Rated this place HIGH because they have a FINE selection of classic fortified wines that is very unusual these days. FORTIFIED means: ports, sherries, maderas, marsala, and [don't neglect some fabulous] vermouths. Do you know the Bishop of N'orich, eh? read more

Giving this spot 4 stars because although a wine shop, they have a solid selection of Russian River beers! Freshest Blind Pig in the area. Another shop on Divisadaro sells Blind Pig, but every time I've checked they're bottled 6+ months ago. Here however, I've found as fresh as a couple weeks and at a fair price! A great option if you live in the area. Supposedly they get their shipments on Mondays so check early week for the good stuff. Can't say much about their wine besides they appear to have a wide variety. You're not going to find a cheap $10 bottle here, but instead some smaller batch California wineries worth trying with a nice meal or if you're wanting to try something new. read more

Wine Impression - Outside - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - San Francisco, California

You can always count on excellent recommendations for wines. For special occasions, tell them your menu and they will come up with outstanding wine to enhance the meal. read more

This is the first wine store I frequented after moving to SF in 2003. I didn't really know much about wine or spirits, except that I liked drinking them, and this store was a vital part of my continuing education and development as a wine drinker. This was a good place to get started, in retrospect. There are other great neighborhood stores scattered throughout the city that I shop at these days, so Wine Impressions doesn't get as much attention from me as it used to. This is one of those places where you can sometimes find "allocated" bottles and other high demand bottles. read more

Wine Impression is one of the best wine shops in all of San Francisco. The owners are friendly and helpful, they have an outstanding collection of wines and many chilled wines/beers/bubbles "ready to go" in the cooler, plus unique and "hard to find" wines that other wine shops can't get their hands on. As a bonus, they are also funny and just all around good, awesome people. I am always about supporting shops with cool owners and a great selection. Today, in particular, I was searching for Beaujolais Nouveau and after being in another part of the city looking around and visiting other wine shops without any luck of this highly allocated wine that just released yesterday, Wine Impression delivered! I should've known that they'd have received one of the very few coveted allocations in all of SF and gone here first! Lesson learned! :) I was so happy to have found my wine, and buying from them was a pleasant experience as it always is. I left the shop smiling with my special little stash of wine. :) I can't wait to return. read more

Wine Impression - a box of wine in a store - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - San Francisco, California

Haven't actually been in here yet(I'm from the South Bay), but I was recently given a bottle from the original store and figured this would be the place to share it. read more

Wine Impression - Bourbon - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - San Francisco, California

Wine Impression is a very solid local wine store. The selection is excellent and the service is very good. The folks that work there seem knowledgeable and helpful. I usually go there for a special bottle of champagne, to stock up on the rose for the home, a unique red for a special dinner, or when I am looking to browse and pick up something that catches my eye. When we host our annual party at the Vogue Theatre, I usually get a case of a fun red and a drinkable white from Wine Impressions to supplement what I pull out of my cellar. The prices may be a touch higher than BevMo, but the service is better and the owners are local folk. So while both are walkable from my place, I usually head in this directions. They also have a good spirit selection for something other than the grape. read more

Selection is dated and half the time there's no product in the store.. it literally looks like they've been robbed, or can't pay their bills. It's in my neighborhood so I've pop by periodically because of convenience. But the last time I was there, I overheard one of the older gentleman that works in the shop berating a young saleswoman and it literally disgusted me. Everyone is struggling right now and trying to make a living. Get over yourself ! read more

The last time I visited I got free champagne glasses! Great selection. Maybe a few bucks more than the big stores but I am happy to support a local shop. Great beers and tequilas and whiskeys in addition to the wines. The people giving bad reviews need to be a little more friendly and they will find this is a gem of a store. read more

I was torn, horribly, horribly torn, in my star rating for A Wine Impression. On the plus side, the shop has a nice selection and the owners are incredibly knowledgeable in that comfortable and friendly way that allows for any question. I got a fantastic education on sherries (my new obsession) and spent some delightful time discussing the merits of Greek wines. On the minus side, I had to wait a loooooooooooonnnnnnng time to have that conversation. I've been in A Wine Impression several times now and it seems like a typically nice San Francisco shop in which to browse. The charm and the draw, however, is the knowledge level of it's owners - but there aren't enough of them to go around! If this shop were the size of Vino SF or D&M it might work - but this place gets enough business and has enough space that they really need a couple more passionate salespeople. Should the owners discover a good cloning method and multiply themselves about three times, I will add another star. read more

