Biondivino Wine Boutique
Category: Beer, Wine & Spirits [Edit]
Neighborhood: Russian Hill1415 Green St
(between Polk St & United States Highway 101)
San Francisco, CA 94109 (415) 673-2320
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat 11:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m.
Sun 12:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
25 reviews
San Francisco, CA
"This place is arguably the best wine/spirits store in the city. I'm a fan of American whiskey/scotch and napa valley cabernets and this…" read more »
35 Reviews for Biondivino Wine Boutique
Do they have the best Italian selection I've seen so far in San Francisco?
Yes.
Are the rare bottles also well priced?
Yes.
Jeez, it even looks great...so design-oriented.
They have a 10 minutes parking spot too.....
I don't think you can ask for more....
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How FUN!!
We had a birthday party celebration of wine tasting here and took over the entire place, room, small space.... It was FANTASTIC. It was like being invited into a friends living room and opening any bottle in their wine cellar.
Great spot for an intimate group wine tasting.
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I recently had a wine tasting event at Bion Divino for a friends birthday. We had the space for 10-15 people. We bought a few bottles of wine that they opened and served to our guests. Plus, they provided bottled water, cheese, salami and bread to pair with our wines. It was a wonderful experience and would definitely do it again. While they are not a bar, they do allow you to taste in their store. The selection is extensive Italian wines. Zach did a great job telling us all about the wines and regions. I definitely recommend checking this store out!
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Reason #32 I love Russian Hill (reasons number 29, 30, and 31 being the hotty mchotsters who work in the hood, and yes I'm talking to you rocket scientist boy). Ceri is dope. Plus, it's rad to see a young woman owning a wine shop. Think about it: how often do you see the Ladies in wine shops? Not often, I tell you. Not often at all. Everything everyone else says is true too but, seriously, go to support a woman owned business. Chicks rule!
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A friend of mine at work recommended I go in and speak with the proprietor. Now, this work friend of mine is a very stylish, sophisticated woman with a palate from heaven and a nose for wine like a pig on a hunt for truffles (no offense to my work friend!). When it comes to food and drink, I listen to this woman. So when I asked her where I should go in my neighborhood for good wine - after warning her I have no idea what I'm doing with wine - she told me to go here and put myself in the capable hands of the owner. "Tell her I sent you," she said to me.
So after weeks of wine procrastination, on a sunny Saturday, I stepped into this cute little wine shop and boldly stated, "I have been sent here for good wine as I know not what I'm doing!"
The proprietor was there and came to my rescue and was utterly charming. She gave me the scoop, and not just about the wall to wall Italian wine selection (sorry work friend but I now know a bit more about you).
Half an hour later I departed with two bottles of delicious wine, a new friendly wine shop owner friend and a new favorite wine shop!
Who says all winos are snobs?
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I know it was the hottest day of the year, but when I walked into a wine shop, I don't expect a store with perishables to be 90+ degrees. It was so hot, I just left without really walking around. However, before exiting, heard a cork shoot out of one of the bottles.
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I went to Biondiviono Wine with a friend who loves Italian wine. They were having a wine tasting, so we thought it would be a fun night to check it out. The place is kinda small, but very cute! They have a very nice selection of Italian wines and I was really impressed with all the different bottles of Preseco. If you are looking for a Italian wine, this is your place. BTW, the wine tasting was a lot of fun and was only $10.
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What a cute little wine shop. Was strolling by yesterday on my way to do some shopping and eating, and I happened to come across this little space. The woman in there is so helpful, (maybe it was the owner Ceri everyone seems so fond of). She seemed really knowledgeable and super friendly. She even sent us home with a few complimentary chocolates after she saw me eyeing them. Nice!
Only downside I can possibly see to this, is that although nicely arranged, some of the wines are hard to grab hold off since they are sky high. So I didn't even try to pick anything way up top. Also, you can't tell what is what, but it all seems to be from Italy. Fortunately though, the place is small and she seems to love answering any of your questions. On another note, there was something from everyone's price range. I saw bottles with prices ranging from $9 - $100. Pretty good I'd say.
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This is one of the best wine shops I've ever been in and that's no small statement. It is not the best as in the most comprehensive, but best in that it has such a great focus (Italy), tons of geeky selections for wine nerds, cool environment and knowledgeable owner. This is a can't miss shop if you are into wine. If you are not a geek or not into discovering that which you do not know, this isn't a place for you. Otherwise it's a cant miss.
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Biondivino is my favorite boutique wine store in the world. There are so many reasons why, but here a few:
- Today was a very, very rainy day. She sent an email this afternoon offering free delivery so that customers wouldn't have to walk in the rain to pick up a few bottles of wine. You can't beat that level of customer service and connection with your clients: http://tonyleachsf.com...
- The owner is one of the most friendly wine people I've ever met. Her recommendations are excellent, and helps customers navigate the less-familiar world of Italian wines. She is also as price-conscious as her clients, and makes recommendations accordingly.
