Great staff. Â Great wines.
I love when you go to a place like this and they are all about finding a wine you will truly enjoy. Â Even if that means tasting a few to find it.
They also are the only place that side of the hill to carry CV Chocolate. Â A blend of port wine, cream and chocolate. Â It's like the very best combination of Nestles Quik Chocolate milk and booze! Â I know that some people might have tried so called chocolate reds before, this is nothing like the others I've tried. Â Ask for a taste and decide for yourself. Â BUT don't buy all their stock! Â Don't make me regret sharing my secret....
4 stars for a first visit, nice. Had a good time reconnecting with a long time friend who happens to run the place. So Larry (name dropping ) is a super savvy wine guy and all around nice dude. Just ask what's good, he'll do you right.
So this is on the Santa Cruz wharf upstairs and the views are well... Great.
Along with the wine they serve some beer and assorted cheese and cracker plates, tasty. The prices are fair for both the tastings and by the glass.
I'll be going back for sure. Bottom line for me, relaxing atmosphere, sweet view and  good wine. You need some of that.
Reasonably priced flights - loved the Sofa King red! Â Friendly staff, great location overlooking the wharf and pleasant laid back atmosphere. Â serve yourself iced water a nice touch. Â The only reason this isn't a five is due to no bread only crackers with the cheese plate. Â Suggestion - wider variety of cheeses and a baguette option for the cheese tray. Â We will be back!
Review Source:The guest vintner for Sat after Thanksgiving was Don, owner of Naumann Vineyards.
It is a small vineyard that dry farms - does not use tractors - and hand picks all the grapes.
They were pouring Tre Rosso Cali - a DOUBLE GOLD winner at San F rancisco wine  competition.
It was marvelous fruit & mocha with a body that had legs to write home about!
Small business Sat was especially fun with lots of locals cruising through from nearby businesses like Annie Glass, Bookshop Santa Cruz and Palace Arts.
hard to find - near Annie Glass - CHECK IT OUT
What's not to love about this place? Â The killer view? Â The extremely gracious staff? Â The diverse and delicious wine selection? Â I cannot believe that it has taken me a long as it has to finally go try this place and I regret not going sooner. Â After a very long day, it was so nice to sip on a ridiculously good pinot noir and watch the lights twinkle over the crashing waves of the bay. Â I suspect I'll be coming here regularly.
Review Source:Stopped here with the plan to grab 1 glass of wine. Ended up getting a bloody mary, a wine sampler, cheese and cracker plate, olive sampler and my girl had a few glasses. We had such a great time our quick glass turned into a few hours didn't here. The host is amazing, welcoming and super knowledgable. They are located upstairs at the very end of the wharf. Look no further for some good wine and a great time! Strike up a convo with Joe and enjoy the stories!
Review Source:Amazing time here this weekend! Went up (second floor towards the end of the wharf) for a mimosa after seeing their sign  downstairs. Nice surprise--the mimosas were $4!! They had a cute ice bin filled with 5 different fresh juices to make your own mimosa. Gorgeous views. Great service--think his name was Larry. My bf fell in love with the decor and ended up purchasing a teak root wine rack shaped in a canoe that was on display there. Such a great time and cant wait to come back. I bet the sunset is spectacular. They also serve small bites but we didnt try any. Great spot in Santa Cruz!
Review Source:Came in here twice with two fellow nicely dressed young adult foodies. The experience:
The plus-sides:
Generous pours, lovely view, charming location.
The down-sides:
Utterly boring and somewhat pedestrian wine list, unfriendly staff (not EXCEPTIONALLY rude, just lax, inattentive, non-engaging, dismissive of patrons) long wait-time, decor is *entirely* random and looks decidedly undecided.
It has potential, but it looses me on the disorganized decor, poor service and displeasing wine. Maybe if the service was better.
We showed up early valentines day to find the owner Larry loading boxes but he stopped what he was doing and invited us in and started dring with us. What a fantastic place to start a wine tasting weekend. Larry knows just about everything and every one in the area when it comes to wine. Just about had to pour us out. Met Rich while there. What a great town with great people....the way our hometown Vegas should be more like! The only thing missing might be some cheese and or crackers. They usually open at 2PM, with happy hour from 3-5. Great wines to taste and or purchase with reasonable prices. Cant wait to go back to our sea side get away.
Review Source:Stopped in here on our way to dinner at Stagnaro's. Enjoyed the friendly crowd and knowledgeable bartender as we learned about local wine and local eateries, taking advantage of happy hour deals. Generous pours of well selected wines, and you even can buy bottles to take home there as well. We didn't, fearing an unknown markup, but after checking around in local groceries it seems prices are reasonable.
