The Golden Gate wine Society began in 1973 in San Francisco as a breakfast group with Joe Perry, John Badgley, Kevin O’Conner, and Peter Berg. Our name was conceived by Joe Perry and Peter Berg as a natural monicker for this group. It was an informal group of people who wanted to learn more about wine and indulge in the rewards. It was a very humble group, starving for knowledge, that grew and grew with more members who shared the same objectives. Their common interest was wine and particularly wine and winemakers from small California wineries.

As the Society evolved we began invite winemakers to speak and share their wines, a practice which continues to this day. Eventually, through a process of blind tastings, a wine of the year was chosen and an annual black-tie dinner was held to honor the winning winemaker and varietal. This tradition is still honored today with the ‘Winery of the Year’ award being bestowed on the winner in December of each year. For a more detailed history of the Society, click here.

Governed by By-Laws, the Society has a defined purpose, a minimum event schedule, procedures for election of officers and standing committees, dues and membership requirements. As a Society dedicated to further the education of its members in the making and responsible enjoyment of wine, annual social events including monthly wine tasting and food pairings, picnics, black tie & holiday events, amateur wine making showcases & competitions, wine tasting trips to “new world” & “old world” wine regions and educational functions.

With every fine wine, fine cuisine must compliment the experience. Our Society membership demands the highest standard in food pairings and preparation to exemplify the selected wines at every event. Rooted in San Francisco, we are spoiled by the gastronomic options available and we have enjoyed many great dining establishments over the years.

Essentially based in San Francisco, the Golden Gate Wine Society is blessed by its proximity to “new world” wine making regions: Napa Valley, Sonoma Valley, Russian River Valley, Sonoma Coast, Alexander Valley, Dry Creek Valley, Anderson Valley, Monterey / Carmel, Edna Valley, San Ynez, Santa Rita Hills and Paso Robles to name a few. World-renowned winemakers and personalities that have presented their ideals to our Society have thus deepened our heritage of fine wine appreciation and education.