- There are frequent tastings that are very casual and informative. Everyone's invited, even to her small shop.
- It's a great place to explore outside your comfort zone of Californian wines.
- It's close-by to my apartment!
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Nice place to go for italian wines. She spent a lot of time educating me. And recommended me affordable wines that wouldn't disappoint.
She even taught to articulate what it is I do & don't like. She was a bit shy seeming, maybe... but she gave great recommendations.
I live near by, so I'll go back.
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My favorite wine shop in the neighborhood, by far! Great place to stop by and pick up a bottle of Prosecco or get to know the wines of Italy... the owner is also extremely helpful with matching up my wine preferences with what they carry. Personally, I like to stop by when i'm on my way to a friends house for dinner because they wrap up the bottle nicely and it's fun for everyone to try something new. They also have plenty of delicious wines in the $15-20 range. Very cute store, great service and lots of fun little trinkets and chocolates available. LOVE it.
Last thing - they have some fun/interesting tasting events... usually about $10 and well worth it. Go in and get on the email list!
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So happy Ceri was brave enough to bring an Italian wine shop to SF!! Nearly every Italian region is covered, and I have never seen such great depth of prosecco! Ceri is great about recommending special wines, and helped me pick out some great finds. Try a rosso conero from Marche! or a sagrantino di Montefalco!
I will definitely be back when I'm in the city!
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Definitely great packaging. On the outside the store is charming, almost like a packaged gift in and of itself. The fine Italian wine selections are abundant, although I do not feel it is curated in a meaningful sort of way. They also offer very high priced gourmet olive oil, for a thin bottle, price tag of $30.00.
I stopped by one lunch hour after an intense workout. With an energetic vibe, I stepped into Biondivino. The woman behind the counter struck me as pretentious and quite incompetent. Her demeanor struck me as some forced attempt to comply to Customer Service by the book rules. Her smile was definitely not straight from the heart. It is funny that sincerity and warmth are attributes that need to flow naturally. Hers was simply a fake rendition of what seems to be a smile.
I was enamored by the bottles of red Italian wine, quite a few collection from the Northern region of Barolo, Brunello, etc. As I predicted she was unable to discuss the regions. She was more interested in chit-chatting with her wine vendors (which included an Italian Rep from the Barolo region) than accommodating a potential customer.
I purchased the $30 vintage vinegar simply because I was too lazy to search for parking in North Beach to buy a $15 bottle of Sagra extra virgin oil.
I really like the concept, the packaging, and the wine selections. If it were a movie set, I would highly recommend that the Casting Director replace this woman with a cute Meg Ryan, one with a bright friendly smile that emanates from the bottom of her heart.
Great store and concept, likewise great customer disservice.
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This place is going to get me into a lot of trouble. My wife had already scored me a great bottle of Chianti as a Christmas gift last year and I'd really only peeked into the store one other time. Well, I was walking home from the Fleet Week air show yesterday and decided to stop by. I just happened to have been in Italy for two weeks recently, marrying my wife, so this was a recipe for trouble. Found a great Vernacchia (white native to San Gimignano), a reasonably priced Prosecco, and splurged a bit to try a good bottle of Brunello. Ceri was on her way out, but was still able to offer me her expert advice on the Brunello. I can't wait to drink these wines and will definitely stop by again for another fix.
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Great little wine shop. Cool interior and lovely owner who helped us pick out a great bottle of wine. If you like Italian wines, stop on by. They have some Austrian wines also.
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Hooray! Italian wine, Italian wine, and more Italian wine. Bianco. Rosso. Vin Santo.
The very cool display of bottles belies the numerous choices of reasonably priced wines. Plus, the positioning of the bottles high on the wall lends itself to opportunities to ask questions and interact with the friendly owner who spent time with each customer as they decided on purchases. She also took the extra step of emailing me an article about the wine I was purchasing as a gift so that I could give my darling boy the full scoop on a wine I had never heard of.
This is one very welcome addition to the neighborhood.
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Fantastic addition to the neighborhood.
I initially thought that the last thing Russian Hill needed was another wine shop but Biondivino stands out for a few reasons: the shop specializes in hard to find Italian wines, the shop itself looks like a work of art and the owner Ceri is super helpful and sweet.
If you're looking for a wine to bring to a holiday party or perhaps to give as a gift, do yourself a favor and check out Biondivino.
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Yummm Austrian wines! Can't get these in most places.
Ceri is charming and supports local community efforts. Definitely a great addition to our neighborhood!
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Biondivino is the type of wine store I wish I went to. Its the part of me that think first dates should be at Nobu (not that I date anymore) and the Sunday Times is read over a perfectly made espresso from my $2000 machine. Biondivino is the wine store in my fictional romantic comedy where I am an advertising executive searching for my 20-something Meg Ryan. You know the type- cutely unaware (Meg Ryan, not Biondivino).
