- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
San Francisco Wine Trading Company
Category: Food Beer, Wine & Spirits Beer, Wine & Spirits [Edit]
250 Taraval St(between 12th Ave & Funston Ave)
San Francisco, CA 94116
Neighborhood: West Portal
(415) 731-6222
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 10 am - 6:30 pm
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
About This Business:
Que Syrah focuses on small production wines from around the world. We do a weekly featured flight and the wines by the glass change every other week.… read more »
55 reviews for San Francisco Wine Trading Company
Review Highlights
"Saturday wine tastings are a great deal and lots of fun."
(in 5 reviews)
"Great selection of wines, very reasonably priced, and..."
(in 8 reviews)
"...wonderful choices from all over the world, some very..."
(in 3 reviews)
Loading...
55 reviews in English
-
Review from Vanessa W.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 2/9/2012 4 Check-ins Here
There are two things in life I hate - snakes and working out.
On Saturday mornings, I work out with my man. The only thing that keeps me from sleeping in and being a lazy fatty are these words from him:
"Let's hit the gym, baby. I'll take you to Submarine Sandwich after, then we can grab some wines and hit up the wine tasting at SFWTC."
I now know there is a god out there.
Seriously, though, SFWTC is the best place to stock up on wines. We love their selection and their service is always amazeballs.
Yes, amazeballs.
The people working there are always happy to help you find a wine, they give great recommendations and they just rock.
It proves that wine drinkers or people who are always around wine are happy people. YAY!1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
9/19/2011
This place has a great selection of wines and at great values too. They even have a section for… Read more »
-
-
Review from Cooter T.
Portola, San Francisco, CA
12/17/2011
As if West Portal/this section of Taraval weren't already one of my favorite neighborhoods, along comes the SF Wine Trading Company. I'm just now realizing that I like wine after my boss introduced me to some lovely European whites. In particular, I love the Laxas 2009 Albarino that I had at Limon. My friend Suzanne told me to come here.
I'm glad I did. I love small local businesses. I love that despite a Christmas party in progress I was offered assistance locating my desired wine within 90 seconds of entering the store.The clerk was really knowledgeable about her wines and friendly. I bought four small bottles and two white wine glasses.
My transaction here was quick, informative and pleasant. Who needs BevMo when I can visit this charming shop and support a local business, too?
Cootz OUT!
({}) -
Review from Zivago L.
San Francisco, CA
1/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
Cute small shop in the West Portal. Went here for a wine tasting and had some pretty good pours.
-
Review from Berna T.
12/14/2011
Love their selection, especially their spirits! I bought a bottle of the pear-in-bottle Eau de vie and it was amazing as well as a reasonable price. They keep up their online inventory pretty well, and they are always friendly on the phone. Highly recommended!
-
Review from Blaise B.
Scottsdale, AZ
12/14/2011
A few months ago I mail-ordered a bottle of Dom Perignon-Warhol special edition. The price was great and it was shipped to me on time. If I was rating that experience alone I would give this place five stars, but this is not the case.
Yesterday I go to order two more bottles of the same as presents for my sister and mother, they only have one, no problem, I order the one for the same price, same shipping and continue to look elsewhere for the other.
I get a phone call today stating that the price has changed and it is now $20 more expensive since it was their last one. I find this unacceptable and outrageous, especially since I found the other bottle I was looking for at an even better price from someone that had all colors still in stock.
I ended the conversation by telling the phone rep that the owner made a "dick move" and I would gladly cancel my order and take my business elsewhere since I found more accommodating people elsewhere. -
Review from Carmen H.
Daly City, CA
7/28/2011
I discovered SFWTC because I was searching for Rittenhouse 100 proof rye to make my Sazerac cocktails - they not only had it in stock but they had a good Swiss absinthe AND the Peychaud bitters. I picked it up when I wne for my dental appointment on Ocean Avenue.
I was amazed at their incredible wine selection - wonderful choices from all over the world, some very reasonably priced in the $10 range and, of course, some way beyond my budget now that I've retired.
I've yet to attend their Saturday wine tastings but they are on my "to do" list. Priced at $10, they seem a nice way to try some excellent wines and to meet other folks. Those who attend get a reduced price on the tasting selections.
The staff are so friendly and helpful - kind of a nice change from a cavernous warehouse!
There is also a nice selection of cheeses. In my working days, I would have grabbed several. Now I content myself with one of my favorites, one bottle of wine and consider myself totally decadent! -
Review from Tammy C.
