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Categories: Beer, Wine & Spirits, Specialty Food, Flowers & Gifts [Edit]
Neighborhood: Civic Center/TenderloinMon-Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
"What else really is there to say about a place that has nearly 200 reviews, with a solid collection of five-star reviews? Quite possibly…" read more »
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I almost literally stumbled into NVWE, walking across the street from a job interview. The interview went well (they hired me!). I was feeling like celebrating -- so I dropped in to Napa Valley Wine Exchange to buy a bottle of wine. I was completely impressed with not only their selection, but incredible knowledge and helpfulness. I walked out with four bottles of wine and I've become a regular call--them-and-order-wine-based-one-their-recommen dation kind of customer.
It is such a pleasure to have a wonderful collection of wine accompanied by knowledge and customer service. If you haven't tried them, you should!
They tend to offer small releases so prices can range -- but the value is superb. Give them a call and see what you think!
I am really happy to have found this wine shop, and even happier that they have a good selection of half-bottles. And along with the wide selection it's nice to get some expert advice for each bottle.
I had the pleasure of talking with Wine Consultant, Midori, and she was very helpful in pointing out all the different varietals and appellations. We had a good time discussing the different Russian River and Dry Creek wines that are available.
I know that if I need something extra special and delicious........this is the place to shop for wine. And yes, they do have some single vineyard wines that are a little pricey, but paying for that quality is well worth it, and there are those occasions that call for an expensive bottle of wine. I was also able to find some wines that are reasonably priced. And with the help of the staff, just let them know your price range and you'll leave very happy. For that reason I've classified their price range as "moderate."
When I saw this entry, I swear I thought there was a mistake with the Google Map. I mean, a wine store in the Tenderloin?
On closer inspection, however, the mystery solved itself. They're not reeeeaally in the Tenderloin; they're merely across Taylor St from the Hilton. Combine that with the huge signs trumpeting the existence of "Napa" wines here (wow, Napa, really? ;), the near-utter lack of affordable stuff (I think they had maybe 4 reds under $20), and the fact that my living in San Francisco got me a discount, and it all adds up: this is a wine store targeted to out-of-town tourists who don't have time to make it to our legendary wineries.
Which is fine and all, but for locals, I'd say stick to the neighborhood shops.
Deep within the loins of Tender, the elixir of Satyrs awaits. Although vast interpretations of that theme abound -- given the right price -- I can mean only one libation: Napa Valley Wine.
Within this organized and attractive boutique, you will discover fine examples of small production wines of that region -- many hard to find. There is no "under $10" table -- bottles range from the twenties into the hundreds.
We asked for a rich, chewy red and the consultant, James Butler, offered us a taste of the Dutton Estate, Gail Ann's Syrah '04. (he was planning a staff tasting of it later ) Indeed, it was perfectly suited, promising depth upon further breathing. We bought a bottle and our birthday girl was quite pleased with the choice. Delicious.
If you are seeking unusual, hard to find wines for the discerning palate, NVWE is worth the trek and cost. It is truly the holy grail of Napa wines.
Let me preface this by saying that I know very little about wine itself, so this spot may or may not be as good as it gets, but judging by its other reviews it's pretty darn good. I do know people though, and this place is good peoples.
One of the salesman (possibly even the owner?), a slightly manic middle-aged fellow with a woolly mustache, clearly has an encyclopedic knowledge of just about every bottle of wine in the shop and knows offhand precisely what they do or don't have in stock. Like Rain Manesque knowledge, it's a little startling. I picture his apartment as a bed, a hot plate, a case of a fabulous little-known French wine, and ten thousand pristine jazz records kept in immaculate order according to the Zodiac sign of the album's producer. But he's a heck of a nice guy and knows how to accurately describe a wine to a total novice without talking over your head with wine snob terminology or making you feel stupid, which is an underrated skill.
Wide selection, prices range from "not exactly cheap" to "who the hell are you trying to impress?".
So obviously passionate about what they do it's refreshing, and a 10% discount to city residents. Good peoples.
This place has a cool atmosphere and lots of good wine. All of the sudden I forgot that I had just been in the hustle and bustle of the Tenderloin and focused my efforts on the pursuit of fine wine. What a great thing wine can be and those of us fortunate enough to be able to shop at places like this are truly blessed.
