This month, after the recent completion of its multi-phase, multi-million dollar renovation, The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco joined with legendary winemaker Jean-Charles Boisset to unveil a new luxury tasting lounge in the hotel lobby. The JCB Tasting Lounge, now open to the public, offers exclusive wine tastings and light fare in an intimate setting.
“We’re excited to be joining with world-renowned winemaker Jean-Charles Boisset,” says General Manager Bruce Gorelick. “The JCB Tasting Lounge blends California’s rich history in wines with our hotel’s new couture fashion design to inspire new memories for our guests.”
Boisset is a family-owned collection of historic and unique wineries bound together by their vision of the creating authentic, terroir-driven wines in harmony with their histories. With more than twenty historical and prestigious wineries in the world’s preeminent terroirs, including the Côte d’Or, Beaujolais, Rhône Valley, California’s Russian River Valley and the Napa Valley, each house retains its unique culture, identity, and style.
The retail boutique at The JCB Tasting Lounge, adds additional nuance to match the JCB wine tasting collection. A selection of gifts range from JCB-branded items — custom-designed jewelry, candles, wine accessories and perfumes – and partners with select merchandise from Baccarat, Christofle, Bernardaud, and Goyard all available for purchase.
“We are honored to be partnering with The Ritz-Carlton San Francisco on this extraordinary new wine destination, an extension of what we offer our guests in Northern California wine country,” says Proprietor of Boisset Collection Jean-Charles Boisset. “The JCB Tasting Lounge unites the world of wine and fashion in a way that transcends terroir, reaching beyond the traditional boundaries of wine to embody greater San Francisco style and sophistication.
The JCB Tasting Lounge also serves as their Wine Concierge, providing guests of The Ritz-Carlton San Francisco engaging visitor experiences with direct access to the wine country for visits to any of our properties. These are Raymond Vineyards, DeLoach Vineyards, Buena Vista Winery and the Historic Wine Tool Museum. They may also visit our JCB Lounges in St. Helena, Santa Rosa and Sonoma – and soon to come, Yountville.
The JCB Tasting Lounge offers exclusive wine tasting flights, ranging from $50 to $100 per person, and includes some of the most exquisite, limited wines within the Boisset Collection.
Guests are invited to enjoy the wine flights with specially curated food options from Chef de Cuisine Michael Rotondo of the hotel’s award-winning Parallel 37.
Some examples: on the Savory Flight, Crispy Liberty Farm Duck Fritter with Kumquat Relish; Flank Steak Steam Bun with Horseradish and Date Jam; On the Dessert Flight, Nectarine and White Chocolate BonBons with Apricot and Chamomile; Blueberry Pate de Fruit with Dark Chocolate Ganache. Guests indulge in these offerings, with rare wines. The Savory Flight costs $38 per person and the Dessert Flight $28 per person. Additional light fare includes an Artisanal Cheese Plate with Grilled Sour Dough and Accoutrements for $28; Caramelized Fig and Serrano Ham Flat Bread for $21, and 10 oz. White Sturgeon Caviar with Lobster Essence for $115.
The JCB Tasting Lounge also offers guests at The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco an exclusive private event space for up to 14 guests
The Tasting Lounge is open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m
