A lovely little wine shop tucked away with a fascinating array of bottles arranged by country and type. A real Risk game of territory competing for your eyeline and tastebuds. A wineshop that's analogous to stumbling into a dusty bookstore where you wander around for what catches your feels. Very nice and helpful staff too! And if you, trusty reader, would like a rec, go for a Sauvignon Blanc and try something funky and weird! ($12 and $18 for the two bottles I got) read more

Oddlots Wine Shop - Sauvignon Blancs - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Albany, California

I just talked to someone at the store. Steve is out of town, but I talked to his substitute on the phone. Their COVID-19 hours are Wed. through Sat. 11am-5pm. No special rules, just the usual social distancing, etc. UPDATE 2020-04-20 I got an email sent out by Steve's in-store substitute saying they are open on Tuesday too, 11am-5pm. Also, you can call ahead for curbside pickup. read more

Ugh. I take no pleasure in bashing anyone trying to make a living but I gotta find a new wine shop. Logan, the previous manager, made this place. Every visit was blessed with good conversation, great insight into what wines I'd like and new discoveries he was excited about. He knew my taste and cared. That's all gone. I've been there a few times since his departure and got moderate assistance once and zero meaningful interaction the other times. It was like going to Target. I picked my wines, nobody said "hi" or offered advice, and the employee simply rung me up. Too bad. This was such a community gem and now it's simply a depot that sells ok wine. read more

Great selection of outstanding wines at great prices. I bought a great rose and a rare bone dry Gewurtztraminer at amazing prices. The owner is very helpful and knowledgeable and he tries his best to match you up with the very best wine for you. read more

Odd Lots is a great place to go when shopping for imported European wines that won't break your wallet. The owner is extremely knowledgeable about his wines. All you need do is describe what you want, and he will deftly suggest an assortment of bottles that will suit your needs. Every month, he puts together 6 bottle collection of extreme budget imported wines in a sampler set (average price $9-10) It's a fun way to "travel" and taste wines from another region with handy tasting notes to compare. It's a small, unassuming shop on San Pablo about 0.5 miles north of REI and on the other side of the street. read more

Loved this spot! They are very helpful and not snooty in helping a wine novice like me select some great choices. They were also respectful of my budget and didn't shame me about not being able to spend $40+/bottle. My friends and I loved the wines they helped me select. Also I was able to bring my dog inside which makes everything better because I can walk there and not worry about where to leave her. Will definitely be going back! read more

This place is a hidden gem of a wine shop in the east bay! They have a really thoughtful and diverse selection of wines with great quality price ratio. You can find anything from reasonably priced Bordeaux wines ($20-$25) to a Tannat from Uruguay and sparkling wines as well. It's pretty easy to pull up on the street and find parking and be in and out in 5-10 minutes. I really like that they have different types of wines you don't see at Safeway or wherever. It drives me crazy when I go to a wine shop and they have Duckhorn of something.. wtf? Logan is a really friendly and knowledgeable gentleman who is inviting and makes the wine purchasing really seamless and fun. It's a nice change from some of the snootiness you can get from other wine retail shops. Sometimes you just want a simple suggestion on a decent wine and get on your way. Next time you are needing a great wine at a reasonable price , do yourself a favor and swing by here. We need more places like this in the greater Bay Area. read more

Logan, at Odd Lots Wine Shop, has a gregarious palate which is reflected by his amazing stock of wines from Portugal, Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Argentina, Romania, Chile, Republic of Georgia, Turkey. He has a smattering of classic domestic wines also. When Logan expresses his passion for a particular wine, one should pay attention. (He really loves sparkling wines also) Dan W. read more

