Wine on Piedmont

There are a lot of places you can buy wine in Oakland, and this is one of the best. Brian has routinely provided me with great recommendations, whether its wine from Italy or Alameda County. If I bring in a photo of label and say «what do you have like this?» Brian is familiar with the wine in the photo and has a recommendation that’s always delicious while respecting my price point.
Make sure to give Wine on Piedmont a try; I predict you’ll be back to learn more about the wonderful selection.

Friendly staff, great recommendations, and a wide selection. Definitely worth stopping in if you’re in the neighborhood.

I don’t buy wine anywhere else. I have been dealing with Brian for probably twenty years — he worked at Montclair Wine & Spirits before he opened Wine On Piedmont — and his knowledge is extraordinary. I can go in and tell him I want a Chardonnay for under $ 25 that is fruity and not very oaky, and he will find the right bottle for me. He never makes you feel ignorant about your level of knowledge of wines, and always takes the time to give you excellent customer service. The store also stocks a nice selection of beers and spirits.

I practice massage a couple doors down within Piedmont Acupuncture and Wellness and decided to pop in before a session to quickly pick up some organic wine for dinner. While they carry many organic and biodynamic wines, Brian was very nice in explaining the headaches I usually get probably have more to do with a histamine response from the grape’s skin than the sulfites! He picked out several reds that he felt would be less likely to trigger headaches and offered other suggestions as well. I appreciated their selection as well as the excellent customer service! I will definitely be coming back.

A bullsh*t free SF Bay Area wine shop? Yes please.
Brian, the owner, curates a wonderful collection of wines for every palate and budget. I admit, I’m usually not the most exciting wine customer because I don’t have a huge budget. Most of the wines I buy for daily drinking are in the $ 15 and under range. There are plenty of wonderful options here. I also come here for my special occasion wines that are in the $ 20-​$ 60 range.
One of the wines I bought from Wines on Piedmont today I was shocked to see because I brought a bottle of it back from Germany this past Fall. Since its from a small producer, I never thought I’d be able to find it in the U.S. But BOOM! There it was. I’ve never seen it anywhere else and I’m a wineshop nerd – I browse many for fun and to pick apart their collection and learn from their customer service – usually cautionary tales.
Tonight I made a special birthday dinner that needed a special wine pairing. Brian picked the perfect wine. Things like this can make or break an evening in a household of a-​hole gourmands and wine snobs where the heat is always on to outdo each other. I rose to the occasion a victor because of the unique and cuisine-​appropriate bottles he puts into my hands.
The craft spirits collection is excellent as well. Gin in my favourite spirit and I was happy to see Bols Genever, Spirit Works, Leopolds, Anchor Steam and St. George Distillery. When I go back next time I’m buying a bottle of Tempus Fugit Liqueur de Violette, which is based on a mid-​19^th century French recipe and is lower in sugar than the common crème de violette.
Also worth noting – this shop carries my favourite budget bubbly – Allimant Laugner Cremant d’Alsace Brut Rosé. It’s $ 1.00 cheaper than Whole Foods. I also recommend the Mercat Cava Brut Nature, which comes in just shy of $ 15 per bottle – the same price as Spanish Table in Berkeley.
Get on their email list to get notifications of weekly wine tastings, which are always fun. I like to try new things that I usually wouldn’t consider. It sharpens my wine Kung Fu skills.
Oh, and if you knit, you’re in luck! There’s a yarn store two doors down. Mein Gott!

I came in looking for a paritcular wine. Once I discovered they didn’t carry it I asked to be pointed in a similar direction. My ability to describe wine lacks a certain basis in vinter/​biology. Re: Vague/​personality driven. I’m more of a; ‘I like a Pinot Noir as long as it’s not dirty dishwater.’
When I throw out a vague yet crude reference, the reaction I get tells me all I need to know about a wine shop. The gentleman showing me their Pinot selection talked about the nuances of Northwestern soil when I gravitated to the Oregon wines. When my instinct is to emote I know I’m dealing with amateurs. I didn’t get that from this shop. They’re definitely snooty but if you’re able to meet them halfway you can at least have a decent conversation.
They’re very focused on making a brand but are an excellent source of wine knowledge.

Brian is a brilliant example of extraordinary customer service. I have always appreciated his excellent advice on choosing wine and spirits but that is only part of what makes shopping at Wine on Piedmont so satisfying. He really goes out of his way to take excellent care of his customers
In the past several years that I have been doing business with him, he has:
Paired sparkling wine, sake & wine choices for a multi-​coursed Japanese meal after I emailed him the menu. All I had to do was pick up the wine & receive all the compliments for his brilliant pairings.
Delivered my order to the curb when I couldn’t find parking on a particularly busy day on the avenue.
Yesterday, he surpassed even his extraordinary everyday standards. My family was doing an event around the corner & my brother against my advise had gone to Bev Mo who were going to deliver. When Bev Mo had still not delivered 15 minutes before the event started, we ran around the corner to Wine on Piedmont, where Brian pulled together 7 cases of beer & 4 cases of wine in 5 minutes & his helper hand trucked it around the corner to the event. Oh did I mention that it cost us $ 150 less than the Bev Mo order which we refused when they finally did show up!
There is every reason to support this wonderful shopkeeper. My sincerest thanks Brian for once again making me look good!

