Barolo by the Glass in Long Beach? Yes.
Bixby Knolls · Long Beach · Wine bar with tapas and small plates · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 23, 2026
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You're in Bixby Knolls, not Beverly Hills, and yet the chalkboard is listing G.D. Vajra Barolo by the glass. That alone earns a second look. The room has live music, mismatched charm, and a list that punches well above its neighborhood's expectations.
Willmore runs 80–120 labels with a clear point of view: California heavyweights, Italian classics, and French essentials done right. The Italian section stands out immediately — getting G.D. Vajra on a neighborhood wine bar list signals someone here actually cares. Turley Old Vines Zinfandel keeps the California contingent honest, and Jean-Paul Brun Beaujolais shows they understand that not everything needs to be a big, serious bottle. Grower Champagne from small producers rounds out the French corner, which is more than you'd expect from a spot that also books local bands.
This is where Willmore earns its reputation — locally considered one of the best by-the-glass programs in Long Beach, and we'd be hard pressed to argue. Pouring G.D. Vajra Barolo and Provence rosé by the glass at $12–$20 puts real wine in real hands without forcing a bottle commitment. The flight board spotted in Yelp photos, featuring Jean-Paul Brun Beaujolais, suggests they're actively rotating and curating rather than just dumping whatever they can't sell by the bottle.
Jean-Paul Brun Beaujolais — $14 (est.)
Brun is one of the best Beaujolais producers working today — serious Gamay from a grower who actually farms with intention. Most people walk past Beaujolais on a list. Don't. At this price point in a glass-pour program, it's the smartest order on the board.
Grower Champagne
It's buried on the list and nobody at a neighborhood wine bar orders Champagne unless it's a birthday. They should. Willmore is sourcing from small grower producers at higher wholesale price points — the kind of stuff that doesn't show up on most restaurant lists outside of fine dining. Ask the staff what they're pouring. There's something worth finding here.
Turley Old Vines Zinfandel
Turley is great wine, but at $68 a bottle against a $32 retail price, you're paying a 112% markup on something you can grab at Total Wine on the way home. There are better places to put your money on this list — namely anything Italian or French where the selections are harder to find and the staff clearly knows why they stocked them.
G.D. Vajra Barolo + Cheese and charcuterie board
Barolo and cured meat is one of the oldest combos in the Piedmontese playbook for a reason. The Nebbiolo's tannin and acid cut through fat, the earthiness plays off aged cheese, and suddenly you're spending $26 on a glass of Barolo with a $16 board in a Long Beach neighborhood bar feeling pretty good about life.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Willmore is the kind of wine bar that shouldn't exist where it exists — and that's exactly why you should go. If you're in Long Beach and you care about what's in your glass, this is your spot.
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