Information on store hours and service amid Covid-19 shutdown
To protect the health and well-being of our staff as well as our customers, our physical retail store at 1601 Martin Luther King Jr. Way in Berkeley will remain closed as long as the state-wide Shelter In Place order is in effect.
We are still open for business. Staff are working from the safety of their homes and can take orders; click here for contact info. We are shipping wine orders during this time. Customers can also order wine online at our Banquet online store.
Fine Wines The World Over
Since its founding in 1979, North Berkeley Imports has sourced authentic, expressive wines from France and Italy, destined for leading restaurants and wine shops as well as private cellars across the country. With a retail store in Berkeley, California and offices in Europe, our team is dedicated to providing customers with the finest wine selections the world over.
And in 2019, we were named “Importer of the Year” by Wine & Spirits Magazine. Here’s our story.
It’s our birthday!
This year we’re marking 40 years in the world of fine wine — four whole decades of sharing with you the bottles we love best.
We’ll be celebrating with grand portfolio tastings, special wine dinners, community events and more. You’re invited to join in the fun!
Check out the latest events here.
Fratelli Alessandria’s Peleverga in Decanter
Pelaverga is a rare red grape that is found only in Piedmont, and particularly in Verduno, where our partners Fratelli Alessandria make one of the finest Pelaverga wines there are!
Barolo’s Voerzio Wines at James Suckling Event
We’ll be on hand in San Francisco to pour samples and talk wine at this consumer event on February 29, part of the Great Wines of Italy 2020 USA tour. Grab your tickets soon!
Alto Adige’s Kurtatsch at Great Wines of Italy Beverly Hills
Our newest partners from Alto Adige, Cantina Kurtatsch, will be featured at James Suckling’s Great Wines of Italy 2020 USA tour in Beverly Hills on February 28!
Le Clos du Caillou Weekend at Blackberry Farm, Tennessee
Our long-time partners Le Clos du Caillou from Courthezon, southern Rhone valley, will take part in a spectacular weekend of fine wine and food at world-renowned Blackberry Farm in Tennessee.
Musto Carmelitano Aglianico Dinner At Locanda SF
We are very excited that our partners from Basilicata, Musto Carmelitano, will be honored at a winemaker’s dinner at the award-winning Locanda restaurant in San Francisco on February 19.
Fratelli Alessandria Barolo Dinner at Frasca in Colorado
Join Barolo lovers from Boulder, CO at the award-winning Frasca restaurant to enjoy Fratelli Alessandria’s gorgeous Barolo wines on February 19. Places limited!
Wine & Spirits Names Top Barolo, Barbaresco
Our partners Fratelli Alessandria in Verduno, Piero Busso in Neive, Tiziano Mazzoni in Ghemme and La Briccolina in Serralunga d’Alba are firing on all cylinders, making some of the finest Nebbiolo wines of their careers.
Vesselle ‘Petit Clos’ A “Stellar Champagne”
What makes a bottle of Champagne “stellar?” Tom Hyland of Forbes magazine has a couple of ideas, three in fact — and one that stands out for us, is Domaine Jean Vesselle’s exemplary, rare ‘Petit Clos.’
Chablis’ Marie-Ange Robin A Female Grower Pioneer
A new generation of women are taking control in Chablis and leading the industry to even higher heights. In this recent Forbes article, our partner Marie-Ange Robin is profiled as one of a growing number of female winemakers who are setting a new level of quality for the region.
Turgy Champagne Highlighted In Forbes
Thrilled to see our long-time partner Jean-Michel Turgy featured in this Forbes article! For more than a century the Turgy family has crafted gorgeous Blanc de Blanc wines in Mesnil, and his non-vintage wine is a favorite.
Voerzio Barolo Offers “Superb Sense of Place”
Another insightful piece by Forbes wine writer Tom Hyland! This time he’s exploring one of our very favorite places on earth, Piedmont — and in particular, the Baroli of La Morra.
“Tre Bicchieri” Winners Announced!
Gambero Rosso has officially awarded its “Tre Bicchieri” (Three Glasses) awards to the top Italian wines of 2020 — and a good many of our partners made the list, many not for the first time, either.
Wines from Italy
From the rolling, romantic hills of Piedmont to Sicily’s fiery volcanic slopes, Italy is a sensualist’s dream and a wine lover’s heaven. Nowhere else in the world will you experience such a rich selection of native grapes, each with its own character and flavor, than in Italy. Our partners from the bel paese are small family farms, many of which have roots that reach back centuries. Discover our Italian wines.
Wines from France
Our partners in France are true artisans, looking toward the future while respecting the traditions of the past. We’ve worked with not only mothers and fathers but also sons and daughters—who, after traveling the world, have come home with new ideas. Many of the regions in which we were first pioneers, are today household names—yet we’re still scouring the gorgeous French countryside for the next must-have wine. Discover our French wines.