I was in the neighborhood shopping at Bed Bath and Beyond, and saw this winery as I drove by. I decided to stop and drop in. What a nice facility and friendly staff. They offer different types of wines, specializing in reds. But it was the Sauvignon Blanc that really caught my taste buds. It was very fruity and refreshing. If your looking for a quick wine tasting and don't want to drive far from the East Bay, I recommend coming here and trying them out. read more

Came here on a Saturday when I had nothing better to do. It was a pleasant and cheap outing ($5 tasting fee), however I wasn't impressed by much. Perhaps I was spoiled when living in Livermore Valley for several years. I felt like Urban Legends is worth giving a shot, but nothing to write home about. The pourers were not very engaging and seemed to be overwhelmed with a moderately filled tasting room, but not overly crowded. It seemed as if they might have been understaffed. I try not to have too high of standards, but the pourers' wine etiquette was obviously lacking; or maybe I'm a snob. (I don't even know all the "do's and don't's". Just please don't poor on top my residual if I didn't ask and I hate it when people let the bottle neck touch the glass when pouring - it's just careless) I liked the Sauvignon Blanc (took home a bottle), but the reds seemed a little young perhaps? I'm not really sure if that's the appropriate conclusion. After taking viticulture classes I know making good wine can be difficult, but the reds were very easy to drink and didn't carry any unique or distinct flavors. But I like reds bold and maybe I just was just sampling from the wrong crowd. Anyways, give Urban Legends a chance when in the area. They're nothing to avoid, but just not deserving of 4 or 5 stars yet - I'm sure I'll be back sooner or later sometime. read more

Amazing hosts and local wines in a clandestine venue. Urban Legend Cellars epitomizes what I love about Oakland. Keenly wander around Jack London Square and you might discover that what at first looks like just an empty alley way actually houses a cozy winery. I cannot emphasize enough how friendly the owners are. They will make you feel right at home and will gladly give you some in depth knowledge about their wine making. Their wines are precise and thoughtful; truly Californian. I discovered this place through a Savor Oakland tour. They have a small tasting fee, but they waived it for me (and my guest!) because I came with the tour previously. I will definitely be a regular here and stop by anytime I am near Jack London Square. I will leave with a lot of wine on my next visit. read more

I just went here today on the way home from SF. It's in the Industrial Area of Oakland and quite close to Jack London and Alameda. My wine tasting was great and the lady executing my pours was personable and knowledgeable. She was able to talk about their history and the wines themselves. Prior to coming here, I see it from my daily commute on BART and had always wondered about their wine. I was very impressed by their wines and this point can boast tastings all over the world. It's cool to have a tasting room with an urban vide and very chic inside. They have a wide range of whites and reds, but I opted for the their wine "growler" which is the Jingletown Red and I can't complain. Very good dinner wine and I liked their others as well and plan on a return trip very soon. If you are stuck in 80 traffic, veer off the freeway and dip into some Oakland Wines!!! read more

This winery deserves 10 stars! I'm so happy I joined and didn't cancel my membership here. The owners are kind and super accommodating when it comes to their members. They have some really awesome wines too and even though I'm not the biggest Rose wines but theirs is the best and most refreshing one I've had and I LOVE it! They even ship your wines to you overnight and don't charge. WOW! I cannot thank then enough for their amazing service! I look forward to visiting the winery again soon and my next shipment! read more

Apples from Apple Hill go into THE cleanest tasting Coder I've had ! Their wines are engineered to such outstanding tastes, you just can't go wrong, here in Jack London Sq. read more

Came here with my cousin to do some wine tasting on a Saturday. Be careful, it was not clear to us before arriving (nor to others that arrived after us) that they only do wine tastings until 5pm! We just happened to get there at 4:30 so we were able to do the tastings, but saw that others were not so lucky. After 5pm, they serve wine by the glass and I believe flights. We enjoyed the tasting; however, the two sommeliers took turns pouring for us and did not really communicate with each other, nor did they always tell us what they were pouring before they poured it so we got a few repeats (no complaints there!), but also a glass or two that they took away after pouring the wrong one and one of the sommeliers wasn't exactly in the best mood. The tasting consisted of mostly red varietals, although the one white we had - Grenache Blanc, was a favorite for both of us! It was easy in terms of parking and location, relaxed environment. I would come back! read more

