What's a beyoncé? my five year old recently asked me. You mean a fiancé? I suggested, not registering quickly enough. No, a BEyoncé she insisted. A more worthy wonder indeed. And I'm clearly failing her as a parent. She's at that age now, and her three year old sister too, I suppose, wanting to know how and why about everything. Hearing snippets on the playground and in her Kindergarten classes and in markets and movies. Sometimes big ones (Where do babies come from?) and often just random ones (Why don't people wear pajamas all the time?). More often than I'd like to admit, I'll truly have no clue what to respond or how to explain (Why is Simone left handed? she asked just yesterday about her sister). 

There is a quote from an interview with Tom Waits that resonates: “Everything is explained now. We live in an age when you say casually to somebody 'What's the story on that?' and they can run to the computer and tell you within five seconds. That's fine, but sometimes I’d just as soon continue wondering. We have a deficit of wonder right now.”  I find myself more ok these days not knowing. Wondering more. Asking friends and colleagues, exchanging perceptions and impressions. I'm very lucky to get to consider the alchemy of something as simple and magical as wine daily. Maybe it's the former school teacher in me, but I particularly enjoy when the shop or bar here becomes more of a classroom, a space for questions and curiosities and exploration. During the education component of a recent staff meeting, we were discussing minerality, a word of such wonder that spellcheck still refutes its existence. We wondered as a staff, how one can taste a certain "stoniness" in a wine - something rocky or chalky or like granite or iron, even while science suggests that vines cannot deliver actual minerals from the soils below. So, we are left to wonder more. We do of course, go to books and to the internet, and to scientists and winemakers and farmers, which, happily, often leads to more questions and even more worthy wonders.

If any of you or anyone you know would like to learn more and to wonder more along with us... I humbly invite all to explore the many regions of this wonderful world with us and join the OAKLAND YARD Wine Club. A spectacular holiday gift to yourself or a loved one, and a gift that will keep on giving! Each month, club members receive two outstanding wines for just $42. Max writes dynamic and detailed tasting notes for each release as we move around the world tasting and exploring various regions and grape varieties. This month it was wines of Loire Valley. Last month the theme was Austria and before that, Sardinia! We are tasting wines from all over, all month, to choose selections specifically for this club - so these bottles rarely make it onto the shelves here. With each club installment we share why we love these wines and include background notes on the producer, grape varieties, winemaking techniques, regional history, tasting notes and occasional recipes or pairing suggestions - a mini personal wine class. Club members also enjoy 10% ALL in store purchases - along with 10% off ALL FLIGHTS and Wines by the Glass, always! JOIN TODAY. Stop by the shop or give us a call at (510) 808- 5129. Or you can now sign up ONLINE!

Cheers,
Daniel
 

TONIGHT - Thursday Night Flights...SPANISH REDS & FRENCH WHITES
2022 André & Michel Quenard Chignin Blanc
2021 Bernard Fouquet Cuvee de Silex Vouvray
2021 Cave Cluzel Roussanne
2021 Bernabeleva Camino de Navaherreros
2020 Raul Perez Bierzo Ultreia St Jacques
2020 Bodegas D. Mateo La Mateo Rioja
Flights $15 from 5-9 and wines by the glass until 9pm

SATURDAY: ORANGE WINE Tasting!
Beguiling and aromatic skin contact whites from around the globe...
2021 Maturana Naranjo Torontel Loncomilla
2021 Ampeleia Bianco
2022 Bannister Gittens Vineyard Dry Creek Valley Ribolla Gialla
2021 Artana Rkatsiteli
Flights $20 from 2-6 and wines by the glass until 9pm

The first week of my fifty-second year has been damp and cool, and I’ve spent much of it alone, ruminating and remembering. I’m on day five of a persistent earworm; one I planted myself on a drive to the Capay Valley last Sunday, mining seventies soft rock classics for the hits so cheesy that no one bothers to dig them up for a listen. Bands with wholesome names like America, Ambrosia, and Bread. Songs that got tucked away in a dusty Dodge Dart while Fleetwood Mac and Chicago continue to get airplay. They’re not ‘good’ songs, but they haven’t been played to death, and they touch something deep inside me that’s been there since I was a little kid in a car listening to the radio on the way to a cello lesson, or a library, or an art class. ‘Lonely Boy’ by Andrew Gold is one; ‘You Are the Woman’ by Firefall is another. My wife, Julia, is too young to know them and thinks it’s funny when I sing along, and I surprise myself by how well I still know the words. This week it was ‘Crazy Love’ by Poco, and as it turns out, Poco’s guitarist Jim Messina turned seventy-six on Tuesday. You may recall my fellow Saggitarian from his days with Kenny Loggins and Buffalo Springfield, but it’s unlikely you’ve been on a Poco deep-dive. And I can’t say I’d advise it, although I do recommend reconnecting with long lost parts of yourself that remind you of who you once were and where you came from, cheese and all.

TONIGHT - Thursday Night Flights...CALIFORNIA REDS & FRENCH WHITES
Featuring reds from Amador, Mendocino & Lake Counties & whites from the Loire, Burgundy & Corbières:
2021 Poco a Poco Chapman Vineyard Carignan
2022 Isa Wines ‘Don’t Quit Your Day Job’ Mataro Red Blend
2021 Ultraviolet Cabernet Sauvignon
2022 Domaine Adèle Rouzé Quincy
2022 Berthenet Vieilles Vignes Aligoté
2020 Fond Cyprès Le Blanc des Garennes
Flights $15 from 5-9 and wines by the glass until 9pm

SATURDAY: WILLAMETTE VALLEY FLIGHTS:
Taste two white blends, a Pinot Noir & Syrah from Oregon’s most famous wine region:
2022 Day Wines Vin de Days Blanc
2022 Cameron Winery Giuliano White Blend
2016 Willful Wine Co. Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
2017 Twill Cellars Syrah Stormy Morning Vineyard
Flights $18 from 2-6 and wines by the glass until 9pm

Cheers,

Max

Like the oaks outside, my 3 year old daughter, Simone, who masqueraded most of her life as a joyful jellybean, seems to be changing colors these days, flashing a vermillion mood this morning. On our drive to school she asks if I can take her to "the hammer store". When I inquire about her need for a hammer, she offers only a sweet (slightly ominous?) smile, and a long pause, followed by You'll see... 

