Beltramo's Wines & Spirits
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Private Lot
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
65 reviews
Redwood City, CA
"My husband loves this place. We make the trek here about once every two months and try to make it there before the christmas rush to…" read more »
28 Reviews for Beltramo's Wines & Spirits
Very helpful, knowledgeable staff.
Excellent wine selection.
Prices are reasonable and often cheaper than the supermarket or other liquor stores.
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If Beltramo's were a boy, I'd kiss him! Lots! I might even bring him flowers from the Sunday farmer's market ... Cuz that's just the kind of girl I am! ;)
How many times have you found yourself in the wine aisles at Draegers, Safeway, Mollie Stones, etc. with a blank stare on your face - wandering aimlessly for something to jump out at you and scream "the best bottle of wine you'll ever have for $10, $20, $40...."? Too many times to count for most of us! Enter Beltramo's in Menlo Park...
Each and every time I walk into Beltramo's I am greeted with exuberance and friendliness. All of the associates here have excellent knowledge of the wines and never feel like you're being cheap .... Let's face it, we don't always want to go for the "wow" when bringing a bottle of wine to a party - and sometimes we just want a good, solid bottle of vino to snuggle up with next to the fireplace on a cold & rainy night. No need to impress ....
Not only does Beltramo's have a HUGE selection of international and domestic wines, champagnes and liquors - they have some wonderful snacks to bring along for the ride! How better to enjoy a nice bottle of Zin than with a creamy brie and a deliciously sinful slice of Salumi Toscano ....
So .... Beltramo's, will you be my Valentine?
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Take advantage of the staff- they are amazing
THey picked out GREAT, reasonably-priced wines for every course of a multi-course dinner we were having. We got there 2 minutes before they shut their doors and we stayed 20 minutes past close, but everyone stuck around with a smile on their face to opine on the bordeauxs we were looking at and point us to other wines we might like.
Excellent wine selection and the people that work there are really useful, knowledgeable and friendly. Maybe not as cheap as BevMo but it has a bigger selection of wines.
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*edit 02/15/08* While Beltramos doesn't provide the customer service that K&L does, they do have better prices than K&L. Still unemployed but it didn't stop me from copping a 2004 Ridge Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet for $30.
Another wine store along EL Camino Real that I checked out on a whim since I was in the area. Alas as a recently unemployed wine drinker, I just came to window shop and see what kind of selection they had. Quite solid and solid prices. The store is pretty large and spacious and they carry a lot of other stuff, beers, cheeses, liquors etc.
Hopefully I'll make a return visit, gainfully employed.
sucks to be jobless and thirsty.
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A great place... all around. Wine selection is great and the staff is uber-knowledgeable and friendly. I enjoy their selection of international wines.... sometimes I just get tired of the endless Napa Cabs. But Beltramo's has a truly decent selection of Chilean and Argentinian wines as well as Spanish, Portuguese and of course France and Italy.
- Tell them "I want a good red under $10" and they're more than willing to walk you through the aisles.
- Looking for a particular wine you don't see? They'll order it for you and call when it's in.
- Want to try new wines on the weekend without crossing the Golden Gate Bridge? 2:30 to 5:30pm every Saturday.
- Bought something that's past its prime? Put the cork in and bring it back.
- Need a friendly wine guy? I recommend Gary - he's always helpful!
Learn... Try... Enjoy!
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Quite possibly the largest selection of Rhone wines in the country. I primarily drink Syrahs and Zins; Beltramo's had an almost overwhelming selection. Also an abundance of French and Italian wines. The staff is extremely knowledgeable and experienced. If it's not better than K&L, then it's damn close.
A gigantic wine shop with a good selection of wine. They have shopping carts that you can use to push around your selection. And select you will because it is wall to wall wine varying in region. Someone will also help you select stuff if you want. One caveat, they stack their bottles upright which I don't think is good practice.
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If you know everything there possibly is to know about wine, head here. And if you are like me and is used to getting her wine from a box after 'slapping the bladder' this is also the place for you. The people who work there know their shit. They'll give you a mini tutorial while you shop. Educational and entertaining!
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I ventured here because, according to my research, this was the only place that carried a specific wine that I sought. Well they didn't have it in stock but they offered to reserve some when their shipment arrived. It worked flawlessly.
The service here has always been outstanding, the wine selection is astounding, & the prices are more than reasonable. This is the ultimate wine shop of the Bay Area!
