The San Francisco Wine Trading Company

Always a neighborhood gem, known for its wide selection of wines and spirits. At the end of 2022, they refurbished the interior, and it now has very comfortable seating in the main room and a delightful curved bar in the back room. The staff are as friendly and knowledgeable as they always were - there to offer good advice whatever your budget, and happy to let you get on with it if you know what you want. No high pressure sales tactics or attempts to up sell you here. Thoroughly recommended.

I have long collected Dominus wine and, several years ago, just before its release, I ordered a half case of 2013 Dominus on pre-arrival from SFWTC. When the wine arrived at SFWTC, they had oversold the wine and did not honor my pre-arrival purchase. Of course, between the time of my order and its arrival, the 2013 Dominus got triple 100-point reviews, so its value had nearly doubled. I was a long time SFWTC customer and I appealed to the manager, who told me he was sorry but they couldn't get any more at the pre-arrival price, so I would need to pay more or just accept a refund. He said the guy who took my order (who had a French accent) had made a mistake. Do not trust these guys! They are cheats. (I am writing this review now, years after the events, because I'm still upset with that SFWTC rip-off, and am reminded of it frequently because they keep me on their email list.)

We found a bottle of vintage wine last minute as a birthday gift - it arrived in time overnight after order confirmation. Tristan was incredibly patient and helpful in sorting out all the details. Thank you!!

Excellent stock, both local and old world This was the only place that still had Opus One Overture that wasn't exorbitantly priced. Staff was very helpful and helped me find what I needed within a few minutes of entering. I do wish I lived closer, but I'm glad that there even exists a shop outside of franchises that carries some of what they have here On a positive note, since it's rather out of the way from downtown, parking was incredibly easy. Just parked next to the church across the street. One of the better parking experiences in SF

Extraordinary range of fabulous wines and spirits, inspired advice. Best place to buy liquor in West Portal!

Just received a delivery from SFWTC ... super impressed with selection, price, shipping and timing. Due to COVID travel restrictions, I’m not sure if/when I’ll visit in person, but we definitely plan to ship again! 👍

If you like quality imbibment then The San Francisco Wine Tasting is the place for you. It's a small out of the way boutique that caters to all walks of lushery. I showed up with a $100 gift certificate that was burning a hole in my pocket and they took excellent care of me. I spoke with the whiskey sommelier and left with a Sexton Irish Wiskey, a Smoke Wagon Burbon, and a 1888 Rum. They were all SUPERB and punched way above their weight. Thank You, Thank You and Thank You again for your perfect recommendations. I will be back for more.

This place is a "must visit" whether you just have a casual interest in wine & spirits, or you're an enthusiast. The depth of their catalog is truly immense, and well curated. If you're hunting for a special or uncommon liquor, they likely have it here. The staff were very welcoming, and almost effortlessly were able to recommend some great picks. Pricing is quite reasonable, they make an effort to offer a range of options with every type. A hidden gem in SF, will definitely be back

Wandered in to SFWT today. For a split second I thought I was in the wrong place because it's the first time I was there since they remodeled. They did a fantastic job updating the space (photos attached). Really awesome place to get wine, beer and spirits if you're on the west side of town. Super large selection of quality wine and alcohol at a wide variety of price points. Everything is really well organized and displayed; my hubby got excited when he saw the new walk-in beer fridge. Everyone in this shop is very friendly, approachable, and knowledgeable. Definitely worth checking out!

Great selection of wine and spirits but their new hours make it very inconvenient to shop and browse. They are not open on weekends and close at 5 or 6pm during the week.

Decided to give this place a visit. The place is pretty good and plenty of selections. I'm a whiskey/bourbon kind of guy so I just went to whiskey section. They have a lot of allocation bottles in stock. Prices are really not bad compare to the other liquor stores. Finally got a hand of Elijah Craig barrel proof which is very hard to find. They have Blanton too but they will only sell it with their bundle. It is Old Elk wheated bourbon and Blanton as a package deal. Definitely will come back for more!

I've been a sucker for big stores like BevMo, Costco, esp total wines... you get the wide selection, and waaaaaay to many options and distractions..prices are sometimes better, but not always. In addition to this, I think convenience plays a big roll.. I'm saying his bec I feel like probably a lot of people do this, and smaller stores can get forgotten... a few days ago, I was driving around, and happen to drive by SF WTC...I've purchased from them before, and remember they have a good selection of wines, but I was Here for the whiskey. Low and behold, I come across a bottle that I've been hunting down for the past 2 years, just sitting on the shelf... I was about to buy 2 bottles, but saw something interesting next to it. I had a good conversation with one of the staff, and end up buying the other bottle.. now, would I regret missing out on 2 bottles of the scotch I've been looking for... maybe, maybe not... I have yet to open the other bottle... long story short, great place, friendly staff, good selection if you k ow what you are looking for.

