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About This Business:
Welcome to K&L Wine Merchants! Since 1976 we've been proud to offer the world's finest wines, great service and competitive prices. We offer thousands… read more »
32 reviews for Domenico Wines
32 reviews in English
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Review from Maggie L.
Hayward, CA
10/22/2011
Cute tasting room and Dominic is super welcoming and attractive ! My mom and I totally had the hots for him! Wine was delicious too :)
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Review from Amanda G.
1/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
I recently attended a holiday party here held by the company where my husband works.
I hate to say it, but from the outside it looks old and a bit dated. Actually, the decor inside isn't very modern either.
Although, the people that work here, (who i have chatted with at several Yelp events in the past) are really nice, and they pour some fantastic wines.
The food was brought in by a catering company, and it was ok, but not great. The place REALLY reminds of somewhere you'd go for a wedding reception, (and no doubt is.)
There was a live band there that night, and even though they weren't great, we had a blast and danced a lot.
I would come back for wine tasting and purchasing. -
Review from Surely H.
Mountain View, CA
8/23/2011
Pros: With a Groupon, (relatively) cheap. Unique setup.
Cons: Just about everything else.
A couple of months ago, we came upon a great deal for a wine tasting at a local establishment. $15 for two people, and a free bottle (up to $30 in price). It sounded like a can't-miss deal.
We should have been tipped off that the establishment was in the middle of an industrial park in Belmont. Still, we were open to a unique experience. The interior was a wide open, cordoned-off area with a couple of tables, some wine casks and a bar filled with 15-20 patrons, most of whom came for the same deal.
The wines ranged in price from $9.75 to $27 and were not very good. The owners were a little pushy trying to push a wine sponsored by a TV show on Showtime, which struck me as especially odd. In the end, we took a Chardonnay as our free bottle; we're trying to use it for cooking, rather than drinking.
Bottom line: For a wine tasting, you're better off heading to Napa or, if you can't travel that far, trying some of the local fare in Los Gatos or Half Moon Bay. -
Review from Jennifer M.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 9/30/2011
My agency 10th Annual Leadership Awards were held here again for the second year in a row. Awesome the event went smooth and I have to say A HUGE Thank you to husband and wife team of Domenico Winery and staff. Ambiance was elegant yet casual, your red wines (Italian) was smooth, you have excellent taste. Your dessert wine was a hit with staff. Once again, Domenico Winery commemorated my agency with two exquisite bottles going back to our roots theme. I bought one of each; Chardonnay and Barbera Red wine. So good, Thank you! Guests and staff were happy.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/15/2010
4Cs Leadership awards were held here at Domenico Winery and just Love, Love this venue. They work… Read more »
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Review from Jenn L.
6/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
3.5 stars.
We came to Domenico Wines during Vintner's Festival and found them to be a great host to other wineries. We saved Domenico Wines for last and it was a great end to a great day. The wine maker came to talk to us personally and when we expressed interest in other wines that they had (that were not on the tasting list), they offered us generous pours.
They also provided great appetizers for the event.
Bf and I walked away with 2 Italian wines in hand and purchased a case of an advance release. I can't wait for the wines to be ready and indulge! -
Review from Tami B.
Sunnyvale, CA
12/23/2011
Our favorite winery. The staff is fantastic and the wine is superb
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Review from Cindi M.
San Jose, CA
Updated - 11/25/2010
I got to taste some more Domenico at another Yelp event. I got to taste 4 different wines of his and they were uber delicious. I'm more of a red wine fan, especially the Cabs. Although I'm a die-hard Cab fan, I did however really enjoy the Super Tuscan Red that he was pouring.
I have all the plans to visit this winery in person. I hope that it is as nice at the winery as the people who pour.Listed in: Wine Tasting
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7/29/2010
They were at a Yelp event serving wine. The guy pouring was very friendly, talkative, and… Read more »
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Review from Jessica J.
Redwood City, CA
Updated - 8/30/2010 1 Check-in Here
Zak & I got to "Stalk" Dominico at another tasting event. We were going to FINALLY get our hands on that bottle of Primitivo we missed out on at the last event. Alas, they like to sample different wines at their tasting events... Go figure! haha
And so... now they gave us MORE varietals to drool over! The Super Tuscan Red! The Syrah! And... BumBumBUMMMMMMM The Viogner! Oh my! This is not the last time Dominico will see us! By far! Ridiculously great variety of wines here that perfectly capture your tastebuds for a smooth ride & delightful finish!Listed in: Stomp Me, Crush Me, Make me…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/24/2010
Quote of mine from a Tasting event: "... WAIT! ... WAIT! ohhhhhhhh, don't say they are packed up… Read more »
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Review from Jen K.
