Came here and discovered this store charges $20 for wine tasting 6 unknown wines. Â WTF? Â Are we in Sonoma? Â I don't think so! Â
This wine store is at a really good location - off of Broadway where it could stand out but it doesn't. Â The decorationg of the inside is ordinary. Â The outside patio while big, it doesn't make the best of its size. Â There's dry plants and nothing colorful to stare at while enjoying a glass of wine. Â BTW, I only saw one person and that was the one serving the wines at the bar. Â He wasn't welcoming or friendly. Â In fact I thought he was plain RUDE. Â In Long Beach? Â Really? Â To me it doesn't look like the establishment that cares about catering to good paying customers. Â My guess is that it's not going to last very long. Â Based on how many people were at this place, I don't see how it can stay open too much longer. Â RUDE BAR PERSON, ORDINARY DECOR AND EXPENSIVE WINE TASTING, $11 FOR A GLASS OF UNKNOWN WINE = WINETRASH Â Not again for me.
I love coming here for wine tasting! Â It happens Thursdays-Sundays. Â $20 for 6 tastings! Â It's a deal. Â Tastings also come with one form that gives you information on the wine you're drinking. Â
There's only about 4 seats inside but why would you sit inside when Wine Crush has a great patio? Â I've met friends here, come here for birthday parties, etc. Â They also sell a few fancy beers and some small cheese plates for snacking.
Many wines to purchase inside at a wide price range. Â The owner, and everyone involved with the store, are very nice. Â Do not be intimidated! Â It's a friendly neighborhood place.
They changed the rules you can no longer buy a bottle or bottles of wine and sit outside at a table unless you are a member of their wine club or each person first does a wine tasting. This is too bad as the location and ambiance is great. Their wine selection and prices are good. We use to enjoy meeting friends, bringing in some food and buying a few bottles of wine but  we will now need to find a new place.
Also smoking is no longer permitted so leave your cigars at home. Hopefully they change the rules back as it seems like they are chasing customers away.
If they are concerned about their patio being available for their members perhaps change the rule for peak hours as we were their only customers when we were there drinking the two bottles we purchased. Wine crush should also post their rules on their web page.. Â Wine crush please change your rules back as we loved your place.
Great location and that's about it. Could care less how much the owners know about wine. If you have zero personality and keep your face buried in a laptop at the bar then you should not be there to engage customers. I gave this place several chances since I live in the neighborhood, but I find the attitude of the proprietor extremely poor. I won't be back.
Review Source:It's decided, after several trips to The Wine Crush, I know for a fact that I love it! Here's why:
1. Â The ambiance! Very cute little back patio area with brick stone flooring, red canopied umbrellas, and white twinkle lights to set the mood. You will come here feeling relaxed & satisfied. Â (P.S. If it's cold they have blankets to cozy up in)
2. Â $20 wine tasting Thurs-Sat 4:00-8:00pm. Â Six generous tastings for $20 is a steal!
3. Â B.Y.O.F. Â You don't have to break the bank by enjoying a wine tasting. Â Purchase the $20 wine tasting and then bring in your own food to enjoy. Â My friends and I typically opt for the wine compliments of Brie Cheese, Salami, and crackers...but if you wanted you could even have pizza delivered, etc. Â It's just really nice that you can do what you want.
4. Themed wine tastings no less. Â Makes coming to this spot new & different everytime. Â I've come for blind wine tastings (where you guess the varietal) and for themed tastings like "Wines from Around the World" or "Pinot Noir" - really good/fun stuff.
5. Â Great service! The two hosts are just so nice & always make the trip pleasant. Â Great wine enthusiasts, they can recommend bottles too so don't forget to shop in The Wine Crush store on your way out.
6.  Great wine club! If you join the wine club you get $15 wine tastings instead of $20, free bottle opening service at several LB dining locations, and yummy wine delivered to you :)  Check it out <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thewinecrush.com%2Fr%2Farticle%2F2341%3Fid%3D4phpXT5N&s=acf743204305372d6353719fc7a450eec5aa59ebfc9080f503f5d63696af5016" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.thewinecrush.…</a>
If you're a Long Beach/Belmont Shore local, you have to try this place out. Â Well worth a visit. Â Go for a romantic evening for two OR take a group of your favorite friends. Â You'll enjoy it for sure!
