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Category: Beer, Wine & Spirits [Edit]
400 A Villa StPlease come join our weekly wine & beer tasting events! Check out our events here: http://www.artisanwine...
Mon-Fri. 9:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Sat. 12:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
"Every time I walk into Amarco, I find a new wine from another corner of the world which you will never see at BevMo or other grocery stores.…" read more »
This is the kind of wine shop the bigger chains will never be able to emulate. Christine knows her wine and gets to know her customers almost as well. Tasting notes attached to most bottles give you a good sense of what you are going to get and purchase tracking makes your next visit even more focused on your preferences. Their beer selection is equally outstanding and both are offered at prices that make you feel in on a local secret.
Here's just one example of how different they are: on a recent trip I was handed a few different Pinots to taste while browsing the store. I'm reluctant to write this review as I don't want them to get too popular however, this is the store that compelled me to write my first review on Yelp.
I came to the opening event.
The location is tad bit strange as others have said. I expected some sort of Wine Room but was met with a cashier to pay for the tasting ~$19 because I RSVPed and then you walk into the warehouse. When I say warehouse, it really does remind me of one. There is a great selection of wine and beer though. The little bites were pretty tasty as well, they had a chef come by from a local restaurant to prepare sauages/garlic fries/etc for you to snack on while tasting the wine/beer.
I also signed up for the email list. Christine ritually sends out an email on rare/on sale wines EVERY DAY, which is great but all the sale wines seemed to be $40/bottle or you buy by the case for a bit cheaper. Hm, if only I was made of money.
I would definitely come here more often if all my friends weren't in the city or bankers.
It was already 6-ish when I called to see how late Artisan stayed open. James answered the phone and said they had a tasting going until 7, but he could stay open much later if I wanted. Now that's what I like to hear! :)
I met K. outside around 6:45 and we wandered into the front office portion of Artisan, where we met James before he led us back to the wine tasting. The bar, at the far end of the warehouse, was covered with an array of pinot noirs, plus some plates of bread, cheese, and salami.
Sommelier Christine started us off on our evening of pinot tasting with a glass from Flowers vineyard, explaining the wine's highlights. And from there K. and I spent the rest of our evening chatting and enjoying the various wines, each described and explained patiently by Christine. As we sampled pinots from Belle Glos, Jezebel, A to Z, Londer, and Kennedy Point, we also explored the warehouse to see what other wines were on offer.
(I recently had a glass of Kathryn Kennedy 's Lateral at a restaurant, and I'd love to find a bottle. Even though I didn't see it here, Christine said she could get it for me, so it definitely doesn't hurt to ask if you don't see what you want.)
I'm glad my colleague mentioned this little gem to me, and it would be fun to go back for another of the tastings they hold regularly on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Our tasting, which was scheduled to run from 4 to 7, originally cost around $20, but we ended up paying a little less than that. If you go to the website, you can purchase tickets in advance at a reduced price.
All in all, Artisan is a friendly, casual place to sample and learn about some great wines. Even as a relative newcomer to the world of wine, I felt perfectly comfortable here and hope to return again soon.
I came here last night with my best friend for a tasting event featuring Oregon wines. I agree with others, the location is kind of weird. However, I sure am glad to have found this gem in my neighborhood! thanks Yelp!
We walked in, got our name-tags and wine glasses and we were ready to go. $15 for 10 tasting, not a bad deal at all! The tasting was in the back room where they store all their wines. We'd get a pour, walk around the room to "admire" what wines they have in stock, read about them, then go back for another pour.
Overall, the atmosphere was pretty chill. We were probably the youngest people there. However, them old fogs weren't snobs and some of them conversed with us. I did feel slightly out of place, but that feeling quickly went away after a few sips of wine. The staff was super friendly. They even set up a table of cheese and bread for us to nibble on.
The one thing that I really didn't like was the attitude of the pouers. However, this is not Artisan Wine Depot's fault. These wine pourers represent the wineries and honestly they were quite rude. Maybe they looked down on us cuz we were young -- but for whatever reason, they never smiled, never conversed with us, never said "you're welcome" when we thanked them for the pour, never tried to introduce the wine or tell us more about the wine. All they'd do is tell us the name of the wine they're pouring (yeah, I can read, thanks), and continue to converse with each other. I may not be of the average age group in the room but I have had my fair share of wine tasting and I wouldn't be there if I wasn't interested, know what I mean?? The worse was the blond lady. She was horrible.