The service was great; the wine - not so much. I did a "Do it Yourself" combination of Cabinet, Merlot, and Syrah. I loved that this winery gives the opportunity to create your own custom tastings, but I did not like any of the wines. None of them went down smoothly and had a weird taste to them. I have high expectations for wine and was pretty disappointed. I also found it hard to figure out how to pay at the end. They should definitely make it clearer to come to the register to pay once you are done; or, they should have you pay upfront prior to getting your tastings. All-in-all, I probably won't come back. read more

Urban Legend Cellars is yet another hot spot for good wines sourced from around the area. The owner is friends with the owner at Dashe, so don't be surprised if they ask what you tried there! Lots of people there while my girlfriend and I stopped by for some lovely wine tasting. Knowledgeable owners, helpful in answering any questions, and tailoring your tasting if there might be something you're dying to try. The spot is more snug and homey, although with all the people, it didn't feel cramped. A great place to relax and try some good wines. Make sure to mark them on your list if you're traversing the Oakland wineries! read more

Urban Legend Cellars opened its doors to us over the Passport to the East Bay Wine Trail and ever the multitasker, I figured the weekend would be a great excuse to get out to all the urban cellars I've been meaning to check out. This part of downtown Oakland is just begging for foot traffic. All these vacant apartments in an area where development supply unpredictably exceeded demand needs more unique operations (like the budding winery scene) to draw pedestrians to this hood. So, businesses like Urban Legend are a blessing. My buds and I traipsed into the urban cellar to find a tasting room filled with life. Fiddlers played their instruments while down-home ladies in their prairie gear cleared their throats into the mic. The room isn't grand in size, but the high ceilings offer a spaciousness that successfully counter any feelings of claustrophobia. As I elbowed my way back to the Urban Legend tasting table, the friendly faces greeted me with a question I'll never scoff at: "Tempranillo or Sauvignon Blanc?" The famous Tempranillo, a varietal I've recently become fond of, was fruity, peppery and deep. Seriously good stuff. And the Sauvignon Blanc, equally tasty in its own right. I like their style, I like their stuff and most of all, I like their pledge to Oakland. read more

So like rookies we visited Northern California and just haaaad to get to Napa. Napa Napa Napa! So, we went to Napa and had a great time wine tasting. We get back to the hotel and my uncle says, "Uhhh there are some good wineries here in Oakland. Why did you guys drive to Napa?" Uhhhh. So he took us to Urban Legend, which from the outside looks like a warehouse of some sort. We were pretty impressed so make sure it's in our rotation when we visit every year. The last time we went was the weekend after Thanksgiving and it was pretty special because there was no one there but us. It was like we had our own personal tasting. I like Urban Legend's wines because they're so approachable and the employees there aren't wine snobs. I don't fancy myself to be a wine expert but I'm certainly no beginner. However, it's always appreciated when winery folk are cool and calm. Urban Legend does a pretty vast variety of wines also. There are some pretty big reds, some calm whites, and things in the middle. I truly think there's something for everyone here. read more

It's almost quite odd to find that there is a wine stomping, glass sipping, leg running, down the side of your glasses in a place like this, but yep. In the backyard of Oakland's concrete jungle on the brim of Jack London Square resides Urban Legend Cellars. It's hidden. It's Local. And the owners of this place are husband and wife company to "Dashe" wines. The samples are friendly pours and Different wines like the "Barbara" and My favorite "the Town" which comes in a growler like wine bottle, and is a tribute to the Yay area in general. Check out the description of the "Town's Blend" it's excellent. The tastings are about $10. But is waived if you buy a bottle. ;) (It's worth buying a bottle, psssh check out the Yelp 10% off check in) read more