Excellent weekend wine tasting for the locals featuring 1 country at a time. Sometimes they did run out of 1 type or another and they will substitute with something else that's not on the list.
The back has a good selection of hard liquor which I picked up some bourbon and brandy. You can also purchase cheese for which they also serve during wine pairing. The wine selection was quite good too and at reasonable prices. Service was friendly and helpful. -
Review from G R.
San Francisco, CA
1/1/2011 4 Check-ins Here
Yes its out of the way, but you can find parking right in front and that gets an extra star.
Like many wine stores, all have the basics, but what makes a wine store stand out is the staff and those special bottles you can only find there.
The guys and gals that work here know their stuff. You can walk in share with them some information about what you are looking for and on the spot point you in the right direction.
They have good wine tastings and the customers also make the experience -- -
Review from nis y.
San Francisco, CA
3/26/2011
Great, smart selection of wines. A small place where the staff has clearly thought about everything they put on the shelves.
For a neighborhood wine place, some very classy, serious wines. And they also have several Kermit Lynch wines - potentially saving you a trip to Albany. -
Review from Matt G.
San Francisco, CA
9/13/2011
This store is really a gem and arguably better than K&L wines in a number of ways. They do Saturday wine tastings and holiday champagne tastings which are really informative and infinitely affordable. I love rye, Scotch and tequila and for the most part do all my shopping here because they have an vast selection and such good prices. Let me not forgot to mention that staff is great and their suggestions account for more than half of the bottles I purchase. Only negative is that they are closed on Sundays.
-
Review from Liz S.
12/30/2006 7 photos
This is our wine store. Not like we own it (I wish!) but because we love it so much that I feel that it belongs to us. So, if you are going to go there, please do me the courtesy of asking first, and perhaps submit a small paragraph about yourself for evaluation.
Seriously, this is a wonderful place, and I am surprised to see so few reviews. It makes me want to keep it to myself, but I am a generous person by nature, so here you go.
The variety of wine and alcohol is great, and the staff is extremely nice and courteous. They hold tastings on Saturdays for $10.00 (I participated in the champagne one today), and can try to special order things for you if you don't see what you are looking for. Recommendations are always spot-on, and they have a wide variety of prices to choose from. We have discovered many favorites here. The owner, Gary, is a great guy and he's often there with his wife, advising customers or helping out. The loyal following they have earned speaks to the level of service and personal attention they give to their customers.
Recently, they turned the back office into a room dedicated to spirits, which frees up the front room for more wine, and gives those looking for hard alcohol more room to peruse the shelves.
One day when my husband and I have a family, we're going to have some explaining to do. When baby S. grows up wants to know where the college education fund is, we're going to drive him or her down to the Wine Trading Co. and say "There it is. Sorry. It was a great year for cabs." -
Review from alison r.
San Francisco, CA
6/22/2010
Nice selection of wines. Great customer service.
Saturday wine tastings are a great deal and lots of fun.
Be sure to head to the back of the shop for the excellent liquor selections. -
Review from Mami T.
San Francisco, CA
7/1/2007
If you think Saturday tasting events at K&L are bit crowded and lacking personal attention, you must come here on Saturday and try their tasting!
Here, you can peacefully have a Q&A session with the staff during the event. Based upon your feedback on wines tasted, the staff can show you other wines that you may like. And wines are hardly over $20!!
The tasting is only $10, and yet they pour many wines that are $30+ per bottle. This is a great bargain. And after this tasting, make sure to stop by Wine Styles, which is just few blocks away, for another tasting. That's only $5 (but for less # of tastes). -
Review from Phil M.
San Francisco, CA
6/14/2006
Local wine shops, like the local butcher, baker or cheese monger are essential for our cultural and gustatory survival. Without these geeks taking pride in their craft like the universe depended on it, we'd be living less interesting lives. So the next time you think that you see that bottle of spanish red for a dollar cheaper at trader joes, remember that the wine guy won't let his shipment of wine sit on the 100 degree sweltering tarmack in SFO waiting for the Walmart truck to show up. He'll call Kermit Lynch and make sure that the wine is perfect or else it's back to Gay Paree.
I recommend asking questions. Everything you tell them helps them pick out better bottles for you. -
Review from David R.
San Francisco, CA
3/15/2007
Trading Company is Terrific
You know why I like this place? The wine tastings on Saturdays. . . $10 gets you a taste of about 6 or 7 wines from places that one probably never heard of or wouldn't be inclined to purchase pre-taste. The staff is extremely friendly and knowledgeable and the newsletter they send out is well written and informative.
