Drink: An urban wine stroll in West Berkeley offers plenty of sipping and tasting fun.
MEET THE NEW KIDS ON THE WEST BERKELEY WINE BLOCK
Packed with warehouses, West Berkeley doesn’t exactly scream tasting room territory. But look closely, and you’ll find more than 10 wineries clustered within a mile, delivering wine country quality without the pretense or traffic. The movement began in 2011, when Donkey and Goat Winery set up shop, followed by Broc Cellars in 2013. Since then, several new tasting and taprooms have debuted. Discover the newcomers with this walkable itinerary that — of course — includes food. Like the journey, the math is easy: These wineries are typically open between 1 and 6 p.m. Saturdays, and prices for tastings hover around $15, waived with bottle purchase.
11:30 a.m. Brunch at Bartavelle Coffee and Wine Bar
With a day of drinking ahead, grab something that won’t weigh you down or leave you slurring after your first sips. Bartavelle hits the spot with Euro-mediterranean twists on millennial brunch staples, such as avocado and prosciutto toasts, and a Toscana salami sandwich with pecorino and arugula on pizza bianca. It’s a popular venue, so there may be a line. Arrive early and enjoy a glass of biodynamic or organic vino, which Bartavelle typically buys from the Kermit Lynch store. DETAILS » 1603 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley; www.bartavellecafe.com
1 p.m. Begin with bubbles at Blue Ox Wine Co.
It’s a 15-minute stroll to your first stop at Blue Ox. Winemakers Josh Hammerling and Noah Kenoyer first bonded over their love of sparkling wine in 2017, while working at nearby Broc Cellars. In 2018, the duo produced a vintage under their Blue Ox moniker, a nod to Paul Bunyan, his bovine and Hammerling’s and Kenoyer’s Midwestern roots. With room to spread out and pops of pink and teal, their tasting room likewise evokes a modern, California-meets-heartland vibe. Come for the 2018 Sunflower Sutra, a crisp, pan-californian sparkling, and stay for the 2018 El Topo mourvedre, blooming with blackberry and pepper.
DETAILS » 1350 Fifth St.; www.blueoxwineco.com
2 p.m. Get whimsical at Windchaser Wine Co.
Your next destination is just around the corner, but you’ll feel transported to a barrel room in a beach town once inside Windchaser. Proprietor Dave Gifford’s love of windsurfing inspired the winery’s name, which matches its wanderlust aesthetic. You’ll sip under twinkle lights to the soft hum of reggae. Gifford applies a minimal intervention approach to create unfined and unfiltered wines using spontaneous fermentations. Don’t miss his fizzy, tangy 2017 “Funky” Anderson Valley chardonnay, or his polished 2017 Mendocino Ridge syrah.
DETAILS » 1375 Fourth St.; www.windchaserwine. com
3 p.m. Vibe at Vinca Minor
Two right turns later, enter Vinca Minor, the West Berkeley wine block’s newest addition. Though winemaker Jason Edward Charles uses old vines to create vibrant high-acid, low-alcohol styles, there’s nothing antiquated about Vinca’s boho-chic tasting room. With artsy digs and a buzzy midafternoon crowd, it’s easy to feel stylish sampling Vinca’s dry-farmed selections, a method that imparts serious intensity. A 2018 carignan rosé, lightly floral, and a silky 2018 cabernet sauvignon impress.
DETAILS » 1335 Fourth St.; www.vincaminorwine.com
4 p.m. Lose yourself at Lusu Cellars
At last, hop one block over to Lusu Cellars. This cozy barrel room suits winemaker David Teixeira, a former philosophy major who crafts elegant reds inspired by his California and Portuguese roots. He names each wine after a relative, and utilizes traditional techniques, such as sun-drying stems. His 2016 El Dorado zinfandel is balanced with black tea notes, and the complex 2016 The Shepard’s Care, 90% syrah, evolves from red fruit to baking spices. Look out for “A Mad Era,” a dry dessert wine, aged for five years and heated in barrel, a method from Madeira. DETAILS » 805 Camelia St.; www.lusucellars.com
5 p.m. Shift to sours at Gilman Brewing Company
By now, you may be tapped out on wine. Circle back five minutes to Gilman Brewing, where head brewers Sean Wells and Tim Sellmeyer offer an impressive range of ales in a low-key space. Their sophisticated saisons and refreshing kettle sours provide a perfect change of pace. Don’t miss the guava bloodorange sour or the salted cucumber sour, fermented with real fruits and veggies. While you’re there, soak up the day’s drinks with a sausage on a housemade bun from D.O.G., the food truck stationed outside. Add a side of tots and ease, satisfied, into evening. DETAILS » 912 Gilman St.; gilmanbrew.com