Being a customer of Oddlots or a number of years now I can emphatically state that Mr. Morgan Miller the (proprietor and sole full-time employee) has done more for my understanding of wine than any other retailer in the area. If for no other reason than by finding and providing an extremely wide selection, having copious amounts, extremely generous and low pricing and a trusting exchange policy. Bad bottle, no problem, swap it out. Didn't like it? No problem, swap it for something else. He has never, ever, not once given me a moment's hassle but keep in mind that he is 1 person show. He can't spent 25 minutes on the phone with you, because his focus are the customers right in front of him and he runs a good business. I really respect his knowledge, I am grateful for his unassuming and value priced selection and I delight when he points something he knows I'll like out to me. I often will wait around until he's helped others to learn a little more and I can have him to myself. One day I even hope to entertain him with a thank-you dinner! Over time he has been a great help to my understanding the differences in regions, terroir, even vintages. He can answer just about anything you need to know of his wines. He just won't soapbox or judge you. Oddlots isn't a place that's perfect for buying a bottle of wine. It's a fantastic place to learn about wine and enjoy it at the same time! With the volume and pricing he has on just about everything, you can sample 20 bottles for the price of 2 Kermit Lynch wines. I often buy cases and I can't wait when I find something I like to share it with everyone I know! At $10-$15 a bottle, you can feel like a power-wine-guy and make Robert Parker look like a dweeb in no time! If I had stuck with the other wine merchants in the area, I never would have expanded to where I am now - the price was prohibitive to my learning. With Oddlots as a life-partner, I've been able to drink hundreds of wines in the time I could have had a few dozen. This is truly a local business worth supporting. He's a self-proclaimed Luddite and still insists on communicating with customers via postal mail and sends out a detailed and fun four page monthly newsletter. He also provides two six-bottle tasting selections each month. He really enjoys the process and does a very good job of picking, describing and selling these packs. Trust me here folks; Oddlots isn't just for cheap parents that like red table wine. It's a great place to learn for yourself what's so fascinating about wine and it's a great way to share the experience with others. Please give your wine business to Morgan, you're doing yourself (and all of us) a huge favor. Tell him Erik sent you. Regular customers and volume customers receive a family discount. read more

Before I opened Farmstead Cheeses and Wines, I would frequent this lovely little shop. Morgan, the proprietor, has a great palate, and is always unearthing unknown gems for very little money. Morgan is one of the wine world's nice guys. Visit his shop and make a few new wine discoveries. read more

Listen up Drips! Screw California wine. I'm so sick of all the dithering idiots out there always blah blah blahing about Napa this Napa that. Pull up the dredge nets! Bring in another bottle of $75 syrup! Shove this in your cram hole and piss it out! Try something different people. French wine isn't just for people who speak funny. Old-world wine is where it's happening, like in Soledad! Actually, old-world wine is much cooler than Soledad. In any case, Oddlots is the place to get your vin on. Mr. Lean who runs the place is great, even if he is a tad taciturn. Just poke him to talk. He always has good recommendations. They carry mostly French, Italian, and Spanish wine---they do not carry American wine, so go belly ache for that crap somewhere else. The store itself is very sparse and small. Just rows and rows of stacked boxes of wine atop nondescript office carpet. There is a little radio by the back wall that plays classical music, and the month's mailer selection of wine is rowed on top of the half wall dividing Mr. Lean's office space from the retail space. With the bottles averaging $10-15 this is a great place to experiment in. Also, if you buy a case he knocks off 10%. He has a monthly mailer with selections of wine from a certain region (if you buy all of them he gives you a deal), which can be a little repetitive, but is full of useful info about that month's selections. He also carries a few bottles of olive oil--I've never tried any, but they look good. The hours are a little tight for working stiffs. It's 11-6 T-F, 10-5 on Sat, and he's closed on Sundays and Mondays. Vive la France! read more

I've been getting their paper newsletter for years and years and am writing this update to announce that you can now get the newsletter as a monthly email message. Send email to odd.lots@sbcglobal.net with the subject line "Sign Me Up" and you'll be on the list. They promise not to share your email address with anyone. My opinion of this place has gone up in recent visits. Their newsletter seems to focus on their lowest-priced wines, but they also carry many wines that are way more interesting and only a bit more expensive. I liked their Los Bayos Bierzo, 100% old vine mencia @ $8.99. read more

