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Corks Wine Store - CLOSED
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Parking:
- Street
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Music:
- Live
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
17 reviews for Corks Wine Store
17 reviews in English
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Review from Sheila D.
Alamo, CA
5/2/2009
Corks may just become a regular joint for me. I came here for the second time yesterday as I had 45 minutes to kill before meeting a friend for dinner at Sideboard. I came here about a year before with another friend and found the experience strange... we were the only ones there and I recall some kind of funky World War 2, Hitler movie showing on the flat screen tv. It was somewhat surreal.
Yesterday's experience was quite positive, in comparison. They have definitely improved the ambiance -- great lighting throughout. What attracted me in the first place on a cold, rainy afternoon was the roaring fire in the fireplace in back. They have also expanded to include two nice size flat screen tvs... for you Sports fans out there (definitely important to me as I'm always looking for joints to catch Giants action). Oh yeah, apparently they host bands in the evening and there is a dance floor and everything, for all of you crazy, groovy Danville cats!
The bartender (wine steward?) was super friendly and let me taste a Chardonnay and a Pinot that interested me. I opted for the Taft Family Chardonnay and it was fantastic. What they neglected to tell me is that it happened to be Happy Hour -- I paid $6 for a fabulous glass of wine, plus two generous tastes. Crazy cheap compared to other wine bars!
They have quite a selection of wines, champagnes and even sakes. They presented me with a binder of options, very neatly organized by varietal and type. Next time I'm getting the Chardonnay flight. One of the other guests had ordered some kind of "surprise" flight -- and he seemed thrilled with the selections that arrived, including a Barbera which I had not noticed on the menu. FYI, they are quite generous with their pours -- unlike other wine bar establishments I've experienced in the past.
Oh yeah... they also serve snacks (cheese, pate platters -- also generous from what I could see) AND if you want to order food from the oh so popular Sideboard, you can do so and they will deliver!!
It's the type of place where you could quite easily meet your new best friend --- very casual, friendly vibe throughout and the friendly staff helps to ensure a comfortable, relaxing, positive experience.
You may just find me here tomorrow afternoon! -
Review from Laura B.
Danville, CA
6/15/2009
WIERD, WIERD, WIERD!!!
I guess it's not fair for me to review Corks, since we didn't even get served this time.... just stared at....????
I went here with a friend about a year ago. We got a seat, wine stewards were great and personable, and although pricy, it was a nice place to catch up and enjoy a glass or 2.
This past weekend a friend and I just wanted to go somewhere to sit and chat and enjoy a good glass of wine.
We walked into Corks and all the seats were taken, but no one was talking. Everyone just kinda stared at us. There was a musician, who was decent, so maybe they didn't want to talk over him??
Anyway, we stood there for about 5 minutes and the wine stewards just looked our way, then looked away. It felt like we were in the twilight zone.
Keep in mind, this is in Danville, which tends to be snooty anyway, but we pulled up in a mercedes and were dressed well and had showered, so it wasn't that we looked homeless or anything.
It's interesting that in this economy, they would ignore a customer...
We decided that we wanted to be somewhere that would actually serve us, so we left...
Anyone else have this experience? OR anyone there that night... I would love to know if we broke some unspoken Danville rule... in which case, since I live here I need to know !?!?!?!?
It does have nice decor, a great fireplace, small and cozy.
Why the 2 stars? I'm combining the 1st visit which was a 4 with this recent one. -
Review from Susan B.
Saratoga, CA
6/28/2007
Finally! A great place to get a glass of wine in Danville!
Prior to being 'Corks' this wine store was 'The Wine Sellars'. Despite the previously clever name, the owner was neither clever, or fun. Being that being Un-Fun in my world is pretty much the worst thing you can do, I was greatly upset by the vibe.
But now CORKS is da' bomb! We wondered into Corks to check out the new scene from a street fair - where the very pleasant host offered to 'buy' us a taste of wine. After pouring us a generous glass of a very delightful Pinot Gris we then moved onto Cabs and other new and unknown labels.
Corks hosts a lovely wine bar which is just what Danville was silently begging for and a great wine club. I'm really looking forward to upcoming tastings they have on the schedule for wineries such as Stags Leap and SilverOak. -
Review from Craig B.
San Leandro, CA
4/20/2009
We happened to stumble to this place while strolling down the street last Saturday night. It must have been about 8:00 pm. Most of the shops were closed or winding down, but we caught the glow of the fireplace in the back of the establishment, yet visible from the front door. What a great place it is! Dimly lit, warm vibe, and an awesome selection of wines, at all price points.