I recently discovered Cabernet Franc and they sold me an excellent one. I found the service there to be friendly and knowledgeable without the slightest air of pretension or sales pressure. It's a great establishment and I'll be back soon.
One thing to note is this place is very close to Hidden Vine (one of the best wine bars in SF). If you really want a wine overload, you can do both in a single trip.
This tiny whisp of a room is, in miniature, what a boutique wine store is all about: solid selection, personal attention, and decent knowledge their inventory. They don't carry foreign wines, value wines, or merchandise beyond the occasional chocolate bar. What's left is the classic Napa Valley wine, what wine lovers drink in California, not the mass market stuff you're likely to find in an out-of-state restaurant.
Prices are a few bucks more than BevMo, Whole Foods, and the wine stores outside downtown but you can forgive them considering the rents in Union Square. If you're a local there's a 10% discount that erases much of the upcharge. If you're from out of town don't hate on us - we pay more than that in city taxes everyday. You won't find a better deal within walking distance of your hotel.
I placed a phone order from Los Angeles, so this review is specifically about the service I received over the phone:
Outstanding.
As a holiday business gift, the chief preselected a bottle of Cabernet to send to two of our associates. Unfortunately, the store only had one bottle left, but they were kind enough to suggest another bottle that they'd only just received. The suggested alternative was not only rare and highly coveted, but I was also told that it was of equal quality, if not better than the wine we'd originally selected AND [drum roll] $100 CHEAPER! [crashing cymbals and trumpet blasts]. Don't get me wrong, it was still costly, but the difference was I felt like I was getting a really special bottle of wine, not simply an expensive one. Sadly (and against my will) we ended up going for dollar signs. What an awful waste of good advice!
Zoe was prompt, informative, courteous, questioned how we came about choosing the original bottle, did a little bit of research, called me back post haste with several alternatives, and was HONEST!
Five stars for honesty!!!!!! Can I get a witness!?!???
Geez.
Before I departed NYC for SF, I was told NOT to buy wine at the wineries as the wineries tended to overcharge you (b/c they didn't want to anger their distributors in SF). So I scoped out this wine shop on Yelp and didn't leave disappointed.
While I don't think this shop was a bargain...
Our saleswoman was extremely helpful and steered me towards wine that was not distributed on the east coast and not necessarily towards the high priced bottles :)
We ordered a case and were given a 10% discount (for ordering a case). We were even allowed to have 1/2 bottles count towards the case just as a full bottle would. Our saleswoman let us know that we could place orders over the phone and have it shipped. Good to know...
Loved the little bubble wrap shaped like a wine bottle to pack my single bottles in my luggage. Super cute!
If I fall in love w/ one of the wines we ordered, will definitely consider ordering again, but shipping can get expensive...
I live very close to this cute wine shop and I feel very fortunate.
I like them because:
1. They are little expensive than Trader Joes or BivMo because they are located in touristy area but they have much better collection of California wine. Also you GET 10% OFF if you tell them you live in SF.
2. They will pack the wine for you very nicely in a box to travel in the plane.
3. They ship their wine to Japan using Kuronekoyamato.
4. They have nice and tight variety of sparkling wine in the fridge.
The owner and sales staff are always very friendly and helpful. Last time, I discovered Mirabelle. Now Mirabelle (55% Chardonnay, 45% Pinot Noir - 64% Napa, 20% Mendocino, 13% Sonoma, 2% Marin, 1% Monterey) is one of my favorite reasonable California sparkling wine. This sparkling has a wonderfully crisp acidity with hint of citrus and green apple. Very dry clean finish. .
NVWE has product that is not easily found outside of the vineyards. Prager port, just to name one.
When I stay next door at the Serrano, I splurge and purchase something from here. My last purchase was Le Vol Des Anges (Flight of Angels). A dessert wine by Bonny Doon Vineyards. Excellent!
Bonny Doon is not quite Napa Valley, being located in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Nevertheless, NVWE carries some of the premier brands in Northern California.
For those of you who don't know me, I'm going to share a little secret with you: I am allergic to beer and wine. There, it's out. So don't try to take me to any wine bars or breweries. This chica is all about the hard stuff. We're talking whiskey, scotch, tequila, grappa. No ice, no mixes, nothing.
