PlumpJack Wines Noe Valley
Category: Beer, Wine & Spirits [Edit]
Neighborhood: Noe Valley4011 24th Street
(between Castro St & Noe St)
San Francisco, CA 94114 (415) 282-3841
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat 11:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m.
Sun 12:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
4 reviews
Neighborhood: SOMA
"A friendly and inviting wine shop Very knowledgeable staff, with a huge selection of quality wine and champagne + Free delivery......."
36 Reviews for PlumpJack Wines Noe Valley
I have been shopping here for the past 7 years and don't know what all the fuss is about this place. Andrew is so amazing. Always helpful and full of wine knowledge. He never has tried to oversell me and has helped me with every type of budget to narrow the wine I want, for each occasion that I want. The only problem is that sometimes I find something I really like and they end up selling out. Oh well, I guess I have to try another one.
i took my brother here to pick up wine for dinner. i told Drew (the manager) that i wanted 2 bottles of cabernets and 2 bottles of muscat and asked him for suggestions. he was knowledgeable but rude the WHOLE time. he mumbled something about being understaffed. hello, we were the only ones i the store!
like the other plumpjacks, great selection of wine, beer and other alcoholic beverages and all at decent prices.
after deciding on a few bottles, i excused myself to take a call outside. after 5 mins i went back into the store and Drew was handing my brother change and a receipt. I add this important part because he's only 20 years old! i asked my brother in tagalog if the guy asked for ID and he said no. uh...he's a manager?!
for a store affiliated with Mayor Newsom, they have to be on top of things! it's bad enough the customer service was horrible but to not card come on people!
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One star for Mr. Uptight! If it wasn't for the one jackass who works there, this place might get 4-5 stars for the great selection of wine and Belgian beer. I suspect all of the negative comments around service for this place are related to this one bad apple.
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Pump Jack is probably the worst customer service I have EVER received at high end liquor store! Pump Jack does NOT market itself as a dive liquor shop. They sell high end wines, beers and scotches among other alcohols, so imagine my surprise when I walk into there Noe Valley store and inquired about their Scotch Club and was told bluntly "all the information is on the barrel outside" The clerk couldn't even be bothered to pull himself away form the TV (btw...what the hell is a TV doing in that shop) Five of us cork dorks showed up on 8-15-08 looking for some different scotches and wine to buy. We had money burning in our pockets but we ALL left with nothing! It's a shame because they have a limited but great selection of items, but after ten minutes with absolutely NO help..................
Nice people, good/decent wine selection, very nicely done gift wrapping, so it makes for a good we' re-on-our-way-to-the-party-but-oh-crap-we-d on't-have-anything- to-give-the-host moment.
Better wine selection would earn them a fourth star. Multiple staff members that actually know the wines would earn them a fifth.
For amusement, grab a random wine and ask the manager if it's any good --
"Of course it's good!"
-- or how well it scored in Wine Spectator --
"Who cares about Wine Spectator?"
Ask which of the several hundred exotic European beers is best --
"Which one do you want?"
-- or whether he's ever tried the truffle-infused or celery peppercorn vodka --
"Of course. I've tried everything. It's all good."
You can admit you're having trouble deciding.
"Buy what you want. It wouldn't be here if it weren't good."
I've bought a few things here, all on the inexpensive side. They were all good. So I guess he's right. Just so you know, there's a full liquor selection (minus the crappy stuff - seriously, no bad tequila), and a beer cooler to rival City Beer Store (minus the cheap American crap).
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Best selection of half-bottle wine in Noe Valley + Affordable shipping over the holidays = Happy Family Time!
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This place would be a perfect five if the jackass working there most of the time had any customer service skills whatsoever. He is a total dud.
However, the upshot if that the place stocks heaps of $10 and under wines; almost all of them fabulous. Good CA pinots, Argentinian malbecs, Spanish riojas and ruedas. Plus their prices for spirits ain't half bad.
Just don't expect anything approaching, um, friendly.
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So much good wine; scotch.
Ask lots of questions,
learn good trivia.
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Overpriced Wine - selection of beer wine etc good
Staff does not like kids ( hello it's noe valley )
The staff acts as if they are pissed off everytime i walk in this place.
My husband walked in to but some beer for a gift, can you recommend a good beer?