Since its' change of ownership, the Wine Trading Company (now known as WTC) has changed its' focus from wine to distilled beverages. As a result, their wine selection is much more limited that it used to be. They are now closed on Saturday, which for those of us living a few blocks away, used to be the only day we could stop by to pick up our wine. Most importantly, the new staff seems to be disengaged and disinterested.

Excellent resource for rare and hard to find whiskeys of the world. I've made 3 purchases from these guys and their customer service and attention to detail is superb. Never been disappointed, I usually find what I need and I only resort to this route as a last option when all other local stores fail. This is the second bottle of Midleton I've bought so they always have stock, they even have the unicorn-rare Midleton Barry Crockett Legacy which is virtually impossible to find on the shelves. If you're an Irish Whiskey fan bookmark this site, they will come in handy one of these days. Regular follow up and status on your order by email with full tracking. Ground shipping to the Nashville area is $32 for the first bottle, $40 if you buy any two bottles. You will need to be at home to sign for your order, no exceptions.

After having a boozy brunch, the boys and I ended up at SF Wine Trading Company. The three of us arrived on Saturday, November 4th around 4:30pm. I'd never been here before, so I figured this was just a wine / liquor shop. Turns out, they do wine tastings! *2014 Clos du Serres "Le Saut du Poisson" Languedoc Blanc ($24.95) *2013 Paraza, Minervois Rouge ($12.95) *2015 Mas Champart, Vin de Pays d'Oc Rouge ($19.95) *2014 Clos du Serres, Terrasses du Larzac Rouge "L'Humeur Vagabonde" ($29.95) *2015 Maxime Magnon, Corbieres Rouge "Campagnes" ($47.95) *2012 Grange des Peres, Vin de Pays de l'Herault Rouge ($99.95) *2015 La Tour Vielle, Banyuls "Rimage" ($22.95) The prices listed above are for the bottles, but I believe the tasting itself was $10 per person. From the menu, it looks like you get 10% off if you decide to purchase any wine. The pours themselves were tiny, but I wasn't really in a wine mood, so it was decent for a small tasting. Out of the seven wines, I enjoyed the last two reds the best. Roaming around, they have a good selection of liquor. Saw a bottle of Macallan 18 for $249. I contemplated buying it, but I texted the roommate and he mentioned another store was selling it for $220, so I didn't end up purchasing it. Great store if you're looking to buy a bottle or just do a fun wine tasting. It can get crowded at the tasting table, but it's nice you don't have to leave SF for a bit of the wine country.

So this is not BevMo, Total Wine and More, or your typical corner liquor store. SFWTC is so, so much better because it's tiny but well stocked and it reminds you of your uncle's well appointed cabin in the Adirondacks if you had the kind of uncle that wore tweed and smoked pipes. I made all that up but this shop is decidedly not a giant box store that has a vast collection without anyone to guide you to make good choices. If you're lucky enough to be helped by the friendly, soft spoken Jason you would do well to take your time and listen earnestly to Jason's expertise about flavor profiles, recommendations about what goes well with cigars. When he asks you about your price point, say it doesn't matter so he isn't hampered by your cheapskate tendencies. Let him get creative and trust that he won't take advantage by up selling you--this is a rare gem in sales. This beloved spot has been here since the 60s and I'm loving that they're nestled in a quiet neighborhood between a Presbyterian church and an elementary school.

Really good people and they carry a very nice non- alcoholic Riesling. The friendly warm voice over the phone really made a great first impression. I'm excited to go in and get these bottles of German non alcoholic Riesling for a trip and to discover what else they might have.

Excellent choices and very helpful staff. Range of prices so something for every budget!

We used SF Wine Trader for our wedding wine and they were awesome. Sarah helped me put together a wine tasting sampler of bottles in our price range and we went with two reds and one white, all of which were loved by our guests. These folks are great. They delivered the wine to our door and I'm really glad we used them for our wedding!

Use to buy here all the time. Spend about 3-5 hundred bucks for parties and The service was great BUT NOT today. Now I don't know if it was Covid or I came by in my work clothes and looked like I couldn't afford anything they had. I told the guy we usually buy yellow spot whiskey or Irish whiskey and about 100 bucks along that line - he comes out with a suggested bottle ($65) and I asked him what he liked about it and why he suggested this bottle in particular. He said it's from Ireland and in a certain cask - all I could read right on the bottle. So I asked for something a little more special... as he looked at me he said I have these 230 dollar bottles from bushmill - 210 dollars from bushmill Pretty much saying to me you can't afford it - go away. I just bought the one he showed me and walked away. I will never come back to this place again even though they are a few blocks away. I'll drive downtown or noe valley that has better service. This young white no hair jerk will not get my money anymore. Ill go to K/total or another more friendly place.

