Mission Wines ‘Guru’ Featured in Los Angeles Times

“Wines of individuality that express their origin.”

That’s how South Pasadena’s Mission Wines describes its merchandise on its website—in quote marks, never mind that the origin of the quote itself is conspicuously missing on the site.

There’s little doubt, though, that the wine store on 1114 Mission Ave. is a distinguished one. Located right next door to Book’em Mysteries, which specializes in crime fiction, Mission Wine arguably has a certain cloak-and-dagger appeal—let’s just say that if James Bond lived in South Pas and drank wine this would probably be his haunt.

And it’s little wonder that this past Saturday, Mission Wines was featured in the Los Angeles Times in a list of 12 Southern California wine shops that offer tastings and where the typical customer is guaranteed to have a “positive wine buying experience and come home with a bottle you truly love.”

Not just that. A photograph of Mission Wines owner Chris Meeske, who cut his teeth as a sommelier in some of the finest restaurants in California and Chicago, is the sole featured photo in the print edition of the Times article, titled “Your Wine Guru is Here.” 

(Readers should note that the photos, not to mention the headline, in the print and online editions are different—and there’s no list of 12 Southern California wine stores that offer tastings in the online edition.)

Click here to read the article, which offers advice on how to “befriend your local wine shop.”