The Toast of San Francisco: Visit the Eco Terreno Urban Tasting Room

It's tough to imagine a better spot to raise a glass in the city of San Francisco than the Eco Terreno Urban Tasting Room.

The handsome, two-story tasting room, a showcase for the Organic Future of California winemaking, will officially celebrate its grand opening at the south end of Columbus Avenue.

It's at the nexus of historic North Beach-home to the City Lights Books shop and Frances Ford Coppola's flatiron building; America's most famous Chinatown; and the upscale, gallery-packed Jackson Square neighborhood, where former Apple design chief Jonny Ive is cultivating a hub for AI technology.

The Eco Terreno Tasting Room is a place where the city's past and future intersect, and the tasting room's grand reopening – scheduled for Oct. 18 – will offer wine lovers a chance to get reacquainted, or to meet for the first time, Eco Terreno's selection of organically produced wines.

The Eco Terreno Tasting Room is a place where the city's past and future intersect. Its grand reopening – on Oct. 18 – will offer wine lovers a chance to get reacquainted with (or meet for the first time) Eco Terreno's selection of organically produced wines. Wines will be paired with curated small bites chosen to elevate the experience. Some of Eco Terreno's newest releases will be among the featured pours.

Fine Wine, Made Organically

Mark Lyon, Eco Terreno's founder and chief winemaker has spent over four decades crafting some of nearby Sonoma County's finest vintages; first at Sebastiani vineyards, and now at Eco Terreno farm.

There, just over an hour outside the city, Lyon is pioneering regenerative, biodynamic growing and winemaking techniques that are not only environmentally responsible, but also yield extraordinary results.

"Yes, I want to take care of the earth and the environment," Lyon says, "but from the beginning of my career, I always felt that my destiny was to make great wines."

Among Eco Terreno's French-inspired gems are a warm yet complex 2017 Otõno Cabernet Sauvignon and the award-winning bright 2022 Pink Pride Rosé, sales of which have been earmarked by Lyon – one of the most outspoken gay men in the California wine industry – to benefit LGBTQ+ charities.

Lyon grows all of his grapes and produces his wines in the Alexander Valley of Sonoma County, just over an hour outside of San Francisco. But when he decided to create a public showcase for Eco Terreno, was committed to doing it in the heart of San Francisco.

Where Business Meets Passion

A combination of business strategy and personal passion led Lyon to his decision to open his tasting room in the city.

"San Franciscans are sophisticated about food and wine, so I wanted to make it easy for them to stop in and enjoy a glass or two of great wine as part of a casual weekend afternoon, or to kick off a night on the town," he said.

"After that nice experience, maybe they buy a bottle to take home then. That's a way to build a loyal customer base."

Notes the winemaker, "Spending a day in wine country has become an expensive proposition for people. Between the price of tastings, which can be as much as $75 these days, a meal, and the drive – which can be jammed with traffic on weekends – you might end up spending $500 a couple."

While there are certainly tourists inspired by "Sideways" who can afford the kind of price tag and time commitment a day trip requires, Lyon also notes that Sonoma has become so saturated with tasting rooms vying for visitors that it's harder than ever to attract enough people to make a new venture worthwhile.

In the city, he could reach both visitors and locals.

"If I was going to invest in creating a tasting room," he thought, "why put it where there are dozens of others, when Eco Terreno can be one of a kind in San Francisco."

Lyon said he also wants to contribute to the city that, in decades past, was influential in his personal development as a gay man.

Great Wine Isn't Always Picture Perfect

But there's another reason behind creating Eco Terreno in San Francisco rather than on his wine country property, explained Lyon.

"I'm committed to making wine in a way that's healthy for the soil and good for the environment overall; no chemical pesticides or fertilizers, certified organic.

"With industrial winemaking, it's easier to keep your vineyards tidy and picturesque. We get a little weedy and scruffy looking sometimes, which is essential to our process."

Lyon says he's in the business of making fine wine, not pretty landscapes for Instagram. He also feels that, like himself, San Franciscans value sustainability.

At the tasting room, Lyon and his staff are enthusiastic about educating guests on environmental issues in winemaking and encourage visitors' questions.

But they're also happy to simply provide a lovely place – and some spectacular wine – for a memorable new San Francisco experience.

The tasting room's grand reopening takes place Oct. 18 from 4 - 7 pm, with a special private tasting scheduled for 5 pm. Tickets and more information at this link.

For more information on Eco Terreno Vineyards and the tasting room, visit www.ecoterreno.com