Nonetheless, I had a great time and would come back here again. I'm hoping to attend more events and to get some insights from their sommelier, at which point I hope to add another star!
I've been to Artisan Wine Depot twice in the past week not for wine, but for tasty tasty beer (mostly Belgian, some German).
James (great name, I highly recommend it) helped me both times, and he was great--he's very friendly, and he knows his stuff. On the second visit, I had a nice chat with Christine, who seems really cool.
I've scoped out the wine a little bit, and it looks like an interesting selection with good prices. Once I've gotten a chance to do a little vino tasting and shopping, I'll see if Artisan Wine can earn that 5th star... it looks promising!
i really have nothing to say about this place..except for LOVE LOVE LOVE..this place. this little shop is hidden away on a street full of auto service places but don't let the outside surroundings discourage you. although tucked away, this place definitely stands out with the array of wines they have.
i was not a huge fan of wine but my boyfriend is. from time to time, i would have those night when i craved wine. we USE to go to safeway or luckys to get our wines. NOT ANYMORE, after being told about this little shop through our friend. we decide to try it out, went to one of the tastings..I AM NOW A BELIEVER in GOOD WINE. this little place is packed full of great wine and during their tasting they have bread,cheese and salami to accentuate the wines. i have found love for whites and i was introduced to dessert wines like mascato toso and lambrusco..im addicted. i never leave that place without a bottle of one those. there are tons of great, bold red wines and even some i'm quite into.the events, the assortment of wines, the friendly and knowledgeable workers like Christine the sommelier and James...definite thumbs up.
I can't say the typical " I definitely be going back" because I've been back countless times.
I came here for a wine tasting a friend told me about for about $20 purchased online.
We were able to sample 10 different wines, one of them being a $175 retail price Cabernet Sauvignon! I was definitely impressed more by the selection of red wines at the tasting than the the whites. They had a decent assortment of cheeses to complement the wines along with some pate (duck liver) and French bread. My only complaint is there were toothpicks, and there was this one guy at the tasting who was using his dirty fingers to pick up pieces of cheese and he'd touch an entire pile of cheese before picking it up with a toothpick. It's like, hey jerk - use a toothpick!
I was probably one of the younger people at the last wine tasting, but I definitely enjoyed it. I'm between jobs, otherwise I would have picked up their trio deal which was the top three wines on their tasting list for about $100 something. Considering the fine Cabernet Sauvignon they had retails for $175, it was quite a deal. There was also a Meomi Pinot Noir which was quite exquisite.
Me and my girlfriend ended up picking up a bottle from the selection of wines under $20. It wasn't part of the tasting, but nonetheless I am impressed at the great selection at reasonable prices!
I definitely look forward to an email about maybe a future beer tasting from the reviews I've read about this place here on Yelp! That would definitely be also right up my alley!
I absolutely love love love Artisan Wine Depot and their customer service. James is great. Christine is great. Their recommendations are great and the wine is never disappointing.
You can tell the staff enjoy what they do, and it makes the entire experience of wine/beer tasting even better!
Check out their website too. It makes shopping for wine very convenient.
What a great little place! I came here with some friends on a Friday after work and enjoyed a selection of wines from their Wine Flight. Their pours were extremely generous. (Word to the wise: get a designated driver if you elect to participate in the Wine Flight.)
I ended up purchasing several bottles of wine at a very reasonable price. I'm definitely planning on making this place a regular stop when my wine cabinet needs refilling. Especially since I didn't get the opportunity to discuss wine with Christine Tran on this occasion.
Having a great wine shop in your town is a treasure. Having the Artisan Wine Depot within walking distance of downtown Mountain View is the crown jewel in that treasure chest. In short, this shop has great selection, great prices, great staff and great tasting events.
