New SF Wine Bar Serves Bottles Based on Their Label
Author:Lindsey ShookVinophiles are used to enjoying the taste of wine, but the bottle itself offers a whole other avenue for appreciation.
At Wine & Wall, a new wine bar and art gallery in San Francisco, all of the bottles stocked are chosen for their striking labels.
James Blackwelder, manager of Wine & Wall, says that he looks for “labels that you could see as a work of art hanging in someone’s home,” and the 60 wines on the display wall certainly satisfy the requirement. The space is currently hosting an exhibition of wine-based photography by Andy Katz, providing a comprehensive artistic experience.
Such attention to visuals is unique in the trade, and Blackwelder admits, “as a certified sommelier, it’s a bit hard to say that I’m choosing wines based on the label because there’s a stigma surrounding that.” Visitors to Wine & Wall, however, can rest assured that they’re not sacrificing quality for style.
After the bottles are selected, the wines undergo a blind taste test by three wine professionals in order to ensure that the wine is excellent, inside and out.
Wine & Wall, 30 Steuart St. (between Market and Mission), phone: (415) 243.WINE
