Back To School: Berkeley 7-12 June

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Ignacio Villalgordo

Ignacio Villalgordo
I will be in Berkeley in a weeks time for training. My schedule only allows me the night of Sunday the 7th June

Additionally I have been winesearching for wine shops, but I am not aware of which are the good retailers

I have seen BPW in Napa, Belmont Wine Exchange in Hayard, European Wine Resource in Richmond, the Wine House in SF; plus Kermit Lynch and Edmunds St. John seem to be in Berkeley.

Any insight on these places is more than welcome; plus recommendations on where to dine and wine in Berkeley

And, is anyone is free on Sunday...

Thanks in advance

Ignacio
 
For wine retailers, Ordinaire in Oakland, Terroir and Arlequin in SF. You can also drink a glass at those places.

I think I'm in town Sunday the 7th.
 
I'd also say you should absolutely hit the Kermit Lynch store in Berkeley (hit Acme right next door for bread) and K & L in San Francisco.
 
originally posted by slaton:
For wine retailers, Ordinaire in Oakland, Terroir and Arlequin in SF. You can also drink a glass at those places.

I think I'm in town Sunday the 7th.
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I definitely second Terroir and Arlequin (I don't know Ordinaire; perhaps it wasn't open when I lived in the Bay Area).

I'd add DIG in Dogpatch (Minnesota and 22nd st - not avenue). It is a very small shop, but I enjoyed shopping there quite a bit. Also Paul Marcus Wines in Rockridge Market Hall (Oakland).

Except for KLWM, I'd skip the places on your list.
 
Paul Marcus in Rockridge's Market Hall (across from Rockridge BART) is very close to Berkeley, and you'll find lots of good stuff there. No drinking while shopping though.
 
I was looking for oldish California wines from the likes of Diamond Creek, Mayacamas, Phelps, Swan, Heitz, Ridge, etc. or wines from Kalin, Togni, Dunn, Edmunds St John, Stony Hill

Any of the retailer you mention carries these wines?

Slanton, I am landing at around 15:00 on Sunday, so if there's quorum for a wine or two, sure I can carry something interesting with me

Thanks to all
 
I'd second Paul Marcus, plus it's in a fun food hall and neighborhood. A pilgrimage to Kermit Lynch is in order, although the prices are really getting up there. Solano Cellars on Solano Avenue in North Berkeley is a good store with a wine bar. The taste and glass selection has expanded quite a bit and includes older wines since they got a Coravin. Vintage Berkeley is a fun small store, both because of the structure (a converted pumping plant) and an eclectic well-chosen small inventory of good value, idiosyncratic wines. It's also in the same neighborhood as Saul's (good NY-style deli but with California produce, superb house-made pastrami), Chez Panisse, the Cheese Board bakery and cheese shop, Cesar's tapas bar and a branch of the Imperial Tea Court.

For restaurants, I like:
Iyasare - fresh, light original food on 4th street, I guess you could call it nouvelle Japanese. In the same neighborhood is Tacubaya, a somewhat pricey but very good taqueria using excellent ingredients. Best lengua in the east bay IMHO, and I've tried many.

China Village - Szechuan on Solano avenue, many intense dishes not dumbed down for American palates.

Trattoria Corso - Italian with a Tuscan orientation on Shattuck in North Berkeley. Simple, well-executed dishes, good wines by the glass at reasonable prices.

Revival in downtown Berkeley is always good, sometimes inventive new American cooking, has a lively bar scene.

Indus Village on San Pablo near University Avenue is cheap and good Pakistani with Berkeley's best Tandoori chicken, good goat curry, tasty sautéed okra.

Ajanta on Solano Avenue has very good Indian food, offers regional dishes that you rarely see in typical Indian restaurants. Good tasting menu option.

Bistro Liaison on Shattuck near campus is competent if somewhat stodgy French bistro food, but does an excellent take on salade nicoise and has Berkeley's best burgers and moules.

The estimable A16 has an outpost in Oakland on College avenue barely south of Berkeley.

I might be able to make a Sunday gathering.
 
The K&L in Redwood City probably has the biggest selection of older California Cabs. That's a schlep from Berkeley. Or maybe Belmont Wine Exchange, which is almost equally far, or Fines Wines International in the city, but neither one has retail facings. I work in a shop much closer with 2010 Diamond Creek and maybe 2008 or 2009 Monte Bello, but nothing mature.
 
originally posted by Andy Beaton:
The K&L in Redwood City probably has the biggest selection of older California Cabs. That's a schlep from Berkeley. Or maybe Belmont Wine Exchange, which is almost equally far, or Fines Wines International in the city, but neither one has retail facings. I work in a shop much closer with 2010 Diamond Creek and maybe 2008 or 2009 Monte Bello, but nothing mature.
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You can purchase from K&L online and pick up the wines at their store in San Francisco. I agree that's the best bet for older California wines. They have some older Kalin right now.
 
originally posted by Jim Hanlon:
originally posted by Andy Beaton:
The K&L in Redwood City probably has the biggest selection of older California Cabs. That's a schlep from Berkeley. Or maybe Belmont Wine Exchange, which is almost equally far, or Fines Wines International in the city, but neither one has retail facings. I work in a shop much closer with 2010 Diamond Creek and maybe 2008 or 2009 Monte Bello, but nothing mature.
Click to expand...

You can purchase from K&L online and pick up the wines at their store in San Francisco. I agree that's the best bet for older California wines. They have some older Kalin right now.
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Mature Kalin Semillon - now that's a bottle worth lugging back.
 
Hello, thanks to all for your kind responses. K&L seems the safest bet for purchasing wine; plus visiting Kermit in Berkeley is in order

Regarding Sunday, for those of you available, I am free, so please PM me for logistics

Thanks again

Best regards,
Ignacio
 
originally posted by Ignacio Villalgordo:
K&L seems the safest bet for purchasing wine
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Just know that K&L has wine split between three stores and a warehouse, so not everything is on the shelf in San Francisco. I recommend ordering on-line at least five days before. When you check out, there's an option to pick the wine up at the San Francisco store. Happy hunting!
 
I really enjoy Arlequin every time I'm there. They have a lot of cool wines. Plus a little cafe, all blended together, and a nice courtyard.
 
originally posted by BJ:
I really enjoy Arlequin every time I'm there. They have a lot of cool wines. Plus a little cafe, all blended together, and a nice courtyard.
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And it only costs $5 (on top of retail) to open anything and it enjoy it there.

Sorry, couldn't help it.
 
originally posted by Ignacio Villalgordo:
I intend to pick a bottle of old white rioja and a young trollat. Anyone in?
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Ignacio, I think I can make it. I PM'd you with my email.
 
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