I went on a business trip to San Francisco and I couldn’t just go to the city by the bay and not hit up a wine bar and snag a cheese plate or two.

OK, I didn’t get a cheese plate, but I did get some lovely appetizers–squash blossoms and heirloom tomato salad? Yes, please.

I also tried a glass of wine on tap for the first time. It was a 2012 Preston Vineyards Dry Creek Valley GSM. My verdict: Not bad. This dark fruit wine is easy drinking. It’s light, but smells spicy and has a bold punch that lingers at the finish. That said though, it feels like it’s missing something.

This is a great location if you have a big group of people. There is lots of bar seating as they have several bars throughout, as well as lounge seating. It was busy on the Thursday night that I went, but still lots of space for more.

The bartender I had was very knowledgeable and we played a little game. After the glass of the wine on tap that I just wanted to try for the novelty, I chose a flight of reds that pitted US wineries v. Spain. The bartender had me guess which wine was which after tasting them all, which was a good test for me.

The Bethel Heights Pinot Noir (forgive me, menu didn’t have vintages) from the Wilamette Valley was tangy. It smelled fresh–like grass–and had an unexpected tangerine flavor. It was a bit astringent and not my favorite.

The Broadley Upper Five Pinot from Oregon was herby, crisp and tasted like red fruit. Better than the Bethel Heights, but not my fave of the four.

The Riojas Crianzas (no detail about winery on the menu) was medium-bodied and tasted of raspberries and other sour fruit. Overall, I thought it was a nice wine with soft tannins.

The Nita (no winery details on the menu) was a Grenache, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon blend. It was bold, plummy and had hints of dark licorice. It was chocalatey and almost porty without the alcoholic burn.

The Press Club is near the Powell St. Bart, 20 Yerba Buena Lane in San Fransisco.