I like a good mystery, especially with the new chill this time of year, so I'll let it linger there for now. I've mentioned before how much I love the fall season. A certain something in the air. The leaves changing and a flurry of new wines and new faces blowing into the shop, breathing new life and bringing new warmth into this space. We also see new vintages of older favorites arriving, familiar bottles with new identities. We do our best not to be too attached to any particular years, but we're human. Some staff were tasting and discussing this the other week, pleased with themselves for being able to recall previous personalities. And others revisiting and re-tasting wines that have been aging here for many months, now entirely new expressions yielding new impressions. All of us appreciating the cyclical change, the evolution, the alchemy of it all. 

Come experience these new and ever-changing curiosities with us. We're pouring flights tonight and Saturday, and have new wines by the glass to enjoy as well! And while these lineups and the faces here and on the shelves may change, other elements never will: This being a space of warmth and welcome for all. Our integrity and fidelity to the quality of our wines. A staff dedicated to exceptional service. And an enduring, evergreen commitment to you and to this vibrant community. 

TONIGHT: Thursday Night Flights... Sauvignon Blanc from around the globe & Loire Valley Reds
2022 Monte Rio Cellars Sauvignon Blanc (CA)
2022 Von Winning Sauvignon Blanc II (Germany)
2022 Tardieux Gal Touraine Sageres Sauvignon Blanc (France)
2021 Domaine Timothée Delalle La Burette Rouge
2020 Fief Noir Cocagne Grolleau
2019 Florian Roblin Champ Gibault Rouge
Flights $15 from 5-9 and wines by the glass until 9pm

SATURDAY: EASTERN EUROPEAN FLIGHTS w/ wines from Romania, Slovenia, and Croatia
2022 Edgar Brutler Sefu White
2021 Piquentum Mavasija Itarska
2022 Edgar Brutler Sefu Red
2020 Stoka Izbrani Teran
Flights $18 from 2-6 and wines by the glass until 9pm


Cheers,

Daniel

The fourth Thursday of November is always such a peaceful morning, with no traffic on 40th, and even States Coffee shuttered and dark. Whether you celebrate the sunrise on Alcatraz Island, or feast with family and friends, it is a special day of rest and nourishment. We’ve seen so many of our dear friends and neighbors in the shop over the past week, along with a slew of kind strangers. One fellow in shorts and a sports jersey prefaced his uncertain shopping goals with “you can probably tell by my outfit that I know nothing about wine.” We try not to jump to conclusions - sartorial style is rarely an indication of wine knowledge these days - but the introduction made me smile. Thanks to all of you we’ve been helping this season for choosing us for your holiday shopping; we truly appreciate your support.

I’ll be opening Oakland Yard today from 10 to 2 to facilitate your last-minute desires - Sherry, Champagne, cheese, or chocolate - I wouldn’t call it working really, just some pre-game chilling with special guest Crys Chen, making sure everyone’s got what they want to make the day as festive and memorable as it ought to be, before we lock up and join some loved ones in thanks and revelry.

We’ll pour wine by the glass today and resume flights this Saturday, with a California lineup featuring current releases from Will Bucklin, Bret Hogan, Claire Hill and Kenny Likitprakong. Come by for a tasting this Saturday between 4 and 9, and bring your cousins, your mom, your new boyfriend, old high school buddies, whomever's here in town and curious about the local libations.

Gratefully,
Max

My younger brother and I have eerily similar voices. So much so that when we were teenagers, girlfriends would call our home landline and assume they were talking to their respective boyfriend, and we’d have to end the charade before things got mushy or too personal.

This late in life, I’m never surprised when someone meets us and (after the double-take of how much we look alike) their face lights up and 'holy shit... you even sound alike!' follows. But I am surprised to find certain phrases of his have rubbed off on me that now extend the similarities. One in particular resonated this past weekend in a major way. You see, when something is next-level wonderful, impossibly sweet... beauty in plain sight that’s too good to believe, Timothy will inevitably say to himself, aloud: Are you kidding me?? 

I can remember nearly a decade back, being with him in the Sierras away from his family for a few days, him shaking his head at a photo texted to him of his (then) two year old son. Proudly passing the phone around and then taking it back for another look. An uncontainable smile: Look at that face! Are you kidding me?? he says to the phone. Years later, I had my first kid and nearly the exact scene repeats. This time he's asking for the newest photos of my one year old daughter. Again the effusive reaction, the joyful incredulity, swiping through photos of her first steps: Are YOU kidding me? Are you KIDDING me?... I put my phone away, and we both cast again, silent for a few moments, still grinning big happy grins. 

OAKLAND YARD celebrated seven years this weekend. Surrounded by friendly folks and family and familiar faces. And so many who have become like family here over these years, who know our unique voices, have seen our first photos, known us since our first steps. We are so grateful to still be connected to you all and to be part of such a vibrant community. Thank you to everyone who came out to be a part of the joy this weekend - and thanks to all of you who continue to support our shop and share this dream with us. At one point on Saturday I was on tiptoes (literally), my arms extended to take a photo of the crowd in the lot. Looking down at the photo and then up again at everyone around, a voice emerged, a familiar phrase (was it in my head or spoken out loud?): Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me??...  I put my phone away, taking it all in. Silent for a few moments, still grinning a big happy grin.
 

TONIGHT - THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS FUNDRAISER: Tonight we're traveling the globe - red and white flights from all around the world. Special Fundraiser with 50% of proceeds from tonight's glasses and flights going to local Duck's Nest Preschool!
2022 Nortico Alvarinho
2021 Angelo Grillo Silicia
2020 M Chapoutier Marius Carte Postale Viognier
2022 Groundwork Counoise
2020 Château Laubarit Bordeaux Rouge
2021 Familia Bonfanti Malbec Joven
Tasting flights $20 from 5-9pm and wines by the glass until 9pm

SATURDAY: Special Holiday Flights Holiday...
We'll be pouring a curated selection, sampling delicious wines from our new Holiday Six Packs, including:
2021 Force Celeste Chenin Blanc
2021 Al Cantara Occhi di Ciummi Etna Bianco
2022 Birdhorse Wines Heliotrope Red
2022 Domaine de Sulauze Cochon VdF Rouge
Tasting flights $20 from 2-6pm and wines by the glass until 9pm

* Holiday and Seasonal Six Packs available in store and online*  All delicious, dry and dynamic, food-friendly and crowd-pleasing - perfect for your holiday feast and gatherings. All wines in packs discounted 10%! We've got hundreds more here too... check out our turkey tags or ask our friendly staff to help you pick some out at any budget :)

Cheers,

Daniel

Seven long years ago, while many of you were listening to Lemonade, playing Pokémon Go, and watching Game of Thrones, Daniel, Glenny, Julia, and I were focused on getting Oakland Yard open in time for our first holiday season. Ok, maybe I played some Pokémon Go in our downtime, but one needs distractions; we were deep in debt, and I slept poorly that fall. SubRosa Coffee and Manifesto Bicycles were across the street, and Antidote Juicery was in the Tacos Oscar spot. The neighborhood was a little less hip, less polished and Amazon-equipped, and a little more DIY punk rock, but it really hasn’t changed all that much. You can still get your lumber, tile, toilet, and car wash here on Fortieth, where tony Temescal meets the realness of Mosswood. And now you may also find fine wine and conviviality.

