William Cross Wine Merchants & Wine Bar
Categories: Wine Bars, Beer, Wine & Spirits [Edit]
Neighborhood: Russian Hill2253 Polk St
(between Bonita St & Green St)
San Francisco, CA 94109 (415) 346-1314
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Best Nights: Tue, Wed, Thu
- Happy Hour: No
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
- Coat Check: No
212 reviews
Neighborhood: Marina/Cow Hollow
"Now, I am usually not interested in venturing all the way to the Marina since i live in the Castro area however I will make an exception to…" read more »
40 Reviews for William Cross Wine Merchants & Wine Bar
Was pleased to find a good selection of proseccos; they even had some in their cooler. Friendly and knowledgeable guy working there.
Didn't do the open your wine there thing, but it's a cool idea.
Great selection, knowledge of staff and best prices in town! Tasting on Wednesday are rocking and extremely informative and Wine bar is friendly and services restaurants on the block
Being a travleing sales lady, I don't get to actually go out at night...
However, one lost and lonely evening I found my way here with work people in tow...it was the best experience I've had in a long time.
I love wine, but don't know that I could go into a wine shop and pick anything out that really tasted good...you know just by knowing. Usually if it's Red and cheap that works for me...
So this place was awesome!!! We just told the lady what we liked, how we liked it and she suggested the best wines for sampling...
I will go back as soon as I have an excuse to get up North.
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This place is great! Not your typical wine bar. It is not super trendy, it is not the pet project of some rich finance dude or internet millionaire, there is no sleek interior etc etc. . . it is not built like it belongs in NY or LA. Instead it is more like rural France meets SF. The people working here know wine and the people who come to shop or relax at the tiny bar in the back are there to relax and drink great wine. . . no attitude, just great wine and a great vibe.
Want great wine?......Come here for a great affordable selection.
I was here for the German Riesling tasting and walked out with two mouth watering bottles for only $40 total. Steven, at the bar, was very patient on educating us with the various varieties. 5+ STARS!
ps. What a great way to mark my 200th review =D
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GREAT selection, friendly staff, wine tasting and they sell the most magical creation ever made for red wine drinkers- wine away.
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I'm no wino, but I've had some great wines from this store. All I have to do is walk in, utter a few words ("$30, meaty, spicy...") and voila, they'll select the perfect wine for you.
Very knowledgeable staff, with a huge selection of quality wine. They also have some nice Belgian ales in the fridge...
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Nestled among plenty of good wine shops, I find that I continually come here. I love the under $15 section and can always find a good buy. They are well selected and I am rarely disappointed with the taste of both the whites and reds. I love that they do tastings within the shop and when I look confused over which bottle I should plunge my money into, the staff are always willing to help.
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pretty good, I honestly didn't realize there was a bar back there, but then again I'm an unobservant buffoon sometimes. Anyway, service was super friendly and as a wine junky I appreciated the passion. The coolest thing about this place is the cheap corkage, only $5 to crack a bottle, which is eerily inexpensive.
side note: people of the world, please stop complaining about corkage fees in bars, bars ave to pay insane alcohol licenses and paying 5 to 20 bucks to open a bottle off the shelf, use the bars space, glasses, service,and ambiance is more than fair!
I liked some the old world selections, and all in all had a pleasant time. For me personally, it's a touch to quiet for me, but that's not really a complaint, but a preference. So if you just wanna relax and have good glass of vino, William Cross is certainly cool!
Never had a recommendation that I haven't loved. That includes the time I went in looking for a fantastic bottle of wine to go with Chow Fun noodles for a birthday present. Walked out with an incredible Bordeaux that was, in fact, a great pairing.
Great place to buy Riedel too. Prices significantly less than most places.
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Love this place! We happened in on a rainy Sunday while waiting on a prescription from Walgreens. I've been there before to buy, but never to just have a glass and hang out. Highly recommend it! Generous pours, they know their stuff, and you'll almost certainly meet someone cool who will want to talk wine. Now if only they served snacks...
How did I miss this place!