6/2/2010
This is a review for their wine ONLY. I have not been to their location (yet) but after tonight, I'm planning to.
Tonight Domenico Wines provided the wine for the Yelps and Plant Warehouse Event. Dominick is a great character, loves to tell stories about the wines and his grandfather, who taught him how to make wine. He's Staten Island Italian and has a real passion for his Italian wine and his heritage.
I'm usually more of a sweet wine fan (I can't wait to try their Orange Muscat) but I really enjoyed the wine I sampled, one Chardonnay and 3 various reds. Be sure to get the history of each wine, one uses grapes that were grown in Pompeii! Its sure to be a great adventure, both in story telling and wine. -
Review from Dennis O.
4/6/2010
Now this is a great place for an event.
Big open space, tables, several barrels around and candles all over the place. You would not expect a winery in this area since most of the buildings around are warehouses. As you can see from the pictures, it's a little lavish for a wine-tasting place.
They do have a ballroom dancing event every 3rd sunday of the month ( I think) and have other vendors from time to time (Sam's Chowdermobile was around when I came by). -
Review from Dan B.
1/31/2010 1 Check-in Here
I attended a school fundraising event at Domenico and the experience can be summed up in pretty short order:
Great venue; Terrible wine.
I like the fact that it is close to home; I like the cavernous space lined with wine casks; The hired caterers were nice. But when you're at an event in a winery and you feel compelled to switch to beer, that's a bad sign.
2 stars, but they had the sense to offer alternatives, so I'll add one more. Plus, it was a fun night overall. -
Review from Vi Y.
6/21/2010
$5 Fridays: $5 admission, Live Reggae Band, $5 glasses of wine, 2 for $5 Domestic Beer, and MOGO Korean Taco Truck! All of my very favorite things, minus the Domestic Beer.
Pros:
The band was great. It wasn't too loud, to where you had to talk over each other. Great sound system.
The couches! I love being able to sit comfortably for hours on end, listening to Reggae music.
Mogo....YUMMY! Review to follow.
Very friendly/mixed crowd. Everyone was just there to have a good time, dancing as if nobody was watching.
Cons:
For such a great event, the place was nearly empty, with only about 20 people max. (They need to advertise more!)
The $5 wine pours were really small. Some pours were the same size as just a tasting pour at Cielo earlier in the week.
They did not offer flights or other wines by the glass, so very limited bar selection.
No wine pairing for the food. Being at a winery, they should have tried to pair a few wines with the food to connect everything being off erred.
If I was the owner here, I'd skip the $5 cover charge, and try to get all the people in line for Mogo to come in to listen to some great Reggae, since they had plenty of space in there, making the vibe more festive. If they have a great time and have a place to sit and eat their Mogo, they might spend more $$ in beer and wine than charging the $5 at the door.
I'd also add more couches, so people can relax after work and just sip on a glass of wine comfortably.
I'd still love to go here again, and I'll be telling all of my friends the next time they have live reggae again! And I'll make sure to come super early so I can get the couch section again! -
Review from Suzan L.
Los Angeles, CA
7/8/2010
I met the owner of Domenico Wines last night at a yelp social event and my oh my was he a passionate fellow. We got to taste 4 different wines of his and they were uber delicious. I'm more of a white wine girl so i immediately fell in love with what i think was named "Rosetta"?
I was moved mostly by his passion and knowledge and you can definitely taste it through his wine. -
Review from David P.
3/29/2008
Having a winery in your own town for sending gifts to friends and families, how cool is that!
Not the most earth shattering vintages around, but its definitely shown improvement since it started and the owner is certainly passionate about his work.
I visited there most recently for a reception of 100+ people and as an event space, it worked out really well. It was cavernous and kinda cool that all those wine casks line the walls.
They also get an A for effort for the regular Jazz evenings and special events they hold (e.g., Valentine's Day Dinner).Listed in: Whining for Good Wine
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Review from Melissa S.
Oakland, CA
3/26/2007
Hmmm... 1 Star for the awful, awful wines.
3 stars for the Italian tenor Michael Buble wannabe belting it out super loud in the barrel room.
5 stars for creating a Jersey/Frank Sinatra speakeasy on Industrial Drive in San Carlos.