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This is a great place to go if you're a borderline alcoholic like I am. The have a huge selection of Scotch, Tequila and Brandy that I can't afford. Lots of trendy overpriced Vodkas and Gins to feed the yuppies in MP. (Hint: Go to Trader Joes and buy some Moskovskaya. It's $8 for 1 litre and has more character than Grey Goose and Belvedere and Chopin and all that other garbage on the top shelf these days. TJ's also has Hendrick's Gin cheap. Why would you buy anything else? Van Gogh? Garbage. Bombay? Garbage in a blue bottle. 209? Pretty good but Jesus Christ it's expensive!)
Anyway, Beltramo's has Wild Turkey Rye, Old Overholt, Bonded Old Grand Dad (One of the few whiskies Jim Beam bought and didn't fuck with. I'll never forgive those bastards for turning their former competitor Old Crow into a bottom shelf brand. Old Crow was twice as good as anything you ever made, Jim Beam! Booker's? Knob Creek? They're overpriced swill aimed at affluent neo-yuppie 'Bourbon aficionados" as far as I'm concerned! But thanks for still making Bonded OGD and OGD 114.) and other bargain treasures for fair prices.
They also have Slivovitz! I've gotten myself into trouble on a couple occasions after drinking large amounts of 100 proof Slivovitz. Never again.
They also have loads of wine, lots of liqueurs and a decent beer selection.
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I've never been to K&L's, but I always head to Beltramos when I'm search of wine or champagne. Let me tell you - this place is a GROCERY STORE for wines plus their prices are very good compared to your nearest supermarket store. Beltramos has a great variety and there is ALWAYS someone around to recommend a good bottle. Occasionally they run out of my favorite wine - a Sterling Cab...but they usually have stock on hand. Their recommendations are generally good. I've only had one bad one out of like 20. Plus even if they can't recommend a good one - some knowledgeable customers are on hand to recommend their favorites.
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Wow, this place is amazing. I've only been here a few times, but they've been meaningful.
Staff: Knowledgeable, friendly, helpful, and not condescending in the least, and they don't seem to mind spending time with a customer.
Selection: 1) wines - excellent; 2) liqueurs and spirits - phenomenal; 3) accessories - surprising.
Ambience: Clean, open, well-lit, organized, laid-back.
When we came back from our Mexican cruise I went on a wild hunt seeking Damiano liqueur to replicate the Waborita from Cabo Wabo. After several phone calls I called Beltramo's. They didn't carry it in stock, but they were willing to special-order one bottle for me, without an advance payment!
They've made me a customer for life, especially for liqueurs and spirits where price is not an object. BTW, my attempt at replicating the Waborita was successful. Thanks, Beltramo's!
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Maybe I just went the wrong time of day, but I dropped by on a weekday evening around 6pm to check out this place and their wine selection. The place is much bigger than K&L but there was barely anyone in there and the place felt vast, empty, and cold. And no staff came to greet me to offer me help on finding a wine as I was looking.
Bottom line: Decent wine selection and big place, but I prefer the cozy and friendly confines of K&L down the street when buying wine.
They have a great selection of wine, spirits, and it just feels like a good place to find a bottle. It's not madly discounted, but it's rarely overpriced. If I need something in a price range, I go here, and have them guide me to a new find. I'm bound to learn something every time I go there.
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Finally stopped in here, after driving by for years. I really like the place. They had better prices on several items I know well enough from other stores, a large, well laid out selection and a nice looking cold case. They were also helpful without being pushy. It simply felt a little more upscale than other shops, though the prices were still good. Cashiers looked a little tired, but it was the end of the day... and it is just after the holidays.. heh.
Nice looking liquor selection, too... and although I didn't get a chance to peruse their beers, it looked promising. I will definitely be back to see them again. They could be a new favorite.
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The Best!
Beltramo's is the best wine and spirits store I know of...anywhere. If you are somewhat of a novice or simply want to learn more about some type grape, brew, or distillate...simply go to Beltramo's and ask for help. The staff is incredibly knowledgeable, friendly, and not at all snobbish. Also, they do not steer you toward the more expensive bottles....unless that's what you are looking for. I went there with my father and he asked one of their wine merchants to reccommend some inexpensive, but great white wines (especially some made from gewurztraminer and reisling grapes). The "wineguy," as my dad called him, walked around the large store with us for about 30 minutes like a museum docent describing numerous regions, wineries, and winemakers with great detail. We walked out with about 2 cases of wine from 10-15 wineries priced $8 to $20 a bottle.
If you know what you are looking for, you won't find a better selection and the prices are very reasonable from the best French burgundies to rare single malts.
