Wine Detective

Our first reaction to needing to search for this bar farther … and farther back in the mini-​mall after dark, was that one needed to have a background in gum shoe’ing to find this place.
And not unlike a watering hole in a Raymond Chandler book, this place is indeed strange. You purchase a pre-​paid punch card and can do 1 ounce tastings. which depending on what you want to try really adds up quickly.
The wine is dispensed from impersonal high tech wine kiosks– which smack of shades of Clock Work Orange’s «Milk bar», (minus the charm of having it poured from prosthetic nipples). There is no set wine list either… which again can be off putting if you just want to chill and slowly consider your options. But the Wine Detective’s offerings can change at «anytime»… and since there is an over abundance of options here… you can easily want to give up.
On the plus side, the staff is incredibly kind and knowledgeable. The ambiance is reserved and quiet.
Give it a try– it might be your thing, but for me, having to learn a whole new «system» rather than the straight forward order and pour is not conducive to a chill-​axing night.

I love wine. I actually love it. And I also love the idea of this bar too. It is nicely laid out, the concept is great, the guy working there was also really nice, but it was just a bit pricey and added up way way too quickly. I know you are thinking I just drank too much, but I barely had any sample since they pour small samples with your punch card that is charged by the type of wine you choose. It makes sense that some wine samples should be more money, but wine tasting in Napa has one flat rate to try all of the wines, I feel like something should be worked out for a place like this.
I just found myself going around looking for cheaper ones in order to make my pre-​purchased wine tab card last longer. Tasting wine should be fun and effortless and care free, but having that card actually made me think more about the amount of money I was spending than when I usually buy wine. That being said, it is a nice place to go with a small group of friends. You can all walk around the wine taps together, chat, feel fancy, etc. But I just wish it was more affordable!

What a wonderful little gem in Pasadena to try out some wines! My first few experiences here were great. The employees are pretty knowledgeable in the wines that they carry, and do keep in mind that they rotate their wines every now and then so you’ll always have something new to try. I had the pleasure of working with the owners to put on a wine tasting event, and they picked out some really fantastic varieties (I chose 5 different ones) at the budget that I was looking for. Overall, it’s a great place to go with friends to hang out if you’re looking for something intimate.

Very cute place. Not very busy which I like but also hope they are doing well so they don’t close. Yummy little bites and I just had the house red for Happy Hour but a great place to go sit and have a chat with a friend or maybe a first date/​meet?
Not a huge crowd so if you ladies are single, you aren’t going to run into any men really, that aren’t either on a date or well, available.
I am not a HUGE wine person either but they had lots of answers and had a few beers available too.
I say go!
No outside so not doggy friendly. :)

Stylish wine bar in Pasadena!
What I really enjoyed was:
Comfy lounge seating
Chic ambience
Benoît the warm French barkeep
Delicious Pintxos
Charcuteries and cheese
It’s not a happening crowded party place, but it is a space to relax and sip that brunello and enjoy great conversation with your beau.

I went here for happy hour on a Thursday night and it was pretty quiet. The place was nice and cozy with a variety of fines wines to choose from. The concept is great. You get a plastic card and swipe it each time you want a tasting and pay at the end. The tastings start at ~$ 2 with glasses ranging from $ 7-​$ 15. They also have small bites to choose from. I tried the sweet and savory and it was amazing. Best prosciutto I’ve ever had and it was served on toasted bread, goat cheese and honey. I also tried a strawberry crostini with balsamic glaze, arugula and cheese but the sweet and savory was better. Small bites go for $ 2.50/$ 3 each.
Onto the wine… I tried a malbec and a great white beer. Both were excellent! Service was friendly and the bathroom/​restaurant was spotless. There’s a parking lot directly across from WD but you can easily find free street parking on Mentor.

This wine bar has a really great concept and I want it to succeed. The way it works is you purchase one or several $ 50 cards and then you can choose from four stations (mixed, whites, domestic reds, and import reds). After you can choose to purchase the wine you like by the glass or by the bottle. You can also purchase a bottle to go and it will be cheaper. Please visit if you get a chance.
I went on a Tuesday night so obviously there were only a handful of people there (sometimes this is a good thing and gives you privacy). The wine selection wasn’t to my liking as I prefer strong Napa cabs. They had some Napa, Sonoma, Italian/​French/​Spanish wines to choose from. I settled on a chardonnay from La Follette in Sonoma. I enjoyed my wine and my party felt like we had the place all to ourselves. Overall a pleasant experience.

My bf and I decided last minute to try this place, so we arrived a little before 11 on a Saturday. As we were walking up to the place, the owner (I think) was about to close the doors, so we asked if they were closing early. He reluctantly let us in to do some tastings — not a great start. Now we felt guilty for making him stay open. Soon after, a few other patrons came in, so we felt better. So we started tasting, and wow, you totally don’t realize how tiny one ounce is and how fast the tiny tastings add up. Super pricey. I think this place is much more for trying a couple tastes to order a glass or bottle.
I’ve seen the pics of food, so I hope to give this place another try… maybe for happy hour, but wouldn’t come here just for tastings.