Review Source:A lovely little spot on the second level of the Wharf, near the end. Amazing views all the way around, so you can get some serious people-watching (from the bar), serious sunsets (from the western wall windows), and serious ocean (from the eastern end). The owner, Larry, is friendly and knowledgeable about the wines. He and his niece run the place. There's plenty of seating - stools at the bar, small tables in the middle, and cozy couches off to the side by the eastern windows. If you buy a bottle to go, they'll take $10 off the list price :)
If you're a white drinker, I recommend trying the Navarro Gewurtztraminer - it's slightly dry with pleasant fruit. My husband enjoyed everything he tried (you can do flights) but seemed to prefer a red rhone-like blend called the Offering.
Try the cheese plate if you have a chance - it's one of the best around. They even put the salami on a separate plate on request without a problem so it wouldn't touch the cheeses. Â :)
I would not recommend this wine bar!!! The drunk bar tender slammed the wine glass on the table and it shattered all over me and my friend. Â She didn't say sorry or offer to comp me a drink. Â Then my friends glass who was sitting next to where it was shattered asked for a new pour because it may have had broken glass inside. Â The bar tender just glared into the glass and reluctantly gave her a new pour. Â I really think it was rude and she should have taken care of me. Â I even got cut by the glass! Â Think twice if you want to be treated right.
Review Source:Accompanied my friend since he had a groupon and we both got a flight. He got the cab flight $15 and I ordered the zinfandel $13. Neither of us loved what we tasted. However, once our platter of salami and cheeses $13 (which took 15 minutes to prepare) came and we combined the wine and the foods together, we were pleasantly surprised.
At the end I ordered a mimosa $6. You mix your own juice so I choice to add a little guava and a little mango. Very good! Next time I'll go for their mimosas :).
What a fantastic, small and intimate wine bar on the Santa Cruz Pier (last unit on the pier - 2nd floor)! Â I came here with recommendations from friends and it was such a great experience. Â It is a cozy place, with limited seating but we were able to fit our party of 7 around a little table, sitting on 2 sofas and 3 chairs. Â The view from the bar was beautiful. Â You can see the most of the Santa Cruz Boardwalk and also some of the water dwellers and surfers.
We had amazing food from a local restaurant that was able to deliver food to our table. Â The wines (wished I remember what we had!) were amazing and the woman and gentleman that served us were excellent. Â They had great recommendations of wines for us to try. Â
Aside from my group date experience, this would be a perfect place for a romantic and impressionable date :)
Believe the hype! Â This place is amazing! Â Everything from the decor/ambiance down to the consumables - wine, food, snacks, etc., rocks. Â I was in a party of 7, with high expectations from a "spiritual" perspective, e.g. just enjoying every little piece of existence while standing/sitting in the confines of the building. Â I was blown away, and as the cliche goes: I was like a kid in the candy store.
As you've already seen from the other reviews: spectacular view, beautiful weather, perfect breeze, and the like. Â Makes a 95 deg day seem like 77 deg - which was actually the case. Â The service was incredibly personable (compliments of the lady clerk - who had a fun personality) yet not overbearing. Â The presentation from the guy server was - to me - professional and knowledgeable. Â And, again: Â not overbearing. Â We had the sampler appetizer and ordered some food from other restaurants outside of the bar (which is allowed and encouraged). Â Good wine selection as you can see from the Yelp pictures, and reasonable prices.
All of the aformentioned elements combine to provide an experience of experiences. Â I would have to bet that better wine bars exists for different characteristics of wine-tasting; but this place has it all! Â It is one of those places one should checkout at least once in their LIFETIME, whether it's a theater, bar, club, park, building, country, city, whatever. Â The weather, view, fresh air (surprisingly not of the fish smell type), and of course good friends/family simply turbocharge the experience into a level that would require physical presence to really appreciate.
I can see myself as a regular there. Â Perfect to de-stress; perfect for getaways; perfect for vacations/holidays - but only on beautiful days (Spring, Summer, and Fall). Â Not that I've heard of, or seen, but I wouldn't be surprised to see movie stars, and the like, as regulars there. Â I would be if I were one...
Great place for a spot of wine tasting - with excellent views!
We got the sparkling flight ($12) which included 3 half glasses of champagne (one each from Italy, Spain and France) and the Chevre cheese platter. All the bubblies were good- we found the Prosecco to be our favorite. The cheese platter was yummy- with flavorful but mild goat cheese, 2 types of crackers and cranberries. Most of the other wines apart from the sparkling ones were local, from California.
