Peninsula Wine Bar Punching Well Above Its Weight
Burlingame · Burlingame · Small Plates · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 7, 2026
Wingman Metrics
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.
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.
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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