The folks working here are usually pleasant and engaging, although I have heard some attitude coming from behind the bar. Having to deal with the public on a daily basis, it can happen. There's a nice big patio area to sit back and relax. They don't mind if you bring in food so a call to Canadian Pizza is a quick cheap way to compliment your drinks. They have a nice variety of bottled wine but it's a little pricey. I like the selection of Willamette Valley Pinot Noirs.
For some reason the overall feeling of Wine Crush seems to lack the warmth of some of the other wine shops in town. It's still worth checking out.
The Wine Crush is hands down the best wine shop in Long Beach. While the shop itself is pretty small, there is a great outdoor patio, with lots of seating. Â The tastings are always amazing and the owners are knowledgeable and extremely friendly. We have never been disappointed.
There are several great restaurants nearby and you can bring takeout there and enjoy it in the patio with a nice bottle of wine. Don't miss this spot.
Great store -- been a member for years and regularly attend wine tastings there. Â Very helpful staff and give great insights on wines. Â Also a great selection of smaller, regional wines from CA & the west coast, and a growing line of imports.
I really don't get people who give such negative reviews. Â It's not a restaurant, it's not a wine 'bar' in the true sense, and they can't help that they have to close early -- that's some a-hole neighbors' fault. Â People really need to get over themselves -- if you're patient and considerate, Marcus, Adam and/or Hillary will do you right!!
I love this place!
They don't have much food, but what is even better is that you can bring your own food to their tastings and enjoy a nice picnic/meal out on their patio. They are also dog friendly.
We are members of their red Wine Club...every 2 months we get 2 excellent bottles of wine. Being a member of their club also gets you free corkage at some of Long Beach's finest restaurants. The wine they choose is always unique and wonderful.
The owners are all so friendly. I go in about once a month with my parents (who travel up from Orange County to go!) and Hilary always says hi. She always lets us know of their newest gluten free offerings (beer & food) and she always takes out a moment to chat. Â
Definitely worth a visit! And if you need to get wine as a gift, their prices and selection are way better than the local markets.
This place is a little gem. It's very hidden cause you get so distracted with the taco bell thats next to it! But once you get in their, It's very homey and intimate. What makes this place wonderful is the back patio garden. It's very spacious and their are plenty of chairs as well as tables. Perfect to enjoy a beautiful typical southern california day.
This was my first wine tasting ever and I came here with a friend. Hilary helped us and she was very sweet, and seemed knowledgeable about her wines. Every once in awhile she would come out to check on us to make sure if we needed another glass. Another great thing about this place is that you can bring your own food/picnic/snack to the patio and enjoy it with you glass. My friend and I ended up leaving to go to Olives down the street where we got a sandwich and came back for another bottle!
Definitely check this place out! They seem to have different events going on too!
Have to say - just Loved this little place!!!!
Their back patio garden with tables and benches is just amazing!
Bring your own food, order food from outside restaurants for delivery and enjoy you evening sipping wine. Also, would recommend to get the cheese and prosciutto platter with crackers that they sell for $13 (i think) - totally worth it - nothing fancy but delicious! Or bring your own!!!
Spent good 3/4hrs there which flew by in an instant! Also bring a board game, cards or and ipad to watch a movie while sitting outside. Better yet, Â organize a visit with a few friends and do a pot luck! This place is just awesome and will accommodate you with reservations for a group. So call ahead.
Truly a little gem and should be visited if you enjoy lounging around and just wasting leisurely 3-5 hours of your day! :))) I know i did!!!
I've been here a couple of times and I like it alot. It's a great place to hang out with a group of friends when the weather is warm. Â The store itself has alot of bottles in the front and a small tasting bar in the back. Â I think what makes the place is the outdoor patio with patio chairs and tables. Â It makes the perfect setting to hang out and taste some wines comfortably while enjoying the perfect SoCal weather. Â
I will say the wines are of high quality and the pours are generous. Â Now that wine bars are so popular, I have been to my fair share of bars owned by businessmen who know little about wine and it can reflect in the selection. But I've always found the selection here to be pretty good to great and that probably explains some of the expensive bottles. Â
Try this place out on a nice day, make reservations and hang out outside. Â
There are a couple of things that I feel could make this place a 5 instead of 4:
1. Waitress bringing tastings to you. You can to fetch the pours at the bar area and that can result in alot of sitting down and getting up.