In 2016, MacArthur BART had no towering Commons; it was just another train station, as was Oakland Yard back in the early to mid 1900’s. For 45 years, the Sacramento Northern's western operating hub was at 40th Street between Webster and Shafter Avenues. An important transfer point between the Key System connecting lines to Sacramento, 420 40th street was also where, when FDR was president, you could catch a train across the new Bay Bridge to San Francisco. We wanted Oakland Yard to continue as a stop along one’s way, a place to pause and rest, a comfortable point of connection, and thanks to you all, I think we’re achieving our goal together.

We are so grateful to the community we’ve found here, and for all of your support over the past seven years, and we hope you’ll join us to commemorate our anniversary this Saturday afternoon from 12 to 5pm. We’ve got an amazing lineup of local vendors for this year’s Artisan Market, with original art, vintage clothing, houseplants, flowers, jewelry, four fabulous food vendors, beer, wine, and DJ Chungtech on the turntables. I think we can all agree that the larger world appears in astounding disarray, that we are living through unprecedented times full of injustice and upheaval, and it is for this reason, more than any, that we should be together, outdoors, face to face, eating, drinking, and dancing, in celebration of one another. But first...

TONIGHT - THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS: French Whites and Reds:
2017 Laballe Les Sables Fauves Landes Blanc
2022 Rocher des Violettes Val de Loire Chenin Blanc
2022 Les Héritiers du Comte Lafon Macon-Villages
2021 Domaine Rimbert Cousin Oscar
2019 Florian Roblin Champ Gibault Coteaux du Giennois Rouge
2022 Jean Orliac Le Loup dans la Bergerie Pays d'Herault Rouge
Tasting flights $15 from 5-9pm and wines by the glass until 9pm

THIS SATURDAY 11/11... OAKLAND YARD turns 7! Come join the community and be a part of the celebration - Saturday NOVEMBER 11th from 12-5pm. There will be music and food and oysters and bubbles, raffles and prizes, and early holiday vibes. There will also be another fantastic collection of artists, curators, builders, and culinary delights... And lots and lots of wine! The 7 Year Anniversary Celebration and Artisan Market event is FREE! So spread the good word! Tasty treats from @okayxulo & @okkonpopup @shuck.buddy @sosbakeshop! Vendors and artists include @theofficialplantqueen @_ladha_ @pablo.cristi.studio @pleinware.ceramics @hataguchi_collective @likefamily___ @trussandore @thematerialsoul  @homebodybyentela @riseaboveprinting  @sosbakeshop There will be an outdoor beer and wine garden in the backlot too! See you there!!! 

Cheers,

Max

In my last note, I shared an early memory about winning a costume contest (I had no business winning) when I was a kid. Looking back on stories like that one, I can see habits forming from these impressions and experiences of youth. Namely, that over time my default in most situations, no matter how strange or absurd, was to try to entertain in some way. To draw out laughter. To go for the joke. To connect, in some silly way, I suppose.

And I guess that's still my default in many ways, as evidenced by the ridiculous stories I'll share here now and again. It's a place I'll sometimes go, even when the world is frightening, violent, or full of anger and grief. Please know that the heart of these letters is always the hope to connect. We don't always write about current events and (bizarre for a wine shop maybe) we only rarely write about wine, but I'm happy that some folks still read these, still write back on occasion, still let us know that words and stories and shared experiences and shared bottles can bring connection.

And if you just scroll down each week to the events or to see what we're pouring, that's ok too. But if you come here for levity, or for absurd stories... the lack of a story today saved you at least one paragraph. So now you've got a free minute or two. So send a quick text to a friend letting them know you are thinking of them. Tell someone you miss them. Give your partner a hug with no explanation. Squeeze your dog. Call your sister. Spread some love. Somewhere. Anywhere.

(No need to mention a wine shop suggested it. They would think that was just plain silly.)

TONIGHT... THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS: Special Guest Winemaker Tasting
OAKLAND YARD welcomes Kristie Tacey of Tessier Winery pouring flights and spinning records all evening.
2022 Tessier Electric Ladyland White
2022 Tessier Femme Fatale Rosé
2022 Tessier Soul Love (Co-ferment)
2022 Tessier Day Dreaming Red Blend
Tasting flights $20 from 5-9pm and wines by the glass until 9pm

SATURDAY 11/4: WINES OF SICILY
2020 I Custodi Ante Etna Bianco
2021 Al Cantara Occhi di Ciummi Etna Bianco
2021 Funaro Nero d’Avola
2021 Occhipinti Frappato
Tasting flights $20 from 2-6 and wines by the glass until 9pm.

NEXT SATURDAY 11/11... OAKLAND YARD turns 7! Mark your calendars and come be a part of the celebration! Saturday NOVEMBER 11th from 12-5pm. There will be music and food and oysters and bubbles, raffles and prizes, and early holiday vibes. There will also be another fantastic collection of artists, curators, builders, and culinary delights... And lots and lots of wine! The 7 Year Anniversary Celebration and Artisan Market event is FREE! So spread the good word! Tasty treats from @okayxulo & @okkonpopup @shuck.buddy @sosbakeshop! Vendors and artists include @theofficialplantqueen @_ladha_ @pablo.cristi.studio @pleinware.ceramics @hataguchi_collective @likefamily___ @trussandore @thematerialsoul  @homebodybyentela @riseaboveprinting  @sosbakeshop There will be an outdoor beer and wine garden in the backlot too! See you there!!! 