Looks like I found my new favorite mid-day Saturday activity! $10 come-and-go wine tastings with a different theme every week means I can literally come every Saturday and have a different experience. It's a bit out of the way but it's definitely a fun activity worth trying if you've got time to kill on a Saturday.

I love this place. Why? Because: - The people who work here are great--everyone is friendly and welcoming. - They know their alcohol. And if you get someone who isn't familiar with a wine, that person isn't afraid to admit it and will call over someone else to help. - Wine tastings with cheese! And finally, I've found that their prices are more than reasonable, with minimal markup. Bought a bottle of top-notch Scotch here for cheaper than what BevMo sells it for. (Other stores tend to charge an additional $50+ for the same bottle...one store even charged double what SF Wine Trading does!) Another plus: you'll be supporting a local business instead of a big box store.

A wonderful, wonderful store exists here. It is full of niche wines and spirits. Not only that, you can get rotating tastings here every week (beaujolais this week) on the cheap. For $10, you get a wine tasting consisting of 6 solid wines. Fun times for sure and extremely good prices. These guys know their stuff, and they're not stuck-up like the Napa kids.

Great selection and folks there always eager to help out and make suggestions within your price range. Been going here for years and have always enjoyed what they have recommended. Wine tastings on Saturday and Sundays are fun, educational, and you see a lot of locals. Nice discounts on wines tasted.

While I do love their selections, the customer service was terrible. One of the associates, a guy with the bow tie T-shirt, was extremely rude. While I was standing near the wheel barrel waiting for my wine, he told me "can you move??" as he passed the wine to another customer behind me. He also thought I was with another customer who was the same race as me in the line... not going here again.

Their draw is the wine-tasting weekends (used to be Saturdays-only). For $10 you can taste 6-8 wines (sometimes a 9th pour). Each week is different and if want to, you may purchase them at a discount. Tastings are Saturdays 2-5:30pm and Sundays 3-5pm (e.g., this upcoming Saturday, 29-June, is Summertime Sparklers; Sunday is Wines to Pair with BBQ). They also carry a variety of quality wines, from top of the line to better than budget wines, and everything is nicely sorted and labelled. Ideal if you want to browse on your own without help, but usually there are four or five workers. The place also has quite a selection of hard liquor, beers and cheeses. Located in the Outer Inner Sunset (that's at Taraval and Funston off of 19th Ave for you locals), it is not hard to find or get to. Plenty of parking in the surrounding residential area. Definitely a good place to stop in and make a decent purchase on your way to a gathering or party. Bonus review: "White House Down" is a fun popcorn movie that is predictable at times but the humor made it unpredictably, better than expected. Terrorists take over the White House with the hero in the wrong place at the wrong time basic plot. It will remind you of Die Hard and Independence Day but the humor makes it worthwhile.

Got to enjoy some Langhorne Creek Sparkling Shiraz while up north on a fab staycation & soon as we returned home, immediately looked up where I could lay my hands on this deliciousness Enter San Francisco Wine Trading Company Super-easy to get to & there's a HUGE selection! Nice guy working there led me to my little shiraz Was also completely loving their cheese selection & the prices were way more than reasonable Would love to discover some new wines & the nice guy working there seemed to be just the person to help me expand my palate.....but w/ that sparkling shiraz calling my name, it'll have to be multiple bottles Oh darn!

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."

So very helpful! I needed a bottle of wine delivered on short notice for a friend's birthday and they took care of it. The person who took my order was friendly and polite. Thank you SFWTC - you made my day!!!

I've never stepped foot in the door, but I love this place! I've been ordering online for five years because they have the BEST selection of products including super hard to find things. Every time I've ordered, communications are excellent and I have the order delivered within three days! They're awesome!

What a hidden gem! Wine stores are a dime a dozen in San Francisco, but San Francisco Wine Trading Company (SFWTC) is special. Obviously if you're a wine fan, their vast variety and large collection of wines will impress you. What will also impress you is their knowledgable staff, who are friendly, helpful and more than happy to recommend a good bottle of wine for the occasion. But don't expect to find any Bevmo bargains or 2-buck chucks here. SFWTC is more geared toward the hardcore wine enthusiasts, offering less of the mainstream brands and more from local vineyards, smaller producers and international wineries. It's definitely not a bad thing, but it does mean the average price of a bottle will be higher. Another thing that will impress you are their Saturday wine tastings, which are only $10 and are hosted at their nice bar setup. If you're not into wine, step into their back room and you'll find a treasure trove of high end spirits from vodka to single malt whiskeys. What I was most happy to see is their stock of Japanese whiskeys, which is growing in popularity, but not the easiest to find in The City. SFWTC carried all the award winning Japanese whiskeys from Hibiki to Nikka. You can definitely swing over to Bevmo to find some of these at a more economical price, but the prices at SFWTC are fair. SFWTC is not a destination wine store, but it's close to becoming one. Check them out.