5 Stars for letting fools create their own terrible wine with their own label.
soo, all in all, 3 stars. This is for entertainment not gorgeous wines.Listed in: Oenophilia: Mimi Style
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Review from Sara L.
San Francisco, CA
8/2/2010
I too met the owner of this winery at a Yelp event. The white wine was crisp and delish. If you don't get to check it out at a Yelp event, you can go to a wine tasting for just $5.
And the bottles are super affordable quality. -
Review from Vivien W.
San Francisco, CA
1/31/2008
I recently planned a guided wine tasting here, with appetizers and pasta for 20 people for under $1000. And that included 5 more bottles of wine for people to have at the beginning. The venue is cavernous (warehouse-like), but the wine bar itself is nice and the area around the tables is decorated nicely with string lights. (Particularly around Christmas time they had more elaborate themed decor).
Dominic hosted/entertained the group with his stories of winemaking in his basement in Jersey, then gave a small tour afterwards of his operations. It was super casual, and people got up and down to get more food as the pouring/tasting took place. And yes, the wines were unexpectedly good for this discriminating crowd (and some folks actually bought some to bring back home).
Overall, everyone was very happy with the event and I highly recommend this for a cost-effective but fun office gathering. Ignore the odd location on Industrial Road--it's great to break up all the auto body shops here with something unusual (other than 24 Hour Fitness across the road). -
Review from Kashwan R.
Redwood City, CA
4/23/2009
Domenic is the man. I had to get some wine for my wedding and he took time out of his schedule to have me taste all of the different creations that was under the Domenico label. I had a pretty low budget for wine and he made it work.
I opted for the Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, and Meritage (their cab merlot blend) and all worked very well for the reception. It is hard to satisfy everyone at a reception but everyone had a great time and there were many complements on the wine.
His staff was also very helpful in filling my order and it took nearly an hour of one on one time to for the order to be completed. I picked up everything the day before the wedding without any problems at all.
Thanks to everyone their for working to make my wedding so memorable!!!
In addition, I have been to several SC Chamber events held here and they have always been a great. This is the perfect place for a large group to get together and have a good time. Get on their email list for weekly events that include live music and wine specials. -
Review from Aco A.
Redwood City, CA
4/23/2008 2 Check-ins Here
The staff there is fantastic. You will always get excellent service. The owners are great. They really have created a wonderful environment where you feel like you are part of the family when you go for any event or tasting.
I've been a member with the club since 2004 and my wife and I have bought several barrels of wine over the years. The wine is great, especially for the price point. You get to design your own labels and bottle your wine in the summer. It's the best wine experience that I've been involved in and we plan on staying on with them for a long time.
The place is great also for renting out and hosting events. We've had a few there and every time it's a class act. Everyone is always impressed. -
Review from Angela S.
San Francisco, CA
7/13/2009
Stop 2 on the bachelorette party train. Although its not your typical winery, I really enjoyed it. The tasting room and winery are in a wharehouse in the industrial area of San Carlos. They really try to soften it up with tall boys and lots of decorations though, and I definitely give them credit for that.
They are super Italian and from New Jersey so they have the Rat Pack playing all the time, I mean really how can you complain about that.
The wines are super tasty and the genteman who was working at the tasting room was super friendly. You could tell he really knew his stuff and was super passionate about wine making and history.
Again the location of this place is a little odd but its definitely worth the trip if you want to just taste at one spot.
Apparently they have a lot of neighborhood activities, bands and dancing at night to get people in. I'll definitely be back here! -
Review from Donna S.
San Jose, CA
8/4/2008
A friend of ours kept talking about this place, and how it was back in some industrial area where you would never find it. We've ventured down to Paso Robles pretty often now that we've discovered how fun it is, but it occurred to us that we probably had some great wineries in our own backyard.
So one Saturday we thought we would drive up the peninsula and check out Domenico, then head over to Thomas Fogarty. We had mixed feelings about how great it would actually end up being, but, boy, were we surprised!
We arrived right when they opened, and walked into a really great space to host an event. If only we'd known...we got married in Campbell a couple of months ago! Anyway, we were the only people there, but...I think it was Mike...was extremely friendly and full of information. The whites did nothing for us, but the reds were very impressive! We ended up taking home 8 bottles of wine AND joining the club. Favorites...um...the meritage, the bella rouge, the super tuscany... they are all good for a glass during a weeknight meal. -
Review from m. S.
