Let’s Go Shopping at The Skywalker Ranch General Store

I have kept a bottle of Skywalker Ranch wine in my liquor cabinet for over ten years. It is literally collecting dust. I haven’t had the heart to open it since I picked it up at the Skywalker Ranch gift shop in Nicasio, California, eons ago. Unless you are in “The Industry,” visits to “The Ranch” are either few or far between, or impossible. I’ve been lucky to have visited the rustic outpost of the George Lucas empire in Marin a few times, and the last time I went, I went a wee bit overboard buying merch at their small shop. I picked up a T-shirt, a coffee mug, a notebook, and the aforementioned bottle of vino. I wasn’t sure if I would ever be able to get another bottle of Skywalker wine, so it’s just been sitting there, waiting for the right occasion. But now I don’t have to wai. I can pick up Skywalker wine whenever I or any of you want, now that the Skywalker General Store has opened.

Nestled in the Lucasfilm campus in San Francisco’s Presidio is the brand-new Skywalker General Store. It is a brilliant idea. Fans of George Lucas’ oeuvre can now tack on a shopping trip to their pilgrimage to see the Yoda fountain or their visit to the nearby Walt Disney Family Museum.

The shop has an eclectic array of items from Lucas’s projects, most of which are exclusive and available only at The Ranch, but this is the first time the offerings are made available to the general public, in person. Throughout the shop, there’s a dizzying array of shirts, jackets, sweaters, and hats emblazoned with the Skywalker Ranch logo.

Towards the back of the shop is a wall of glass-encased sculptures and figures, including Lladro porcelain pieces in the shape of characters such Ahsoka Tano ($3665) and a Stormtrooper ($2230), as well as a case containing limited-edition lightsabers. Nearby, there’s a large wall of books about Lucas’ work from The Making of Star Wars to the hefty The Star Wars Archives. The store wisely stocks a variety of non-exclusive and more affordable gifts from an R2-D2 toaster to kid’s toys.  I was pleased to see a few Indiana Jones items in the mix, from button-down shirts by Rsvlts to the Limited Edition Indiana Jones Raiders Poet Hat by the haberdasher Herbert Johnson, who created the original Indy hat.

The big draw at the Skywalker General Store is the artisanal products that are estate-grown at the Lucas’ ranch. They’ve harvested their lavender to make handcrafted soaps, mists, and body butters. There are jars of Wildflower honey from local bees as well as peach, apple, and pinot noir with strawberry preserves, all harkening from fruit grown on the estate. There’s even a hot sauce made from the ranch’s chiles.

I splurged on a bottle of the Extra Virgin Olive Oil. The olive grove is located on 7 hillside acres, and the oil is produced from a blend of Frantoio, Penolino, Leccino, Moraliolo, and Cipressino olives. Each bottle’s wax top is hand-dipped. The employee I spoke with stated that he personally has dipped hundreds of these bottles. Each one comes with a copper spout and a beautifully printed label, which makes it easy to justify and rationalize the price. Plus, I couldn’t resist a Skywalker Ranch fire station mug. But beyond these sweet and savory treats, the big seller is, of course, the wine.

It should be noted that you can order Skywalker wines and other items, such as their olive oil, from the Skywalker website. They offer a popular wine club, but that is a commitment. For example, the Collector’s Membership includes eight bottles of wine three times a year ($400 to $550 per shipment)  while the Ambassador’s Membership includes four bottles (at $200 to $350 per shipment), but both include priceless perks like exclusive wine events throughout the year.

At the Skywalker General Store, you can buy just one bottle from their Skywalker Pinot Noir to their Sparkling wine, both made from grapes from the ranch. They also sell wines from their two other estates, Chateau Margui (located in Provence, France) and Viandante del Cielo (located near Umbria, Italy). These options, from Marin, France, and Italy, offer grape profiles for a variety of palettes.

While I was there, multiple people were purchasing wine, proving that, yes, that is the big draw. Each customer added the stately wooden gift box, which makes for a stunning present for those who love Star Wars, wine, or both. Again, a genius idea opening up an upscale spot for all that Lucas-loving shopping.

The Skywalker General Store is open from 11am to 7pm every day and is located at the Letterman Digital Arts Center, Building D, in the Presidio, right next to Piccino Presidio, near Lyon Street.