We put California fruit in the hands of people who make wine at home.

Bay Wine Brokers started as a favor. Frank Alvarez had extra Cabernet on a Livermore block and a neighbor who wanted to make a barrel. Twenty harvests later we move fruit from contracted California growers to a few thousand home winemakers and a handful of small commercial wineries every year.

We are not a marketplace. Every block we sell is one we have walked, sampled, and scheduled. When a lot does not meet our standard, we do not list it — which is why some varieties sell out and stay sold out.

Our facility on Vineyard Avenue holds cold storage, a frozen-must line, and a small lab. During harvest it is open seven days a week and smells like the inside of a fermenter, which we consider a feature.