This was a Groupon discovery. First off, I’m sort of familiar with Pasadena. I know two streets: Fair Oaks and Colorado. Thus my husband and I had a heck of a time finding this place. The entry is in a back alley, but not really a true back alley. Getting there was an adventure that called for a large drink.
So, in the words of our waiter, «it is called Wine Detective, because you need a detective to find the location.»
The service was great. Our server was very friendly and knowledgeable about the wines and the food. This was important as I’m usually not a big fan of the wine dispenser/​card system. It reminds me of a gas station: self service. I feel that it takes away from the conversation that a true tasting consists of. I don’t like finding out about a wine by reading a card. I like the human interaction. Here, there is the «self-​service» aspect, but the servers are quick to answer any questions you have about what you are drinking where it is from.
The space was nice, not to stuffy. It reminded me of an art gallery/​loft space. Open seating with low tables and a few tables and chairs. This place is great for an intimate night out.

Love the concept!
Instead of buying a full glass of wine. You can try out many different kind of wine by oz. Just purchase a prepaid card and start the wine tasting!

My girlfriend and I stumbled upon this place as a back up to another spot. Our original place was way too busy and we wanted to have a conversation without screaming.
Upon entering you see that they have a selection of wines at tasting dispensers. Interesting. The gal at the counter welcomed us and was friendly. She gaves us the low down and we each purchased a wine tasting card that you use to serve yourself. I like the concept…
My only issue was that I wasn’t overwhelmed by the selection. Red or whites. It seemed fairly limited and the tastings were a little pricey.
We ordered a cheese plate and it was delicious. In fact it was the first time I’ve ever liked goat cheese so good for them.
The atmosphere was tidey and subtle. They had an old B&W film playing silently against one of the walls so that was cool.
I was a little surprised by the lack of customers. There was only one other couple there besides us and when we left only two other people had come in, one of which left almost immediately.
I will give this place another try but more wines and more people would make it feel more fun. Perhaps some local advertising or specials would have helped. (If they had «special nights» we weren’t aware of it. If they do, they should make sure customers know about it…

A Few Good Things Beginning With «G»:
Gewürztraminer
Gamonéu
Grenache
Grevé
Grigio
Gevrik
Gouda
Good thing that each pour at Wine Detective is a reasonable one ounce, or I’d be drunker and full of even more cheese right now.
For Wine Detective makes gluttony simple, you see: with the swipe of a card, one can experience any number of expensive wines or excellent cheeses, all in exotic Pasadena. While the sommeliers are helpful and able to direct the drinker towards those wine profiles that might interest them, the cheesemonger* was, next to the Gouda, the highlight of my visit. That man really knows his queso.
Finding the bar can be a bit of a challenge and parking can get goofy, but that shouldn’t deter you. After all, there is cheese to be mongered.
Great, right? Four stars!
*actual name for this position; I am not clever enough to make these things up.

Been a few years since I strolled back here, but i wanted to show my friend a different style of wine tasting. Great selection of just about everything. Nice interior with a chill lounge type atmosphere to sit down and enjoy a glass. Tried everything (cabs and sirahs that is). Found this really good cab from Montes Alpha, but the last bottle was on the demo rack :(One of the employees recommended an 08′ Carmenere of the same winery. This one smelled a lot more pungent with a strong aroma of tobacco. Nasty right– Negative! This thing tasted way better than it smelled and was really smooth. Great recommendation. Took this bottle out for a spin to Bar Celona.

Taste all the wines you want with their 2oz pour machines.
Great ambiance provides the perfect place to gather a group and mingle. Discussing your pours gives you a start to conversation.
Pintxos offer great variety and flavors in easy to eat-​while-​mingling bite size portions.
How fun it would be if this place would really take off and there would be a good sized crowd each night.

Friendly and excellent. Beautiful, slick, and metallic interior. Good place for wine lovers that like a bit of that clean, high-​tech, Apple Store feel as opposed to that oaky, old school, traditional winery look.
I came here for a speed dating event. It’s a nice area, and the service is friendly. There are various bottles attached to machines where you can use a certain card to get different wines. It’s all pretty convenient and well-​prepared. If you’re more of the interactive type, the vending machine style thing might be less of your thing. There are various cheeses and snacks available.
Interior: Very slick and beautiful. Small-​sized interior, but perfect for this kind of service. Nice and cool (as it should be).
Group: A group of 2 to 8 or more, if they’re into wines, should feel fairly comfortable here, although there aren’t many tables around. Most wine-​tasters usually don’t sit around, anyway.
Taste /​Service: Very friendly and knowledgeable. I enjoyed the wines I’ve tried so far. There are tons of wines to try.
Overall: A cute, clean, slick place for wine lovers. Love the dark, classy, metallic décor. It’s lit like a nice, upscale club.