It's also great that you get 15% off on tasting day if you purchase any of the featured wines.
This is a good place to buy pre-arrivals, as prices are very competitive for those wines. . . as for overall pricing, it's not the cheapest and yet it isn't the most expensive in the city either.
Definitely give this place a shot on a Saturday when you want to taste some wine, but you don't want to head up to Napa or Sonoma. . . you'll definitely enjoy yourself.Listed in: Wine Shops I Frequent
-
Review from Ivana I.
Oakland, CA
12/14/2008
I love this place. I am not a big spender, and yet I am treated like a king - always met with a neighborhood smile and a cheer. But that's not all.
I know it is difficult to justify the allegedly long drive to Taraval street for many things or places, but this certainly is one of those worth the effort. Here are the highlights:
-a great place for educating yourself about wine, be it while shopping, or better even, at their Saturday tastings. I have yet to find another place where such superb (and expensive!) wines - best of regions or varietals - are generously offered at $10.
-kind, knowledgeable, approachable, non-pretentious staff. And customers!
-an incredible selection of wines under $10 - domestic and international. Good stuff, pretty (expensive-looking :) bottles, ideal to stock up for your weeknight dinners and last minute party favors
-a really well done web site and newsletters (rare)
-easy easy easy parking
-an incredible selection of other liquours in a separate room that is just like a small museum of gorgeous elegant exotic bottles from around the world
SFWTC is the best. They love wine and it shows. -
Review from Charlie C.
San Francisco, CA
8/6/2007
This place is arguably the best wine/spirits store in the city. I'm a fan of American whiskey/scotch and napa valley cabernets and this place has everything I need.
1. The prices are amazing and some of the lowest in town for both whiskey/scotch and cabernets. For example they sell papa van winkle 20 year for $79.99. First, most places can even carry this brand in stock let alone sell it for this great of a price. The 20 year goes for about 15-20 buck a glass at bars. (on a side note I was lucky enough to get a bottle of the Pappy 23 year which SFWTC gets in once in a while.
SFWTC also has great prices on cabs. For example their Silver Oak napa valley is 89.99. The winery sells the same bottle for 99.99. You get the point. This is applicable to most of their cabs.
2. The selection of spirits is broad and leans towards the high end. Its cabernet selection is medium but with an eclectic mix with napa valley being the anchor.
3. The staff is amazing and will go out of their way to hold items for you and call you when your desired products arrive. (Alex is the man).
This is an amazing store and a small secret that should be kept on the DL. Make a trek out there and you'll understand why this places is the goods. -
Review from Tullia F.
Kalamazoo, MI
7/12/2008
S.O. and I went to a wine tasting here last week - our second time in the store - and are hoping to make it back there this afternoon. Check out the store's website for their Saturday winetasting series.
The staff is very friendly, though will let you browse, so if you need any help at all be sure to ask someone. They're great at asking about the kinds of wine you like and working with you to pick one you might enjoy.
The selection isn't huge, but everyone there is happy to point you in whatever direction you'd like, and the price are quite reasonable.
Plus, their liquor selection is like a candy store for adults. You'd be amazed how gorgeous a piece of fruit floating in alcohol in a fancy bottle looks. -
Review from Mariangela S.
San Francisco, CA
2/25/2008
Great selection of wines, very reasonably priced, and wonderful friendly and helpful staff. Ordered a bunch of Clos du Chene Vert" and "Clos de la Dioterie" from the Loire Valley and very much looking forward to cellaring and tasting them.
Also picked up a random selection of wines including a Portugese white, a wonderful Albarino, and many more we already drank! -
Review from Anh Thu V.
Cupertino, CA
2/14/2009
I recently stumbled upon SFWTC while searching on http://www.wine-search... for a favorite wine. Imagined my surprise when I found the wine was available at SFWTC and at a very reasonable price. I quickly called the store and Alex (sorry, didn't get his last name) answered. He was polite and friendly and offered me the remaining six bottles. He also promised to suggest some wines based on my preferences whenever I show up at the store. Of course yours truly had to zip up to the city right away.
Once arrived and parked (lots of street parking on 12th Ave and Funston), Alex introduced himself and started showing me the various wines in the store. His knowledge of the wines was deep and wide. He recommended Italian Barolos, Barberas, and whites, including a Quintarelli Bianco Secco that I hadn't seen/read about before. He went on to recommend various Burgundy, Rhone, Bordeaux, Alsatian, Loire, Languedoc/Cahors, Californian, and Oregonian wines. Then we started on the Sakes and Single Malts offered in the back of the store. Then we circled back to the magnums and double magnums of Tempier wines available for sale. Temptation, temptation! A 3L of the 2006 Tempier Cabassaou, anyone?
