in the East Bay. This is not a warehouse club so the inventory is not vast, but it is chosen and managed very knowledgeably and includes great selections in every price range and most every kind of wine -- and the prices are quite competitive, especially factoring in the case discounts. The staff really know their wines and on many occasions I have gone in with only a general description of what I was looking for and gotten excellent recommendations, whether for an inexpensive, everyday wine or something special for a gift or to put down for aging. I really trust these guys when it comes to choosing wine. There is also a good selection of imported and craft beers, and a relatively small but representative inventory of spirits. If you are anywhere in the vicinity you really need to give this place a try.
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Review from Eric B.
5/6/2011
My first bottle of wine that I purchased from Arlington Wine & Spirits was for my first Wedding. I won't hold that against them as the insight and selection that they offered then was second to none.
Fast forward many years later. Many new wine shops have opened, but this is still one of the best. In other words, Don't change horses in the middle of the stream. -
Review from Rachid G.
Seattle, WA
6/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
Had a nice stop by here after a breakfast at Inn Kensington with Mom, Moses and Dmitri. Got a dank ginger ale which was very flavorful. One of those good sodas you wouldn't find in your typical grocery store. The guys were cool, they cracked a few jokes and such.
If I were Kensington resident, I'd probably come here for my wine fix; the employees were talking to a customer and they seemed to be real helpful. -
Review from Jonathan D.
Berkeley, CA
8/22/2008
I have been shopping here for about 5 years. The owners, who also work in the store, are extremely knowledgeable about wine and spirits - which stands to reason. At the same time, they are very friendly and helpful with liquor neophytes like myself.
I like to pretend I know something about wine and scotch, but truth be told... I know nothing.
A quick aside, completely off topic - every time I use that phrase, "I know nothing," which is more and more often these days as I socratically learn how little I really know - CNBC's Jim Cramer's rant against Bernanke and the Fed, "THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS GOING ON OUT THERE, THEY KNOW NOTHING," goes through my head. Anyway, I digress...
This is a great place that is well stocked with anything you could possibly want in the way of wine or spirits and peopled by extremely friendly people who seem to love what they do. -
Review from Kenneth R.
Berkeley, CA
1/2/2007
I started with the intention of giving this shop four stars but then realized that I have absolutely negative to say about it. So five stars it is. Before going into details, I'll point out that Arlington has an annual 20% off sale that begins January 2 (i.e., today) and lasts for about two weeks. I was there a couple of hours ago and bought a mixed case. While I was browsing, two or three customers walked in with the same intention. So get on up there and come early if you want the best possible selection. (Pay by check or in cash to get the full 20%. Credit card customers get 15% off.)
A general description of this store is that it has a very small inventory of very well chosen wines, most of which are what I would term moderately priced ($12 average, let's say). Basically all categories of wine and all wine-producing countries are represented. I didn't see any Long Island North Fork merlot or Canadian ice wine, but I didn't feel that choices were all that limited. The shop serves neighbors who come in asking for recommendations -- I did actually overhear a customer asking for a white that would go well with steak. The shop does an extremely good job, in my humble opinion.
I ought to shop here more often, and maybe I will. That can be my New Year's resolution (the only one so far).
One more comment: there's more than wine, as the business name suggests. You'll find beer in the cooler, hard liquor on the shelf, and cigars in a display case. The proprietors are friendly, and they really know their snuff.Listed in: Wine: who makes it, where I…
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Review from Vanessa C.
Kensington, CA
5/2/2009
Syrah, shiraz, tomato, tomatah - I know nearly nothing about wine.
So, with my very limited knowledge, I must often enlist the patient, unpretentious help of Alan, one of the friendly and knowledgeable proprietors of the charming Arlington Wine & Spirits, a small but well edited wine shop in Kensington.
The shop is full of very interesting wine, beer and spirits, and his picks, mostly in the $16-$25 range, have been so remarkable, I often return a few days later for a another bottle. Bottoms-up! -
Review from Rich H.
Second Mesa, AZ
Summary based on several visits:
--good selection
--helpful advice
--competitive prices
--easy parking -
Review from Mark G.