Four Stars (Biondivino, not Meg Ryan)
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I was on my way to a friends house in Russian Hill for dinner. My plan was to pick up some wine from Willam Cross, that is, until my GF mentioned a new wine shop opened up on Green.
The place is tiny but every inch of space is well utilized. I don't know anything about Italian wines, and loved the fact that I was able to walk into the shop and within minutes have a couple bottles of recommendations in my hand.
We drank both bottles..of course..and they were delicious.
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Not that I know much about wine, but it seems that they've got some great wines here. This isn't an "everything" shop as the name implies, but tell the owner what you like or what you're looking for and she'll direct you to the perfect bottle.
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Coolest design for a wine boutique! The walls are covered with mostly Italian wine - red on one side, whites, roses and sparkling on the other. I usually get roped into spending wayyy too much for a bottle in wine boutiques, but they offer wine for every budget -- starting at $10!!!
They also have tastings every so often, so stop in to see when the next one is happening.
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5 stars for the quality of the wine, most under $20, and the exceptional knowledge of the proprietor -- Ceri. I'm fortunate enough to live about 3 doors down from this place and can't resist frequenting the establishment daily even if it's just for a chat and to know what is new and what is recommended. A superb Italian addition to a very European Polk Street.
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Biondivino is Divino!
What a Concept! Affordable and Wonderful Italian Wine!
This place is a gem and so is Ceri. She is just so friendly, helpful and well versed with regard to all the wines she carries.
It's truly a joy to purchase wine from someone who has such a passion for it.
If you don't know much about Italian wine, or think that the good ones are out of your price range, visit Biondivino and expand your horizons.
SF is truly lucky to have this wine shop.
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I stopped in here the other night to buy a Christmas present for my Dad, and I was so pleased with the whole experience that I can't wait to go back. The store itself is very stylish (you'll notice the bright orange awning from far away). And, as usual, I'm psyched that it's in my neighborhood.
The best part of my trip to Biondivino was the service. The owner approached me immediately (not in a harassing, Welcome-to-the-Gap kind of way). I gave her a vague, ignorant description of what I thought I might be looking for, and she was able to give me 4 suggestions in a range of prices. She's obviously very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about wine - she had little pieces of information about each one that I thought made the gift more special (instead of me just handing it to my Dad and praying that he opens it while I'm still around to drink some). She also wrapped it so nicely that I didn't need to buy one of those silly wine bottle bags.
FYI - she mostly sells Italian wine. I had been looking for something "Californian", to represent my new state, but when I told the owner what kind of wine we typically like she was able to suggest an Italian equivalent.
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Adding to what other's have already wrote. A welcome addition to the neighborhood; this isn't just another wine shop; it brings a sampling of wine from Italy, Austria, and even Swiss.
Ceri is very helpful in the time she spends with each customer telling them the story behind each wine. Oh and the wines.....the selection is just amazing; from the way its displayed to the wide variety of wines available. A range of wines from $15.00 to those that are considered highly allocated in their home land.
Plus she has plenty of quality biscuits to keep the dogs happy.
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Biondivino is 6 days New and already impresses me with walls of wine and sliding ladders. This visually attractive wine boutique specializes in unique quality Italian wines (good chocolate too) that are true values, many less than 20 bucks....tasteeee! The staff is super sharp and very helpful.
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This place is a great little spot. Dogs welcome so that earns extra stars. Helpful, friendly, nice and great selection of Italian wines. Tastings are fun and not too crowded.
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This place is fabulous! Ceri, the owner, is wonderful and very informative about the wine choices. It's always a treat to stop in. We recently moved across town from Russian Hill to Noe Valley but will continue to come to Biondivino.
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Beautiful wines beautifully displayed.
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what a great shop! my boyfriend and i went there saturday and had so much fun, we met the winemaker that was there pouring his wine and i had a chance to speak italian again - plus the store is gorgeous and the people are so nice and an amazing offering of wines from italy, haven't seen anything like it outside of italy, we love it
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Biondivino is downright fantastic! I had an excellent Nebiolo at a restaurant in Atlanta a few weekends ago, and have been craving it ever since. I walked into Biondivino knowing very little about the varietal, and walked with a great deal of knowledge and 4 bottles of wine.
Ceri, the owner, is extremely helpful and unpushy. She spent about 10 minutes talking to me about the varietal, showing me regions on a map, and helping me find different nebiolos based on the characteristics i like. I opened a bottle tonight, and it's fantastic!
I will definitely be going back often.
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Wow are they stuck up! Went in to ask about some wines and felt as though the young lady knew all and didn't care what I had to say. The experience soured my visit and further more felt the wines were over priced. Was excited to go after the reviews but was sorely disappointed!
just discover this store . love the design and the staff. very helpful about all the wine .
find some amazing wine at very good price
grazie biondivino
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