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August 21, 2002
Willow Glen, California Since 1992 |
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Photograph by Max Morse
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Wine Selector: Bert George, owner of Joseph
George Wine and Baskets, advises his
customers regularly on which wine to serve.
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There are no reasons for locals to
'whine' about wine
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Staci L. Jameson
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For some it's a challenge just to remember
whether to serve white or red wine with a
grilled salmon dinner, let alone find the
perfect bottle of wine to go with an entire
menu.
But Willow Glen residents don't need to
worry - the answer can be found at Joseph
George Wine and Baskets, 1559 Meridian Ave.
"Not a week goes by that at least three
people don't come in, hand me their menu and
ask which wine they should serve," says owner
Burt George.
The old adage of "red with beef, white with
chicken and fish" is no longer true. Now, the
type of wine you select can also depend on
the time of year or the way you are preparing
your entree.
The George family has years of practice
advising their customers. In 1940, Joseph
George, Burt George's grandfather, started a
small shop on Saint John and Market streets.
Initially, the store only carried tobacco,
candy and hard liquor, but in the 1950s the
store began to sell wines.
Not long after opening, Joseph became a
liquor wholesaler, carrying some of the most
popular brands of hard liquor, beers and
wines.
In 1985 the wholesale end of the business,
Joseph George Distributor, was closed and one
retail store was opened.
These days Joseph George Wine and Baskets is
the place to go to purchase those high-end,
hard-to-find California wines.
"We sell artisan wines. The producer will
make a hundred incredible cases, and that's
what we carry," says George. "People come to
us from all over the United States to find a
special wine that they can't find anywhere
else."
The store's temperature is kept at a cool 65
to 70 degrees for the sake of the hundreds of
wine bottles lining the walls and display
cabinets throughout the building.
In a special section toward the back of the
store customers can find a bottle of Cristal
or Dom Perignon champagne for a celebration.
A refrigerated unit at the front of the store
holds those hard-to-find, must-stay-chilled
wines that most liquor stores only sell on
special order.
The store caters not only to the wine
connoisseur but to the gourmet gift-giver as
well, with baskets created by Burt's wife,
Cyndie George among the customer favorites.
"The baskets and their contents have all been
personally selected by Cyndie, from the pasta
basket to the coffee basket," George says.
"There are baskets for every occasion."
There is also a charming selection of wine
accessories in the store. Customers can find
everything from beautifully handcrafted
champagne flutes to 'wine tags' that allow
guests to identify their own wine glass at a
party.
Although Burt specializes in California
wines, he has no problem helping a customer
find a good French wine or place a special
order.
"If customers can't find the wine they are
looking for on our website," Burt says, "they
can call me with the name of that wine and
I'll do my best to find them what they are
looking for."
Joseph George Wine and Baskets, located at
1559 Meridian Ave., is open Tuesday through
Friday, 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. The store is
closed Saturday, Sunday and Monday. For more
information, call 408.448.9463 or visit
www.josephgeorge.com.
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