Their answer - they're are all good.
My Husband: But is there one from hungary that is good?
Their answer - again, they are all basically good.
Just sell him a friggin' beer!
We went to bevmo' and have never gone back.
Ok, so I don't care if my frequent visits are putting more money into Gavin's pockets... he's gotta pay off the $100k Tesla. If I really wanna drive & pick up a case of wine, then I head to K&L. But this place is so easy to walk to (though I wish they opened earlier so I can stop off after Noe's Farmer's Market).
The quality of their beer, wine, and scotch selection has been mentioned by others, and I wholeheartedly agree. Nothing new to add (except maybe: try a bottle of Damnation - Russian River Brewing - seriously good stuff).
I will, however, provide a weak defense of the dudes that work there. No, they're not all smiles. No, they won't tolerate noisy kids (or adults). And yes, they will resort to sarcasm if you annoy them (cutting in front of someone, rearranging all the beer, etc.).
But, they've never recommended a wine or beer that has disappointed. They've never pushed an expensive product (tell them what you want to spend & they won't roll their eyes). They've never disrespected me, my wife, or my dog despite newbie questions about French beer (who knew?), unfiltered scotch, etc.
First time I've written a review here, but I just had to for this place. Everytime I (or my wife) have been in there it's been a bad experience. The staff has been completely unhelpful. When asked for a recommendation on a beer the guy responded "They're all good." Thanks. When asked if they could get a certain kind of hard to get beer, not even the slightest attempt to try. There are a number of good liquor stores on 24th. This is the last place I'd go.
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They sell Mead!
Very Renaissance Fair-y!
Great selection, nice staff, didn't have what I was looking for, but oh so very knowledgable, I would come back again.
Hubby's Review:
Very nice selection of wine and Belgian style ales. Housed in a historic liquor store. Downside are the elevated Loonie Valley prices and doughboy's sardonic presence. Perhaps Gavin should give his peeps a break on the weekend.
This is also a place in my neighborhood on my walk home from work.
If you are buying wine as a gift or just bringing it over to someones house definitely come here. The staff is knowledgeable and helpful. Plus your wine bottle will be wrapped up in pretty packaging- which means you will now look like an adult when you bring a bottle of wine looking pretty instead of in a brown bag.
Next reason to come here is the beer- very nice selection that beats the grocery store any day.
That this place used to be affiliated with Gavin is not the only reason I go here. Sales staff are all lovely, super friendly, have no attitude, and will recommend things that they know and love. I give this place 5 stars because they always have a sparkling rose in the fridge, and because they allow dogs in the store and give them treats, and, most importantly, they also have a killer beer selection. What's not to like??? My favorite wine shop in the city.
if you're looking for Beglian beer to take home with you, this is the best place I've found. They carry a number of known and obscure abbey ales, and an excellent assortment of other Belgian and Belgian-style beers. So if you like Belgian brew, forget Bevmo: PlumpJack in Noe Valley is THE Belgian-beer-in-a-bottle winner.
If you have to have it on tap -- good choice! -- go the Toronado on Haight Street.
A good selection for such a small store. The selection has a few suprises and some standard bearer selections. I am put off by the service. A bit too sassy for my taste. I asked if a certain bottle utilized a synth cork. The wine person asked why I cared and I said that wine imparts, at least on my palette, the wine in question. I said I preferred a real cork or screwcap. Then the wine person said that I must enjoy corked wines?!? I was like 'no he didn't!!' but he did. The wine seller should be about selling wine and not insulting patrons.
I guess ala Gavin Newsom bad behaviour is acceptable in City Hall and at his businesses.
I am a big believer that wine is to be enjoyed by the masses and that everyone has a right to their own style and to enjoy it in any format. But I have met many a wine person who are easily offended and when my opinion is asked I think any is entitled to their opinion, good, bad or none of the above. Wine professionals need to act as such and also have a thicker skin; after all each of has to every day we exit our front doors to go upon the world.
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If overpriced, snooty wines sold by pissy staff is what your looking for, then by all means line Gavin Newsome's pockets just a bit more with a purchase from Plumpjack.
PARENTS - Warning, their staff was either having a really bad day there once, or these guys really hate kids.
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As I strolled inspecting the myriad of wine and beer selection in the store, I quipped, interrogated the Plumpjack Retailer how the store obtained its name . . .
