Restaurants

Delicious red wine at Yield Wine Bar in San Francisco.

I am a bit of a wine-o.

Now, I’m not saying I’m some sort of wine expert. In fact, my wine knowledge is limited at best. I usually stalk the aisles of Trader Joe’s and Beverages & More and buy my wine based on price. That said, I drink a lot of wine, and I know what I like. I really liked the wine at Yield Wine Bar in San Francisco’s historic Dogpatch neighborhood.

My boyfriend David and I recently moved into the Dogpatch neighborhood, so you can imagine my wine-soaked delight at discovering a wine bar just down the street from our new place. We decided to check out the happy hour, which is Tuesday through Thursday 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

When we walked in, I instantly felt comfortable. I find most wine bars to be, well, pretentious and kinda stiff, which can be off-putting. Yield has an inviting vibe that put me at ease. It is a small space, but it feels cozy, almost like we are in someone’s living room. It could be the dive bar of wine bars, except it’s not dark and dank. It’s open and sunny. We were told to take a seat where we wanted. The staff was very friendly, attentive and clearly knowledgeable.

Also, unlike other wine bars, Yield doesn’t drain your wallet while you drain your glass. The happy hour is a deal at $10 for a carafe. Regular prices per glass will run you between $7 and $11, and the most expensive bottle on the wine list, which changes weekly, is $44. If you had a few people in your party, a bottle would be a great steal.

We started with a carafe of Barbera from Argentina, a tasty red wine, and paired it with a delectable cheese plate. Then, we tried a carafe of Grenache Blanc/Marsanne/Roussane from France, a fruity white wine, which was sipped while munching on spinach dip with parmesan chips and toasted sourdough bread. Yes, yes, we know you should start with wine white, but there was no judgment coming from the staff. Whew.

All the wine at Yield is certified organic (the wine is made from grapes grown on a vineyard that is certified organic) or biodynamic (the wine is made from grapes grown on a self-nourishing property in which the entire environment is involved in the process, not just the vines). In other words, it’s green or eco-friendly wine, so you can feel all environmentally conscious while getting tipsy. Organic? Biodynamic? That stuff is nice, but is it good?

Yes. Yes, it is.

Yield Wine Bar
2490 3rd Street
San Francisco, CA 94107
(415) 401-8984
www.yieldsf.com
Hours: 5 p.m. to midnight Tuesday through Saturday; closed on Sunday and Monday.