Personal drinking aside, I get invited to a lot of house parties, birthdays, potlucks, what have you, and I am always designated to bring the vino.
I just don't drink the stuff (because my lips and eyelids will puff up and explode) and I can never remember which brand people like. Let's face it, if I try to pick out a bottle of wine, it will be because of the label, not any awards.
Enter my savior, Napa Valley Winery Exchange. These folks kick butt when it comes to wine ! Zoe is my personal shopper. I just walk in, tell her what is on the dinner menu, the type of party, my price range and voila! The perfect bottle of wine! She keeps my purchases in the computer (as well as my friends who have accounts) so I can easily pick up favorites or try something new.
Rest assured when I go to the party, everyone is oohing and aahing about the wine. I can't help but smile, unscrew my flask, and kick back of a shot of Jameson.
Napa in the city? Yup!
I really like this wine shop. It's very small, but a great place to find obscure wines and what some would consider "cult" wines.
The staff is extremely friendly and knowledgeable and it's nice to have a wine shop in the heart of the FiDi that is within walking distance of work.
I met their sales rep Donald Gillete while working at Dutton Goldfield Winery during Barrel Tasting weekend a few weeks ago, and he was very friendly and down to earth----not what I've experienced when meeting other people in wine sales.
Anyway, if you're downtown and need a nice bottle of wine for a date or as a gift, you can't go wrong with Napa Valley Winery Exchange.
Shatangi appreciates great local wines. Where better to find them than the Napa store. The friendly staff knows their4 wine and will find something in your price range to meet your needs. 10% neighborhood discount ain't bad either.
Shatangi told you
Nice little place that has good and interesting small produciton wines occasionally. This place cost me a fortune, because they turned me on to Paso Robles wines and we ended up buying a house down there! (thus all my review of Paso wineries and restaurants!). The staff is usually good and can steer you to what you like. In spite of the name, they offer wines from other regions. Difficult parking, but you can usually stop in the garage next door and run in without paying! I got yelled at once by the parking attendant, but one of the store's staff smoothed it over.
When I say I know nothing about wine, I mean I know absolutely nothing about wine. I was surprised to find this convenient and friendly little wine shop right on the edge of my beloved TL. I told them that I wanted something for a dinner host that you couldn't get at Safeway, to which they said, "ALL of our wines can't be found at Safeway." This place features small and lesser-known wineries in an accessible manner that didn't intimidate even the stupidest of wine drinkers.
I still don't know what I bought, but it was reasonably priced, light in color and went over well at dinner. Even suburbanites get the 10% discount!
Warning this post is only applicable to people who like napa valley cabernets.
If you are into napa valley cabs this is the best place for you. They have most of the small "indie" labels found in napa (e.g. stanton, meyer, miner, sherwin, versant and valance to name a few). The store also carries most of the larger, better known cab labels (quintessa, lewis, foley, silver oak, etc). It give a 10% discount to all SF residents. The prices are very reasonable (with the discount) and the breath of selection is overwhelming. They have a cab club that ships 4x a year....I highly recommend it.
The staff know their shit and are very helpful.
For my tastes, this is the best wine store in SF.
Ohhhhhhh what a gem!! Who would have guessed that 2 blocks from Jones and Ellis you can find the best selection of Napa wines in the city. They had a whole case of a particularly hard to find Chateau Montelena that I have been hunting down for about a year!! The staff is also very knowledgeable and not at all pretentious. They love wine and want you to keep coming back... and what an incentive their mailing list is. You get 10% off every purchase when you sign up and they track your purchases (great if you cant remember the info of a good bottle you bought last month).
Huge fan of this place. As my parents are the types that are impossible to buy gifts for, i love having a place that stocks so many super low production wines. Everything that i have bought here (for them as well as for myself) has been great. The prices are not too bad as well. The staff is knowledgeable and not even close to pretentious when someone like myself is clearly over my head with regards to knowledge of specific wineries. Highly recommended.
The only place in the city (that I know of) that carries Justin Winery's Obtuse wine. Automatic 5 stars in my book, they have good taste!
a great little wine shop in san francisco with an exceptionally friendly and helpful staff! i know nothing about wine, but they knew the right questions to ask, resulting in the purchase of a gewurtzaminer that my boyfriend really enjoyed!
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