We didn't intend to go out drinking that night, yet we wanted to "whet our whistle", so we opted to share the "Flight of Pinots" for 19.00. They happily obliged and poured our single flight into two. While enjoying our wine, we listened to some guy on his guitar, who did some great versions of some Cat Stevens.....er.....whoever he is now...songs.
My only gripe is that the music might be a little loud (am I sounding old or WHAT!) There was a lot of wasted space behind the performer, so I would move the performer back, so the amp is not as close to the patrons. Doing so will also free up space for more tables.
All in all, had a great time, and will for sure return in the very near future! -
Review from Todd F.
Danville, CA
4/13/2009
The senorita and I visited Corks on Easter Sunday. What better way to celebrate the only recorded zombie resurrection in the history of man than with some bottled alcoholic goodness?
It was actually very spur of the moment, we were on our way to a party and wanted to get a pre-party glass of wine somewhere, and it seemed that everywhere else was closed. We walked in and were instantly greeted by David, who made us feel very comfortable. The menu was pretty decent, they have a large selection of wines to choose from. We ended up choosing one that we had previously tasted as a Double Gold Medal winner at the SF Chronicle Wine Comp (but didn't make the connection until later.) We shot the shit with David for a good 30 minutes while we were there, talking about wine, cougars, and the housing market. All in all, I really like this place and if we actually lived in Danville I'd probably spend a lot of time here. -
Review from Alexis M.
Updated - 2/25/2010
CLOSED
Not surprised.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/10/2009
I have to agree with the previous yelper who said it was weird. It was definitely an odd experience.… Read more »
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Review from Kim A.
San Francisco, CA
7/6/2007
UPDATE: WTF is going on with this place? On random nights a "tasting" is going down...but nothing like the vibe of yesteryear. Am I to imagine that the gang was letting one too many minors explore their inner-vintner?
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After hearing the other local peeps squawk about this place for the past two months, I finally got my butt in here. Which let me tell you - pure luck of the draw. The reason this place is minus one star would be the "if factor" on their hours. Got lucky to catch them open "after hours" before the big Danville July 4th parade....and I am a happier person for it.
The reds selection (by the bottle) offers several unexpected options - many from small, local wineries versus the over-hyped "Napa Brands". The staff appears to have a decent knowledge of what they are pushing and they definitely pour a generous "taste" glass. The "by the glass" menu only had one zin (of the true zinfandel variety---before anyone accuses me of enjoying Boone's Farm...wink!), but I am hoping to see some additional options in the near future.
The vibe was certainly lounge-y with the new couch/table arrangements - nice job! Mellow tunes of the adult alternative variety were being played, but not so overbearing that one has to yell to be heard.
As Brian B. mentions below.....this place has potential to be the 5 star/real deal after the initial "probationary period" - for me to make the "edit", I would need to see some later hours become available..... -
Review from Shar J.
Walnut Creek, CA
4/20/2009
I am not a big wine person and I usually end up hanging out in dive bars..so I don't know if you want to put much stock in my opinion...but
I went to Corks for the first time the other week for an open mic nite ( a friend was playing) and I had a really nice time.
They only had 3 people for the open mic, my friend (guitar), one of the owners i am assuming(guitar) and then another gal that sang.
There was a Santa Cruz Mountains area wine tasting going on. which was a pretty good deal...
It was very pretty inside and i liked the atmosphere, the staff was very friendly.
I thought to myself while i sat there "this would be a nice place to stop by on a date or something.
so yeah, i thought it was pretty cool. -
Review from Brian B.
Livermore, CA
7/4/2007
very cool wine bar. great staff. wonderful atmosphere. lots and lots and lots of wine. i hate 'wine bars' that have a couple of dozen choices. this place has a fantastic selection and mostly from small wineries. the prices are reasonable to boot. they did have some of the 'usual suspects' at the high end (silver oak cab, twomey merlot) but for the most part, just a great number of interesting wines. also had a cheese plate for $10 that could have been bigger and guys, those crackers are dirt cheap. try doubling or tripling the number you put on the plate.
i was surprised...shocked actually...that the 'by the glass' list was so small. i've never understood this. they basically break even at 2 glasses. if they had to throw some out occasionally would that be the end of the world? and with the vacuum stoppers now, that will never happen anyway. of the wines on the 'glass' list, you can also buy a taste for about a third of the glass price.
the place just opened in may so i'm sure some of this will shake out and it'll be a solid 5 star attraction. danville is kind of a snooze but this place is enough of a destination that i highly recommend checking it out if you're in the area. -
Review from Michael A.