Cheers,
Daniel

The California wine grape harvest, later and longer than usual, has by most accounts yielded good quality fruit. While the fresh juice ferments and ages in cool darkness, our winemaking friends emerge smiling and weary from their cellars, pouring last year’s bounty and sharing knowledge from the field. We had a fabulous time with Terah Bajjalieh pouring her wines at Oakland Yard last Saturday at Oakland Yard, and one week from today, Thursday November 2nd, we’ll welcome Kristie Tacey of Tessier Winery to pour flights and spin records all evening.

These last days of October always bring me back to 2016 and our scramble to open the shop before the holiday season. At this time seven years ago, Oakland Yard was a jumble of steel with piles of wooden cubbies stacked against our eastern wall. In those days leading up to Halloween, we helped our friends, Jens and Franz, strip the beams, seal the sinks, and patina the metal panels, assembling the physical details of our now beloved shop space. Daniel and Glenny were recently married, and little Arlot was but a fresh-faced pup.

We’ve come so far since then - our shop, ourselves, our community - that it feels odd to revisit that time of inception and that feeling of stepping into the unknown. Thank you for taking those first steps with us, and for continuing to walk beside us for these many years. Perhaps every day is an opportunity to feel this new beginning, an invitation to change and grow and view the world with awe and wonder. Whatever comes, I’m proud of what we’ve built and I look forward to where it will continue to take us. Come help us celebrate Oakland Yard’s seven year anniversary on Saturday November 11th, with great music, artists, vendors, wine and food.

But first...

THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS: California Reds and Spanish Whites
2020 Lioco Indica Mendocino Carignan
2019 Claire Hill Sierra Foothills Zinfandel
2021 Beaver Creek Survivor Petite Sirah
2022 Carballal Sete Cepas Albarino
2022 Celler Frisach l’Abrunet Garnacha Blanca 2021 Gaintza Getariako Txakolina
Tasting flights $15 from 5-9pm and wines by the glass until 9pm

SATURDAY 10/28: BURGUNDY Flights
2021 Domaine Perroud Chiras Bourgogne Blanc
2020 Jean-Claude Martin Chablis
2021 Coteaux des Margots Bourgogne Rouge
2020 Michel Arcelain Siserpe Beaune Rouge
Tasting flights $20 from 2-6 and wines by the glass until 9pm.

Cheers,
Max

I entered my elementary school's costume contest when I was in second grade. I was dressed as Fonzie from Happy Days. Four feet tall. Hair greased back, pegged jeans, black jacket, bright white T-shirt (with a deck of cards my brother rolled into one short sleeve to look like a pack of cigarettes, a late round reveal). For an hour one October evening, we paraded in a circle, surrounded by the congregation of other parents and sibling and onlookers - each round pausing briefly before the judges table for consideration. What started as 50 or so entrants dwindled to a dozen, judges either giving us thumbs up to keep walking, or a sympathetic nod to drop out off the strange procession.  At some point, I adopted the persona entirely. I was no longer simply dressed as Fonzie. I was Fonzie. All eyebrows and grins for the judges with each pass.

Eventually there was only a few of us left, all the others middle school kids with intricate applications or near professional painted faces. And somehow, on goofy charm alone I survived each round, forcing a showdown against the shoe-in: Paul Bailey, in his full Ghostbusters uniform with a homemade proton pack that actually lit up. It was a ludicrous finale. My only props were my thumbs. Part of Paul's routine was hollering the tagline Who You Gonna Call?... to rile up the crowd and get a section of supportive "Ghostbusters!" echoed back. But in the end, the only who anyone should have called was 911, because Paul Bailey was robbed and I was awarded first prize. 

I don't recall what I won. Or much of the rest of the night besides enjoying some candy with my best bud, Jeff Gleason. I do remember being stopped occasionally and asked to take photos with random parents. And a handful of disgruntled Bailey fans lingering in protest (But he's not even wearing a COSTUME!...). And I remember my mom wiping her eyes. I don't think I've ever seen her laugh so hard. 

TONIGHT - THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS: Gruner Veltliner and Red Bordeaux...
2022 Birgit Eichinger Ried Hasel Gruner Veltliner
2022 Kurt Angerer Kies Grüner Veltliner
2021 Phantome Cellars Mokelumne Glen Gruner Veltliner
2019 Chateau La Rame Bordeaux Rouge
2020 Chateau Laubarit Bordeaux Rouge
2021 Chateau Renaissance 'Brèves de Comptoir' Bordeaux Superieur
Tasting flights $15 from 5-9pm and wines by the glass until 9pm

THIS SATURDAY 10/21: TERAH WINE CO.
Special Tasting w/ Winemaker and rising star, Terah Bajjalieh, pouring a flight of her wines! A sommelier and winemaker, Terah studied enology and viticulture in both Spain and France. She completed 13 harvests in five countries, including France, Australia, Argentina, Willamette Valley, Sierra Foothills, Sonoma and Napa. Come taste some delicious and dynamic wines from her current lineup - sustainable and organic offerings made with great care and minimal intervention … bright and balanced and, above all, very delicious. Terah will be pouring four wines from her new lineup including Piquette, Rosé, Vermentino, and a skin contact Falanghina. Tasting flights $20 from 2-6 and wines by the glass until 9pm.

Cheers,

Daniel

As I prepare to return from my birthplace in what is now called New York state, to my chosen home, known as California, I am filled with anticipation and disquiet. I feel I am a different person from the one who left Oakland last month, grounded by roots, expanded by travel, bolstered by age, balder, and more wizened. The sight of changing leaves awakens in me unspoken memories and reveals aspects of myself I’d forgotten, as do the faces of my aging kin. I continue to feel drawn by both coasts, am grateful for the ability to travel between them, and now, I miss my friends out west, and I’m looking forward to being back in the shop.

Unless you live under a rock - a place I’ve unsuccessfully attempted to reside at various points in my life - you know of the newest horrors abroad. Even at a great distance, it is impossible to avoid the trauma of this scale of violence. It feels important to remember the humanity of everyone involved, and that the powers driving these conflicts do not represent most of ‘their’ people. It is unhelpful to place blame or be righteous in the face of such suffering; we need to support one another and continue to push for peace and understanding, to swallow the urge to justify hatred, as the moon will soon briefly swallow the sun, and come together with love for one another. It feels we need this now more than ever.