All the fun of gambling, wine, mystery, shock, and disaster. If you think making fun of B-movies is fun. Try it with wine. We've had many a teary-eyed laugh fest describing the oddball flavors of some of the sucky wines we've bought here. That's not to say that the store is full of reject swill. There are more hits than misses to my taste buds, and I'm a repeat customer. Shopping Oddlots is a great way to hone your tasting chops. You can hit many of the major appellations of France with a pretty wide range of vintages. You can sample a case load of wines and not go broke. In the process you may discover a hidden gem. The more you sample, you'll hone in on your favorite styles, and can upgrade to better producers. read more

Odd Lots is a gem. They have a great selection of wines from all over at very reasonable prices. It's a small place and the owner knows the wines and gives good advice. I buy almost all my wine at Odd Lots. A friend of mine turned me on to the place a few years ago and I am eternally grateful. May Odd Lots live long and prosper! read more

My favorite wine shop to stop by and pick up a case at without leaving your arm and leg.Great selection of wines from France Italy and Spain but many others to stop by you won't be disappointed read more

I love this store. Great prices for really good wines. I am not well versed in wine-lingo but I know what I like and whenever I describe to the owner what I'm looking for, he always has great recommendations for my price range. I am often in and out within a few mins when the shop isn't crowded. In addition, the owner is very nice, easy to talk to and very knowledgeable. It is local shops like these that I like to support. read more

Why do I like Oddlots Wine Shop? Because I find a wide assortment of very inexpensive wines from Europe and South America, suited for consumption with food, pretty certain to have distinctive varietal character, often from very seldom seen origins. Morgan, the owner, is helpful when I need him to be, but otherwise keeps in the background and lets me browse. His selections and recommendations are very reliable--if he says something is unusually good, it is! There is no direct correlation between wine price and the amount of enjoyment I'm likely to get from a bottle: a $28 bottle is usually not 4 times as fun to drink as a $6.99 bottle. I get the most enjoyment for my dollar from the low priced wines I buy at Oddlots. read more

this place is just amazing! IF you can find a wine much over $10 - it will be around $17 and that will be a splurge there - plenty of great wines to try - buy a case for a discount! read more

Great place to learn about and purchase affordable French and Italian wines. The monthly flier is educational and fun to read, sign up on-line! I highly recommend a visit. read more

I love this place. The proprietor was so helpful in helping me find the right sparkling wine - and introducing me to the best prosecco (it has a bottle top that is hinged, which allows you to close it once opened - so you can enjoy bubbly the next day...and the next...) I am planning to make him my primary wine supplier! read more

Fantastic store. I love supporting quality local businesses. Morgan was very helpful in recommending a couple wines under my $15 budget. The wines were truly delicious. Usually, I only get Costco's Opolo Summit Creek Zinfandel and call it a day, but their last vintages were a bit odd. I wanted to find an alternative staple, so the search was on!..... until i drove by this place. I'll definitely be back! read more

From Gigondas to Savoie and northern Italy to Spain. Good man. Good wines and always good advice....my go to wine shop like so many others. A business that deserves yours. read more

As a long time wine-lover who used to shop primarily at KL and No. Berkeley, I now do most of my wine-buying from Odd Lots Wine Shop. And I could not be happier! Steve Kopp has an excellent palate and generously shares his knowledge of wine to curate a superb inventory of wines that are fairly and reasonably priced. This creates tremendous value for customers like us who consume several bottles of wine each week. Steve's recommendations have always been spot-on--Beaujolais, Cahors, Chablis, white Burgundy, a Greek rose--all have been delicious or outstanding. Odd Lots is a rare gem to have in Albany, and Steve is a wonderful advisor who has helped us find the kinds of wines we long for and at prices we can afford. It is like when Humphrey Bogart says to Claude Rains at the end of Casablanca, "Louie, I think this could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship." read more

Oddlots Wine Shop has incredible wines, at fantastic prices. Proprietor Steven Kopp has a wonderful world-wide selection of wines to choose from. Steve is also very experienced in suggesting food and wine pairings for any parties of events you might be planning. Steven is a long time Bay Area sommelier, and remains an innovative wine enthusiast. Don't come here looking for your average California wines, open your wine palate to the rest of the world! I highly recommend checking out Steve and Oddlots Wine Shop. read more

This is our go-to wine shop for high-quality, reasonably-priced or even inexpensive wines. We starting shopping here for the French reds, particularly Rhone Valley wines, but the owner's recommendations on Spanish wines has given a whole new world to explore. We look forward to future discoveries here. read more

Great selection of random, but fascinating wines. I may just become a regular here .......