A great spot for small production wines - found Radio Coteau there along with such hot brands as Beaux Freres and Kobalt. They also rock the imports with sick Italian wines - 2004 Vietti Barolo, Villa Bucci and Le Macchiole and French, 2005 Dominique Laurent Burgundies and mags of 2005 Paul Autard Chateauneuf Ronde.
They told me about their tastings which sounded great and the staff was extremely knowlegable, they even discussed what wine I should get with my dinner.
Right on!!!!!
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Unti Vineyards Barbera always in stock. Thank you.
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A bit late in posting on this item but William Cross Wine Merchants in Russian Hill is continuing its series of Iron Wine America tastings this year. They are themed based on the Iron Chef America series on the Food Network, and if last week's tasting is any indication, should be a whole lot of fun. The shop does a tasting each Wednesday starting at 6pm, and last week's tasting featured Oregon Pinot Noirs against Burgundy reds, also made from pinot noir grapes. I enjoyed all six selections, but generally preferred the offerings from Oregon. The 2006 Ponzi Tavola Pinot Noir was my favorite - velvety and rich yet well-balanced and fruity as well. The other selections from Oregon, a 2006 Lange Pinot Noir and a 2005 Rex Hill Reserve Pinot were both nice as well. The selections from Burgundy were a 2005 Domaine Germaine Saint-Romain, a 2006 Dubois Savigny-Les Beaune Les Picotins, and a 2005 Nicholas Rossignol Cuvee L'Hertiere. Generally the European wines were stronger on the nose and tasted more of alcohol than the selections from Oregon, though I did enjoy the Domaine Germaine Saint-Romain quite a bit. The next Iron Wine America tasting should be within the next couple of months, so stay tuned. Cheers.
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Picking a perfect bottle of wine is like picking a perfect apple. A perfect bottle of wine is like a perfect man. Let me elaborate.
A Perfect Man
smart
witty, makes me laugh
cool
soft and sensitive
sentimental and kind
subtle
natural and not trying too hard
sophisticated and well traveled
has good taste
driven and ambitious, but isn't afraid to get his hands dirty
Can you apply these criteria to a bottle of wine? Yes, I believe so. Can a wine be smart? A wine can certainly make you laugh. A wine can be soft. A wine is certainly sentimental. If a wine is natural and subtle it is not trying too hard. At William Cross you will find endless bottles of good wine that will lead you toward a perfect bottle, and perhaps a perfect apple or man. Jeremy is fabulous at helping with selection. They also have Wednesday night tastings, but these can get pretty crowded. The wine here is consistent and varied. It isn't a huge store, but the selection is solid. It really is a testament to talent and care in merchandising.
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Love this place!
Cute little wine store, absolutely packed wall to wine of wine, and champagne and accessories! They have everything for everyone and can accommodate all price ranges also.
Come on a Wednesday night and they offer flights of great wines and champagnes at the little bar area in the back. We went last night and absolutely fell in love with a rose champagne! And when we were set for a hefty price tag when purchasing, we found out it was only $16 a bottle! And it was delicious!
Had a flight of 5 tastes of roses and champagnes for $15. The place of course is packed, as people know about these special Wednesday night tastings, but now they have 4 more fans from our little crowd! Steve is a true walking encyclopedia on the stuff, as he pours you your drink, he explains to you the history, compares it to the other tastings, and tell you everything you could ever want to know about your drink. Jeremy, his sidekick runs the store in front, and rings up your purchases. He is a super sweet guy and has never not been there when I've called with questions.
LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS PLACE!
-The only suggestion I have is to serve some munchies, as we got quite hungry and were almost (and I say almost because we ended up staying to drink more instead of feeding our bellies) almost wanted to leave to get something to eat. Instead we settled for the slices of bread served on the counter.
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This s is a pretty cool place to get a glass of wine and actually be able to talk to your friends/date! I was down the street at another wine bar that was packed and we decided to head out. As we walked along Polk St. we saw the sign for this place and poked our heads in. This is really a little wine shop, that has a small bar area in the back. The guy working was very cool and we ended up buying a bottle and paying the $5 to have it there. I will defiantly be back!
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The first time I stepped foot in here, I was with three friends all playing the 'dumb blonde' card briliantly (even though one was a brunette).