Then Alex suggested that I try the 2005 Bordeaux tasting being poured, including the Margaux Pavillon Rouge, Smith-Haut-Lafitte Bordeaux, and Suduiraut sauternes - all for $10. Quick tasting note: The Pavillon Rouge was softer and more fruit-forward, full of bright red fruit notes and very approachable now (wine snobbism for drinkable now) where the Smith-Haut-Lafitte was more structured and substantial and should be laid down for a few more years. The tasting flight definitely showed a thoughtful contrast in the wine selection.
By the time it was said and done, I ended up with 9 bottles of the 2006 Tempier Cabassaou, 2004 Mangioni Barolo and Barbera, 2005 Chevillon Nuits-St-George Vieilles Vignes - all for about 15-20% less than advertised elsewhere. Amazing! Alex even threw in a SFWTC 6-pack carrier bag for free. A small gesture that made an impression, especially given the current economic climate.
And despite the economic climate, the store was full of customers, ranging from neighborhood regulars to some long-distance customers who showed up for the tasting, creating a lively and interesting mix of company and wine conversation.
All in all, it was definitely worth the drive to discover the San Francisco Wine Trading Company. (It wasn't really that hard a drive on I-280 on a sunny Saturday afternoon ;). While it will be difficult for me to show up in person at the shop on a regular basis given the distance, SFWTC is highly recommended. The store carries a wide variety of wines and spirits, covering French, Italian, and American wines, including some harder-to-find bottlings such as Tempier Cabassou and Quintarelli whites. Even the staff at Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant recommended that I check out SFWTC for magnums of Tempier Cabassaou since they were out of those bottlings themselves. -
Review from liz s.
Seattle, WA
12/9/2007
I grew up going to this store with my father and for a ten year old, it was pretty boring. But I'm a bit older now and have learned to love the wine. Last time I was in the city we got word of a surprise guest (NOT a good surprise guest) for dinner and suddenly, I was in the need of some good wine to make it through the meal. Came down to the store, chatted for a bit with Gary about wines I liked, and he recommended a few bottles. Then he mentioned I looked familiar and in a few moments, remembered both me and my father, even though I haven't been in the store in over 5 years.
Now every time I'm in the city, I swing by, chat a bit, pick up a few bottles to take home. I always buy their recommendations, they are always very affordable and always delicious. Seattle's got a plethora of wine bars and stores, but no place quite like this. -
Review from Tim B.
San Francisco, CA
1/17/2010
Amazing place to buy wine, no matter what you're looking to spend. There's a great selection of $8-12 everyday wine, and they're always well-stocked with lots of other interesting bottles from all regions at a wide range of prices.
They also have an excellent selection of liquor, especially if you're looking for out-of-the-ordinary, higher-end stuff. Great place to buy gifts.
Gary and his staff are friendly and knowledgeable about everything from Italian white wine, Santa Rita pinot noir, peaty scotch or interesting bourbons and brandies. Don't hesitate to ask for recommendations! -
Review from Josh M.
San Francisco, CA
11/5/2009
Very friendly wine shop, with a great selection of both good value and quality wine - their spirit selection isn't half bad either.
I also recommend doing their Saturday tastings - Suzanne(sp), who usually does the tasting, is always a pleasure. -
Review from tessie n.
San Francisco, CA
1/3/2011
Great selection of wines for gifts for friends or for yourself, and even a better selection of the hard stuff in the back room. But what I'm most excited about is their cheese selection (started up just a few months ago). Kelly, working the cheese selections, was really great in introducing some new cheeses to try.
-
Review from Micaela M.
San Francisco, CA
11/18/2007
SF Wine Trading Company is a great place to ask questions and find some answers. These people know their shit. I was once looking for a great bottle of whiskey to give to a friend who was born in Ireland. The man gave me an in depth explanation about the difference between three different types of Irish whiskeys including the fact that Jameson is considered the "catholic" drink. And anyone who knows Irish history, knows that you don't want to be giving an Irish catholic, some "protestant" whiskey. Besides this they have a great selection of wines and champagnes at a reasonable price. And they have great wine tastings on the weekends!!! Highly recommended:)
-
Review from Maria S.
San Francisco, CA
2/14/2009
They have nice selection of wine in the store, friendly service and you can try the wine before you purchase it. I like the area-neighberhood as well. Great place to meet friends for weekend fun.