Did you know that Cockburn is not pronounced KOCKBURN, but rather KOEBURN? Yeah, neither did I. Decent selection, friendly and helpful staff, close to home for me. read more

Probably one of the best wine shops in the city. Went in looking for a birthday gift and walked out gaining a vino soul brother. Many great selections and knowledgeable, friendly people who truly love their wine and will steer you in the right direction. This is the only wine store that has been able to provide me with the perfect wine after listening to palet likes and dislikes. Oddly enough, they even carried an obscure wine label that I had picked grapes for one season. Hands down-best wine shop in the city. read more

After all of these years, I have to update my review... Feel free to step up and make contact first -- the staff tries to let people explore without invading customer space...and once you do make contact, be prepared to find out everything there is about a grape varietal, vineyard, or winery or liquor producer. Now for their offerings. Find gems from all around the world. The wines are primarily placed by old world and new world wine regions. Most of us are used to New World categories by grape varietal, whereas Old World is by region. Their buying power is reflected in the rare product and ability to get larger quantities. If you want top grade bubbly, it's the place to be able to get the quantities at. It's fun to mill about in the shop as well. Wine Impression loves paying tribute to both the historic rare producers and fun newbies that may have a lot of potential. The shop especially prides itself on supporting local producers. Make sure to grab a schedule of upcoming featured producers -- the winemakers, brewmasters, liquor producers spend the day or weekend sharing their gems with visitors. Many of the featured guests never bother with public appearances, especially as small producers. The quirky, eclectic staff is made of die hard fans that drive from long distances to help out and local industry folks gaining the highest immersion education. The owners are laid back and fun...so seasoned in their industry, they continually judge the most prestigious wine & liquor competitions in the world. My experiences range from nearly the last 10 years of family wine import and distribution as well as being a neighborhood customer. As for the cologne comment from Mr. and Mrs. L...Wine industry people typically do not use scented products of any sort because they do indeed throw off sensory analysis. Just as most do not eat sweet before a power tasting, because everything will taste sour afterwards. Wine Impression founders can most likely tell you how a wine's finished just by taste...Consumers are going to see more and more reflective labeling and you'll eventually be grossed out by the ingredients of the large production & bargain wines you've been buying at the huge discount stores! read more

Aside from a good inventory, the most important things in a wine merchant are staff that (1) listen; (2) tell the truth (including when they don't like the inventory); and (3) care about the customer's satisfaction. Rusty isn't "staff" per se since he's a part owner, but he did tell me that I was spending too much on an inferior bottle of wine my first visit. I've trusted him implicitly ever since. Although we're not always on the same page on some wines, I know he's not just selling me stuff to sell me stuff. Oh yeah, they're all right about the Sunset Barbera. I still order it from them and have it shipped to DC. (Doesn't mean any of you can have some. ITS ALL MINE!!!!) read more

Impressionable little place. I discovered this lovely wine shop while working at a clients home nearby, and figured I would stop in to pick up a bottle wine before heading home. Wine Impression is located off California blvd in a little shopping center sandwiched between a handful of shops and just a few skips away from Starbucks on the corner. There is one hour parking available in the lot in the back of the shops, which is quite pleasantly convenient. Decent sized shop. And they seem to have a decent selection of wines that are priced from affordable( $15-$20.) to quite expensive $100+). The majority of the wines seem to all be quite unique. I was approached by one of the owners I believe, and asked If I needed any assistance. I told him I was just looking for a decent Cab/Zin for under $20.00. He then suggested blend called Clos De Los Siete which is a blend of Malbec, Cabernet,Merlot Syrah and Petit Verdot. And it was right under budget. This wine turned out EXCELLENT! Smooth and velvety is what the gentlemen that helped me described the texture, and that is exactly how it was. Superb in taste, complex and smooth. I will probably stop by again on my next visit out this way. read more

Me, being the furthest thing from a sommelier, am totally lost when it comes to picking wines. When I came here I did my best to look pathetic enough in hopes of soliciting some help (Plan A). No one took the bait...dammit! So Plan B: I cut the BS and asked one of the owners for some advice. I gave him a price range and told him I was looking for some cabernet sauvignon, muscat, and a white. He was quick to show me a couple of options. SO EASY...and FAST! I ended up trying 2 of the 3 wines I had purchased and... 1) THE best cab I've ever tasted (outside of a winery)--and my bf's mom, who's an avid wine enthusiast, loved it too! 2) It was a sparkling muscat. Best muscat EVER. Friends even took a picture of the bottle so that they could find some when they went back to LA. Tips: 1) Friendly and knowledgeable service once you initiate some dialogue, otherwise they seem to ignore you. Cut the BS and just ask for some help, asshole! =P 2) They have weekly wine tastings. read more

