Paul Marcus Wines

Wide selection with a good range of prices. We wanted something local since my Mum was visiting and the woman there navigated us to the right section. Despite not knowing too much about wine, I didn’t feel lost here.
Ended up buying a $ 28 wine and it was really good! I love coming to Rockridge Market Hall (even though everything is pretty pricey) and I’m glad I came by to this store! I’m not sure if I’ll be coming here regularly given other convenient locations, but maybe if I come to appreciate wine more, I’ll be able to appreciate the selection and quality here more.

The best wine shop in the east bay! Great selection with the best of the best.
The people that work there are super helpful and informative! You don’t have to be a super wino to feel comfortable here.
Highly recommend this shop if you’re looking for wine for any occasion!

super disdainful and irritable sales person. middle aged, medium height man working there today was basically rude.
The place was empty. He had just helped someone who had left. The salesperson and I remained in the store. I asked if he carried a wine from a particular country. I can’t even characterize the response but it was not helpful, kind or enthusiastic. Something closer to total disdain — as if I had asked the dumbest question and was wasting his time. As if he were swatting at a fly.
The whole point of a place like this is the customer service. With great, new wine shops popping up all over Oakland this type of customer service isn’t going to serve Paul Marcus well.

Absolutely no fun shopping here. Too crowded. Too cramped. Service like a deli. Next! They were also out of exactly what the distributor said they should have in stock… a particular kind of wine. Back to North Berkeley Wine or random wine shopping. Shouldn’t be this hard.

This is for the small, middle-​aged man who works there. Apparently he feels the need to pull little power plays with people constantly.
For instance: his eagle eye can spot me from across the store using the wrong box yet won’t hand me the box behind him. Let’s see — I’m buying a case, you don’t have baskets, I can’t use that box, you won’t give me one. On the other hand my wife can look to him for help when the store is empty, he can walk, tunnel-​visioned, to a spot 5 feet from her, not acknowledge her presence until he’s done restocking.
I’ve been coming to Paul Marcus off and on since Market Hall opened. Tired of the BS from this guy. Some little fiefdom power play happens every single time, something that undermines both the quality of wine there and the level of courteous service from every other employee I’ve had the fortune to interact with.

I will never go back here. I made a special point of finding this wine shop, because I wanted information on the wines I was interested in buying. I was the only one in the store. The guy who was working could not have been less interested in helping me, and after a brief moment of his time, clearly let me know that he was done. It was a crummy experience.

The wine selection is comparable to other wine shops, but the service is gruff. The guy who helped me definitely knew his wines, but he wasn’t really interested in helping me find the right bottles for pairing. He seemed more interested in restocking his shelves than helping me, and there was no one else in the shop at the time. At first I thought it was because he thought I was going to buy $ 10 wines, but even after I purchased two bottles that were $ 50 apiece he still didn’t seem any friendlier. Never will I return.

Excellent customer service!
Real knowledgable staff about wine. Very helpful… I have read other people about the lack of service but with two guys and a small shop: 5 customers, he noticed me, helped me and pointed out a bottle of wine! That I haven’t tried yet, but I will soon!

After working in the wine biz for quite a few years, I can appreciate the value of paying a couple extra bucks for bottle that was chosen by a real human — taste tested by a real human, in fact! — and guaranteed to be something more interesting than the $ 8 bottle from TJs. You know you’re a grown up when your aim is no longer to find «drinkable» juice, but a wine you can close your eyes and have a moment with. Such is the case (get it?!) with shops like Paul Marcus.
It’s both convenient and annoying that they’re located in bustling Market Hall. Yes, it makes for great one-​stop dinner shopping, but the smell of fish wafting from the stall next door is not my fave. However, the gentlemen who work here are a delight to chat with, and my inner cork dork squeals with glee browsing the stacked boxes of Euro imports and asking subjective questions like «which would you say is more zingy and exciting?» They’ll gladly play the question game.
I left with two bottles of Rose, both $ 13.99 — a stoney Provencial which was the perfect partner for some figs, goat cheese, and balsamic reduction; and an Italian rose blend that sounded so exotic I had to try. I also spied some nice splits of champagne and craft ciders.
It’s so nice when a quick bottle errand turns into a casual conversation, exchange of preferences, and a «see you next time!» I could get used to this kind of Sesame Street community.