We loved this place. They have a great selection and were very helpful. We were looking for a few different items — some wine for my dad to consume the following weekend and some wine for my father-​in-​law in Europe to enjoy within days of receiving it and some for his collection. Our knowledge of wine is not extensive but they were very patient in helping us find the best wines in a range of prices. If you’re looking for a very good but clearly well-​curated selection, a knowledgeable staff and affordable prices (though they’ve got plenty of more expensive bottles as well) this is the shop to visit.

Neat little spot! Stopped by to see if they had some nice rose wines and the person working there was very helpful and explained me how the differences between wines, their flavors and where they are from. Very nice. Big selection of wines and prices are pretty reasonable — 20 to 30 $ range is pretty common which is nice. Don’t h have to spend all your months salary to buy a bottle of wino here.
They have racks and racks of fun wine bottles to try. Anything for a special occasion or something to sip on while watching your daily star trek episode. They have it all.
I will definitely be back and check what new things they have.
Keep it going.

Stopped by and got some great (and honest) recommendations from the shopkeeper, who really knows his stuff. Prices are very reasonable — comparable with K&L, which is where I usually go. The $ 10 Spanish Grenache that I bought to take to a party was a hit — the host was actually raving about how complex and peppery it was.

This place is awesome. They carry lots of interesting spirits too. I will definitely be back.

So. I’ll say this. The man was very polite.
I had some free time & walked in to take a look around. The elderly gentleman eventually greeted me so I asked about some sweeter reds (I’m new to the wine world). So as he explaining some things I notice he keeps emphasizing the prices. *side eye* + *smirk*
So as his «teaching» continues he perks up a little and introduced me to a wine he says is great!.. but why did he feel the need to point out the owners of the company were black? And they r one of very few that own their own vineyard… idk if he was being funny or if he genuinely thought he was doing something great. I politely let him finish and said my goodbyes. Smh
OMG! I hate that I’m the first negative review :(

I love these guys. They never fail to recommend interesting fantastic wines within a reasonable price range. No wine snob attitude. Highly recommend.

My favorite wine store. Brian always has a selection of my favorite Italian whites (not just Pino Grigio) at good prices. When I go in to buy a case every month or so he remembers what I like, and usually suggests one or two that I am unfamiliar with that stretch my assumptions (his recommendation this morning was for a $ 10 Italian white. Zero pressure, very friendly, and very knowledgeable. He doesn’t stock bad wine, so it is hard to make a wrong choice.
This is a really great store, no matter what your experience level is.
Highly recommended!

Brian and crew are great. They have an excellent selection of all kinds of things, even beer and spirits. He’s ordered me a case for a special dinner, as well as individual bottles. Always a good deal and helpful.
Don’t forget the tastings Saturdays and Sundays! Very few wine shops offer tastings, and these are always fun.

My mother told me about the store, and she knows her wine! She doesn’t drive, but makes a point to take a bus to get her birthday and Christmas gift for the special people in her life (so far, I have been included!).
They are very knowledgeable about their stuff, and I am so grateful that I can go there and get their help to pick out a perfect bottle for my husband or friends, without making me feel like I am asking dumb questions (and I really do ask dumb question, because I don’t drink much!).
They’ve been a great resource for school functions at my son’s school, Pacific Boychoir, which is located nearby. Honestly, I didn’t enroll him there based on the proximity to the store!!!:) But, I am happy it’s nearby!

Brian and the other staff are ah-​mazing. They excel at recommending wines based on your tastes. Bottles range from the value range ($ 10) up to a bottle or two of old vintage Dom Perignon. Give them your price range and you’ll have more bottles to pick from than you could imagine.
My most recent discoveries —
— Blue Plate Chenin Blanc. From California in the value price range!
— Donkey and Goat Mourvèdre
— Donkey and Goat Sparklimg Chardonnay (yes, there are a few bottles in stock)
— Saracina Chardonnay
— A value Cote du Rhone

For the record, this place sells beer and liquor too. If fact, their selection is very eclectic and the staff is knowledgeable about these options too. I highly recommend picking their brains about the different selections and what you’re looking for.
Thanks guys!

What a fantastic lil wine shop!
Walked in ½ expecting to walk out with no wine, as I presumed, on Piedmont, that all bottles would be over-​priced.
Oh, but I was so wrong. so so wrong.
Huge, vast selection from all over the the place. and the owner was super friendly and not all wine-​snobbie like one might imagine in a cute lil shop like this.
He informed us that they have tastings on the weekends. This weekend was French wines, so we passed (not a huge fan). However, we shall return for other tastings. sounds totally fun.
Great wines, great prices, great atmosphere. One of Piedmont Ave’s must-​go-​to places!

Brian was great with our group of wine tasters. He was personable and VERY knowledgeable! He picked a great tasting group of Roses for us to taste and they were very reasonable prices. I left with 2 bottles myself.
There is a good selection in this little shop and Brian can tell you everything you need to know about the wines and help you pick a wine to impress anyone!