The Plumpjack retailer picqued my interest when he politely responded that Plumpjack was a Shakespearean character-thus, Plumpjack was born. I did an interesting FYI Internet surfing and I derived at a surprising research discovering that the Plumpjack tale would definitely tickle Shakespeare's funnybone:
http://www.plumpjack.c...
Surprisingly, Plumpjack extends its fine wine and beer retailing to two fine restaurants as quoted per its referenced URL listed above:
Their two Fillmore Street restaurants, PlumpJack Cafe and San Francisco's landmark Balboa Cafe, are a major presence in the area. PlumpJack Cafe's loyal following spans the San Francisco scene from hipsters to foodies, city visitors to natives alike. Jose Lemus, executive chef at Balboa Cafe, has created enticing dishes for the gourmet palate and has elaborated the Balboa's traditional menu with a few elegant additions, wisely leaving long-time favorites like the Balboa Burger on the menu.
Wow! Who knew that Gavin Newsome is the founding business partner of Plumpjack? Gorden Getty, one of the Gettys I presume is Gavin Newsome's contributor to Plumpjack as well . . . which explains why two prevalent San Francisco families began contributing for the greater good of San Francisco in the late 1990s.
Certainly I hadn't the foggiest (get it-SF-fog . . . oh-nevermind!) notion that Gavin Newsome surely is an interesting gentleman, indeed! The "core ideology" truly is status quo prevalently obvious at the Noe Valley location . . .
Needless to say, but I shall continue by the photographs I took with my Nokia 6260 international video camera phone-I jokingly snip at both Aaron-Kris' fiance and my daughter, Kris that Plumpjack definitely has a shortage of wine . . . o=:-) ! My eyebrow was raised to find a plethora of vintage wines and tastesful choices of exotic well-made beers in Noe Valley? Quoi?
Another interesting sidebar (lol), poor Bev Mo cannot touch the selection that Plumpjack possesses! So sad for Bev Mo! Bravo for Gavin Newsome, Mayor of San Francisco-such as smart, intelligent businessman! Gavin Newsome is truly Plumpjack!
Plumpjack: Plump Jack was Queen Elizabeth's name for the rotund Falstaff of Shakespeare's Henry IV. So delighted was she with this roguish character that she asked the Bard to write another play in which Jack would fall in love. Shakespeare answered her with "The Merry Wives of Windsor." Closer to home, San Francisco composer and philanthropist Gordon Getty wrote an opera he called,
"Plumpjack." The fun-loving and irreverent spirit of PlumpJack clearly excited the sensibilities of Gordon's close friend and business associate Gavin Newsom.
5 stars to any location that sells Cantillon and Berliner Weisse. Period.
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I have been a customer of Plumpjack since the day they opened on 24th street. Drew is extremely knowledgeable and they have an incredible selection. On top of wine they also carry a large selection of good booze...never a bad thing! On a couple of occasions I have found a wine I like at a restaurant and they have been able to track it down and order it for.
Their beer club is also KILLER!!!!
Great place to pick up wine in Noe Valley, with a helpful staff. Since I live within walking distance of the excellent San Francisco Wine Trading Company, I probably won't have much reason to frequent this place, but if you live in Noe Valley, it's perfect.
For a small wine shop, Plumpjack's Noe store has a great selection. The staff is very helpful and they definitely know what they're talking about. Also a solid selection of single malt scotch.
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Okay, so I like wine as much as the next San Franciscan (which is pretty well, it seems) but the thing I love the most about Plumpjack, after the lovely, wood-paneled, good-wine-filled ambiance, is their selection of single malt scotch. The selection is not huge, but it is thoughtful, and the staff will be able to tell you specifics about each variety. I'm in heaven! They even have those little gift-y 50 ml bottles of excellent scotch, (behind the counter, so ask) so you can try them out before you spend half the rent on a regular bottle.
Good selection of wines when you need something quick and can't go to K&L or Wine Club. Ok prices - occasionally some great finds.
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On occasion, I enjoy a glass of wine...from a box. Or a jug of blush with a screw-top cap, either way...hey, I ooze of sophistication and class.
So I took my uncouth butt over to PlumpJack Wines and made a bee line towards the Night Train...wha? Where the hell is the Night Train? You don't have Night "there's a fight in every bottle" Train?