Cheery and helpful store clerk: "What can I help you ladies with?"
Us: "Uhh, we're looking for some wine." (Captain obvious, that's us)
Him: "Well, what are you having for dinner?"
Us: (Waving the takeout bag in the air) "Ummm, salads."
Him: "What kind of salads?"
Us: [blank looks all around] "Chicken? Seafood? Lots of stuff."
Him: (coming through with the save) "Well, how about a nice Pinot?
Us: "GREAT-- we love Pinot". Done and done.
That was the best under $15 bottle of Pinot I've ever had. And no, he did not ask for any of our digits, despite the fact we were obviously some very fun and brainy chicks.
Since then, we've been back for Wednesday night tastings and were dutifully impressed with the value and the service. They even give you a little slip of paper with the wine names on it, so you can keep track of the ones you like and the ones you just pretend to like because you know you should.
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wine and champagne bottles...for petit-bourgeoisie to bourgeoisie....petite wine merchant...along russian hills polk....fear for snobbery of wine...for this unknowing non-sommelier..novice of wine tastes....requestin' pinot grigio and pinot noir...lighter refreshin' wine....relaxed wine clerk to make suggestions...picks under $fifteen....within reasonable casual gulp price...no pressure sales...picks starting within budget and up.....
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WCWM is one cool wine store in a city with no shortage of great places to drink and buy wine. Everyone at the store is extremely knowledgeable and helpful when it comes to picking the perfect wine. The store is a true neighborhood treasure particularly on weekends when the wine bar is open and attracts an interesting mix of friendly locals, people waiting for their tables at one of the many nearby terrific restaurants or out-of-towners who always seem to have heard about it through a friend of a friend of a friend. There is also a very talented local artist named Jeremy who works in the store. They have a nice collection of his work in the wine bar and it's even worth the trip to check out the great art!
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Good selection, great service and even better wine recommendations.
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Always a fantastic place to get great wine and great recommendations for wines in times of extreme duress or simple indecision. I have come in here several times specifically yet sort of vaguely describing what I'm seeking, and they've always managed to hook me up with a good wine.
To wit: when I first moved to SF, the bf and I were broke from all the standard nonsense that comes with moving to a new place. Sure, we were broke, but we weren't animals, damn it, and besides, my dad was coming to visit. This is then more or less how I described the two wines I was seeking to the young-ish guy (not sure if he is the owner or not) working at William Cross: "So, I want two bottles of white wine, one for my dad, and one for my boyfriend. My dad drinks a lot of wine and likes San Francisco and is either a summer or an autumn, and my boyfriend is stressed out and likes fruity sweet wine and walks on the beach. Oh, and I'm broke, so....?" And yet, I got two excellent bottles of wine that I was able to afford and a happy dad and boyfriend as a result.
William Cross is definitely my go-to place for a lovely bottle of wine and knowledgeable and helpful staff, with a very well-priced selection, no need to break the bank. My fellow Malbec freaks will also be happy to know that they have a good Malbec selection.
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Steve Sherman knows his wine and it shows b/c he stocks his store with a wide selection of fabulous wines! Ask Steve or Jeremy for a recommendation when picking a bottle (or case) of wine. Steve does wine tastings every Wednesday night and the back becomes a wine bar on Friday and Saturday nights. A definite go-to wine store!
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A friendly and inviting wine shop. What a nice change...take that Mayor Newsom! These guys only stock wines they like. They're more than happy to share recommendations. It's an enjoyable experience visiting the shop.
I'm very sad right now. I went to William Cross for the first time just last night, to attend a wine and artisan cheese tasting. I'm sad because I've lived in the neighborhood for about a year and now am moving to DMV Heights in about a month, so WC won't be my local wine store. Steve Sherman conducted our wine tasting - very thorough and informative but in a completely relaxed and casual manner - most importantly, you could tell this guy knows and loves his wines. William Cross carries all varieties of wine but rest assured that any bottle they carry, regardless of price range, is worth it. The staff will take the time to help you select an appropriate wine to pair with a meal, to bring as a gift, or to simply enjoy with good friends. I'd highly recommend going in for one of their Wednesday wine tastings or I suppose really anytime Bacchus is on your mind.