Two stars cause of there customer service. If I have to say hello to you first, I think I should take my money elsewhere. Your business is never crowded, so I would appreciate every person that comes in to spend money with you.

Paul Marcus Wines is a tiny wine merchant sandwiched between the fishmonger with the overpriced tombo, and the foodie goldmine that is the Pasta Shop.
I used to come here more often as it would siren song me after a long day, and I could literally see it as I got off Bart, luring me in with the promise of bacchanalian good times and a wee headache to come. I would make a bee line right to the ‘bargain reds’ section and usually pick up a bottle from Sicily with a pair of dice on the label. Yep, I chose by the label and price. I think I just lost some foodie points/​status, but this is part confessional, part atonement. Anyway, as silly as I must have seemed (though I hadn’t yet purchased my red vines and cheeseballs down the street to round out my meal), the salespeople were always friendly and smiled.
Ok, so fast forward some years, and I’ve finally started using Paul Marcus in the ‘right’ way, and I can add that the salespeople are very helpful. When I wanted a rather specific Basque white wine to pair with a Basque dish I was making for the fam, they were on it faster than I could say ‘txakolina’, and they could pronounce it better than you’ll ever be able to. And I recently spotted some Basque cider here, another nod to the homeland! I recently came in knowing I wanted a Moscato to pair with a strawberry dessert, and they pointed me in the right direction, with just the right amount of discussion and banter before giving me some ‘me’ time to mull over the labels and make my own decision. They must be so proud that their little bargain bin broad is all grown up now.
I don’t know if I’m just clouded by the lovely tastes, polyphenols, and Basque patriotism, but the prices here seem just right, especially in context of the rest of Markup Hall (though I truly do love the place.) Even as I gradually stepped away from the bargain bin, I’ve always found a good deal, and they always work within one’s budget, but I’ve spied many a pricy bottle if that’s what you’re after.

I’ve only been able to buy 1 bottle of wine from these guys after more than a handful of attempts.
I get it. They service the people who drop a shitload of money on a regular basis. Of course. But whenever someone’s checking the wines out and seem to have questions (I’m not the only one) they pretty much ignore you.
I was looking for a good wine to go for the paella I’m preparing for tonight and I looked around for a good 10 minutes without anyone bothering to help me.
So today’s the last time I try these guys. I’ll be getting my wines from the guys down the street who always seem to be helpful.

When you talk about a curated portfolio of wines, it is hard to surpass the palates behind this fine wine shop. From boxed wines that will surprise you, to high-​end grower Champagnes, Paul Marcus seems to have attracted some of the Bay Area’s considerable wine cognoscenti — both as customers and employees. A true gem.

Ryan will help you out. He’ll respect your price range and won’t try to push for pricier stuff.

The best store of its size in the East Bay. Least snobby, most wine geeky (in a good way) staff. They have super nerd wine but also a box of Malbec. There are few stores where such a small space has so many great producers. Want some weird-​ass Jose Pastor selected Skin Contact or oxidized style Spanish White? Check. but wait you also want Clos Saron or Littorai Pinot and Edmunds St, John and Donkey and Goat? yep. How about that Ruche, Brachetto or wine from Slovenia? Hmm where can i get that 2009 Cru Beaujolais,
a nice Saumur Rouge or Manzanilla Sherry? Oh yes plenty of Grower fizz. but thats too expensive for me today.
The only thing I am missing is the Enfante Terrible. Maybe I missed it. (like to keep it localita)

There seems to be a plethora of good specialty wine shops in the greater East Bay these days, of which Paul Marcus ranks right up there. But it does make me wonder how they can all stay in business, especially in this economy.
Last Saturday, Gayle and I wandered around Market Hall and eventually worked our way towards Paul Marcus Wines near the back. Gayle’s boss favours European wines and would be right at home here. A few strategically placed signs also point out that they also sell a nice selection of California wines. We ended up with a nice creamy Napa Chardonney (Madigan) and were impressed with the overall selection and the friendly, helpful, and relatively unpretentious service.

