Pietro, the winemaker, crafts authentic Italian style wines from vineyards near Clear Lake. The Temescal tasting place is easy going and has great cheese plates .
Andrew R.
I really dig Prima Materia wines -- particularly the cab and Grenache. I also like buying the variety pack cases, which brings the cost per bottle down to about $22. And it's fun to learn about varietals with which I'm unfamiliar, like agalianico.
Colin Noel
1) Wine was so good and service was excellent. They are so nice here and passionate about their craft!2) If you buy a two bottles then a tasting flight is free. Would recommended starting with a flight and using that to pick which bottles to get.3) After we bought two bottles, we decided to cork one on the spot, and they waived the corking fee, very kindly of them.Thanks for a great experience!
Zachary C.
This place makes great wines and serves them in a great little alleyway that feels removed from the chaos. The service is always good, but sometimes spread thin. The times when the service Has been the best and when the servers seem to be the most at ease is when there are two people working.
Elizabeth M.
Visited the tasting room for the first time with my partner. Overall, the wines are okay - I've had better but I've also had worse. The best two varietals we tasted were Sangiovese and Zinfandel (both from their current Regular Production flight - $28). It's a good place to visit if you're newer to wine tasting. The wines are not super complex and you get six tastings per flight. A cheese plate is available if you'd like to snack/pair while you taste your wine.
Maureen W.
The highest quality wine in a very relaxed local atmosphere as well as free tastings when you become a member. They know their customers by name!
Sara L.
I love these wines! The winemaker, Pietro, is incredibly knowledgeable and thoughtful when you ask about the different wines. The cheese plates are a nice accompaniment. I have been several times and have loved everything I've tried. Great spot to sip and pick up a bottle or two!
Jaylena P.
If you ask "too long?" as I walk away from your establishment, you only add lighter fluid to the fire. Thank goodness there are an abundance of superior bars and tasting rooms in the area to run to. Had this been our last stop of the day surely it would have soured a lovely afternoon. My friend and I arrived just after 4pm for a tasting. One couple were seated ahead of us, quickly followed by our escort to a table near the entrance. Our host provided menus then said he would be with us shortly. I stepped away to the restroom, returned, then my friend did the same. While she was away I requested water for the table, to which the host said 'it's inside," as he continued indoors. Tone. Is everything. I tucked it away because I noticed he was operating solo, and an hour remained for him to be open. When I walked in to get the water, he said "I probably should have said that when I sat you." All good. At the table we reviewed the menu and continued our conversation about wine regions and our favorite blends. I noticed how the host served the tables both in front and behind us, never coming to our table in the middle and at the entrance of the wine shop. We could not be missed. This happened two times. You know the moment when you realize something is off about something, you squint your eyes, maybe tilt your head and tune everything out. I began to quietly simmer then asked my friend how long we'd been there. I thought maybe 15 minutes had passed but it was a whopping 32 minutes! We confirmed by our check-in on Yelp. 32 minutes of watching this man pass us by. I stood up and said let's go to my friend. As we exited the alleyway, the host conveniently comes out only to say "too late?" My guy, seriously?! No games to be played here, I have checkers at home. I hope management, the owner and investors read this. Hire someone else.
Maria A.
The star - by far - was the Aglianico. My new favorite varietal. Tastings arrive in test tubes. This aerates the wine when poured. I found it a clever way to control which wine and how much I wanted to try at a time. Space-saving over a table full of glasses. Also, chic. Plenty of outdoor seating. $15 to try 6 wines. If you buy, a portion or all of the fee is waived. Aglianico is as old vine as it gets. Pliny the Elder dug it. As did the ancient Romans. Today it's cultivated in Campania, Italy and in a spot here in California to taste in Oakland. Pretty amazing. Dark, deep fruit. Complexity. Dry like an Italian wine should be. Further develops over 10 years. Drinkable now like a Californian. Full-bodied and interesting to get to know. Nice to meet you, Aglianico. Open Sat - Sun.
The grapes are interesting - Italian style - and delicious. They do a great job and the wines are reasonably priced!
Shauntay Shauntay
1st time for everything. For these pricese might have to make this a weekend spot ??
John Gainey
We came to taste some wine and share some pleasant time with friends before a dinner reservation. Prima has a nice set-up where you can do a tasting of 6 of the wines they are pouring for $20. A cheese and chorizo plate to accompany costs $18 and was pretty good. Nice to have the cheeses to go with the wine.Their wine varietals are pretty unique and generally well executed. Price point of the wine is reasonable and a good value.Overall (TLDR): low key, enjoyable experience. I'd come back again to enjoy some pleasant wine tasting close to home.The good: interesting varietals at a good price. Our server was very nice. The menu explains the varietals nicely so that you knew what to expect from wines you've probably not heard of before. Saves a lot of questions.the bad: nothingThe mediocre: I guess you could call the ambiance around where we were seated as nothing terribly special, but it didn't detract from the wine tasting either.
Patricia Williams
It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon in my neighborhood (Temescal)and thanks to a Open Table email with suggestions in my neighborhood I made a reservation @ Prima Materia Winery for 4.00pm the weather couldn’t have been better
excellent vibes, wine, service, everything!