I prefer writing happy newsletters about parties and laughter, good times past and future, and I plan to get back to that as soon as possible, but this week, I need to acknowledge the anger, fear, and tenderness so many of us are feeling as a result of the week’s events, and those of the past several years. I said I was looking forward to being back in the shop, and this time it’s not for the wine, or the jokes and smiles, but because I feel the balm of love at Oakland Yard. I find it in our genuinely warmhearted staff, our compassionate customers, our considerate neighbors, and a steady stream of friends who will drop in during these hard times, not so much for a glass of wine as for a hug or a cry or just a moment of connection with someone who cares.

TONIGHT - THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS: Portuguese Reds and Whites:
2021 Quinta da Raza Vinho Verde
2019 Quinta Várzea da Pedra Arinto Óbidos
2021 Luis Seabra Xisto Ilimitado Douro Branco
2020 Penedo Gordo Tinto
2021 Quinta Várzea da Pedra Tinto Colheita
2020 Luis Seabra Xisto Ilimitado Vinho Tinto
Tasting flights $15 from 5-9pm and wines by the glass until 9pm

This SATURDAY 10/14: Willamette Valley Oregon Pinot Noir flights:
2017 Apolloni Vineyards L Cuvée
2016 Willful Wine Company
2018 J Christopher Basalte
2021 Cameron Winery Dundee Hills
Tasting flights $18 from 2-6 and wines by the glass until 9pm.

Somberly and with love,

Max

So many summer memories. Parks and picnics, redwood escapes, weddings, and weekend getaways. Parties and pizza pop-ups here at the shop, and the playful pops of countless corks and happy faces at the bar and in the back lot. But in months, and maybe years from now, this will be remembered as the summer of Skippy.

Skippy is (spoiler alert: was) a ladybug. Skippy flew from some bushes outside our front door one day and landed on my five year old's shoulder, in a pledge of eternal friendship. In the days that followed, Skippy was all that my daughter would talk about. When Skippy inevitably flew away or was lost in a car seat (crushed, shhh), I foolishly reassured my little ones that the ladybug would return. And I felt like father of the year when a couple days later I was able to find a passable substitute at Strawberry Creek. What are YOU doing here, SKIPPY?! my daughter hollered with delight. Problem was, she came to expect a certain frequency of Skippy's visits, and I spent hours of summer (of my life) combing through leaves, and tall grasses along the block searching for a new "Skippy". One neighbor's overgrown rosebush proved to be a goldmine, yielding three different "Skippys" in as many weeks. I'd sometimes forget who the charade was for, searching unreasonably long, late in the day, and sometimes catching myself gasping with a new discovery (There you are, Skippy!). All the while our neighbors took in the spectacle, unaware of my plight, perhaps reconsidering my sanity behind pulled curtains. And sometimes weeks would pass, and it seemed like the whole affair had been forgotten entirely. And then, out of nowhere, at a park in Pasadena, or a patch of grass in Guerneville, or a Trader Joe’s parking lot, a tiny shriek: Skippy’s back!...

We're a week into October but summer has returned for one last hoorah. Come enjoy the final gasp and enjoy some cold wine with us. Share some summer memories and sit down and relax with flights and friends, with good music and good company. We'll be pouring rosé flights this Saturday and red and white flights tonight! And with fall weather just around the corner, we've got more parties and pop ups landing here in the weeks ahead - including our 7 Year Anniversary - so stay tuned and follow us on Instagram for more details... 

TONIGHT - THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS: Spanish whites and chilled French reds...
2021 Bohigas Xarello
2021 Tresbolillo Canicas Albariño
2021 PRELVM Raposa Naranja (Skin Contact)
2021 Domaine de la Patience Costieres de Nimes Rouge
2020 Closerie de Lys Rouge
2021 Pas St. Martin Sous le Tilleul Grolleau
Tasting flights $15 from 5-9pm and wines by the glass until 9pm

SATURDAY 10/7: ROSÉ FLIGHTS
2022 Ameztoi Getariako Txakolina Rubentis Rose
2022 Bonneliere Plouzeau Rive Gauche Chinon Rose
2022 Horse & Plow Rose
NV Filipa Pato 3B Sparkling Rose
Tasting flights $18 from 2-6 and wines by the glass until 9pm


Always returning,
Daniel

An edible construct as elemental and varied as the sandwich, pizza is one of America’s favorite foods. More than three billion pizzas are sold each year in the United States, prompting the question, how did it all begin? There’s no pinpointing the first pizza, but archaeologists in Sardinia have found evidence of leavened bread baked over 7,000 years ago, and flatbreads with toppings were consumed by the ancient Persians, Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. These early ‘pizzas’ show up in Virgil’s Aeneid, published in the year 19 CE. Celaeno, the Harpy queen, prophecies that the Trojans will not find peace until they are hungry enough to eat their tables (or plates, depending on the translation). Later in their journey, having arrived in Latium, now part of Lazio, Aeneas and his crew gathered beneath a tree and prepared ‘thin wheaten cakes as platters for their meal’ topped with foraged mushrooms and herbs, after which Aeneas’ son Ascanius exclaims: “Look! We’ve even eaten our plates!” and they realize that these were the ‘tables’ foretold by Celaeno.

Pizza was first named as such in 997 CE, in a text from Gaeta, just south of Rome, in which the son of a feudal lord pledges twelve pizzas to the local bishop as an annual homage, but it was in Naples in the 1700’s that the modern pizza was born. Under the Spanish Bourbon kings, Naples became one of the largest cities in Europe, its population doubling in the first half of the 18th century, and pizzaiolos began selling sweet flatbreads with toppings to the poorest laborers of the city, known as lazzaroni, because their raggedness resembled that of Lazarus. The simplest pizzas were topped simply with garlic, lard and salt, but others included basil, caciocavallo cheese made from horse’s milk, tiny fish called cecenielli, and eventually,
tomatoes. Tomatoes are indigenous to South America, and the Spanish brought them to the Kingdom of Naples and Sicily in the 15th or 16th century. Because they are in the nightshade family, tomatoes were believed by many Europeans to be poisonous, and the low demand made them an affordable topping for the lazzaroni.

Gennaro Lombardi opened the first American pizzeria, in New York City, in 1897, in a grocery store at 531⁄2 Spring Street, with lunchtime tomato pies wrapped in paper and tied with a string for the local factory workers. As the 20th century progressed, regional variations emerged, like Chicago-style ‘deep dish’ pizza, invented by a Texan during the Second World War, and Hawaiian Pizza, created by a Greek immigrant in Canada. ‘California-gourmet’ pizzas can be topped with anything from barbecued chicken to smoked salmon, Pizza Hut in Poland sells a spicy ‘Indian’ pie, and Domino’s in Japan offers such outlandish extras as pickles, tapioca boba, and fish & chips!