San Diego, CA
9/11/2007
Danville? Yes, Danville. I was lured back to the place I spent over 15 years of life for some wine and well more wine. I was pleasantly surprise to know one of the owners from my high school days and the fun began there. I was immediately introduced to the bar mates (as my friend was 2 hours late) and ended up having blast w/ peeps I just met. I thought the wine was great then again I'm a fan of the award winning two buck chuck so what do I know. Anyway, let's get back to the ambiance... candle lit, very chill, and definitely not the Danville I grew up on. It was a welcomed surprise. THe best part is the HD kung foo movie muted in the background. It slightly reminded me of Kitch Bar in Costa Mesa without the disturbing manican heads, vodka, and a DJ spinning. Idunno if you were to show off the CoCo scene you may want to include this destination.
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Review from Moxy T.
San Leandro, CA
8/16/2007
Stumbled upon this place while walking around the downtown area in Danville. Upon first entering it 's much more "bar" than tasting, and I wasn't sure, but one of the owners (I call him Jr.) beckoned us in. We had a great time. They have an amazing amount of wines in there and the service was great! I told Jr. what kind of wine I like and he accommodated me, BUT he also got me to taste wines I may not have at first. I was very pleased w/everything I tasted and left with several bottles.
They have a small bar where you can sit and enjoy wine and sometimes appetizers depending on how busy the night before was. The rest of the place is cozy couches, tables and chairs. A great place to take a friend or group. I've heard that when night falls it is more of a bar type wine joint which most seem to enjoy, live music as well. I hear the turnout is big so get there early.
the only downside is the bathroom is literally down the street and around the corner. I will be back though. -
Review from Sharon Q.
Livermore, CA
2/27/2008
Love it. I can get sick of bars and night clubs but Corks is a breath of fresh air in the valley. Corks or cozy and inviting. Enjoy one of the many choices of wine they sell by the glass. They also offer flights and tastes for people who want to try it all or just a little. I believe there is live music in the weekends. They did when I was there but if you're there to have a nice chat you'll be happy to know that won't have to yell.
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Review from Simon J.
San Ramon, CA
5/10/2009
This is definitely an unique place. I feel like every time I go in here, I'm sitting in my uncle's living room. It's a nice change of pace from the other restaurants and bars in Danville and the manager Chad is a really nice guy. The only reason it doesn't get five stars is that the wines are a little marginal, but maybe Chad can fix that.
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Review from AriesMist H.
Hayward, CA
12/27/2008
What happened?
My girlfriends and I visited this place on a Saturday back in July of 2007 and we got the VIP treatment. A man named Victor worked there and he treated us like queens. Not only did he cater to us, but he was able to recommend some really good wine. He went out of his way to make us comfortable and we appreciated it. He was charming, cute and sweet, but kept a professional air about himself. To top everything off, the crowd was older, the ambiance was relaxing, and a good mix of music was played. My girlfriends and I came back to visit on a Saturday a few months ago and it seemed like a different place.
Victor no longer works there and the bartender/manager was... well... He recommended a good wine, but he was no Victor. The decor and layout is the same, but there was no music playing, the crowd was terribly old (like my grandparents), and the atmosphere was just plain dull. I'm just not feeling this place anymore. -
Review from Andrew R.
San Ramon, CA
7/8/2010
For those of you who loved the atmosphere of Corks and still cant find it at any of the other wine bars around you should try Yellow Wood in Alamo. So great boutique wines, live music, great food, and the staff is amazing. Plus FREE Wine Tasting on Thursdays. Give it a shot. 215 Alamo Plaza, Alamo CA
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Review from Vinnie D.
San Francisco, CA
1/13/2009
Ok...this place was way better when Victor and Todd were there. They used to have great wine and service. The music was great and the vibw was cool. Now it's kind of a joke. No good wine, nobody ever there, and just not fun anymore. Without Vic and Todd the place doesn't get it. I highly doubt they will be there much longer. If they could get those 2 back and a few other thing i"d go back but no now.
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Review from Ivy a.
Pleasant Hill, CA
8/7/2009
Just wanted to let you all know that we had a ball last nite..Great music, lots of dancing & sing-along..The place was packed and felt like a cozy crowd..Everyone was so friendly and we had a couple generous pours..I'll be checking in to see up coming music & events...Look forward to bringing some girlfriends in..Keep up the good work !!