They seem to have a nice selection but their Covid precautions are beyond extreme, and I'm someone who has been very cautious and supportive of public health measures. They still won't let customers enter the store, and they are open very limited hours. Even though I live close by I almost always go to other stores which are open after I am done with my workday.

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.

An absolute gem! Sometimes a trip to Sonoma, Santa Cruz, or Healdsburg just isn't in the cards. This is easily our favorite place for wine tasting in SF. Tastings are held every weekend and vary greatly. Last weekend, we tasted some really fabulous Rhone varietals -- I'm looking at you, Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The staff is wonderful and knowledgeable. They've all traipsed the globe and some of them winemakers themselves. Whether you're an oenophile or a novice, you will feel comfortable tasting here. The selection ranges greatly from $10 bottles to, well... really, really expensive. They will happily order you something if you don't see it on their shelves. I've never been let down at SFWTC. The back room houses a bevy of liquors, liqueurs, mixers, and bitters -- a great selection of eclectic, local, and hard to find bottles. Not into wine or liquor? They've got a great selection of interesting beers to choose from too! Best to check out their calendar before you go: https://www.sfwtc.com/

This is a great wine and liquor store. I found Balcones Rumble here which I've never seen anywhere else. If you're looking for unique spirits, hard to find liquors, interesting liqueurs or fun mixers, check this place out. Great selection and reasonable prices.

The wine I just purchased I am sure is going to be delicious, thanks for that. I just moved to the area and looking for a new wine shop, I guess we'll just have to build that relationship over time. For me, one of the reasons to buy wine from a store like this is actually to engage with the "trader". What do you recommend at that price point? What's the latest, what are you excited about!? It's been a long year for everyone, and we all need a little holiday cheer... buying wine for the holidays is certainly part of that. So when someone says hello and is trying to be courteous, please don't just say "what's the name on the order?" or rolling your eyes when I express interest in buying multiple products. In that case, please close the front door and just ship boxes. The store seems designed for browsing and I am sure in a normal year you may have enjoyed interacting with customers, please don't forget it. I don't quit that easily so you will see me again and I look forward to upgrading your review :) ... In the meantime, the wine you picked seems great, that was reason number one... Happy Holidays to you, your team and family!

Great neighborhood wine shop. Very friendly and knowledgeble service and good selection at reasonable prices. Will stop in here again when I am in the Sunset.

It's a shame this place is sliding, because the owner is cool, the prices aren't too much higher than K&L, and their selection is impressive given the small size of the shop. The problem is that the staff is basically a bunch of pricks.

Plenty of potential, but too much misinformation. If you have wine needs, stick to K&L. Given the size of the shop, the fairly basic wine selection is understandable yet still underwhelming. My main gripe is with the spirits. I bought a bottle of 12 year old Old Weller bourbon for $45. The quality of this particular bourbon is undeniable, but after talking to the owner of my local corner liquor store, he gladly ordered it for me at $29.99 per bottle. Getting gouged for $15 extra is not cool. I can't help but think that because the bulk of their clientele are more affluent older white people, overcharging isn't an issue. Secondly, I was on the fence about a bottle of Whalen's bourbon. After their alleged spirits "expert" poured me a free tasting (which was quite nice) I still wasn't quite sure (and not because of quality or price). After he informed me that their store alone was the only establishment on the entire west coast to carry a single barrel Whalen's, I acquiesced and purchased a bottle. Needless to say I was not amused to find a single barrel Whalen's at Bevmo that same week for $24. While I love to support local business being a lifelong sunset district citizen, I simply cannot justify giving any additional business to a shop that employs very poor business practices.

I've been to this place a few times looking for wines I've tasted at parties. I haven't always found the bottle but the workers have always said they'll order it. The selection is ok but I wish they had more local wines. The guy who's always helped me was very friendly, knowledgable and nice. However, I was there on 6/10 and the woman who greeted me wasn't so helpful. I asked for one particular wine but they didn't carry it. Then I described another that I bought there a few years ago but instead of thinking she immediately said she doesn't know and for me to just look around.