THIS SUNDAY, October 1st, starting at 1pm at Oakland Yard, we’re going back to pizza basics, with everyone's favorite mobile pizzaiolo Sam Ciccarelli and his Urelio’s Pizza crew slinging pies. Simple combinations of the freshest ingredients and a piping hot wood oven make Urelio’s pizzas some of the best around, and we’ll have wine and beer to complement the pies, as well as macarons from SOS Bakeshop, and good times for all!

From 1816 to 1861, under the control of the Spanish Bourbons, the island Kingdom of Sicily merged with the Kingdom of Naples to form the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. In the spirit of this brief historical unification (and because we just received some delicious Sicilian wine) we’ll feature SICILIAN TASTING FLIGHTS this SATURDAY, September 30th, from 2 to 6pm.

BUT FIRST, TONIGHT - THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS:
Varietal tastings of Sauvignon Blanc and Tempranillo
2022 Monte Rio Cellars Sauvignon Blanc
2022 McBride Sisters Sauvignon Blanc
2020 Umathum Sauvignon Blanc
2021 Friend and Farmer La Mancha Tempranillo
2020 Bodegas D. Mateo La Mateo Rioja
2018 Ramirez de la Piscina Crianza Rioja
Tasting flights $15 from 5-9pm and wines by the glass until 9pm

SATURDAY 9/30: WINES of SICILY
2021 Gorghi Tondi Grillo
2022 Occhipinti SP68 Bianco
2021 Cantine Madaudo Barone di Bernaj Nerello Mascalese
2022 Occhipinti SP68 Rosso
Tasting flights $18 from 2-6 and wines by the glass until 9pm.

Cordialmente,
Max

My wife asked me to pick up a loaf of bread on my way home yesterday. Standing before the shelves at the market, I was deciding between olive bread or a walnut currant loaf when my eyes scanned a third option - and for a literal split second my brain did its usual Huh?-Haha-GrowUp! that it does every time I see the words Sour Batard, which after several hundred encounters in my life I still always initially read as Sour Bastard. 

My ridiculous misreading habits happen more often than I’d like to admit. I’ll be scanning an article online and there will be some clickbait post that catches my eye that reads: What Your ______ Says About You. The blank might be Wardrobe or Finances or Mustache, etc. And again... every single time, it takes my brain a second to realize they are suggesting that fashion choices may message something about one's personality – not that my pants and coats are talking about me when I'm not around.

I don't know when these cognitive tendencies formed, but I think about such things as my two girls start a new year of school. Seeing things for the first time. Making impressions. Learning, reading, and misreading all along the way. And this time of year, we sort of adopt a back-to-school mentality at the shop too, with new arrivals and new vintages filling our space. So many new faces on the shelves this month, joining us for the fall season. So many regions to learn about and to explore. Staff will be putting in extra time, reading and researching and ready to share their knowledge with you. Check out our new Staff Picks section - or stop in for a tasting this week - and discover all the dynamic and delightful things about these bottles that words may never accurately communicate.

Come taste and explore with us! No sour bastards, please.

TONIGHT - THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS! French Whites & Reds...
2021 Chateau Branger Muscadet Fils de Gras Moutons
2020 Tardieux-Gal Touraine Les Parcs Sauvignon Blanc
2022 Domaine Clos-du-Tue-Boeuf Vin Blanc
2021 Domaine Closerie de Lys Rouge
2022 Lebled Ca C`est Bon Rouge
2021 Chateau La Rame Bordeaux Rouge
Flights $15 from 5-9 and wines by the glass until close!

SATURDAY 9/16: CHILLED REDS...
Lets drink some expressive and delicious chillable juice, before the fall chill sets in.
2022 Wonderwerk Free Your Mind Piquette
2021 Domaine du Patience Rouge 
2021 Fond Cypres Premier Jus
2022 Foradori Teroldego 'Lezer'
Flights $18 from 2-6 and wines by the glass until 9pm

Cheers,
Daniel

California has about a thousand square miles of wine grape vineyards. That means one square mile out of every hundred and sixty four in the state is planted with grapevines. That’s a lot of vines. For the last ten years, California has produced around seven hundred million gallons of wine per year, though last year brought slightly less, thanks to frost, drought, and heat waves. The 2023 vintage is looking good and hanging late, with vines drenched by winter rain and berries ripening slowly and evenly following an unseasonably cool spring and early summer.

Growing up back east, I learned to gauge the local corn’s progress with the phrase ‘knee-high by the Fourth of July.’ In Lodi, California, Independence Day is also an agricultural marker; it’s when Zinfandel grapes usually begin to change color from green to purple, a process called veraison, which signals harvest time is about two months away. Lodi grape farmer Bruce Fry reports, "Veraison was over two weeks later than last year, but you can't really say later than 'normal' because no one really knows what normal is anymore. Mother Nature is in control, and she can fool all of us, all the time. This won't be the latest vintage we've had. In 1998 we weren't done picking until Thanksgiving! 2023 will be another example of what makes grape growing so much fun. There is something different every day, not all of it expected. That's farming!"

This week, as pickers work the rows in the cool hours of pre-dawn, as wineries come to life, bustling with cellar hands, as T bins, flex tanks, and barrels are filled with berries and juice, we’ll sit back and enjoy the fruit of past harvests, and look forward to the promise of the present. In recognition of the work being done, in salute to a bountiful harvest, to celebrate the exciting new directions and diversity in our industry, and to support the passionate and beautiful people producing the wines we love, Oakland Yard will pour all-California wine tasting flights this week. Saturday’s tasting flight is an all-star lineup featuring four of our favorite ‘New California’ producers, all of whom happen to be women! These knowledgeable, experienced, hard-working women all started their own labels in the last ten years, they all work exclusively with organically grown grapes, and they’re making what we think are some of the most compelling wines in the world, right here in California. Come taste for yourself and see what we’re so excited about!

SATURDAY 9/16: CALIFORNIA FLIGHTS - all organically farmed & produced by women
2021 Martha Stoumen Post-Flirtation White
2022 Margins Chenin Blanc
2022 Birdhorse Heliotrope Red
2022 Claire Hill Zinfandel
Flights $18 from 2-6 and wines by the glass until 9pm

But first...TONIGHT - THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS!!! ALL CALIFORNIA Reds & Whites
2021 Loella Pinot Gris
2021 Phantômé Gruner Veltliner
2021 Luuma Chardonnay
2022 Folk Machine Village Series Pinot Noir
2021 Portalupi Lupi Red Bland
2021 Beaver Creek The Survivor Petite Sirah
Flights $15 from 5-9 and wines by the glass until close!