San Francisco, CA
4/8/2011
There is no better wine store in the bay area. Good prices and very insightful service. If you want "old world" advice ask for that friendly bald guy Alan. He's all over it like white on rice! Boosh!
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Review from J S.
Berkeley, CA
7/12/2009
Arlington Wine and Spirits has become my regular wine shop. It's small and unpretentious, yet filled with an amazing assortment of interesting wines at reasonable prices. When I shop here, I generally begin by telling one of the friendly proprietors that I want a mixed case, and he gently elicits from me the pertinent information - price range, style of wine that I prefer, and so forth. We then take a walk around the shop as he selects wines, discussing and explaining each bottle as we take our little tour. After we conclude the sale, they happily carry the case to my car. The guys here really seem to enjoy what they're doing - no snooty wine snobs here - just great wines and service.
I have never been disappointed with a single bottle from Arlington Wine and Spirits. They seem to have an uncanny ability to choose wines that suit my palate!
I purchased a couple of mixed cases of wine for a large dinner party, and my guests raved about the delicious libations. Each bottle was in the less-than-$20 price range.
If you pay with cash or a check, the proprietors will reward you with a 15 percent case discount. -
Review from M. C.
Berkeley, CA
8/17/2009
This is THE ideal establishment. Locally owned and run, a large selection, reasonable pricing and an extremely friendly & knowledgeable staff. Oh, and they receive daily deliveries of Phoenix olive bread!
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Review from Paul N.
El Sobrante, CA
4/20/2009
I drive at least once a week over the Arlington but never stopped at Wine & Spirits till 3 weeks ago. I was surprised about the collection they sell. The people are very helpful, there wine choice is great and absolutely not overprized.
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Review from Dan M.
Berkeley, CA
6/21/2011
I'm so lucky to have this great local shop in my neighborhood. They carry a very thoughtful selection of wines, always have the perfect recommendation, and they are in the middle of improving a great beer selection into an amazing hard-to-find beer selection. Lost Abbey beers arrived a few months ago, and recently they started selling an awesome selection of Russian River beers (Pliny included). They even started carrying Grand Teton's Persephone Pils (an INCREDIBLE Imperial Pilsner) at my request! Can't beat that. If you haven't been, go now. If you have been, go back
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Review from Marlene W.
Berkeley, CA
12/27/2010
Wow, they even remembered my name, over the phone! If they can, they will get anything you are looking for. Lovely shop.
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Review from sfnewyorker Y.
Berkeley, CA
5/5/2005
Moderate sized, unassuming wine store in N. Berkeley/Kensington. All the staff at the store really know their wines. I don't shop anywhere else for wine anymore because the combination of good prices and service. When I did compare their prices to chains, e.g. Andronico's and Safeway, the prices at this wine shop was consistently as good or better. This plus the service make shopping here a no brainer.
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Review from Cecelia W.
Chicago, IL
4/27/2010
I do a lot of business with Arlington wines, both for my own personal consumption, and for my company. I have to say that they are always willing to go above and beyond, help me to answer any and all questions TIRELESSLY, and just generally make my job easier when planning any event that needs wine. Whether you are buying a case or a bottle, Alan will give you exceptional customer service!
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Review from Deborah C.
Albany, CA
4/27/2011
My unfortunate experience with this business involved a phone call with Don. I called for Alan, who has helped our business before. I heard is super friendly and helpful but I'd never met him or been to the shop. But Don, who answered the phone, said Alan was unavailable and would be gone for over a week. I told Don I wanted to order champagne for a very large event (over 3000 people) and said I was trying to buy the most economical champagne he could recommend. First he hung up on me. When I called back, he didn't apologize, but berated me for wanting to buy inexpensive champagne, saying it wouldn't be worth his bother if money was our main concern. I told him that Arlington had supplied us with wine for other events and told him that I wanted to offer Alan the opportunity to bid on providing champagne for our event. So I asked if he would have Alan call me and again he was vague and unhelpful. It was clear to me that he was not taking down my information. That was about a month ago. Still never got the call from Alan, who probably never got the message. My advice: wait for Alan.