San Mateo, CA
7/17/2011
This review is for the site as a venue and also for the owners. I have used Domenico for both school fundraisers and for my sister's wedding. For both, the experience was top notch because of the service and attention to detail that the staff and owners give. They care about their business and strive to get things right. They also deal with stressed out brides and grooms with calm and even advice. When my sister's dress had a minor tear in it at the reception, a needle and thread was whipped out by the owner and the repair made--thanks, Domenicos! When my sister didn't plan a few logistics properly, easy and viable solutions were offered--thanks, Domenicos! When candles went out on the tables, guess who went around relighting them? Truth be told, had they not guided my sister and brother-in-law, the wedding may not have been as lovely as it turned out to be. I HIGHLY recommend this place as a reception site if the groom and bride 1) like dancing (there's plenty of dance space) 2) want to be local and not at a hotel (this is more unique) and 3) want to work with some of the nicest, most helpful people around.
For full disclosure, I will say one teensy drawback: the winery is located in an industrial area. BUT DON'T let this deter you. First, if you are planning on a wedding during the rainy season (which seems to be longer and longer these past few years), you aren't going to have the reception outside anyway. Secondly, hotel receptions are usually so cookie cutter. Domenico will encourage you to make it your own!
My son's elementary school had their fundraiser here too. It was perfect! We loved working with them for three years. Then, we moved schools and the current one has the fundraiser at a different location. All of us involved in the earlier event agree that Domenico has the other places beat, hands down. -
Review from Jeff P.
Oakland, CA
11/10/2007
An industrial park in San Carlos is an odd spot for a winery tasting room, yet that is where you will find Domenico. They have an interesting array of wines, most with an Italian slant. I wouldn't describe them as "awful" as Melissa S. did, at all. They were actually pretty good. Nothing shook my world but I did buy the Nebbiolo.
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Review from Theresa S.
San Francisco, CA
6/11/2010
If I were to open my own winery this is how I would do it.
It starts with great wine and they've got it.
Great owner/wine maker, and of course behind every great man is a greater woman. Very friendly and passionate, instant simpatico.
Visited the space for the first time yesterday, and was truly blown away. A private event was wrapping up and they were closed, but Domenick waved me over to the tasting bar and started pouring. I was truly surprised and grateful. The event that was just wrapping up had a stage with screen and sound system, big space. Background of the barrels and wine making supplies added to the ambience of the event (the wine didn't seem to hurt). Events in this space seem natural.
They also host wine-making classes where they walk you through the process and teach you how to make your own wine.
I am truly blown away by the business model that Domenico Wines has in place and will be a wine club member and frequent visitor for years to come!
p.s. not a bad place to bring a guest you pick up from SFO, quick and easy to get here from the airport. nice spot to catch up for a little while after your are rushed from the curb at baggage claim! -
Review from Todd F.
Danville, CA
11/24/2009
We had a pleasant tasting experience at Domenico winery last Saturday during the passport weekend. They have a beautiful warehouse (?!) where they hold events as well as age their barrels in. Has a really chill, laid back feel to it; very inviting. The wine servers were both very gracious and were enthusiastic about their wine. Their wine offerings were decent, I think our favorite of the day was the 2008 Zin that we tasted from the barrel, it was impressive and will probably be ever better when they bottle it in 2010.
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Review from Sandi G.
San Jose, CA
3/23/2010
Domenico participated in a fundraising gala for our agency this past weekend. I was pleasantly surprised by their professionalism and knowledge of wine. Their wines were paired with desserts from the Art Institute of California's cooking school.
Their Orange Muscat was a big hit amongst the 200 guests and it promptly sold out. Their port was also good. They brought a couple of other wines including their 2005 Super Tuscan.
We will definitely plan a trip out to visit them soon. -
Review from Jenny R.
San Francisco, CA
1/20/2010
Similar to La Honda, this winery is located in an industrial area in a huge warehouse type building. The decor is not quite as cozy and warm feeling as La Honda because it's in a bigger space, but it diffused the crowd - I hate feeling like I have to fight through people to get to the wine. The pourer was friendly and knowledgeable, explaining a lot about where the different grapes were grown, etc. And they had cheese, crackers and sliced meat - food is always a huge plus in my book.
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Review from Melissa G.
Redwood City, CA
9/17/2007
5 stars for the wine. Dozens (Hundreds? There are a LOT of plaques lining the walls in there) of medals & awards don't lie. Domenico creates some fabulous Italian varietals with California grapes.