Cheers,
Max

Max and Julia had their wedding anniversary a couple weeks ago. Sweetly enough, while they were in New York celebrating, my wife and I were up near Armstrong Woods that same weekend, at the farm in Guerneville where we were married (by Max!) seven years ago this summer. Walking around there, I could still see all the warm faces and joy all about, family and folks and friends who had come from all over to congregate and celebrate our story. 

At my niece's wedding last month, when all the speeches concluded, they took the mic to share some words and thank everyone for being there, for being a part of their story. It was sweet gesture and something I wish I had thought of on our day. As someone who tells a lot of stories, I suppose I was also quite comfortable on our big day listening to others' tales and memories and connections from our pasts to that moment. 

But this morning, thinking about the big market party we're hosting this weekend, I was trying to find another relevant story to tell (Hijinks at a shopping mall in my youth? A surprising find at my first flea market?...). But instead of one of my stories, I'd like to extend an invitation to you... to come enjoy the stories of these artisans, vendors, artists and chefs who will be here in a couple days. Their talents elevating each season, their curations ever-evolving, ever new, ever them. We are thrilled for all of these fine folks to be a part of our story and we're delighted to be a part of theirs. Come experience their newest chapters in real time, come enjoy these brilliant characters and their unique treasures. 

And if you'll allow me the mic one last moment, I'd like to take a page from my niece's book, and thank you all for coming should you be able to join in the joy. It's quite possible I'll be too happy, to chatty, too stuffed, or too quickly running about to tell you directly. But thank you for coming. I can't wait to see you all around, enjoying the stories, enjoying the celebration. To look back and see your smiling faces in all the photos from such a happy day. 

***OAKLAND YARD ARTISAN MARKET: THIS SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 9th!  Spread the good word...There will be bubbles, music, oysters and other food, raffles and prizes, as well as a fantastic collection of artists, curators, builders, and culinary wizards... And lots and lots of wine! Tasty treats from XULO & DARUMA KIOSK, Shuckbuddy Oyster Bar, and SOS Bakeshop! Vendors and artists include PRETTY PENNY CLOTHING I BASALT VINTAGE, The Plant Queen, Pablo Cristi, C.A.Vintage Vintage, Ladha Jewelry, Leopard Lodge, WestWind Succulents, Pothead Ceramics, Like Family. Hope Bryson,  and vintage clothing from Homebody Vintage! There will be an outdoor beer and wine garden in the back lot too! See you there:)
--

But first, tonight...THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS: Whites from Savoie & Italian reds
2021 Domaine Labbe Abymes Blanc
2022 André & Michel Quenard Savoie Les Abymes
2020 Franck Peillot Altesse Roussette du Bugey Montagnieu
2020 Il Palazzotto Dolcetto di Diano d'Alba Sori Cristina
2021 Corte Bravi Valpolicella Classico
2018 Terra d'Aligi Tatone Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
Tasting flights $15 from 5-9pm and wines by the glass until 9pm

Cheers,
Daniel
 

I spent much of this week indoors, dutifully tasting wine samples and stocking the shelves, oblivious to the mounting heat, until I registered the red-faced looks of sudden joy and relief on those ambling in, surprised by the coolness of our air, and newly in the mood for a restorative breather with a chilled glass of vino. The temperature was still in the mid-eighties yesterday when the sun sank into the distant city haze and an extra-bright, super blue sturgeon moon (or was it a super sturgeon blue moon?) rose in the east and shimmered over Mosswood Park toward the ocean. Far in that distance, the winds of Idalia weakened a bit over the Atlantic, and made a bee-line for the Carolina coast. It’s hard to believe, but there may be a little rain for us here tomorrow morning before we dig into this already very welcome holiday weekend.

Once we’ve celebrated the contributions of the American labor movement with parades and parties, it may then feel as though the season has changed, but the sun’s not about to quit next week, and it’s still technically summer until the 23rd; and you know, September summer is when we fully shake the gloom and really shine. To make the most of this cusp, from dog days to fall, you may decide to procure a gift for a friend, or perhaps you desire something unique and beautiful to lift your own spirits, or maybe you just want to get out in the world and mix with your fellow Temescaleros. In light of the news of San Francisco’s Westfield mall closing and this week’s shenanigans down at Bay Street in Emeryville, all I can say is skip the malls; you’re guaranteed to have a better time, and find way more fly goods, at our upcoming flea, the Oakland Yard Artisan Market. Who wants to buy the same big-box wares you see all around town? Nobody. As Oakland’s own Kreayshawn will tell you: “basic bitches wear that shit so I don’t even bother!”

The weekend after Labor Day, Saturday September 9th from 12 to 5, in the lot behind the shop, we’ll be featuring local vendors with carefully curated vintage clothing, handmade ceramics, artisanal jewelry, distinctive houseplants, stylish art prints, California olive oil, and hand dipped beeswax candles. We’ll have wine and beer available, and Shuckbuddy will be back with scores of cold, sweet, salty oysters, while XULO brings handmade burritos with the freshest summer fillings, and DARUMA KIOSK serves up their superbly decadent Japanese street food and SOS Bakeshop brings the mouthwatering macarons. Tell your friends and don’t miss the fun!!!

Oakland Yard will be open normal hours this weekend, including this Monday from 4 to 8pm.

Tonight: THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS - Italian Whites and French Reds
2022 Pra’ Otto Soave Classico
2019 Cantina Comero Colline Novaresi Erbaluce
2022 Conestabile della Staffa Litro Bianco
2021 Domaine Maurice Charleux et Fils Bourgogne Pinot Noir
2021 La Parenthèse Pineau d’Aunis
2020 Cèdre Héritage Cahors Malbec
Tasting flights $15 from 5-9pm and wines by the glass until 9pm

This SATURDAY 8/19: SOUTH AMERICAN tasting flights Featuring four wines - whites and reds - from Argentina and Chile
2021 Santa Julia Blanco Natural Torrontes
2021 Maturana Wines Naranjo Torontel
2022 Louis-Antoine Luyt Quenehuao Tinto Pais
2018 Familia Furlotti Malbec
Flights $18 from 2-6 and wines by the glass until 9pm.