Pietro, the winemaker, crafts authentic Italian style wines from vineyards near Clear Lake. The Temescal tasting place is easy going and has great cheese plates .
I really dig Prima Materia wines -- particularly the cab and Grenache. I also like buying the variety pack cases, which brings the cost per bottle down to about $22. And it's fun to learn about varietals with which I'm unfamiliar, like agalianico.
1) Wine was so good and service was excellent. They are so nice here and passionate about their craft!2) If you buy a two bottles then a tasting flight is free. Would recommended starting with a flight and using that to pick which bottles to get.3) After we bought two bottles, we decided to cork one on the spot, and they waived the corking fee, very kindly of them.Thanks for a great experience!
This place makes great wines and serves them in a great little alleyway that feels removed from the chaos. The service is always good, but sometimes spread thin. The times when the service Has been the best and when the servers seem to be the most at ease is when there are two people working.
Visited the tasting room for the first time with my partner. Overall, the wines are okay - I've had better but I've also had worse. The best two varietals we tasted were Sangiovese and Zinfandel (both from their current Regular Production flight - $28). It's a good place to visit if you're newer to wine tasting. The wines are not super complex and you get six tastings per flight. A cheese plate is available if you'd like to snack/pair while you taste your wine.
The highest quality wine in a very relaxed local atmosphere as well as free tastings when you become a member. They know their customers by name!
I love these wines! The winemaker, Pietro, is incredibly knowledgeable and thoughtful when you ask about the different wines. The cheese plates are a nice accompaniment. I have been several times and have loved everything I've tried. Great spot to sip and pick up a bottle or two!
If you ask "too long?" as I walk away from your establishment, you only add lighter fluid to the fire. Thank goodness there are an abundance of superior bars and tasting rooms in the area to run to. Had this been our last stop of the day surely it would have soured a lovely afternoon. My friend and I arrived just after 4pm for a tasting. One couple were seated ahead of us, quickly followed by our escort to a table near the entrance. Our host provided menus then said he would be with us shortly. I stepped away to the restroom, returned, then my friend did the same. While she was away I requested water for the table, to which the host said 'it's inside," as he continued indoors. Tone. Is everything. I tucked it away because I noticed he was operating solo, and an hour remained for him to be open. When I walked in to get the water, he said "I probably should have said that when I sat you." All good. At the table we reviewed the menu and continued our conversation about wine regions and our favorite blends. I noticed how the host served the tables both in front and behind us, never coming to our table in the middle and at the entrance of the wine shop. We could not be missed. This happened two times. You know the moment when you realize something is off about something, you squint your eyes, maybe tilt your head and tune everything out. I began to quietly simmer then asked my friend how long we'd been there. I thought maybe 15 minutes had passed but it was a whopping 32 minutes! We confirmed by our check-in on Yelp. 32 minutes of watching this man pass us by. I stood up and said let's go to my friend. As we exited the alleyway, the host conveniently comes out only to say "too late?" My guy, seriously?! No games to be played here, I have checkers at home. I hope management, the owner and investors read this. Hire someone else.
The star - by far - was the Aglianico. My new favorite varietal. Tastings arrive in test tubes. This aerates the wine when poured. I found it a clever way to control which wine and how much I wanted to try at a time. Space-saving over a table full of glasses. Also, chic. Plenty of outdoor seating. $15 to try 6 wines. If you buy, a portion or all of the fee is waived. Aglianico is as old vine as it gets. Pliny the Elder dug it. As did the ancient Romans. Today it's cultivated in Campania, Italy and in a spot here in California to taste in Oakland. Pretty amazing. Dark, deep fruit. Complexity. Dry like an Italian wine should be. Further develops over 10 years. Drinkable now like a Californian. Full-bodied and interesting to get to know. Nice to meet you, Aglianico. Open Sat - Sun.
Restaurantji Recommends
The grapes are interesting - Italian style - and delicious. They do a great job and the wines are reasonably priced!
1st time for everything. For these pricese might have to make this a weekend spot ??
We came to taste some wine and share some pleasant time with friends before a dinner reservation. Prima has a nice set-up where you can do a tasting of 6 of the wines they are pouring for $20. A cheese and chorizo plate to accompany costs $18 and was pretty good. Nice to have the cheeses to go with the wine.Their wine varietals are pretty unique and generally well executed. Price point of the wine is reasonable and a good value.Overall (TLDR): low key, enjoyable experience. I'd come back again to enjoy some pleasant wine tasting close to home.The good: interesting varietals at a good price. Our server was very nice. The menu explains the varietals nicely so that you knew what to expect from wines you've probably not heard of before. Saves a lot of questions.the bad: nothingThe mediocre: I guess you could call the ambiance around where we were seated as nothing terribly special, but it didn't detract from the wine tasting either.
It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon in my neighborhood (Temescal)and thanks to a Open Table email with suggestions in my neighborhood I made a reservation @ Prima Materia Winery for 4.00pm the weather couldn’t have been better
Nice wine