The service was excellent, and we thoroughly enjoyed our visit.
The only problem is that they don't have a restroom... you can either use the public restrooms on the lower level (ugh) or the restrooms in the restaurant across (Olita's). And of course, parking on the wharf (esp on a Sunday) is a BIG problem.... but since this place is almost all the way towards the end of the Pier, it would probably be a long walk from the parking lot outside.
Attracted to this place by their happy hour sign, we went in and ended up doing wine tasting. There's a gorgeous panoramic view of the Santa Cruz beach area and comfortable sofa seating. The hostess was very friendly and open to offering things not on the menu (like port flight tasting). She also seemed very knowledgeable about wines and cheese.
Review Source:Great little spot with a wonderful view! The pinot noir flight was rather tasty. Plus you can get nuts, cheese and olives to go with the wine. Larry was extremely helpful and friendly.
P.S. GPS is wrong for this place. GPS stops at the tip of the pier but this and many other shops are actually on the pier. You can drive onto it and park there for a minimal amount. This place is almost all the way at the end.
My very favorite local place for an excellent glass of wine, great company and an amazing view!! I especially like to relax on the couch on a rainy day and watch the ocean.
Larry and Stacey are incredibly knowledgeable about wines, and have turned me on to several excellent wineries. Plus they're just plain fun to hang out with!
They make a great little cheese plate there, or you can order some very good Mexican food from Olida's next door. I highly recommend the Lobster Quesadillas and the Tamales stuffed with goat cheese! Yum!
Very cool wine bar with great views of the ocean and boardwalk. Came in on a Saturday afternoon and we were the only ones there. It was nice and quiet and the recommendations of cheese pairings were spot on. Its on the second floor towards the end of the pier so you may miss it if you're not looking for it but I suggest checking it out if you need a nice glass of wine after a day out in Santa Cruz.
We had the Chardonnay 3 Flight and the Chevre cheese plate, perfect combo on a nice sunny Saturday afternoon. We will be back here.
A Prima Vino Experience guaranteed! Â
A nice little Vincation at the end of the pier in Santa Cruz. Â Nothing like relaxing like a local on a bar stool... overlooking the Pacific with an excellent glass of wine tilted on your lip! Â
Larry welcomed us inside and made us feel right at home. Â We immediately got into a great conversation about the wines in Santa Cruz and good bottles for great prices... Â This made our tasting adventure not only satisfying to our palettes but our wallets as well! Â
We did a couple flights and also had a few tastes of special things Larry recommended. Â It was a fabulous afternoon. Â We took home some Otter Cove Reisling as well and will be back many times over!
Larry was to be married the weekend after we were there, so...
Congratulations Larry! Â We wish you all the best as you embark upon your new journey together!
While frolicing along the boardwalk and needing a lil break from the crowds, we headed over to the Pier, initially looking for Bonny Doon, but came across Vino Prima instead. Â Great find! Â It's a cute little wine bar, cozy, friendly and relaxing.
We walked in and the guy behind the bar was smiling, talking to all the patrons as if they were old friends. Â We pulled up, and he immediately greeted us and gave us menus for us to gander. Â My Sexy Hombre, in true label-whore fashion, got a glass of POIZIN Zinfandel because of the red skeleton on the bottle. Â Great wine! Â I got a girly Reisling...perfect for a sunny afternoon!
We looked around, only to find some great local pictures and art work hanging on the walls. Â It literally felt like we were hanging out at a friend's beach house with comfy chairs and a chase that we ended up lounging on for a good hour or so, looking out into the boardwalk and the ocean. Â Quite romantic, I must say...
As if this place couldn't get any better, a duo (A Jazz Bass and a Singer) was setting up for a lil show! Â Classic oldies but goodies (with such a melodic voice), great wine, beautiful ambiance and wonderful company...What a tough life we live :)
Stopped here for a drink (that turned into more than just one, but more on that later) on a Saturday evening before dinner, and had a great time. Â Loved the couch seating right by the window and tasted / drank some great wines. Â The owner (?) Larry was super friendly and helpful with suggestions. Â A surprising find on a short trip down to Santa Cruz. Â :)
Review Source:I usually stay clear of most things on the Wharf...when you live in Santa Cruz, you just try really hard to stay clear of the tourists. Â However, I'm learning how to fish, and I'm going to start by fishing on the pier, because, well...frankly, you don't need a license, and I'm too cheap to just plunk down $40 on a license when I don't know if i'll want to take my fishing to a higher level...I mean, maybe I'm just a fan of eating fish, not catching them, you know?