This is disruptive wine technology. Since we started doing our urban wine tours back in 2008, the quality and visibility of the local product has increased. Urban Legend hits the ground running with an already high-quality product served in a cozy warehouse space and managed by some seriously friendly wine geeks. Just a few years in, and these folks are throwing down wines of sophistication and quality. Their selection of local CA growers, their knowledge of the production process, and their good taste in blending all show in the excellent final product. Each vintage is better than the last, showing the they are evolving into something to be reckoned with. They are also the nicest people you'll ever bump into on a wine tour. The Ironworks blend, first tried at Eat Real, is a great light red. The sequel, called Uptown, goes for a stronger, deeper, and more tannic blend. It's going into kegs, as well as refillable bottles. You have to appreciate the wine-on-tap movement here in the Town. The Sangiovese, Barbera, and Sauvignon Blanc, however, are some seriously good bottles. The grapes come from odd locations (Sacramento delta for the Italians, beyond the usual Amador sourcing), but they hit the right mix of terroir and process to make the most of what they got. In the new year's selection, Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvedre all stake out new territory--each with a unique flavor profile and texture. The flavors are bold but refined in a manner you don't often find in the urban winery. Consistently good is the rule, with a lot of exceptional thrown in. And then there is the Teroldego, a somewhat obscure grape from Trentino in Italy that needs more exposure, and these folks do it right. Find a $60 or $100 bottle of Teroldego Rotaliano at your wine shop and put it head-to-head with Steve and Marilee's stuff and you'll be happy that your live near Oakland, CA. I was also lucky to stop in (with a group) during a charity wine stomp, and it was so worth $10 to support a good cause and get a little purple. Props to the family who jumped into the vat together. I came back for the 2010 release party, where $10 got you food plus 11 different tastes, plus lots of friendly service and enological insight. read more

Wonderful new winery in Alameda! The staff are incredibly welcoming and friendly. They live up to their motto that their guests are family. The setting beautiful and peaceful even when the hangars nearby are hectic. And the wines are excellent with a special nod to the Barbera. Even better, both the outdoor patio and indoor tasting room are dog friendly! Our pups loved it. read more

Urban Legend Cellars - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Alameda, California

Looking at the other reviews, maybe we had some bad luck on our visit, but we were thoroughly unimpressed. The "tasting room" feels like walking into a suburban office space. The wines were average and the person serving them had to refer to a book to talk about them. read more

Stop here along the Oakland urban wine trail! Steve the owner/wine maker is so friendly. They use grapes from all over napa, Sonoma, and Santa Cruz mt regions which make all the various wines unique. They also have wine on tap which you call fill in a wine type growler. We'll be back for more visits! read more

Urban Legend Cellars - Cheers! $10 tasting fee or waived with purchase. Cute wine glasses for $6. - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Alameda, California

My bf's parents and I rode the Mexican bus and they plopped us off at this place ....Oh my goodness, their tempranillo is absolutely one of my favorites.... ....I had SUCH a great experience!!!! ....If you havent been, you need to go! You missing out... read more

A winery that represents Oakland and all its traits. Their bottles even give homage to the AT-AT's where George Lucas may have gotten his idea for the metal robot structures in Star Wars--an 'Urban Legend' that Oaklanders will always boast about. What I love about this winery is first it's casual appeal and awesome pourers. Me and my girlfriends came here on our wine tour of Oakland and Alameda and Kelly, our pourer knew one of my friends. She was courteous and knowledgeable and quite frankly probably annoyed by me after the third pour as I was getting a lil tipsy and LOUD. Sorry about that Kelly. Probably didn't help I was singing her name in the Banana song,"Kelly, kelly, bo belly, banana-fana, fo felly..." and the rest is history. BUT. I do have to say that I almost left with a wine club membership, one that I had been contemplating and long been feigning for. Decisions, decisions. With so many varietals of wine to choose from I'm stumped! Pssst (they have two wine kegs full of Uptown and West O), West O of which I got a large bottle of AND is REFILLABLE. Yes, I said the 'R' word. Do a drive by and get your refill on while you taste. read more

Urban Legand Cellars is a gem in the industrial part of Oakland. In the shadow of Oakland's giant cranes, you can sip the locally produced wine and marvel at the fact that vino is being made in our backyard! The wine was excellent, the owners are friendly and laid back. Love the logo too. read more

Urban Legend Cellars - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Alameda, California