After the first time I came here I felt super annoyed, annoyed that I didn't know about this place sooner. I used to live not too far from here and especially before having kids I would have spent both a lot of time and money here. We have been searching for this super hard to find but most delicious French cidre. Not only did they have a lot in stock but it was significantly priced lower than the other place we were trying to buy from. So I ordered a case of the cider and when I got around to picking it up I called them while crossing the GGB heading south. The lady on the phone said they had just closed and asked me how long I would be. I said thirty minutes maybe. She said no problem just swing by. When we finally arrived they said wow that was the longest 3 mins ever. Oops ha! But the most amazing thing is that they actually waited for us. The store is super nice with a mouth watering selection of all types of nice looking wine and spirits. And they have tastings!!!! So I was annoyed I had not found this place sooner. I love local gems like this place.

It was the BF's 30th bday so I wanted to find something special like a 30 year old bottle of wine or something dated with his birth year on it. I called up SF Wine Trading Co to see if they had anything near what I was looking for. They were so helpful over the phone and it didn't take ages either! She told me they only had two types of Ports but no wine for his birth year. When I got there, I purchased the bottle of Port but I didn't feel entirely satisfied. The BF isn't really into sweet sweet wine.. that's more of my gig! So I went back inside where another gentleman helped me instantly! He showed me their hard alcohol/whiskeys/etc selection. We were totally in the BFs element now! He really tried to help me find: A) A bottle that was dated 30 years ago B) Something delicious C) & wasn't going to completely break the bank! So I exchanged the bottle of Port for a 30 year old bottle or Armagnac instead. Now- I was excited about my purchase! My whole experience here was so easy and the staff here is wonderful!

I've been going to see Gary long before he even gotten married. He's a super guy, and completely fair. Unfortunately, when the cats away the mice will play. I was in his shop recently, Gary and his wife weren't around. I bought a 2004 Champagne and when I got home and looked at it, it was the same vitner, but was their 2008. Anyone drinking bubbles know that's a big mistake. If I were Gary, I'd kinda talk to staff about this kind of shennigans. I'm sure I'm not alone. On pricing, really depends. If Gary's around he'll give you a good discount depending on what it is and how many he's got left. Staff - well based on this experience, I'm checking every bottle before I leave that store.

SFWTC is a really great spot! We became friends with one of their wine consultant's, Kerry, on facebook and when we returned to the city from long term travel....we knew we had to visit! We went on a Saturday afternoon and they were doing an Italian wine tasting with delicious wines priced from $13 to $100 a bottle! It is really wonderful to have a spectrum and options that aren't too pricy...but also get to taste really special wines as well. Kerry is super friendly and is VERY knowledgable about the wines and he is really fun to talk wine with. I was overall impressed with the selection. You can tell that the wines are carefully chosen and value is considered. It is great to gave a place that you can trust. We were lucky as it was a beautiful day, sun was shining and you could take your wine outside and enjoy the day. I highly recommend heading over there.

Be careful submitting an order online with them! They'll start sending you spam email without an unsubscribe link, which is illegal, unethical, and incompetent.

Great selection and service. Knowledgeable and friendly staff.

A favorite stop in SF! Check out their bourbon room! Nice, knowledgeable staff as well.

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! ({})

This place, while out of the way for many, is all ACES from the friendly and helpful staff to the stock they have in the store! If you have a special wine or liquor question they are knowledgeable and resourceful! If in doubt you can always call.

I recently ordered a special bottle from SFWTC on a Thursday. The next morning, I received a message from the lovely Sarah, letting me know that they didn't want the wine to sit anywhere over the weekend, so they shipped it overnight at their own expense so that it would be in perfect condition. She called to alert me just in case someone would not be present to sign for it. Talk about amazing customer service! I order a lot of wine from various places, and most of them don't even tell you when it has shipped, much less upgrade your shipping due to timing or weather. I am so impressed and will definitely be shopping here more often. Thank you, Sarah, for your outstanding customer service!

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.

I recently stumbled upon SFWTC while searching on www.wine-searcher.com 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.

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.

Great place with a vast variety of wines. I asked for a recommendation on a $30 to $40 bottle and was pointed to a great little bordeaux for $25. I love when helpful staff will point you towards a bargain. We drank it that night and concluded that we needed to get more. There is a tasting area that we'll try next time. Great local place.

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!

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).

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.

My go-to wine shop, and for specialty spirits and liqueurs. Gary and his friendly staff give top-notch service and are always happy to help me navigate their wide selection of good wine. I'm a chef and do a lot of food events. I tell them what's cooking and my budget and they recommend the best value I can find. If it's a special meal, SFWTC is my first stop.