There are times when, for a San Franciscan, the 60-minute drive to Wine
County seems like a bridge too far. That’s when San Francisco’s growing list
of wine bars comes in quite handy. The City offers a number of great wine
bars and tasting rooms, each providing a unique ambience befitting the array
of vintages they serve. It’s the best way to experience the country without
leaving the city.
San Francisco wine bars range from cozy and intimate rooms, to
sleek and expansive emporiums. Most feature a wide and varying
list of by-the-glass wines and typically have experts on hand—in the form
of servers and bartenders—for recommendations and to provide notes on the
fly. Whichever your taste, there’s a place in the city to find sipping satisfaction.
Here are a few highlights:
The waterfront monument to all things culinary,
San Francisco’s Ferry Building is one of the great success stories
of urban redevelopment. In addition to being the locale of a top-notch
twice-weekly Farmer’s Market, the main hall is a Mecca for food and wine.
Jumbled among the mix of restaurants, cheese purveyors, bread makers, and
chocolatiers is the Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant (One
Ferry Building, at Market Street; 415-391-9400), a magnetic wine bar and store that carries
an extensive selection of California wines as well as a thoughtfully chosen
variety of labels from around the globe. The place gets jammed on weekends
but cools off somewhat during the week, when it’s easier to peruse the extensive
by-the-glass list or to select a bottle from the retail shelf and open it
on premises for a quite-reasonable $6 corkage fee.
The California Wine Merchant (2113 Chestnut
Street at Steiner Street, 415-567-0646) is a Marina
District pick-up joint doubling as a wine-education center. The
noisy, frivolous vibe belies the serious-minded selection of quality by-the-glass
wines—mostly all California varietals. Eat first because it’s all
wine all the time here; a modest selection of cheeses and chocolates are
the only noshes. The best time to plan a visit to the Merchant is during
one of the regularly featured tasting events, usually hosted by winemakers
espousing the virtues and subtleties of their wines.
Also in the Marina is
Nectar Wine Lounge (3330 Steiner Street at Lombard
Street, 415-345-1377),
a great place for a before- or after-dinner glass or to simply
sit and learn about some obscure late-harvest Riesling. There are
some 40 wines on offer in an ever-changing variety culled from a cellar
of more than 800 labels. The staff is impressively knowledgeable given the
expansive variety.
In hip Hayes Valley, Cav Wine Bar & Kitchen (1666
Market Street at Rose Street, 415-437-1770) has heated up recently as one
of the great new spots to learn about and enjoy wine. In addition to a wonderfully
eclectic selection of wines, Cav is also touted for its food menu,
which is planned in conjunction with the wine director to ensure everything
clicks.
Among the recent additions to the San Francisco wine bar scene is Yield (2490
3rd Street at 22nd Street, 415-401-8984), in the up-and-coming
area known as Dogpatch. The intimate, handsome bar specializes in small-batch
vintages from organic and biodynamic vintners. The friendly staff
is well versed in the subject and eager to tell you about something you’ve
never tried before.
Country
Tastes in City Limits 