I really like this little wine shop. I’m not a wine snob — I can describe what I like, but I’m not well versed in all the oenophile terminology. I’m also currently living the recession lifestyle and not spending big bucks on expensive wines. However, I never feel intimidated in this shop. Someone has always approached me fairly quickly and offered to help. I tell him what I’m planning on pairing the wine with and what I’d like to spend, which is frequently under $ 20 a bottle. I never get the wicked side eye from whomever is helping me after I tell them I don’t plan on dropping big bucks in the shop. Instead, the people working here have always recommended very decent wines within the specified price range. I also love that this is part of Market Hall. I can get a full meal, from appetizers through dessert and coffee, and even a floral centerpiece, all in one great location.

Some great palates in this store; Ryan is a guy who can use descriptors to give you an idea of the character of a wine without sounding like he stepped off the planet Oenophilia.
Most shoppers are cool, with the occasional overstuffed, overbearing middle-​aged status quo dudes being «big».
There is an older guy (Paul Marcus?) who’s been looking increasingly dishevelled and grumpy. The font that provideth in the eve taketh away upon the morn…

Disclaimer: I first met Paul Marcus when he was a wholesale rep and I was a wine buyer for a retailer in Santa Cruz, CA back in the 1980s. In the 1990s, I was the sales rep and he was the wine buyer for — guess who? — Paul Marcus Wines! But that was so «last century»! This century I’m focused strictly on being a consumer, but if anyone feels the need to take some grains of salt with this review, I’ll understand…
Paul Marcus is one of the last, great wine merchants in the US.
No, seriously. People may not recognize that, because here in the East Bay, we are blessed with several excellent wine merchants, but in a country where most wines are sold in anonymous supermarkets, chains like Wal-​Mart, Cost Plus, BevMo, and Trader Joe’s — even in 7 – 11’s (!) — Paul and his staff KNOW their wines.
They know how to help you feel at home (or at least comfortable) by taking the time to answer your questions, talking with you about various wines and/​or food pairings, and offering you suggestions within your budget! They will also leave you to browse, if that’s your wish.
Specializing in wines from small, high-​quality importers and small domestic producers, Paul Marcus is not the biggest store on the planet, and if you’re looking for Gallo, Kendall-​Jackson, or «Two-​Buck Chuck» — well, you wouldn’t be coming to Paul Marcus in the first place. But if you’re looking for something truly great, this store never fails!
Paul remains in my permanent collection of merchants I regularly shop at. It’s in Market Hall in the Rockridge neighborhood, across from BART (which can be very convenient, depending upon where you live), with great access to parking, either in Market Hall’s own lot, the street, or across the street in. .. .

Last year, I had the pleasure of taking two wine studies class at the UC Berkeley Extension. One was an introduction to wines from Europe & California. The other was strictly Italian wines. My teacher was the esteemed Ray Johnson. He taught me how to appreciate all types of wines from so many angles. If you get a chance, take a class with him. He’s simply amazing.
Paul Marcus Wines was one of the wine shops I went to early on in my studies. While they didn’t have detailed descriptions of their wine, they knew their inventory. They were approachable (and liked to be approached!). They seemed to have tasted everything. Plus, they weren’t hung up on price.
I’ve often asked for a recommendation at a wine shop only to be steered to the expensive options. This place doesn’t do that. They try to find the bottle for you– always mindful of what you want to spend. Even when money isn’t an object, they’ll show you things at the lower-​end only because they really like it.
They have a great selection of the lower-​end (sub $ 20) and the expensive. I will always stop in here on the way to a dinner party to pick up a bottle. My only wish is that they’d write the little notes so I could read them at my leisure. And, why no wine club? That’d be really nice.