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This place was so fun!! Been here twice now and actually had different experiences both times. I'll elaborate. First time was perfect. 5 stars. My and le fiance were the only ones in the place so we got full attention from the lady behind the counter. She was super sweet and informative, and answered all of our questions. Very generous pours. We left with the Riesling and were super happy. This was on a Sunday around 3. Second time, I came with a friend from SoCal. On a Saturday around 3. It was very crowded and took us a while to get served. The people behind the counter seemed rushed and it took awhile to get their attention. Very meager pours and I definitely just felt like a number. Wines were still good but I would've probably given it 3 stars. So with a 5 star experience and then a 3 star experience, it evened out to me to 4 stars. Definitely a fun winery but if it's crowded not my favorite. read more

Great winery near jack London square. I really enjoyed the Barbera and the Pinot Noir. Tasting fee is $10 and I believe if you buy a bottle it goes towards that. Worth the trip, wine attendants are very knowledgeable and friendly. read more

Get ready for a rave! I arranged with the team at Urban Legends to have a tasting here with my 15 best lady friends for my 26th birthday. We had an amazing time! They were fine with us bringing our own snacks and just well, lingering. They poured us 5 or 6 wines and everything was delicious. They were so knowledgable about their products ("oh yeah that smokiness, remember those wildfires in '08?" "Oak or steel, c'mon guess!")! Also, their bottles are really reasonably priced for the quality and many of the wines come from organic grapes, sourced from local growers. Anyone from novice to experienced wine drinker would feel at home here. Tasting is $5/person but if you buy a bottle, they waive the fee, pretty standard. But what really sets it apart is the location, R off Broadway onto Fourth street a few blocks down. Easy to find. Unmetered parking! The space itself is a super cool warehouse with barrels in the rear and a great tasting bar at the front. It is gorgeous! Warning: this is not your daddy's wine tasting! There will be no pretentiousness, no scoffing, no 'tude, and no guys with socks and sandals. (Umm I actually can't guarantee that last one, but we didn't have any problems!) And also if your me, no spit bucket, because we'z trynna party! So bring your money, bring your DD, and bring some snacks, and say hello to your new best friends! Also, attention mobile users: right now If you check in you get a free tasting! read more

A credit to Marilee and Steve for bringing this fine institution to Oakland. I am by no means a wine person. I'm more a beer and chips kind of guy. But they drop all the Napa BS, pretentiousness out of their product. I appreciate that. Their wines are amazing and their wine knowledge is first rate. Their customer service is amazing and sincere. I threw a surprise party for the wife there and they went all out to make sure that everyone had a great time. Support Oakland businesses!! read more

Save yourself a trip to Napa and come to Urban Legend Cellars. Really delicious, thoughtfully crafted wine. You can tell the owners put their heart and soul into it, and as an Oakland resident I really appreciate their involvement with the community. You can purchase a refillable bottle (a growler?) from whatever wine they have "on tap." Not only is it a neat concept, but it is a great value for such high quality wine. The one that I currently can't get enough of is Jingletown. Has some pinot noir in it, which is a favorite of mine (yes, I know, Sideways and all). The Barberas and Dolcettos are also top-notch. Really, everything is. Did I mention the owners are friendly? They are, and they know their stuff. I really appreciate that, as every bottle of wine tells a story (damn it, Sideways. Now I sound like a chump!). Go for a $5 tasting and see for yourself. Bonus: they are kid-friendly, if you are parents like us who bring their child everywhere. Which isn't to say it's a kid place, but if your child is well behaved and can sit in a corner and color with markers for thirty minutes or so, a good time will be had by all in an area of town that has so much potential and charm. read more

Came here last month on a whim for my husband's birthday. We rolled up with 10 people and they didn't bat an eye, just served us delicious wine with charm and graciousness. Will defenitely be back here! read more

Amazing city view, I'm not a wine drinker but my husband loved their wine and great service. Loved it!