2. More food selection - They have cheese and crackers but more would be nice.
Otherwise, it's a great casual wine place that is perfect for day drinking with friends.
These guys have a great selection of boutique bottles in the $40 and up range, but not a place to find accessible (i.e. affordable) boutique gems for the bohemian cork dork. Â The staff meanwhile was engaging and believable, but the person who helped me offered a selection which was....well awful. Â A 20$ single varietal vin du pays can be GREAT....but not when it tastes like Manishevitz. Â Sure, it had a nice nose, but I felt like I was being punished for coming in and explaining "look, I know wine...gimme something great but affordable", or the butt of some kind of sinister joke. Â
So, the staff seems to have great knowledge in viticulture and oenological theory, but the lady who was working's pallet was seriously lacking IN THIS INSTANCE.
(UPDATE :: I get grouchy when I spend more than 15$ on a bottle and get crap, especially if it' a recommendation from a person staffing a wine store. Â I've reconsidered and am willing to give the location a second chance, since their selection of wines that I DID know was definitely spectacular, with some hard to find wines).
I can be wine snobby. Â I proselytize how Barefoot wines are Unbearable, I explain Charles Shaw is undrinkable, and if you drink YellowTail, you're no friend of mine. Â Still, I can appreciate a bottle in the 'Fightin' varietal' range. Â Some of them are boutique, and some are grocery-store accessible. Â I'll drink a Fat Bastard red, a Smoking Loon Merlot, or a Bonny Doon Pacific Rim. Â I love the 14$ Rose's from Paso Robles, the 20$ Peachy Canyon Zins..... Â I'll drink good juice. Â The fact is, it's not that hard to have a few boutique wines in the $5-$25 range that are obscure but delicious. Â Just because something's hard to find, doesn't mean it's great. Â And a wine being $20 or less doesn't necessitate it being unable to achieve a status of "Outstanding'. Â
 Wine crush talks the talk, and the show room looks like it might be able to offer it.  You assume by the company their shelves keep from the higher end wines that their lower end ones will be phenomenal finds.  Unfortunately IN THIS FIRST CASE, they didn't walk the walk.
I WILL go back when I need a good 60$ standard if I want to know it's been kept in good condition and is being made available at a great price (I'm looking accusingly at YOU former Maury's on Naples), Â but I'm not going to recommend this place to my friends who love wine but need fiscal flexibility. Â I'll just send them to District Wine where I trust their palettes more to guide my friends. Â
Honestly, I'm sad. Â I hope I don't get dirty looks when I return. Â I did LOVE the selection that I recognized, and the prices were pretty damn outstanding - that's why I gave this place 3 stars instead of 1. Â I just felt REALLY burned by my first experience here. Â I wanted to LOVE what the woman who was working had recommended.
DISCLAIMER :: I brought the wine I purchased to Art Du Vin for the owner's birthday, where i tasted it for 8 of the ADV regulars who all agreed the wine was AWFUL.  Not an off bottle, not TCA, just #epicfail  I want to add this on so it doesn't seem it's mere wine-snobbery that upset me.  It was just not a good selection.
I've only been here once, and it was for a school meeting type thing. It was still open to the public though, too. At first I was afraid it would be a snobby and pretentious place, but it wasn't!
I know next to nothing about wine, and the woman at the bar was super friendly. She said they had a bottle of wine open for the night (similar to having a beer on tap) and offered me a taste. I liked it, so I got a glass for $7. Kinda expensive seeming to me (my whole bottle usually costs that much. Like I said, I know nothing about wine!) But it was delicious so I think it was worth it. My friend got a couple beers that he was very happy with, but they were nothing I'd ever heard of before.
The ambience and outdoor area are extremely nice. I'd love to just chill here with friends or my boyfriend and have a few glasses of nice wine. It sounds like a great time to me. But I'm not sure I would want to buy a whole bottle if they don't do wine by the glass every night.
Great back patio for boozing.
This is a great place. Â We stopped by on a whim on a Sunday afternoon and were so glad that we did. Â We purchased a bottle of wine, a container of cheese and crackers.
We met one of the owners. Â He's pretty nice and loves to chat about wine. Â We enjoyed our time speaking with him (Marcus) and Hillary (empolyee). Â They were both super interesting and it made for a great casual Sunday afternoon.
They typically sell boutique wines from California. Â Stoked to see that they support the local economy of California.
