Authentica Wines

Great wine shop. Steve is very friendly, knowledgeable and approachable. He has a great selection of bargain wines, as well as higher end bottles. He sends out weekly newsletters that have well-​written descriptions of the wines he features at his tastings. Friday nights get really busy. He also has wine to taste on Saturdays. I’m never disappointed when I leave!

Had a friend in town for the weekend and came to the Saturday market late in the day. Walked past this shop in our Very casual attire, me with the 21 month old baby strapped to my back. Decided to do s tasting. We stepped in the door and saw 3 (mid 70s) well-​dressed elderly gents sitting at a table sipping wine and I immediately considered turning and running out.
But we walked up to the counter, the old guys were talking to the baby which made me feel more comfortable. Did a tasting and Steven? Told us about each. I felt like the pours were pretty tiny but then I noticed the Cheapest bottle of wine for the tasting was priced at $ 36. When we were done, I asked about that bottle of white Bordeaux and he said he was out, hence the 4-​not-​5 stars. He admitted he was going on vacation so he let his inventory get low. I’d come back.

This place had exactly what we were looking for.
My brother and his wife are wine snobs and had actually just returned from a trip to spain, so when the shop keeper went down that road, it was perfect.
Great store, great selection, my snooty kin were very happy!

I’ve been a customer for several years now. Steve has yet to recommend something that we didn’t like. His knowledge of the wine flavor profiles is excellent– he wants to sell you something you’ll like, not something you «should» like. Even when busy he takes the time to greet everyone who enters the store.
Prices are very good, even the least expensive cuvee (about $ 8 or so) is delicious. Inventory varies, he moves a lot of wine.
I highly recommend this shop.

Not your standard wine shop.
For one, the owner is definitely living the dream. He seems like a super cool guy but, put it this way, I don’t think he’s depending on the income from Authentica to pay his mortgage – hence, the irregular hours.
The good news about his success is that he’s in it for the love of wine. If you happen to catch Steve in the shop, you can learn a lot about his passion for grapes, farming, and the wine-​making process. He’ll also share tips with you and can point you in the direction of some truly unique bottles. Everything that’s in the shop is something that he’s tasted, and likes. I appreciate the intimacy this brings to the wine shopping process.
Don’t let boutique feel fool you – there are definite bargains to be had in this place (several under $ 15). All that, and you get to hear the sommelier’s opinion from the horse’s mouth… not on a card. Check it out.

Great space in one of the cooler old buildings downtown. The wine is carefully selected and displayed but you’ll get most of the info from the gentleman running the joint.
Not always convenient hours or location for casual drop in and perusal but worth the effort.

Great Quality, Value and Service.
Steve Baker and his partners have assembled a great selection of local and not so local wines. They seem to specialize in wines from small, selective productions that are competively priced and of excellent quality and value. I particularly appreciate the care they've taken to offer a really wonderful selection of wines under $ 15 alongside the higher price Oregon Pinots and other more premium priced wines. I appreciate going into Authentica where I receive consistently helpful recommendations for personal wine selections, as well as gifts for clients, family and friends.
Highly recommended.