5 stars for Pasquale Esposito, an unrivaled local Italian tenor, whose high notes on "Con te partiro" can unexpectedly take one's breath away.
5 stars for the generous & kind proprietors who saved this Melissa the day before her (rained out) wedding day by providing a warm hospitable venue for which the reception could be relocated.
I make wine with my husband in their winemaking club. The people are friendly and our wine (our first was a Barbera) is yummy.
So all in all, 5 stars. Domenico Winery is a great entertainment venue with great wine whose proprietors give 100%. It's a fun place to be and you can taste wine there 12pm - 5pm every single dingle day. -
Review from Bill W.
San Francisco, CA
7/20/2008
I absolutely love this winery. While completely non-obvious from the outside, once you walk in, you'll find a comfortable (although dark and sparse) atmosphere with super-friendly staff and superb wines.
As a warning - this winery tends to offer a much greater variety for those who prefer red wines, and especially heavy reds (petite sirah, cabernet franc, barbera, miscela, etc...). Due to the small size of this winery and the popularity of their wines, the really impressive wines sell out extremely fast (Barbera), and some are only available to members (Cab Franc).
We stumbled upon this winery by accident a few years ago, and have been coming ever since, always with the intention of "just tasting" and never leaving without at least a half case of something.
I travel to Napa/Sonoma usually at least once per month, and have also explored the variety of wineries and vineyards scattered throughout Santa Cruz, but I keep coming back to Domenico for several reasons:
1) The extremely friendly staff. Unlike some places in Napa or Sonoma, the staff here are never pretentious or make you feel stupid if you don't know absolutely everything about wine. They also want to make sure you ENJOY wine tasting and want to come back. In fact, the last time I was there, we were invited into the back area to bottle, cork, seal, and label bottles - an experience I guarantee you'll be hard pressed to find at another winery.
2) Some of their wines are absolutely unbelievable. As mentioned before, it helps if you prefer heavy reds, but there's something here for everyone. I have no idea what Melissa was talking about giving this place "1 Star for the awful, awful wines" I guess some snobs will never be impressed. Later this year, they'll be bottling their new vintage (2006) Barbera, so if you like big reds, be sure to stop by around the holidays and try it before it sells out.
3) The proximity - why drive 100 miles up the north bay, when there's a winery of this quality in your backyard that sells wine at half the price.
I could go on and on, but the gist is that Domenico is a stellar winery and if you live on the peninsula and enjoy wine, you owe it to yourself to stop by and check it out. -
Review from R H.
Burlingame, CA
5/2/2009
Didn't love the wines, I struggled to find one I liked the taste of... But, this is a GREAT place to have an event a birthday, a cocktail party. GREAT place to socialize..It can be a challenge when the band is there.
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Review from Sarah M.
San Jose, CA
1/18/2010
Another surprising find in an odd location. I was again (like when we went to La Honda) expecting absolutely nothing out of this winery given the industrial location. The inside was like a giant warehouse, but it was nice that they had tables and chairs set up and also a cute little area with a couple sofas and a coffee table. Kind of weird to have a living room set up in the middle of a warehouse, but it was a nice touch. Oh and they had crackers, cheese, fruit, some sliced meat...and some goat cheese with walnuts and drizzled with honey that my friends raved about. Awesome!! But can't rate a winery all that well if they don't have quality wine...which they do! In my opinion. And I'm no somalier but they have a few that were more italian in body, style and flavor and that is a huge bonus for me. Also, the guy working (Mike?) gave us the full run down on regions of Italy the wine style was designed after and where the specific grapes were from...and also asked us where else we were planning to go and gave us tips on each winery. What a guy!
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Review from Brian A.
San Diego, CA
12/11/2010
Wonderful experience.. great wines, amazing discussions. We have gone tasting in Napa, Sonoma, Lodi, Paso Robles and a few other places. We stopped into Domenico after tasting from the San Carlos Wine and Art Festival in October, we had had an Aglianico.. great. It was a weekend visit and it wasn't busy. Mike was there...who's amazingly knowledgeable and a great person to discuss different varietals. Everything about wine tasting is about the atmosphere, the environment, and the wines. We'd visited a winery earlier in the day in Half Moon Bay (ok), but the wines here were very flavorful, the decor in with the wine barrels was inviting, and the pours were liberal.. always a good way to start. We got great detail about where the wines were produced, they had a sale, and we walked out with a great selection! It's nice to find a place in your own backyard with some great values and some good knowledge about wine without the pretense of some other places.