I learned some good trivia:
Because they serve wine, the city treats them like a bar. Â That means that nobody can be served after the closing hours. Â Good to know.
Don't half step. Â Come here with friends and grab a few bottles and make a casual day or night of it. Â This place is not snobby...unless you make it that way.
Shortly after the Wine Crush opend, Â I began going there to enjoy the patio, buy wine, drink wine/eat cheese, referred my neighbors over and took a group of 8 friends in for a wine tasting.
I thought my ex and I were great customers. Â We, like many working parents, had weekly date night and went there 1-2 times/month in the summer for wine and cheese on our date night. Â
We took other friends with us, referred our neighbors over and we bought wine to take home. Â We were regulars for about 4-5 months and spent an average of $300/month between our date night and wine for home.
We went in one evening with six other friends. Â Â The male owner was there and when we all came in the first thing he told us was the time they closed (which was about 1 hour and 15 minutes from when we came in.) Â We spend over $350 on wine, cheese, crackers, etc. but he made sure to come to our table and remind us when we had 30 minutes left.
Unbelievable considering how often we came in, how many friends and neighbors we referred in and the fact that we were loyal customers.
After we left, we discussed our displeasure at how we were treated and how embarrassed we were in front of the six friends we brough in especially since we sang high praises about the place. Â
We later discussed our general displeasure with the customer service of the place.
Shortly after that, we asked them to look into a couple of wines we were interested in. Â We never received a call back and left a reminder message. Â After 3 weeks we had no follow-up or a call back to acknowledge they were "looking". Â
The no call back was the last straw. Â I have not been back since 2005!
I was meeting a GF of mine, way early so i thought I would just check out the place. There was maybe 2-3 people in there...they NEVER acknowledged me! Meaning they never even said "Hi" even though we made eye contact. (Maybe because I'm the only Asian there.)
Whatever, waited until no one was there to ask them about the wine tasting. It was Pinot Noir, 6 pours for $20...however, I don't like Pinot Noir. If it wasn't for my GF, I would have been gone long time ago.
Anyway, my GF came and we decided to get a bottle of white. 1st glass wasn't chilled, yuck. They kept it in the fridge for us until we were ready for our 2nd glass. Anyway.
Cute patio they have out there. Some people bring cheese and crackers...I may go back...and buy a bottle to enjoy...butonly if I'm around the area.
Went here for the first time a few months ago as part of a scouting trip for my friend Cass' wedding. Was impressed by the selection, the staff's knowledge and helpfulness, and thought it should make for a excellent location for a wedding.
Fast forward to last Saturday and the actual wedding. Hillary and her team did a great job at making us feel welcome and made sure everything went according to plan. When I told her we had an amp and microphone for the actual ceremony, she didn't bat an eye and said it would be fine as long as we didn't do amplified music. Not a problem! And when I needed her help in surprising the groom, Paul, with "Don't Stop Believin'", sung by yours truly and the bride's sister, she queued up the song on the shop's iPod and blasted it so we could sing along and torture Paul more than adequately. (He hates Journey.)
The wine selection at the reception was excellent and they were great about refilling glasses. If you're going to have an event there, ask them for a catering recommendation - not sure who Cass used but the food was great.
Even though I'm no longer in the LBC, I would definitely go back to the Wine Crush for damn near any occasion, whether it's a wedding or Thursday or whatever.