-
Review from mike a.
San Francisco, CA
12/4/2010
More tastings, more great wine purchased, sake and spirits too. Love this place!
-
Review from Brian W.
San Francisco, CA
2/26/2008
Great place to go if you want good selection and recommendations on wines.
I go in there and usually am helped within a minute or so. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. I drink a lot of wine but am no connoisseur. The wines they've recommended have all been very good and they seem to have a palate for value (wines that are good and not expensive.) Thumbs up! -
Review from diane d.
San Francisco, CA
8/3/2008
Very friendly service, Great wine tastings and a small but great variety of wines. What else do you need to know :0)
-
Review from Scott S.
San Francisco, CA
2/20/2007
Great local shop, wonderful selection of fine spirits. Gary is amazing when it comes to helping you choose the perfect great tasting wine for your budget. Check out their numours tastings, lots of fun. If you have a few extra bucks please pick up the Congac in my birth year 1975 I would love to sample it with you!
-
Review from Wes M.
San Francisco, CA
3/12/2007
The closest wine shop to my house and, surprisingly, the best I've been to so far. Personally I get plenty of California wines from all the wine-tasting trips I get dragged along on, so at the wine shops I like to try the international stuff, and they have an excellent (and affordable) selection here. Plus they were very friendly and helpful in selecting something.
Listed in: Parkside
-
Review from laura j.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 5/4/2010
More tastings, more great wine purchased, sake and spirits too. Love this place!
Listed in: Westside Rules!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
2/28/2010
Finally made it to a Saturday wine tasting (2:00-5:30 each Sat., $10) and am so glad I did. Got to… Read more »
-
-
Review from Lia B.
San Francisco, CA
1/5/2007
We've always liked this place, but go more for the liquor (brandy, vodka) than the wines. Like a few other long-time shops on Taraval, this place offers friendly advice and gives you that small-town feeling.
-
Review from Christine W.
CA
7/9/2007
This place carries Shafer's one point five chardonnay... Nuff said.
-
Review from D G.
San Francisco, CA
7/17/2007
Peter L (the old customer who was insulted be cause they asked for an id): Maybe there was an ABC inspector in the store (or maybe they thought there was). Checking ids is a very serious business in the legal drugs trade.....
-
Review from Hugh B.
San Francisco, CA
1/15/2007
Good selection, great advice, and fiercely loyal customers (of which I count myself as one). What I love most about this place is the occasional gentle nudge by the staff to try something different or out of the ordinary, and that advice being based on either a friendly question of genuine interest on their part, or even better, what they remember you've bought on past visits. Try getting that experience at your local BevMo.
-
Review from miriam b.
San Francisco, CA
8/15/2008
It's out of the way for me but the selection and prices are things that really work here. Parking is a bit challenging depending on the day of the week, but don't let that deter you. People that want to have an oeno-adventure might enjoy the opportunity. Never have time to spend for their wine tasting, but that's ok...
-
Review from Alured P.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 10/10/2009
Having been back to the SWFTC several more times since my last review, it still merits 5 stars. Lots of variety in tastings, from 10 wines under $10 to ones with lots of $60 wines. Well worth a visit for the tastings.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
2/15/2009
I like this place. Went here for my first time yesterday to try out the Champagne tasting... $10… Read more »
-
-
Review from Sarah A.
Oakland, CA
7/20/2009
We love this place! We worked with Gary on selecting our wines for our wedding this summer and he was so helpful. We had a blast tasting wines with him from all over the world and then chose 2-3 Californian affordable ones to go with. He also helped us come up with a great gift for all of our guests. My husband and I now want to go back there for one of their wine tasting events - such a great find!
-
Review from Al M.
San Francisco, CA
2/24/2010
Why can't more wine stores be like this? Super-nice owner, interesting selection that includes both well-known and totally unknown bottles, and prices that make you wonder how this guy pays the rent.
Last week I'm rushing home to prepare dinner for friends - I barge in 10 mins before closing and tell the owner I need a bottle of red to accompany a particular menu I'm preparing. He instantly produces three different bottles at three different price points -- two of which I'd never even heard of. I buy the two obscure ones (both under $25) and they were fantastic. All this in 5 minutes. Try that at Costco.
Other times he's been totally willing to educate me about some particular grape or wine region. Even if I'm not making a purchase that day.
It's just about as good as you could hope a neighborhood wine shop to be. Please buy from this guy so he stays in business and can be my personal sommelier every time I need one.