Whether you're looking for a $8 bottle or an $80 bottle, you can't go wrong at Wine Impression. This Laurel Village treasure offers a wide variety of wines for every budget. You can get an Opus One or a rare wine to satisfy the biggest snob, or spend the same amount on a case of something far better than Two Buck Chuck. The staff and owners are knowledgeable and offer great suggestions if you're looking for a gift. They also have a small wine bar for tastings and flights arranged by theme or varietal. They have a wide selection of chilled champagne and white wine, a great selection of port and dessert wines, and nestled in the back are stacked cases of tasty wines in the $7-11 price range. When I was in school, I found this section handy for birthday presents; now it's great for parties. The prices on all their wines are fair, and you still get the service and attention that you can't get at BevMo. read more

Little bit far from where I live but they are the only ones carrying, as far as I know, Barbera from Sunset cellars (their 2003 is an excellent vintage, award winner in Italy). I would do everything for Barbera. They pretty much have everything you want, ranging from rare vintages to new releases...I'll stop by again to have a wine conversation with the owner soon, he loves Barbera too! :) Ahem....Rigolo cafe' nearby has no corkage fee. read more

Hubby's Review: I don't know what to make of this wine shop since I'm not much of a wine drinker. I usually quaff Belgian brews. This shop had a limited selection and I ended up getting a bottle of Gulden Draak for like $9.97. A pretty good/average price. The only thing that made this a weird experience was the owner kept asking all of the customers who was wearing cologne. At the register, he said he was asking everyone because someone walked in and the cologne smell totally fucked up his tasting of a wine. Weird. I guess he'll really into his wines. read more

The knowledge of the floor staff is impressive. I'd recommend anyone even somewhat nearby to come here. While I don't live very close, I get my hair cut nearby and wanted to make use of the parking validation behind the Laurel Village Ctr. Seeing inside was a bit tough so the size of the store was a very pleasant surprise. Of course, I was looking for a pretty specialized section: portos, amidst dessert wine. I walked by it at least twice before it, near the back. BTW, stores with two entrances is a really nice feature at Laurel Village, after their almost-free parking lot. Here's where my visit started getting good: Wine Impression carries nearly 10 labels of 10yr tawny port. Nice variety for such a specialized product, right? There wine selection must be comparable as well. Anyway it's far more brands than most wine stores, even the locally "famous" places. In addition, the cashier (owner?) spent several minutes with me to talk about their standing within the portosphere. DYK that one of the port manufacturers sued the government for its right to get different grapes outside the mandatory process? I hadn't known it either, but I chose the bottle from that company. Turned out to be a real hit, as you might guess. read more

This place is great! I usually go here if I am ever in Laurel village, which is about once every couple of months. Every time I have been in they have been nothing but helpful! Their wine/food pairings are nothing short of being spot on. Tell them what you are cooking for dinner and the price and style of wine you are generally looking for, and they will pick the perfect match for you. Had them help me navigate my first bottle of Scotch and I must say that it was quite good. Great people, great wine selection! read more

I love wine, but I am by no means an expert. I appreciate that the nice people at Wine Impression are never condescending at my lack of knowledge. They really know their stuff and have a wonderful selection with all budgets in mind. If you're looking for a nice bottle of wine to give as a gift, they will help you pick the perfect one. If you're also just looking to expand your wine horizons, they are the perfect people to ask for suggestions. They are always willing to help pick out the best bottle for my budget! I'm never disappointed with their suggestions. So, I would like to thank Wine Impressions for contributing to the wino in me. read more

At this point I'm starting to lose track of all the great little San Francisco wine shops I've been to. There's basically one in every neighborhood, and they all have an interesting selection and extremely helpful staff. Wine Impression stands out for its unassuming atmosphere, ease of finding bottles under $20, and a more interesting liqour selection than the average wine shop. If you live in the neighborhood this should definitely be a frequent stop. read more

Wine shopping Covid-19 style; call ahead, pay over the phone, pick-up door side! We gave them our preferences and budget, they personally hand picked a case, carried it out to our car! No muss, no fuss, excellent customer service!! read more