A very nice place to relax and have a few glasses of wine or do tastings. Â Since I've been trailing my boyfriend to wine bars, this one is the biggest I've seen. Â It's situated away from all the hullabaloo of Downtown and the pretentiousness of the Art District, (which isn't necessarily always a bad thing). Â
Because it was our first time, we didn't know where to park, but we found a spot right on Broadway. Â I think the parking lot is behind it, but I saw people just use the Taco Bell parking lot. Â This place is pretty. Â You walk in and see lots of fine wine bottles for sale. Â My BF says they're mostly on the higher end, obscure, cult-ish selection. Â Although, the prices seem kind of high, there's variety. Â
The bar is small with a TV and five or six stools. Â The majority of the seating is outside in the patio. Â The patios is very cute. Â There are a dozen or so tables with various benches and chairs between the foliage. Â There are gardens, trees, and a leafy wall separating the street and parking lots from the patio. Â It's very serene. Â I like the string lights. Â They really add to the atmosphere. Â I hate drinking at well-lit bars, even wine bars. Â
We went on a Thursday night. Â I guess they do tastings Thursday through Saturday nights. Â We just so happen to go on a "blind" tasting night. Â I think it was like $20 for 6 different wines and whoever guesses the most right, wins a free tasting. Â It was definitely worth it as far as portion, quality of wine, and experience. Â We ended up buying a couple of bottles for home, but it would be cool to bring your own bottle to enjoy along side whatever the tastings are out on the patio. Â
They have some fromage and olives n' stuff to nibble on, if you need it. Â But I didn't see anyone eating. Â The patrons range from yuppie to bohemian and are chatty. Â The owner/bartender was really nice and friendly too. Â
I would have to make a couple of suggestions though: 1) Music. Â The music would help drown out other people and conversations around you. Â There were moments in between my conversations that i could hear the people at the next table discussing how rich they are and people at another table trying to work out "private" time. Â It seemed like she couldn't be with him without taking her kid with her. Â But that's not my business. Â My point is, suggestion 2) limit the child(ren) running around disturbing the other patrons. Â There was a little girl (very cute, but very energetic) running through the roped off part of the garden. Â She was also running in-between the tables and climbing on stuff. Â I don't usually mind this kind of stuff, but not at happy hour, winding down. Â
Overall, the experience was pretty good. Â The setting was nice, the service and portions were good, and the selection was interesting. Â We'll definitely be back, and not just because the BF joined the wine club, but to try the different tastings, and maybe to buy an occasional bottle of wine.
I love Adam & Marcus. Every time I go in with a question about pairing, they give me options to work with, and are super helpful. I haven't regretted purchasing a wine they've recommended yet.
The Club tastings are frequent and I always learn something. I wish there were more seating inside, as there's only room for 4 or 5, and the rest is SRO or go outside. During the summer, outside is great--a nice patio with corks used like sawdust on the ground, and 8-10 tables with 3-4 chairs per table. During the fall/winter/spring, outside is a little chilly and it gets kind of cramped inside.
I'm somewhere in between a novice & a connoisseur, and the boys are always helpful in helping me choose something I'd like based on what I tell them I like. They'll usually ask my budget before recommending a wine for me.
The Club Membership is free, which means you don't have to pay for the membership itself. The benefits are 10 or 15% off any wine in the store + discounts on wine tastings + discounts on wine or corkage fees in selected local restaurants. What's not free about the membership is the monthly wine shipments. Those will run you anywhere $40-65 (based on our last 6 shipments) for 2 bottles of wine. They notify you when your shipment is in, automatically charge you, and it's hassle-free picking it up. It's a great opportunity to learn about wine and what your tastes are, and I've liked or loved every selection so far.
Also, there's usually pretty decent music playing (low volume). Good energy just about every time I've been there.
Expensive.
We are given the option to do a $20 per person tasting of 5 pours, or buy a bottle and chill on their patio and cork it when we leave. Â Options two sounds like more bang for our buck.
At first I was told any of their bottles are available cold. Â Of course I want a cheaper ... excuse me ... less expensive bottle of wine, but guess what... those are conveniently not cold.
They do have a cute patio with lots of foliage and some fairly comfy chairs. Â There's an awesome view of ... ummm... the apt. building across the street. Â But it's smoker friendly and I like that.
I doubt I'll come back.
I am a huge fan of the outside seating. Â The people who work here are knowledgeable but not always welcoming (some visits are better than others).
During the warmer months, I have visited this place on numerous occasions either for wine tasting or a spot to hang out before going to dinner (we would buy a bottle of wine and sit outside). Â You can buy something to nibble on at the establishment (i wouldn't do that because they are a little overpriced for what they offer) or you can bring in your own.
Some of the cons of this place is that they don't have wine tasting every night and they close early....too early.
My fiance and I tried this place out last night after a long day of work. We had received a gift card as an (early) wedding gift and were stoked as we both love cute little wine shops. Upon walking in I had to somewhat introduce myself as "new here" in order to get some information as to what was going on. We were informed that we could either do the tasting (it was a Syrah evening) for $20 or purchase a bottle. $40 is a bit much for our liking so we opted for a $25 bottle on the tasting list. We were told that we could also purchase a cheese plate which comes with crackers, almonds and chocolate for $10 which we decided to do...
