Wine tasting, in Berkeley??

There are some secret spots in West Berkeley.

Out of sight except for those in the know, these hideaways are actively creating and pouring beautiful wines from French, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian and California varietals.

Setting out one day to explore these urban wineries, all clustered within walking distance of each other around 5th and Camelia Streets, I found outstanding wines, personal service, creative tasting spaces, and extremely high standards and expertise among the makers.

Sophisticated and passionate, these winemakers are committed artisans, and how lucky for us that we don’t have to battle traffic and tourists in Napa Valley to get a special wine-fuelled experience. Some of us are luckier still and can walk to and from these rustic neighborhood hideaways. No award-winning, celebrity architect-designed spaces here; these tasting rooms are carved out of buildings that you’ve probably passed numerous times on your way to Picante or Whole Foods or the old Urban Ore, and they’ve been turned into cool, airy spaces with raw materials and wine-barrel-seating.

This is a highly recommended field trip for both locals and out-of-area visitors. Most tasting rooms are open weekends and have private tastings by appointment. Some even offer their venue and wines for private parties.

Lusu Cellars, 805 Camelia Street, www.lusucellars.com

Whistler Vineyards, 805 Camelia Street, www.whistlervineyards.com

Donkey and Goat, 1340 5th Street, www.donkeyandgoat.com

Windchaser Wine Co., 1375 Fourth Street, www.windchaserwine.com

Broc Cellars, 1300 5th Street, www.broccellars.com

Covenant Wines, 1102 Sixth Street, www.covenantwines.com

Urbano Cellars, 2323 B Fourth Street, www.urbanocellars.com