Husband-and-wife team and wine industry veterans, Mark Nevin and April Sack, are opening a new wine shop and bar on Geary near the Masonic hill, called TOFINO WINES, at the end of March. The new project is focused on wines from small, family producers in California, France, Italy, and Spain. They’ll be paying special attention to Champagne and Sherry selections (hello, hopper favorites), as well as “producers who practice natural winemaking and make well-balanced wines that reflect the terroir of their particular sites,” according to an email from Sack. The selection of wines available by the glass at the bar will change weekly, allowing customers to try different options before purchasing a bottle in the shop. Bottles bought in the shop can be enjoyed on-site for a $10 corkage. They will also offer a small menu of wine-friendly snacks, like cheese, charcuterie, and crostini.
The space is located near the rather odd corner of Geary and Masonic, just across from Corner Store and Target. The space has been made quite lovely, with vaulted ceilings and large windows evocative of a busy transit hub. Exposed concrete beams and flooring are balanced with warmer, more natural elements like a marble bar counter, walnut wine shelving, and terra-cotta tile from the 1920s. Right now, the plan is to open in late March—we’ll let you know when it’s official. (H/t Scoop). 2696 Geary Blvd. at Emerson, 415-872-5782.
On Sunday evening, I attended the Charin monthly pop-up dinner at Stable, which had quite the wine team on the floor (the pours we had were mighty fabulous). I had a chance to catch up with Michael Ireland (previously The Restaurant at Meadowood, consultant for Verbena) about his upcoming Inner Richmond project with John Vuong (Ame, Gary Danko), PIVOT (you can read our previous post about it here). It ends up construction is just getting started, so it’s going to be another three or four months before it opens. Sit tight for now! 443 Clement St. at 6th Ave.