The wine was great, who doesn't love a Syrah. However, $10 for a skimpy plate of crackers, cheese, almonds and chocolate (which I could have scraped together at my own house) was a bit ridiculous.
Like I said, it was a LONG day so we went for another bottle. We walked in, glasses in hand and started to wander when I heard some female at the bar say, "I don't know.. should I ask them?!" At that point I turned around, realizing that was regarding us to which I said, "Oh, we're looking for another bottle.. I promise we're not leaving with your glasses!" That garnered a couple of laughs. We found a new bottle and walked back out to the patio.
There was a woman with her dog. Being the dog lovers that we are, we didnt' mind him coming over to be pet (this was a larger dog by the way.. boxer looking). However, if we weren't dog lovers and wanted a more professional experience, I probably wouldn't have appreciated seeing the dog lift its leg to pee on the fence or take a massive sh*t.
When my fiance went back for the last glass the owner was sure to inform him that they were closing "in fifteen minutes". We finished our glasses and left but it was about 10 minutes after "closing" time.. oops!
With a small business and a wine bar at that I would have really appreciated better customer service.
However, they DO let you bring in your own food which is cool. Not sure I necessarily would. It seemed that night everyone (except for us) knew each other and we kind of got the feeling that we were imposing on THEIR party.
Our gift card is exhausted and based on fellow reviewers I'm not sure whether we'll make another trip back..
We may just stick with Morry's and this wine bar we found on Main Street in HB. Although it was REALLY crowded when we got there the owner was SUPER friendly.
Well, 2 years and still no call back about getting me my Mangrove Jack Shiraz.
The last words from the owner...who BTW has become so insignificant to me I don't even rember his name except he had a beard or goatee were"I'll call you as soon as I find or, if not I'll call you too"
Well, I've been 3 hair colors, skirts have gotten shorter and longer and I'm now on Social Security!
I did buy sme nice Pinot Noir that I still have in the case but, I most likely won't drink it and just bring it to my next party because it would just be a case of sour grapes if [I] drank it!
Glad to know I'm not the only one let down by The Wine Crush... Linda and Elvis are right on! Â The first couple visits were okay... being able to walk to a wine tasting and sit outdoors on a nice patio to enjoy it seemed like a win-win! Â Until the person pouring the wine entered the picture. Â
We have never been made to feel welcome here, but the last time was the last straw! Â On previous visits the snooty worker/workers (we've had a couple) have always made us feel like it was a bother to have to pour wine for us! Â But on this last time he just didn't even bother! Â There was noone there but us but after about 10 minutes outside and no service (and yes he saw us walk in b/c he grunted at us), we left! Â NEVER TO RETURN! Â But his loss was totally our gain! Â We walked home, drove down to Morry's and had THE GREATEST EXPERIENCE! Â And we should be easy to please... all we want is a smile and someone to pour us some tastings and tell us what we're drinking! Â Also the new wine shop down on 4th blows The Wine Crush out of the water... ACTUALLY A SMILE!
The only reason I give them one star is because its so close to my house and the patio is great..... but I'll certainly never go back! Â Call me crazy but I like to go places where I'm wanted! Â Thankfully The Wine Crush is not the only place in Long Beach.. to taste wine!
Adam & Marcus at The Wine Crush do it right.
They sell a full range of quality wines, including some great small producers that you would normally have to go to the wineries to get your hands on.
They have an excellent outside courtyard space, you can bring food to enjoy while you taste, the tastings include quality wines usually ranging from $20 to $60, and you can buy a bottle to linger with if you want.
We enjoy their wine club which is reasonably priced, and we have not been disappointed with any of their choices.
I have also done a networking event at The Wine Crush. The guys were easy to work with, and everyone enjoyed the setting and ambience.
This is my favorite place for a great glass of wine. Â They have wines at all price points for all budgets and tastes. Â If you are unsure of what to purchase, Adam or Marcus will be able to steer you in the right direction. Â
It's a great place to taste wine Thursday-Saturday and if you want to share a bottle, the patio is the place to be. Â
I would recommend a visit.
My sister lives about a 5 minute walk from here, but because she read these Yelp reviews from a while ago, she was unwilling to try it. Â Happily, I read the more recent reviews, and convinced my sister to give it a shot. Â So happy we did!