Nice wine shop at good prices. Morgan Miller will make good recommendations. I think he's kind of hamstrung by not having a lot of sources for the price range he's targeting, but it's worth it for any cork dork in the area to stop by at least once. read more

As the name says, this wine shop purchases wine in the low to mid- value range (mostly non-californian, "world" wines) that you just wouldn't know about unless you lived near the producer. It's a great place to get value for the price; the proprietor is knowledgable, and you can sign up for packages/a newsletter that he puts together each month. He's helpful if you ask, but doesn't overdo the wine talk. This is a super place to buy wine if you are a regular wine drinker who wants to range beyond California without breaking the bank. read more

Convenient - if a bit hard to find in a small office cluster on San Pablo - with a surprisingly extensive selection of very well-priced wines. I may visit KL or North Berkeley for a special bottle or two, but Oddlots is my go-to place for weeknight wines. read more

Friends of ours in Marin raved about the great selection of European wines at OddLots that were in the $8- $12 range. So much so that they make a monthly trip there. Lucky for us that it is so close to us and we are happy to support a local business. This place really is a gem! The selection of wines is superb. Great place to discover new labels. The owner was also very helpful in directing us to European wines that were similar to the California varietals. His knowledge is really exceptional. We have been getting bored with the Trader Joe's wines and Odd Lots is a huge step above at comparable prices. It is so worth your time to check it out. read more

You never hace to drink plonk again. It's the blue collar Kermit Lynch. For every day wine, this is the gold standard. Forget any other wine shop in the bay area. read more

Morgan Miller has been close to the Bay Area wine and food scene for years and has known many of the major players. He should write a book about the unfolding of the local gastronomical renaissance, one that set off a national awareness of what lies beyond meat, potatoes, beer and Vino di Tavola. His mailers are models of the genre. His is the kind of shop that makes you appreciate small owner run businesses and the real difference one person can make in the lives of others. read more

Steve Kopp is now the proprietor of Oddlots Wine. He carries the banner well as he is very smart and has a world of experience in all phases of wine retail. The entire inventory are wines mostly imported but with some fine domestic wines also. You will find that you have spent your money wisely at this spot. Not pretty and all tricked up you are paying for wine and not the overhead. You can rest assured that Steve will lead you to something that will make your day. read more

Great selection of very reasonably priced high quality wines. The sole proprietor is friendly and knowledgeable. He recommended some great wines for me to try. At these prices, you won't hesitate to make your own sampler case. And if you find something you like, snap it up! This is another great local business that has fans throughout the Bay Area because of great service, great selection, and great prices. read more

About 13 years ago I walked into Oddlots on the recommendation from a friend. As I was looking around, the gentlemen who had a stoic disposition of someone who could possibly be the proprietor asked if he could help. I asked him if 'they' had a '98 Guigal Cotes du Rhone. "I have something that costs half the price and tastes twice as good." This is what I like to remember what Morgan Miller's first words to me were. As I got to know him more over the next couple of years, it's more likely that whatever he actually said to me that day was much more modest. That very night I won't forget, even years later, staring at a '98 Domaine Fond-Crozes Cotes du Rhone and thinking how right he was. It was that perfect moment when you're so surprised by how much you like a wine while being just as grateful that you can afford it. To be sure, 1998 was also a great year in the Rhone Valley. I often tell friends that the best wine for the money is a wine you've never heard of; and I first learned that at Oddlots. I have been gone from the Bay Area for a while but I'll never forget the impact that Morgan had on my own wine odyssey and the stoic embodiment of class that he was when I had the privilege of living close and that I'm sure he still is. read more