So today, me and my hubby walked to the wharf, checking out what people were catching and the bait they were using...afterwards, we thought we'd wrap it up with a drink. Â
I've seen the Vino Prima sign many a time when I've had reason to be on the wharf, and have always shunned it, thinking it was likely a tourist trap selling overpriced, mediocre glasses of wine.
I WAS WRONG.
This is a lovely place to spend some time...nice ambiance, comfortable seating, GREAT selection, attentive service...they feature a lot of Central Coast wineries, including one of my personal favorites, Otter Cove.
Fair price on wines by the glass, and they do have an extensive selection of flights, for those who want to experiment. Â
I like this place a lot, and will be back.
I happened across this place, out for a walk on a one night getaway down in Santa Cruz. Â I was really surprised to see a wine bar in such a seemingly "tourist" oriented place like the end of the pier. Â I was somewhat skeptical in walking in but upon examining their extensive wine list and reasonable prices, I thought I would give it a try. Â How could I have gone wrong? Â A beautiful day, sunset was right on the verge and a fantastic wine list that features mostly boutique wines from Santa Cruz, Monterey, Paso Robles, Napa and Sonoma. Â I know how much these wines cost and was familiar with several of the wineries so I was really impressed by the glass prices.
The owner, Stacey, was very personable, friendly and had a really good understanding of the wines she was pouring. Â I ordered some cheese, which was really delicious, a few flights and maybe a glass or two more than I should have...but how could one resist? Â Starting with Santa Cruz Pinot's...moving towards Napa and Sonoma Cabs, Merlots and then Paso and Lake County Syrah's...with a few tastes in between, dialing in what I really wanted.
I will DEFINATELY be going back here again and again when in Santa Cruz and look forward to my next wine tasting, watching the sunset out on the pier. Â This is a hidden gem and I'm really happy to have found it.!
Okay this spot has been beaten and abused by three former tennents so, you can imagine my fear coming in off the sandy beach after burning my back to a medium rare color. I needed to blow off traffic and found this wonderful gentleman behind the woodgrain bar with a limited Happy Hour of three choices, Chardonnay, Cabernet, and Corona I thought it was 4 C's we had to learn?? Anyway I had a nice California White Wine flight of three 2 oz pours for $10. While I had my choice of views the light house or the Boardwalk I stayed focus on the man behind the bar because there was 4 bottles of Rombauer Chardonnay that have been hot here on this side. He knows Zach and Cliff and the Wine Makers and Joe as in Joe Marini of Marini's below him. So, why were you not there...Wine Maker nights are on Wednesday and upcoming Human Race, May Day, and more stuff than you can shake a stick at, get upstairs to enjoy the wine and view and the handsome man too....
wait for it...patience is a virtue
MUST GO! MUST GO! MUST GO your liver wants you too....
The upstairs pier location of this wine bar is superb. Â The interior is fairly narrow, and if you sit in the middle of the lounge you can enjoy ocean views on both sides. Â Â
The selection is very Northern California-centric, though there are a few foreign beers available. Â The layout of the wine flights is good as is the serving size. Â Pricing is standard. Â Â Â
They are owned and managed by a family with at least one additional employee. Â The service was well meaning though at times odd in our view. Â For example, they have counted our cash payment in front of us - while common in the developing world this is aberrant in the United States. Â Also, we have felt the service was strangely slow once or twice. Â Â
Overall a unique location and comfortable atmosphere ideal for early evenings or weekend afternoons.
Newer wine bar tucked away on the wharf upstairs. Pleasant atmosphere, but just ok wine and service.
Cost to worth it ratio: 2.7 (flights $15, although generous pours)
Highlights:
- Location: Upstairs with a nice view of the water. Nice little haven spot for a drink.
- Atmosphere: Cute little place: simplistic and clean. Kind of split into 3 areas: wine bar, wine bottles to buy, and a seating area on the side with a long bar as well as a few tables and chairs.
- Menu: wine flights, glasses, and a few snack items (mostly cheese and crackers, one salami item) . All wines are Californian which is cool.
Midlights:
- Wine: I got the zin flight and the hub the pinot one, and we didn't care for either too much.
Lowlights:
- Wait time: We waited over 15 minutes to even get a server and longer to get our wine and our snacks. I think we hit a busy time and the staff was nice and apologetic, however which I appreciated. When we left it cleared out, so I don't believe they are usually that crowded.
I may be back to try different wines when I'm in the area--I do like the spot they're in.
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