This place runs one of two ways. You can pay for the tasting (when we were there it was 6 wines for $20) or you can pay for a bottle, which they will open for you. Â In both cases, you can bring your wine (or beer, which they had in the fridge) to their outdoor patio to sit and sip. Â
We felt the wine tasting was kind of pricy, so we went the wine bottle route. Â They have a pretty good selection of California wines (to see what I like you can check my Santa Ynez Valley and Paso Robles winery lists) but we thought it was a good chance to really branch out- so we went with a white from Spain.
It was a lovely afternoon/evening to sit out and enjoy the wine. Â I wish they had more snacks on offer-- we only saw a cheese tray for $15, and since we had dinner plans after we didn't have time to run to another place to bring food in. Â Also, the light from the Taco Bell parking lot next door was rather bright as the sky got darker and we saw it more... But overall it was a nice visit.
My sis is excited to return, and we look forward to going back with her!
The attitudes and annoyed looks when I go up for a new pour for a tasting border on ridiculous.
The brothers are more than I ever want to deal with.
And the arriving at 8:20 on a friday night (god forbid) is a mistake you will only make once with this place.
Great location - great concept - wrong owners
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Tres bonne! Very happy to say my first meetup was a surprising & pleasant success. Lovely & lively group in such an enchanting place which serve 6 Flights for a fabulous $15deal. Vibe here is charming & staff was friendly to add laidback patio feel. Good starter place on the way to see more friends, invite them back, have dinner elsewhere or just hangout, again, thanks all! =)
Tip: best enjoyed on warm evenings since there's no indoor seating. Outdoors cozy enough to feel like someone's friendly intimate backyard.
The Wine Crush is a convenient and excellent place to enjoy fine wine and learn a bit about the hot trend of wine tasting.
I, myself, enjoy the occasional glass (or entire bottle) of Merlot or Zin...and the thought of sitting at a counter and tasting six different types of wine was a bit exciting.
We did just that one night during the week.
The owner poured us 6 glasses total and schooled us a bit on the background of each wine.
By the fifth glass, I was feeling warm. The pours were slightly on the  skimpy side -- but what do you expect when you're tasting and not indulging?!
I left there quite content with the experience and enjoyed the overall atmosphere of the joint.
We signed up for their quarterly wine club.
We returned a few weeks later, during a week night, but to our dismay, we arrived at an inopportune time. I couldn't understand it...the place looked packed. They weren't moppin' floors or turning the OPEN sign to CLOSE.
I guess they close at 9pm during the week. We got there at 8:30pm.
We were pretty much asked to come at another time by the owner.
Wow!
Thirty minutes to get thru 6 glasses is no obstacle for this refined young Latina! Â
I can down a bottle of Cazadores and 2 cases of Corona like no body's business and in less than 5 minutes!
Anyway, my significant other is pretty much over this place. I might be tempted to revisit...arriving with ample time to, I don't know, sit there and stare at the ceiling.
The Wine Crush... Our first introduction to wine tasting took place at the Wine Crush two weeks ago. We experienced a very relaxed introduction into wine tasting and the host seemed very knowledgeable. We were completely sold on this place; we even joined their wine club and bought a bottle of wine following the tasting. We fell in love with this place. The following week (Jan 24th) we received the weekly email informing us a new selection of wines have arrived for tasting.
Looking forward to the tasting all day, we were thrilled when we walked into the Wine Crush for "Zin fest". The man, the same man who gave us the taste the previous week greeted us with the following: "Hi... Â Uh, you do know we close in a half hour? Why don't you just come back over the weekend" and with that said, he pretty much showed us the door. Thinking 30 minutes is plenty of time to get through the tasting, we bitterly turned away and headed home.
I'm obligated to buy two wines through the wine club and once that is done, I will be done with the Wine Crush. I mean, I understand 5-10 minutes to closing and you don't want to work the extended minutes. Call me old school, but isn't turning away customers the kiss of death for the small business?
So I figured the following:
Tasting once a week for two people 30.00
That equals 120.00 a month and 1,440 a year.
Thanks rude wine dude, you just saved me a lot of money.
UPDATE: They did contact me, apologized and was kind of quick to say goodbye by removing me from their wine club... Which is cool, if that is the only thing you can think of to save a customer... COUGH COUGH "We are sorry for dissing ya, we would love to have you come back COUGH COUGH FOR FUTURE REFERENCE...COUGH.