Damnit...
When my plan for enjoying a nice big pint glass full of fortified Night Train was thwarted, I went for plan two...gettin' me a nice, big ol' jug of Carlo Rossi Chablis...mmm...I can just taste the rancid grape-flavored vinegar now.
No? Don't carry it, huh...what, you got a thing about screw-top caps? Eh...
Out of options, I chose to just stare blankly at the wall of fancy schmancy wines like a deer in the headlights. My ploy worked, because a nice man came to help me pick out a very nice California Merlot from Napa Valley. For a few dollars more, I had bought myself a big bucket of "couthiness", and then some!
Impressed with my wine purchase, my dinner party friends pat me on the back with pride and cooed compliments and accolades to me.
I'm giving up beer and going straight to wine from now on. It's the more cultured, refined choice, after all...
Besides, Grain Belt tastes like pee and Everclear burns up your esophagus on the way down.
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A great selection of European type alcohol including wine, liquor, and aperitifs. There's plenty within a reasonably price range and also high end stuff too. Most of the wine selection here is French.
This is where I go for my aperitifs though and that's why I love it so much - creme de cassis from Dijon (not the crap Dutch stuff), Breton style apple cidre, Vya vermouth, Lillet, etc. Not stuff you can find at your usual liquor store or supermarket. I adore it all.
I wandered in this place one weekend and asked for a good introduction to Scotch. The employees were incredibly informed, and completely unassuming. I'm on my third bottle from the store, and have no plans to quit visiting.
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Drew will help you find what you need. PJ has about 100 excellent $10 wines. And their scotch collection is unparalleled. At any time, they have about 70 scotches, many are of very limited production. Stuff you won't find anywhere else.
PJ has a monthy wine club, where for about $40, you get two excellent bottles.
Drew recently ordered me a case of wine from a place I like in Napa. It was there two days later, and he got me a substantial discount.
Awsome place for some of the more interesting Belgium beers. They always have the largest selection of Fantome Beers (when they are available. which in not that often =( ) Lots of Saisons, Guezes, Triples etc.. Can't go wrong here if your looking for Beer or Wine...
A little pricey of course,, but what do you expect in a high end wine shop in SF..
A very solid 3.5 stars.
Selection is good - although I wish they had more European selections. But they do have some pretty cool domestic stuff. I think I'd just to 4 stars if the pricing was a little more competitive.
Overall, not a bad store, but not worth the trip if you don't live in the neighborhood.
Great selection and great staff! The manager, Drew, is very knowledgeable and the asst. m., Elio, is awesome! You can practice your Italian on him! Plus, a whole row of good wines at $10 or less. That's where I shop mainly!
An amazing selection, wonderful staff and the prices aren't outrageous. No need to say more!
well anyway, i am sort of a dude who likes bourbon, and i ain't by any means an expert or whatever but i sort of get a kick out of trying fancy ones like that from time to time out of curiousity...so for plumpjack...as far as i've found in SF.. this place has the most interesting section of rare bourbons and also a ton of great scotch and whiskeys..
i cant really speak to the wines it seems like they have huge selection but i usually just head to the counter for the liquor. service is always prompt and friendly.
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ok so i'm a youngin. i admit it. i'm not wisened. i dont know what the perfect pairing for a particular meal is off the top of my head. hell, i didnt even know that wine had to be stored at an angle. lets face it, im fresh from the economical beer drinking days of college where i could get a 30 rack of beer a whole hell of a lot cheaper than a nice bottle of wine. 30 rack... wine... 30 rack... yeah the choice was obvious back then. now that im all sophistimicated and such, i must give nice bottles of wine as gifts instead of a box of coors with a bow on top. so, this leads me to plumpjack, where i had wandered in from a long day of walking. tired,exhausted, and completely overwhelmed that they have more wine than i can handle, i dizzily made my way to the counter in search of advice. yay for the wine guy! he led me like a small child lost in a carnival and explained all the stuff i needed to know in layman's terms. he didnt even make me feel like a complete idiot which was nice. eventually i decided on two great bottles of wine for my roommate's dad and they even gift wrapped them for me.
hooray for plumpjack. suppliers of great wine and nice people who know when to use the baby gloves on a newbie like me :)
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