Selection -- This is not a warehouse place where the selection can be overwhelming. Owner Christine Tran has carefully selected each wine for her shop, many based on her relationships with wineries and distributors that enable her to get hard-to-find wines, as well as up-and-coming wines that have yet to be discovered and are a great value. She probably carries a few hundred wines in her shop (though I suspect she can order you almost anything; she also operates a private client business, as well). Her selection is nicely balanced between California and international wines, which I love because I want to try more non-California wines but know little about them and need guidance. Her wines are also balanced by price range: there are a number of the high-end wines you would expect to see but quite a lot of very reasonable, inexpensive wines you probably won't know but will be surprised at how good they are. Finally, Christine also carries an amazing beer selection. I rarely drink beer, but I've been to a couple of her beer tastings and have discovered a number of imported beers that are absolutely delicious.
Price -- I don't think I've seen a lower price for any wine anywhere else. Christine routinely has her wine priced at least as low or lower than places like Costco, or what you would pay direct from a winery with a club member discount. Additionally, she frequently runs specials, even including on high-end wines, and always provides deep discounts on the wines she features at in-store tastings. Finally, there is a whole wall of the store that has super-value wines for under $20. These include virtually all varietals from all regions. Great finds in there.
Staff -- Owner and wine buyer Christine Tran has years of training and experience and is, I believe, a master sommelier, which requires passing a number of very difficult exams. As a result, she knows A LOT about wine -- the regions, the varietals, the styles of each producer, vintages, distributors, winemakers who have their own semi-secret private labels, etc. She also is very good at wine and food pairing, which is a skill I admire and appreciate. She is great at helping you find a bottle to take out to dinner that night and while almost anyone can recommend a California Cabernet to go with a grilled steak, my wife and I attended a food and wine pairing dinner she did with Asian cuisine that would have stumped almost anyone and she made it work really well with some unusual varietals and pairings that I wouldn't have expected. The other staff there are very friendly, as well, warm and personable, and treat you like part of the "club."
Events -- Christine holds numerous tasting events, virtually every Friday night and Saturday afternoon, and sometimes during the week. These could be to feature wine from specific wineries, such as Caymus or Belle Glos, which I attended recently, or to highlight wines from certain regions or varietals, such as Italian reds or Oregon pinot. The number of wines offered is very generous and they are usually discounted even further.
Marketing savvy -- The Artisan Wine Depot has a number of marketing efforts that I think are really helpful. My favorite is that virtually every bottle of wine has a detailed sticker on the back that includes tons of information about the wine that Christine has gathered: the varietal or blend components, points awarded by famous reviewers, tasting notes and recommended food pairings. The store has a website that keeps a record of your purchases so you can remember what you like and bought (and what your friends like for gift purposes) and a place to write your own tasting notes and reviews to share with other customers. They also send out emails with special offers, complete with pictures and tasting notes, and invitations for tasting events with links to online RSVP.
Cons:
Few to none. If forced, I could say the location in an industrial block of town and the building, which appears to be a converted automotive shop, make the place a bit tough to find and give it a bit of an unusual look. But not in a bad way -- a hoity-toity, stuffy wine shop where you're too intimidated to ask questions this ain't. I suspect it is very difficult to find reasonably priced retail locations in a downtown area and presumably saving on those costs helps the shop offer these wines at such great prices.
In sum, a great local wine shop, with a modest but diverse selection, great prices, knowledgeable staff and fun atmosphere and events. I feel very fortunate to have the Artisan Wine Depot in my town and think you will, too.
I came here on Saturday for their World-Class Belgian, German & New Orleans Craft Beer & Cheese Tasting event and will definitely be returning for my beer and wine needs. Christine and everyone else who worked here were really nice and helpful, and obviously had a deep knowledge of the beers and cheeses they had on hand. We tasted 12 or so beers including Chimay, Schneider Weisse, and Abita, as well as some Chimay cheeses that paired very well with the beer.
I ended up leaving with $50 in beer and root beer that should last me a few weeks :) The prices seemed fair, and you can't beat the service and info they provide.
The only thing I would fault the place for is not having enough air conditioning for the 100+ degree day. Hopefully the next event isn't on such an abnormally hot day!
Tucked away in the auto body industrial area on the outskirts of downtown MV is a new local wine merchant. I'd been looking for a particular Meursault and not having any luck around the local neighborhood venues. Having resigned that I might have to resort to traveling a little farther than I want or perhaps hitting online, I was glad to hear Artisan was open.
