Velvet 48
Peninsula Wine Bar Punching Well Above Its Weight
Burlingame · Burlingame · Small Plates · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 7, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
Walking into Velvet 48, the wine list hits differently than you'd expect from a downtown Burlingame small plates spot — this isn't a token list bolted onto a food menu. With 150-250 bottles anchored by California, France, and Italy, and a Best of Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator since 2020, someone here genuinely cares about what's in the cellar.
Selection Deep Dive
The California section is where Velvet 48 really flexes: Ridge Monte Bello and Kistler Chardonnay sitting alongside Caymus Special Selection and Stag's Leap Cab means you're getting both the prestige crowd-pleasers and the serious collectors' picks in the same list. Italy shows up strong with Tignanello, which is the kind of bottle that earns a wine program immediate credibility. France rounds things out with Louis Jadot Burgundy selections and Domaine Drouhin Pinot Noir — not groundbreaking picks, but solid executions of the classics. The one gap: if you're hunting for natural wines or anything off the beaten path, this list stays firmly in conventional territory.
By the Glass
Twenty to thirty-five by-the-glass options is genuinely impressive for a spot this size — that's not a wine bar hedging its bets with six Cabs and a Prosecco. Glass pours run $12–$22, which keeps the better options accessible without feeling like you're getting house-wine poured at premium prices. No obvious rotation program in place, which is the one miss here.
Domaine Drouhin Pinot Noir — $12-$22 by the glass
Oregon Pinot from one of Burgundy's most respected négociants, available by the glass at a price point that makes it an easy yes. Drouhin's Willamette Valley work punches consistently above its category — ordering this here feels like a win every time.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon
Everyone at this table is ordering Caymus or Ridge, which means Stag's Leap often gets passed over. That's a mistake — this is the producer that beat the French at their own game in 1976, and it still delivers elegant, structured Napa Cab that drinks more like a Bordeaux than a Cali fruit bomb.
Caymus Vineyards Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus Special Selection is a trophy bottle with trophy bottle markups, and at this point it's more brand than wine. You can almost certainly do better on this list — the Darioush Signature Cab or Stag's Leap will give you a more interesting experience for the money.
Kistler Vineyards Chardonnay + Seared Scallops
Kistler's Chardonnay has the weight and texture to stand up to seared scallops without bulldozing them — the wine's restrained oak and bright acidity cut through the richness while the two rich, creamy elements mirror each other. Classic high-low harmony that earns its keep.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Velvet 48 is a genuinely solid wine destination hiding inside a Burlingame small plates spot — the list earns its Wine Spectator badge, and the by-the-glass range alone makes it worth a stop. No sommelier on floor and no specials program hold it back from full Rager status, but if you're on the Peninsula and want a serious glass, this is your move.
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