Update: Peter suggested Paradise Ridge Pinot Noir which everyone loved at our party. I bought a couple cases and happy i did--I am set for the summer. I cannot say enough about how helpful Peter was. I went in needing a couple cases of Pinot Noir for our Housewarming and Anniversary party, and Peter hooked it up: Paradise Ridge from the Russian Valley. I will update this review after the party, but right now I am drinking an awesome glass of wine from Domaine Serene (willamette valley, folks) that I would have never bought without Peter's suggestion. read more

I wanted to get my father some nice dessert wines for Christmas and they were super helpful in picking out reasonably priced but very high quality dessert wines. The best part is that even though I'm in my twenties, they treated me like they would someone who's been going there for years. In the end, my dad was super pleased, I was treated like a human being, and I didn't spend more than $50. read more

The people who work here always are helpful and knowledgeable. I've never been disappointed with anything they recommend. Really good selection of California French and S American wines. read more

is this possibly the best wine store ever? well, maybe not quite, but it comes damn close. a huge selection of reds, whites, roses, champagnes and stuff that i don't even know the name of, a really, really helpful owner (and staff), free tastings every single day and great prices, special offers and deals. i got a fantastic 2003 bordeaux from here just the other day, based on the owner's recommendation, and i don't really like bordeaux! but he was so convincing, friendly and knowledgeable that i just had to have it. and i don't regret it for one moment. if you're in the area, or even if you're not, you should pick up a case or two. read more

Several of the people who work there have such a bad attitude that I stopped going to this wine shop. I have lived in the neighborhood for years and love great wine. Now I go to other wine shops that have much better service. This is California and we can get the best wine in the world. I would prefer to buy it from kind merchants. read more

They have a good selection of just about everything, not to mention the back sale area is very good as well. They main guy there was seen on Top Chef and is a local celebrity of sorts. I bought a Sancere and some Bordeaux and the staff was very helpful. read more

Walked in today cause I wanted to bring over some Riesling to my sisters house, the man working was extreamly helpful and we left with 3 bottles, done with the first one, ready for the next... will go back for sure. read more

Great place to taste wine and pick out something surpurb for your dinner! The guys here have taught me a lot about what I like and do not like. Fabulous selection of medium priced Chianti. Their prices are OK. You can get a better deal elsewhere. BUT they have excellent service and are nice folks! read more

I agree with the others, the service here is bad! When a person can only handle 1 customer at a time it will take a long time to wait. I only had a question about cognac and the guy was only ringing up on the credit card machine. Hello?! It's called multi-tasking! Also, no greeting when we walked in! I would not buy from this place because even though they have a good selection, if you can't get help what's the use of going there?! read more

Excellent specialty wine shop! They are so knowledgeable and good stuff for all price ranges. Every time I have been there I have always found steal on good stuff like champagne and hard liquor. They also carry some really obscure liqueurs. I love supporting this smaller business and I definitely recommend giving this place a shot. I think they may sell wine by the case as well but don't quote me on that. read more

This place rules! I always get great wine here and if you don't know what you want, just ask and they will hook you up. But, more than likely, anything you get will be excellent. They have good deals, too. Look out for the Elizabeth Spencer. ;) read more

Everytime I walk in there, I get sub-par service. There are plenty other places I can spend my money.

Fantastic wine shop with great service. After telling the gentleman what I was having for supper he pulled out a white wine from the cooler. I was pleasantly surprised how affordable the suggestion was (less than $15). When I got it home and opened, I was even more pleased with how delicious it ended up being. read more

Indeed this is the best wine shop (and liquor store) EVER. Anyplace that has no less than one dozen different roses prominently displayed on the hottest day of the year in SF (at least so far) deserves my undying love and devotion. And yours, too. I guarantee you will find anything in the oenophile universe that your heart desires (from moscato d'asti to malbec) as well as a great selection of the more obscure for your liquor cabinet. In need of chartreuse, sambuca or calvados? All here. On top of that, they are the nicest people and they really know their wine. A great local business to support. read more

I hesitate to be negative, because of all the gushing reviews here, but to be honest, I've gone to Wine Impressions from time to time in a pinch over the years, and I have never had a single wine that really pleased me. Overpriced, yes, extremely, oddly limited stock in quite a few areas, and strange staff. They seem as if they are behaving the way aliens would behave who had been tutored in human friendliness by another alien who had only read about it. Maybe they have specialties I don't know about, but I consistently get amazing wines at great prices at other more low profile places. Conveniently located though, for people with money to burn. read more

I really like this place. They have some of the best wine, beer and spirits selections in town. Prices are good too. They have a wonderful selection of rose too. Very helpful and friendly staff. read more