My friend was so excited to bring our group of friends here after dinner. She described it as yogurt land for wine. I was very confused. Although that’s not quite accurate, I guess it kinds of make sense.
The Wine Detective is located in the same alley way off Lake Ave where the Counter and Green Street Restaurant are. The store has great ambience and they have a big wine selection.
All the wines are in dispensing machines with prices labeled. You get a small portion of wine for $ 2-​$ 4. There are chilled dispensing cases for whites and rieslings. You have to show your ID and leave a credit card to open a tab at the counter. You then get a scanning card with $ 25 credit that allows you to pick and drink your wine. You pay at the end.
The service was great. They were helpful in explaining how everything works and even brought out some crackers for us. My friend spilled a little bit of red wine on my white skirt and they brought out some solution to help me get the stain out.
It does get kind of pricey to try a lot of different wines but overall a great experience. I think it would be a great date place for people who enjoy wine.

Went here last year on my birthday because my sister in law decided to drag me out and because its one of the few places actually opened on Christmas Eve. This place was not crowded being around the holidays. We were welcomed warmly when we walked in. I had been here before but never had done the tasting so we both decided to go for it and explore what the Wine Detective had to offer our pallets.
After you pay, they give you what I would call a «detective» card which contains your credit. You take that card around the machine holding all the bottles to discover what is in store for you. Depending on the wine you are tasting, it would take the amount of credit from your «detective» card and the nozzle will give you a small sample of wine to savor (rangers from like $ 2 – 8 per tasting). We were informed that if we liked anything in particular we are able to purchase a whole glass of the wine using our credit as well but we opted to keep trying and tasting the wines. The workers were also very helpful, informative and not pushy at all. They were very approachable and easy to talk to as well. We took our time and after a few hours there, we both left happy and satisfied.
The atmosphere is very classy yet comfortable. Great place to catch up with a friend since its not rowdy or loud. Good place to try at least once since its fun to use your «detective» card and have the funky looking machines pour wine out to you. Although I must say, I sure wish the samples they poured were a bit more to take in than just a sip or two.

What a pleasant wine bar. We popped in last minute on a Saturday night around 10 p.m. and the place was empty which suit us just fine because we had a party of about 15 people. The wine bar is fairly large with plenty of chairs and tables to lounge at.
The owner was incredibly nice and accommodating and recommended great accompaniments for the wines we chose. The coolest part, I thought, was the wine card. You get a prepaid card of $ 25 and you can pick and chose the wine you want, but you are only charged for the amount that you spend. Awesome idea! Next time I am in the area, I will definitely be hitting Wine Detective up again!

I told the proprietor that the last time I’d seen a wine bar of this format I was in Arezzo in Tuscany, Italy. You get a smart card and it records which 1 oz pours of wines you sample. You can buy bottles to enjoy in the café or to take home.
The pours our small and range from $ 2-​$ 5 for 1oz pours. The upside you can try some expensive wines with impressive sounding 95 and 93 point ratings from Robert Parker and Wine Spectator for $ 5.
The aesthetic is supercool. They have a 4 – 7 happy hour every day with $ 5 glasses of house wine. No Italian wine bar would be complete with an espresso machine.
The machines dole out domestic, new world, and old world red and white wines.
The name should be way cooler than «Wine Detective» for this place.

Great little wine bar tucked away in Pasadena. I’ve always been a fan of the auto dispenser wine bars and this one didn’t disappoint. Here, you start off with a $ 25 scan card (you are only billed for what you use on that card). There are two circular red wine stands and one long one against the wall for the whites. The wines vary from as low as $ 2 up to $ 5 – 6 for a 1 ounce sample. My friend and I just about spent all that before we settled on a nice pinot noir. (Note: Take your time and take advantage of the crackers at the bar to keep your palate fresh. It’s a little overwhelming on the taste buds!).
FOOD
To go with our wine ordered selection of 3 cheeses. When our waiter gave us the LONG list of cheeses they offered, I just threw my hands in the air and said surprise us with whatever you think works. I’m not positive on what cheese we got but they were DELICIOUS. My favorite was the brie. It was rich and creamy and oh so good. We also ordered a selection of Pintxos, which are mini open face sandwiches that run $ 1.95 each.
From left to right, we ordered 1 smoked pork, 1pesto, 2 salmon, and 2 anchovy. The salmon and anchovy were solid… sadly the two that I enjoyed the most are the ones we only got 1 of each. The smoked pork was full of porky goodness. It had a creamy filling that balanced it well. The pesto was toped with a nice slab of goat cheese and overall was sweet, kinda tart and very earthy. Very well done.
SERVICE
Very helpful but very sparse. Whenever I was dealing with any of the servers they were always very knowledgable and their advice and recommendations were always on point. On the downside, finding one of the said servers was a challenge at times. I was sitting at one of the tables for well over 5 mins before I finally got a menu and trying to get the check at the end of the night was a bit of a challenge. I was just about to get up and walk to the front when I finally flagged a waiter.
AMBIANCE
Great little spot that works well for an intimate evening or with a group of friends after work.
OVERALL
Even with the service minuses, I still very much enjoyed my evening here. The wine selection is pretty darn good and the set up of the restaurant really inspires you to try a lot of different kinds of wines from all over the world… that by itself is a win. On top of that the food and ambiance are great as well. I must come back and check out their happy hour!