There is truth in wine — and good company. Just ask Danielle Kuzinich, a half San Francisco, half Houston resident who is the proprietor of a unique FiDi wine bar called the San Francisco Wine Society. She founded the business in 2020, taking over the former home of The Hidden Vine, and is making its mark on the city’s map of convivial establishments. Danielle is also the recipient of the national design competition “Taking Care of Business” sponsored by CB2 and its parent company, Crate & Barrel. And her business received a glowing writeup from Eater SF highlighting their sophisticated yet approachable wine offerings and opulent parklet. I sat down with Danielle to chat about her journey through the wine world, the challenges of running a business and the heartaches of wallpapering.
How did you find your way into wine? My love for wine started while I was growing up in Discovery Bay where my friends and I would take boats out on the delta and barbecue afterward. While everyone was drinking Coors or Bud Light, I preferred wine and became intrigued with how it paired with the food we grilled. Over time this grew into a passion for cooking which eventually led me to culinary school where I got into wine.
In one of my comms classes, we were encouraged to send out resumes for hospitality positions, not so much with the intent of getting hired but to practice interviewing. Long story short, I got hired in one of these interviews by a man named Doug Washington — who I fondly refer to as the Danny Meyer of the West Coast. He said to me, “I see something in you that someone saw in me when I was your age.” This was at a San Francisco restaurant called Town Hall that had just entered its second year and was packed every night.
So, here I was, 19 years old, not knowing anything about wine, cocktails or fine dining — literally thrown into the deep end. During the day, I was attending culinary school, and at night I was working alongside seasoned professionals. It quickly became clear that if I was going to succeed in this industry, I needed to learn about wine. I started reading wine books and as soon as I graduated I became an assistant manager — still at 19. About a year goes by, and I moved onto another restaurant called Fifth Floor as their director of guest relations. At the time, I was still studying wine, and Emily Wines, the wine director, noticed me with my head buried in my books in the office. She took me under her wing and became my friend and mentor.
Another year goes by, and by this time, with encouragement from Emily, I passed the introduction exam and level 2 certification to become a certified sommelier. Shortly after, a wine director position opened up at a restaurant called Grand Cafe. Again with some helpful nudges from Emily, I applied and got the position. After I took the helm, this business cleared $1 million a year in wine sales.
By this time, I’m a certified sommelier, the director of a prominent restaurant’s wine program, and 21 years old. Wine didn’t really fall into my lap — it was just something I knew deep down that I needed to do.
What were some of the challenges you faced in that role? Getting people to buy into me because of my age. I felt like I constantly had to prove myself. One of the ways I started winning people over was by offering a Saturday wine class for staff. It started small, and I suspect that initially, people just came to see if I knew anything. I must have done alright because, after about six months, those two or three people became about 20 every week.
This was true of the guests as well. Think older guys, the New York suit types, asking to speak to the somm. And there I was, like “Hi, that’s me.” Sometimes the reactions were challenging. It was the unsaid “what could you possibly know about wine” looks that gave them away. Little did they know, I could talk back vintages of Bordeaux all day long. I probably didn’t help by wearing 5-inch heels — not that that should have mattered.
How did The Hidden Vine become the San Francisco Wine Society? The Hidden Vine was originally in a smaller space in Union Square. When I started there, it was owned by a couple that had the intention of relocating, which is why they brought me onto the team. I worked at that location for a few months before we moved to our current spot. That experience was amazing, being present while construction was happening and being part of the decision-making process. To give you an idea, I literally helped lay the hardwood floors and tiled the floor behind the bar.
Once we were ready to go, the opening was phenomenal. I planned for almost every scenario, and it went flawlessly. As we grew a following, it started to feel like the neighborhood’s Cheers. We were recognized as one of the top wine bars in the U.S. by Travel and Leisure Magazine, among other accolades, and operated for almost 10 years before closing and rebranding.
When the owners decided to move on to their next venture, I entered negotiations to lease the space and start a new business on my own. So, when I started thinking about what I wanted for the future, a clean break felt like the best option to move forward. The name, specifically “Wine Society,” came from a desire to have an unpretentious approach to wine. I want this space to be accessible to anyone that comes through those doors — from how we price our menu to creating a space where everyone fits in. Society should be inclusive, and I want this business to reflect that.
What about running your business makes you happiest? Wine, more than anything, is about making memories, talking to people and being present. You’ll notice we don’t have TVs here. I want this space to be a place that guests forget about their phones and engage with people. This space is meant to be intimate and distraction-free. We don’t offer WiFi for that reason.
What’s next for you? I would love to create this concept in other cities. Part of choosing the “blank-Wine Society” name is how easy it would be to swap in another city and create something new that speaks to that region. We’ll see what the future has in store.
I’m also excited to start two side projects that are close to my heart. Something I see missing from the industry today is the level of mentorship that helped me build my foundation. I plan to launch a series of couch conversations where I host women in the industry that I’m inspired by. I’m thinking of calling the series “Becoming a Leader and the Importance of Mentorship.” The idea is to help foster that sense of guidance and support the growth of the next generation of young wine professionals.
The other project is called “The Instigator Foundation” that I’m getting off the ground this year. It’s a non-profit organization that I will control so that I know when I donate to or host a benefit for a cause that I care about that every cent goes where it should. Giving back is important to me, and I want to make sure that I do it right.
What advice would you retrospectively give yourself? I wouldn’t change anything except for not painting the base coat of our parklet the same color as the wallpaper. I had to repaint so much because the humidity made it peel back at the ends. Aside from that, I wouldn’t change a thing.
Kyle Fanthorpe is a San Francisco-based writer.