I went in after work to discover that they were still in soft opening mode and not completely full on inventory yet. The guys there were super friendly and we chatted about wine for a good while. Even though they didn't carry any Meursault yet, the owner happened to call in and when asked made a suggestion for a 2006 Domaine Saumaize-Michelin Ronchevat. For under $40 it's a pretty good value and although it's not Chateau Puligny Montrachet, it was good to find a new wine regardless. They were very open to suggestions on types and vinters and seem pretty eager to source stuff for you. Definitely will head back and see what they can get as the start to come to full stock.
Good gravy am I ever glad to have found this place. I love supporting local shops (if they were in Sunnyvale it would be even better but MtV is close enough) and I love getting good wine for below $20. If you feel the same you must go here. I hadn't found a great wine shop in the south bay and too frequently resorted to the over-priced Vintage at Satan Row or the decent & inexpensive BevMo.
First you have to have the confidence that 400A Villa, is the correct address, because it will be an open car-repair style garage door with no sign out front (yet). But it is okay, because you see the wine bottles inside, yet it is so odd - just walk in. Then prepare to be amazed by customer service as Christina demonstrates that she is one of the top female sommeliers in the USA. She will, without a doubt, be able to find you a bottle you love, and almost certainly below $20. If you want to go higher (and even if you want to stay under $20) she will probably be able to let you know which bottle will shoot up in price soon as it hits the Wine "Speculator" top-100 list.
Don't expect to find major labels here, only fairly small winemakers, but do expect to find excellent bargains.
The best part? Every bottle comes with an extra label with a brief description and a list of possible food pairings. PLUS if you signup to their email list, you get a customer account you can lookup online that lists every bottle you have bought there, so you can reorder (if they still have it in stock) or so you can refresh your brain as to its description. A really great idea!
I keep telling friends about this place and forwarding the regular emails with 24-hour specials. It's small but has a very good selection; you don't have to sift through tons of common and overpriced wines to find something special because their wines are all carefully selected. Even better, the prices would be very hard to beat; I've checked on-line and haven't even matched their prices. Christine will show you wines to match your taste or needs. I simply can't walk out empty-handed.
Very happy to see Christine Tran return to the Mountain View scene. As soon as I found out that her new place was open, I scheduled an event here for our neighborhood association. It couldn't have been easier to arrange and I'm looking forward to attending it this evening. In the meanwhile, I have been in several times, both for events and just to shop. I've left with new-found treasure each and every time. Don't miss this place if you like exploring new wines, enjoying superb customer service and bringing home great value.
I am in love with this wine shop for many many reasons!
1. The wine selection is from all over the world, and it's all reasonably priced (almost everything is under $20), so you can experiment and try new things without breaking the bank (even French wine!).
2. The employees can speak at length about every single wine in the shop! Each and every bottle has a sticker that explains the who, what, and where of the wine, plus how the wine will taste and which foods to pair with it.
3. Whenever I come in, Christine keeps feeding me free wine until I stumble out with an armful of bottles :)
4. The store is just down the street from where I live, so if I need to stumble/crawl home, it's perfectly OK.
5. The store's website is easy to use for shopping or for browsing the upcoming events.
6. Speaking of events, they have held many very interesting sessions lately, including a tasting of Italian wines and a "meet the winemaker" session with special guest winemakers from Oregon.
The only thing I don't like about the Artisan Wine Depot is that it's so hard so to find! I would have completely missed it if I hadn't noticed their open garage door with cases of wine stacked up. The building has a completely tinted glass front and no logo or signs.
What a great treasure right in the heart of downtown Mountain view. The staff and atmosphere are friendly and extremely helpful and knowledgeable. It's great to have someone give advice without trying to push something.
I went in to buy a bottle of wine for the evening, was greeted with a tasting of delicious chardonnay and fell in love with 3 different wines... Needless to say, I walked out with four bottles of wine, vowing I would return again and again.
Christine helped me chose which wine went best with my pasta dinner sitting at home. And...she was right. It was a perfect match.
This is a treasure!!
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