I first tasted Urban Legend wines at Encuentro near JLS - and was thrilled to bits by the delicious wines including a wonderful barbera. I had the wine again at the Eat Real Festival - and then last Friday, made it to a release party and promptly signed up for their wine club. Nice folks and consistently delicious wines - try the barbera rose, the tempranillo and "Lolopallooza" (a zin named after a cat - "she was a spicy girl!"). read more

Wanted to like them more than we did. Petit Verdot was the draw but not enough to keep us there/purchase. Somewhat sketchy area so happy we parked right outside the door. Worth giving a shot if you're in the area & want to taste wine for $5. read more

Our friends are members here who we were staying with over the weekend. We decided to go out for a little wine tasting. Really cool space with lots of places to sit and nice natural light. I ended up doing a flight while everyone else did a tasting. I did the classic flight but I subbed out the chardonnay for another red wine which I can't remember what it was. I remember I liked the second wine in the flight the best. But the last one was also good too. The lady pouring for us was really nice and friendly and gave me a little bonus pour so I could try the tempranillo that they were all raving about and it was really good. That might have been a favorite of mine too. We didnt stay for too long becuase we were getting hungry and needed to get back to cook up dinner but this place was a really good and we had a good time. read more

So technically the tasting room is not open yet. I believe the grand opening is scheduled for April. BUT, I was able to get a private tasting of the wine straight from the barrells. My parnter and I called up Steve who is one of the owner/winmakers. He and his wife, Marilee were very open to us and spent an hour or so talking about the wines and allowing us to sample a variety. We bought a case of Futures for their Teroldego. Please note, we have searched high and low for Teroldego!!! As soon as the tasting room opens, I will be there! They have quality wines and it seems they will be priced very affordable. Can't wait for this gem of a place to find it's way into your heart! read more

Must visit this hidden gem in Oakland. Excellent wines and you receive a whole new knowledge base of wines, regions and grapes. Be ready to enjoy good wine while being educated. read more

Urban Legend Cellars - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Alameda, California

These ladies (and the occasional gentleman) that run this place are amazing. Go a few times and they will remember your name. Great location and addition to Jack London, not to mention an upgrade from the business previously in the location. I've never received anything other than excellent service here and the wines are awesome. The labeling on the bottles is slick as hell (yeah I'm a weirdo about shit like that) and they also offer growers of certain wines. The JLS is my favorite of the less expensive red blends, both here and from other wineries. Definitely a new favorite place of mine! read more

First, I can't believe it's taken me this LNG to review Urban Legend Cellars. It's inexcusable - Lord knows how many have missed our because of my negligence!! Seriously though, Urban Legend Cellars is a must visit urban winery in Oakland, not far from Jack London. The facility is in a large, warehouse-style building shared with a navigation/maps company. The a is beautiful; the winemakers use natural wood and tiling, and it makes for a really welcoming place o stand and o a one tasting. Combine tat with the local artists that they feature on s rotating basis, and it's easy to spend hours tasting, talking and looking at the art. Frequently, when you visit, the folks behind the bar are the two winemakers -Steve and Marilee. They are two of the most kind, welcoming, open people that you will ever meet. Readily willing to talk about their wines, how wine s made, classic rock, science fiction, or just about any topic you can think of, they easily make he experience natural and comfortable. What I particularly like is that they will answer by question (wine related, of course) from the most basic to the complex without judgement. I never feel silly or ignorant asking there. But on to the wine!! Urban Legend has a wonderful, lengthy portfolio of wines - whites, rose, and red. There are sweet wines, dry wines, and berthing in between. My personal favorites are the rosato di barbera (bone dry, mineral-driven, with notes of watermelon, strawberry), Pinot noir (bright cherries, followed by a smooth, baking spice finish), Tempranillo (cherry, plum, acidity perfect for pasta) and merlot (gret tannin structure, juicy black fruit, long finish) but there are literally no bad eggs in this basket. Even Riesling, which can be cloying and saccharine, is beautifully handled by Steve and Marilee. Unique to Urban Legend is their neighborhood-inspired keg wines. On an approximately annual basis, UL comes out with a neighborhood inspired wine that is old in refillable growlers. The one time cost of the growler is included in your first purchase $4) and then you come back and refill as you want. Meaning you're not dealing with constantly recycling wine bottles and you pay only for the wine. Currently, they have jingletown, a Pinot noir blend inspired by Oakland's jingletown neighborhood. The labels leverage street art from that neighborhood. And it's delicious!! Plus, it gets better! Tastings for non-club members usually include 5 wines at $5 which is waived with purchase, but if you have string preferences (eg you not drink reds because you get migraines), they work with you to make sure you get a great experience. The wine club is exceptionally flexible; you pick what you want. No limits, no bing obligated to buy or bing home anything in specific. And if you're a wine club member, there is no tasting fee and no restriction on what you can taste. Finally, the prices for these incredible wines are extremely reasonable. Everything is around $20/bottle, with a couple in the teens and a couple a little bit more. All told, Urban Legend is a fantastic local neighborhood winery, and I strongly encourage wine lovers and wine neophytes alike to visit!!! And say hi to Steve and Marilee for me when you do!! read more