The odd thing about the letter is that he mentioned they will do a better job on informing people they close at 10:00. Both my girlfriend and I discussed in great detail and we both agree we walked through the Wine Crush doors at 8:30. I'm guessing they closed early that night or something. Â
After talking to a few more Yelpers, it seems we all agree... great first time experience, a little rough on the repeat performances.
I'm sure I will come back in the later part of this year because I'm a sucka like that AND it's so damn close to my house.
PS: Headed there today... Will update.
UPDATE: Much better, perhaps new owners?
NEW REVIEW--
I'm with Elvis on this one. Â Not so much in love with Wine Crush anymore. Â I've been here twice since my last review and the staff seems to have become aloof bordering on annoyed. Â I felt like I was imposing everytime we went up to the bar for a pour. Our last and final tasting here was absolutely miserable. Â No more tastings here for this crew. Â Hey....but let me know if they put the business up for sale...would absolutely love to buy this beauty. Â BACK TO MORRY"S WE GO ;-)
Original Review--Definitely one of the best places to taste in Long Beach, lots of room, great wines, beautiful patios, and best part, the wines for sale are at normal retail prices, not at 50x mark up like some other places. Â Go and have fun...oh, bring some munchies, it's allowed!
The Wine Crush is the perfect place to waste away a perfectly spectacular afternoon. Â I'm from the school that alcohol makes everything better and what could be better than sitting in the sun, in a beautiful little garden, getting slowly obliterated over a variety of wines with friends? Â
I first came here for a social wine tasting. Â The ownership had just changed hands and the owner was super enthusiastic about his plans. Â It was great to wine taste to the sounds of big small business dreams (though honestly, a Superbowl party at a wine bar?) Â Talking to the owner made me want to volunteer to market the place for them. Â There's something crazy yet cool about being one of 6 people in a place while hearing about the owner's plans to attract more- almost like you're in on a secret. Â
The beer garden (I mean, wine tasting garden?) is really the best part of the place. Â They have some nice landscaping, some stone paths from their umbrellaed tables (that will surely trip someone up after a few swigs) and music piping up from the speakers. Â It's very easy to lose track of time in this place!
They generally have a little cheese and cracker plate out for free (water crackers.. yum-mm!) but they have more for purchase. Â I think the ultimate goal is for you to go for the wine tasting and then buy a bottle of your favorite, but so far I've only be able to handle the wine tasting before stumbling across the street for some starchy pasta to save me from the inevitable headache later on.
This is a GREAT place for groups. Â I've gone back a few time and it's never crowded. Â They have a wine bar inside where the tasting occurs and some tables inside and outside. Â The attached wine store has a great selection and can be dangerous to walk through once you're fully loaded.
And don't worry about knowing squat about wines. Â Everyone here is super casual and in touch with reality!
A visit to The Wine Crush is always in my weekend plans. Â They are constantly expanding, newly starting a Cigar Night (Wednesdays- with discounts on cigars and tastings of port) and plans for they're first BBQ this summer.
I've been to tastings on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and each has its own vibe. Sundays are mellow for relaxing on the patio and Friday and Saturday nights are much busier and more social. Â
There is a theme each week, and as a newbie in wine tasting it's a great environment to learn more and sample some different wines. I even decided to join the wine club and am signed up for emails about events.
Check it out!
UPDATE:
I am sad to say I am removing 2 stars from my original visit to Wine Crush. We could walk over and stumble home from this place BUT our last visit the pours were so tiny I almost wanted to comment, but too embarrassed as you're not supposed to want to catch a buzz at a tasting (I think).  Anyway, I don't know if it was just that we lucked out the first time and got heavy pours or what. $30 something later, neither of us liked any of the pours and we were still in need of wine.  We both left wishing we had that $30 to spend at BevMo.  I still like the location and garden but will probably spend our wine tasting cash  elsewhere.
ORIGINAL review:
A friend's birthday brought us to Wine Crush for a tasting. They were doing Napa wines that night. I really liked the atmosphere, I also thought it was neat that they let a party near us bring all their own snacks. They were celebrating a birthday and had a nice spread set up. I was kinda wanting to join their party! LOL
I really enjoyed this place and found one of the 6 that we tasted really nice. I had paper and pen in the purse so I wrote it down for future purchase.
The hubby and I will definitely go back.
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