Check out their wine tastings on weekends.
Beltramo's is a fantastic place for getting a bottle (or 2, or 10) of wine. It is harder to find a more helpful wine seller that really consults with you for what you are looking for.
If you are a beginner or an expert, the staff is very willing to help you find the right bottle for you. Lorenzo and Gary are knowledge experts that know vast amounts of detail about their selection and wine in general. They can cite specific areas in geographic regions, and the characteristics of them. You can give them style, price, or theme, and they will give great recommendations of different options. Their service is very down-to-earth, never snooty, and they can accommodate many different tastes or price levels. They'll really help you explore the world of wine, based on your interests, and they don't push sales...they help you with what you actually want.
They also love to talk about wine. I think I'm pretty knowledgable, but these guys could give a clinic. When we mentioned a specific winery in a relatively undiscovered area, Gary mentioned that they may have a bottle of it stashed away that they could sell us. Talk about specialized service! These guys are great.
The only 'ding' I have is that if you get out of their wine selection, you'll get only okay selection and service. Wine is the thing here at Beltramo's. Outside of wine, they are probably behind BevMo. BUT, the wine is the reason to go there, and on that they are 5 Stars to me.
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I admit it, I usually buy my wine from Trader Joe's, but when it comes to spirits I'm a bit of a snob. Beltramo's has the best selection of fine spirits around, at decent prices, making it my first stop when I'm looking for a replacement bottle for my liquor shelf. I've also been impressed by their friendly staff and extensive wine selection. And they never fail to card me, a true sign of an alcohol establishment that deserves my repeat business!
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Unless I need just one specific bottle i know K&L has, I'm more likely to head to Beltramo's. There's a lot more space and it just has a nicer, more open feel. ...That and the fact they carry spirits as well. Any good wine shopping trip for me is capped by at least one bottle of the hard stuff as well. If it's a bottle of Hangar One or a trendy tequila, Beltramo's will almost certainly have it. Their wine prices seem a little high, but not outrageous and probably worth it to not have to go to multiple shops to find what I want.
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Beltramo's is my vino tienda on the peninsula. I almost always find what I need there, and the prices are decent on just about everything.
Like Kevin, I'll take this place just a hair above K&L (which is just a few km up the road), for two reasons: (a) the staff is as knowledgeable as K&L, _and_ they approach you to help (withouth being pushy), and (b) this store is a bit bigger, which means more space to spread things around, so you're not running down fellow shoppers while you're snagging that last case of Plumpjack merlot.
That said, the K&L website is hella better than Beltramo's, so I usually hit up both places whenever I'm on the pen.
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Beltramos combines a very knowledgable staff with reasonable prices. Sure - if you can find it at Trader Joe's - it'll be cheaper, but the selection is huge, and the staff are ready to make smart suggestions whatever your menu and whatever your price range.
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I used to like Beltramo's over K&L, its neighbor here on El Camino in the greater Menlo/Atherton metro area. For a while I thought the prices were better.
Now I feel like I do better overall at K&L, but sometimes I will shop both. Both are friendly places with a very approachable staff and they are much less snobby than any wine shop in the city.
Good selection, decent service
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I'm not going to comment on the wines, as it's not my area of expertise. I like Scotch and Bourbon and Vodka and the like. The last time I went into Beltramo's, I talked with one of their helpful cash register guys about these 2 unusual bottles of bourbon where their buyer actually selected the cask they wanted to sell at Beltramo's. So I bought both of these on a flier.
They are both awesome finds, things I wouldn't have found on my own. The prices were reasonable and they are way more interesting than my old standby (Jack D.). So for that experience, 5 stars! Let the folks in there help you.
where else in the world you can taste Romanee Conti? Not to mention, all six red and one white in a row!!
Beltramo's makes wine lovers' dream come true!! Beltramos rocks!!
Tied with BevMo for best place to acquire beer around Stanford, but both are fairly clueless about their stock. There are bottles sitting on the shelf that expired two years ago. I don't buy anything that hasn't been date stamped from them. It's a general problem in California, I think, not understanding that beer lives and dies. Good wine selection. Somewhat clueless staff (rang me up for two four packs when I was buying two singles and didn't notice that he was charging me $20 over until I pointed it out).
Good shop - but I called them and made an order only to find out two days later that they "mis-quoted" me the price and that the bottle would be much more expensive (the original price was the same as K&Ls)
Figure a place w/ a reputation like Beltramos would stand behind their orders. Next time I will go to K&L
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