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This place is like a good burger - nothing too fancy, but very satisfying.
Wine stores and owners can sometimes be a little too clever. WC delivers the brands you've heard of (and a few you haven't) and actually enjoy. Imagine that?
Duckhorn - check
Paul Hobbs- check
Good wines under 20 - check
The woman behind the counter actually talked me OUT of buying more expensive Riedel glasses. From my experience, this kind of service in the wine world is rare and much appreciated. The laidback atmosphere at this shop is great, and the selection is diverse in both type and price of wine. Looking forward to my first Wednesday wine tasting. Highly recommended!
When you need a bottle as a gift or one to go with your simple stir fry, this is the place to come. The selection spans the spectrum from wines under $15 (they even have these showcased up front) to upscale, small distribution wines. And on Wednesdays they have a themed tasting. They just did one on Spanish wines last week. It's a nice, kick-back scene without any hint of pretension!
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Ok, so I went to actually meet the owner of the wines being served last night but it was a fun place. The people who came in for the tasting were fun and it was nice chatting with them. As well, Steve definitely knows his stuff. I had to run to a meeting but couldn't spare a minute to really browse but on the way out but will definitely go back.
Great wine shop. Steve is very helpful and can usually find what I am looking for, even the hard to find wines.
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I like this place a lot. It's open late so I can just pop in on my way to a party and buy something. The guy there is nice and when I say what I want he always tries to find it already chilled for me. I really need to try one of their tastings. The prices are pretty decent too or rather they find really decent stuff for the budget I put forth.
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Love the atmoshphere, love the staff & LOVE the wine. Every Wednesday night, they have superb wine tastings varying in regions and price point. ~Cool scene~ On Friday, Saturday and Sunday even during the day you can sit at the back bar and enjoy a glass or two of wine or beer. It's a perfect place to get to know your neighbors and just chill.
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My neighborhood wine provider. The guy working Saturdays is full of useful information and just plain kind: he never makes me feel like a schmuck if I forgot to ask what's for dinner, for example, or if I babble on about looking for something "interesting." Love that $15-and-below table up front.
The only melancholy thing is that after I become fascinated enough with a bottle to buy it and bear it proudly to dinner, my friends invariably serve only the predictable stuff and my oddball bottle from William Cross sits lonely and unopened on the kitchen counter. This drives me crazy! Am I just hanging out with the wrong people?
Great attitude and wine selection. Steve and crew REALLY know wine (and cheese) but are not snobby about it. Ask Steve to describe a wine and he'll go on for minutes. Wine bar in the back is good fun.
Love it! William Cross is great, the staff is really knowledgeable, the Wednesday night tastings are educational and the pricing is right on. I was speaking with one of staff yesterday and he said they are more concerned with product then price and want to keep their customer's happy. Their recommendations have been perfect everything from an interesting Spanish wine to compliment Paella to a perfect bottle of French Cab Franc. If you are looking for interesting wines at fair prices with great staff to help you at go here.
Am I the only one who gets the worst service from the owner when it comes to the Wed. night wine tastings? My first experience here was on Bastille Day in '05 - the owner (Steve?) was rude to my group of three (does he have something against blondes?). Last week we decided to give the Wed. tastings another try after almost a year off and had great service from the guy who does the art work there - he was super-informative, very friendly and all around great. Just got back from another Wed. night tasting where Steve and his wife were pouring (mind you, it was half as crowded as last week) and we got the worst service ever, minimal information on what we were drinking with each pour and ignored multiple times...even despite buying a bottle to drink there. After tonight's experience, I don't when when we will be able to tolerate going back there -- there are so many great places to go in the City to drink wine, no sense in going back where service is not a priority.
To give the wine shop credit -- there is one awesome guy who works there and is both knowledgeable and friendly. The bottles the shop sells are well priced and varied, overall a good selection.
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Very nice and helpful. Never snobby when I come in asking for their cheapest but drinkable ______.
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Great, comfortable, fun, relaxing, neighborhood spot!!!
I'm always happy with the bottles they choose for me...yummy!
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