Delicious wine, lovely owners, and a cool, hip tasting room that is worth seeing even if you don't drink.

Hidden gem. Urban Legend Cellars is a couple blocks away from Jack London in the industrial part where you wouldn't think there would be a wine cellar. We went on a Sunday afternoon and did the tasting for $5. They have a pretty impressive wine selection. I liked the variety in the selection. The staff is very friendly and the lady who was pouring was very knowledgeable about the different wines. I really enjoyed the wine. My fiance thought the wine was a little watery. The wine club seems very tempting because they offer free tastings and you can choose the wine you get for the wine club. Will definitely return. read more

I like their business model... Oakland win producer with a tasting room in the heart of Oakland with branding that is all about Oakland. Their wine is pretty good all around, and I love that they offer less popular varietals (they don't seem to have Merlot or Cab Sav, but to have Undici and Toreldego). They are moderately priced, and their tasting counter is well done. I also appreciate their wine on tap which you can taste, or purchase a growler that you take home, and bring back for them to refill when you finish it. read more

Outstanding wines and customer service!!! Loved Ferry (Ferran) and TC! Tried two flights of wines and all were amazing! Looking forward to returning to this Alameda gem!!! read more

Fantastic wines without all the fuss. Found out about this place on the Savor Oakland tour and I'm obsessed! We only tried 3 wines on our tour, but the owners offered us a free tasting if/ when we came back. The Chardonnay was great- really full and floral. I'm not a big white drinker but I could see myself drinking this one. Next we had the Barbera, which seems to be popular. It was smooth and delicate. Lastly, we tried the Jingletown, a blend of I believe Granche, Pinot Noir and (damn- forgot the third). They serve this one on tap- and you can even buy a re-fillable liter jug (which of course we did). The initial deposit on the bottle was $4, and the liter of wine was $26- a great deal. They even told me if I needed a re-fill on my jug during non- tasting room hours we could simply call them and they would open the shop for us- talk about service! The owners love their shop and they are super-knowledgeable and passionate about what they do. I really love that this wine is local- without all the fanfare and prices of Napa. Their wine cub even lets you pick the bottles to your tastes. This winery is one of Oakland's best kept secrets! read more

Urban Legend sells wine growlers. What else do you need? Fun space, often our first stop in Jack London when getting after the grapes. read more

Dammit! I dig on Oakland, and it's a pleasure to find another reason to love it more. Easy to find, but oddly out of sight, Urban Legend Cellars was a pleasure. A great atmosphere for tasting, it was fun being there and watching folks come in and be just as surprised that this place was here. It was fascinating to speak with the owner, and learn that literally everything to produce the wine is done on sight, excluding the growing of the grapes. Being a beer lover, I've found it somewhat difficult to isolate the flavors of wines, but I found these to be especially easy to discern, a first for me. The Ironworks wine had a very distinct smokey flavor; the reason being was the grapes used to make the wine were salvaged from the fires in Sonoma a few years back! I must admit, a big reason I wanted to check this place out was the name, and the associated logo of a shipping crane. I spoke with the owner, and asked if his inspiration for that name and image combo was the George Lucas urban legend about him having been inspired by the shipping cranes in his creation of the AT AT. Well, as it turns out, the owner simply liked the name, and wanted to have a logo that represented the area, he actually found out that the urban legend that he believed was true (didn't we all, Bay Area Star Wars fans?), was indeed false upon researching his desired name and logo. Very much looking forward to returning, diggin' the beanie I picked up too! read more