Broc Cellars

Broc Cellars is unique. Most people don’t associate Berkeley with wine tasting. They might think of the element Berkelium and the locavore movement, perhaps, but not wine tasting. Chris Brockway, however, has set up his tasting room right on 5th Street. The black tripod signs indicate the warehouse and the generally natural vibe of the room.

The tasting room itself is full of minimalist flair. Giant Egg-shaped lamps stand against the wall and upturned wine barrels make up much of the furniture. Worn, recycled wood and brass grates create the accents on the walls, and the floor is a polished concrete. Here you can absorb urban chic at its finest along with wines that will please the most refined palates. The Vine Starr Zinfandel may be the signature wine, with all of his wines being low-alcohol choices that go well with food. The atmosphere is laid-back, as is fitting for a place with a working winery behind it.

Chris also features a number of wines that are made using the Pet Nat technique. These are sparkling wines that derive their bubbles from allowing the fermentation period to extend into the bottle. This traps some of the gas released by the yeast as it processes the grape sugars. These are fun wines to try. They can be earthy and a little funky. If you are willing to experiment, give a Pet Nat wine a try at Broc.

Chris’s big dream is to create wines that have character from growing in marginal lands with organic and biodynamic methods. If you come to Berkeley, we recommend tasting his highly-acclaimed products in his urbane rooms so you can see for yourself how his dream is growing.

You can also book the whole tasting room for private events like birthdays, holiday parties, private tastings and corporate events. Broc will manage the setup and arrange for servers on site. You are responsible for buying the wine and food for the event. Broc can also make a great venue for a wedding celebration. There are wedding photos on the Broc Cellars website to give you some idea of what to expect.

Address: 1300 5th St, Berkeley, CA 94710
Phone: (510) 542-9463
Tasting Room Hours: Saturday through Sunday 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm, groups bigger than 6 need a reservation
Tasting Room Fees: $15 which is waived when you buy wine