Cheers,
Max

I just had my first Back to School Night as a parent. My daughter started kindergarten last week and we were invited to check out the classroom and to get to know the teacher and meet other parents. Entering her classroom, I stood before a wall displaying some of their work. A large banner above read: Hope and Dreams... Beneath that, evenly spaced and framed by colorful construction paper, each kid's piece had them finish the same sentence by filling in the blank (My hope is _______), decorated with an accompanying illustration. Most elected for personal aspirations (My hope is __ to learn how to read/write) while one or two went far grander or more altruistic, wishing to go to the moon, or hoping for world peace. My daughter's was brief, and said quite plainly: My hope is__ to eat pasta. 

I admit I initially rolled my eyes, but thinking more on it I found the simplicity or her ambition hard to argue against. I was reminded of a quote a friend shared, from Luciano Pavarotti: "One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating". Indeed, the sentiment of taking a moment to eat, to drink, to reflect and commune with friends, family, or even oneself is a recurring theme in our weekly letters. We hope our bottles find their way to your tables or to your porches or picnic blankets. To cabins or campsites. That they bring some delight and connection. A humble aspiration. Yes, maybe even a hope or a dream.

Thanks to all who came out for Urelio's Pizza pop up last weekend. We were over the moon to host them once again and look forward to the next time! Until then, we have more culinary treats, and all kinds of food and fun, in the days and weeks ahead for you (and your friends)...

THIS SUNDAY 8/27: DARUMA KIOSK Returns to OAKLAND YARD! Cal-Japanese inspired Takoyaki & Izakaya food from @darumakiosk! Daruma Kiosk Food Pop Up from 1-6pm. Wines by the glass all day until close!

The feasting, gathering, and good times continue at the OAKLAND YARD ARTISAN MARKET on SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 9th! Just over 2 weeks away! Mark your calendars and spread the good word...There will be bubbles, music, oysters and other food, raffles and prizes, as well as a fantastic collection of artists, curators, builders, and culinary wizards... And lots and lots of wine! Tasty treats from XULO & DARUMA KIOSK, Shuckbuddy Oyster Bar, and SOS Bakeshop! Vendors and artists include The Plant Queen, Pablo Cristi, C.A.Vintage Vintage, Ladha Jewelry, Leopard Lodge, WestWind Succulents, Pothead Ceramics, Like Family. Hope Bryson,  and vintage clothing from Homebody Vintage, The Material Soul, and others! There will be an outdoor beer and wine garden in the back lot too! *Event is all ages and FREE* See you there:)

But first...Tonight 8/24: THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS - French Reds and Whites tonight. Lively, fresh reds for the warm weather this week, and three bright, mineral Aligotés for the white flight. Our friends TACOS OSCAR are OPEN next door TONIGHT all weekend too - tacos welcome here with flights or glasses anytime!:)
2022 Coteaux des Margots Aligote "La Pie Rouette"
2021 Domaine Dujardin Bouzeron Aligote
2021 Domaine Goisot Aligote
2021 Petit Perou Pisse Vielle Brouilly
2022 Fond Cypres "Premier Jus' Corbieres Rouge
2020 La Grange de Piaugier Cotes du Rhone
Tasting flights $15 from 5-9pm and wines by the glass until 9pm

This SATURDAY 8/26: SPANISH tasting flights
2022 Bidaia Txakoli
2022 Ameztoi Getariako Txakolina Rubentis Rose
2021 Sindicat la Figuera Montsant Garnatxa Negra
2021 Mas Martinet Priorat Menut
Flights $18 from 2-6 and wines by the glass until 9pm.

Cheers,
Daniel

I am both bereft and thankful this week, thinking of my wife, Julia, and my father, Jim, of companions closeby and family far afield. I’ve been warmly welcomed back to Oakland, enjoying dinners among friends old and new, catching up with customers, and tasting wines freshly on the market. Our teachers, students, and parents are occupied with returning to class, and we all feel the summer wrapping itself up, as we remember and restart the routines that got us through last fall, or decide instead to lead with a different foot. Recent years have taught us to expect the unexpected, so turning points may come with trepidation.

For me, the end of August brings two important anniversaries: that of my marriage, sixteen years ago, and that of my father’s birth in 1940. I will celebrate these events differently this year, without the presence of said key celebrants, but with all the love and joy they’ve given me, and that I carry, armor-like, with confidence and gratitude. With these two dear ones in mind, I’ll go about my August business, hoping to share some of their buoyancy and strength with my east bay chosen family. May we all have people in our lives like Julia and Jim, to bring smiles to our faces, support us when we’re discouraged, and call us on our cockamamie bullshit, so that we may move boldly and happily forward!

Tonight: THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS - Three Albariños and Three Barberas. Taste three of the same varietal and find which is, as Goldilocks might say, just right.
2022 Sete Cepas Albariño
2022 Berryessa Gap Albariño
2021 Anselmo Mendes Alvarinho Contacto
2021 Ercole Barbera del Monferrato
2020 Berryessa Gap Barbera
2021 Oddero Barbera d’Alba Superiore
Tasting flights $15 from 5-9pm and wines by the glass until 9pm

This SATURDAY 8/19: CALIFORNIA tasting flights
2020 Côte West Sauvignon Blanc
2022 Margins Clarksburg Chenin Blanc
2022 Tessier Soul Love
2022 Broc Cellars Got Grapes Red
Flights $18 from 2-6 and wines by the glass until 9pm.

THIS SUNDAY, AUGUST 20th, URELIO'S Pizza returns! Former Chez Panisse cook, Sam Cicarreli, brings his roving pizza oven to our lot for an afternoon of pizza and wine. Oyster bar and outdoor beer and wine bar too! Scoops and sweet treats from De La Creamery. Pizzas sold individually from Urelio's truck from 1-5 pm (or until sold out!). Oysters from Shuckbuddy Oyster Bar. Wine and beer by the glass from us at our outdoor bar. Event will be in the back lot, enter through OAKLAND YARD. All are welcome! See you there!!!

Cheers,
Max

My 5 year old daughter started kindergarten this week. I was relieved to see her select proper pants and a shirt to wear on her first morning, as opposed to her usual proclivity for pajamas as daily attire. In a peculiar role reversal, her little sister, Simone, has taken up the torch and insisted on wearing a nightgown to preschool (this after also insisting on wearing a full length dress to bed). 

Kindergarten drop off brought back all kinds of elementary memories, all the nerves and cliques and all the silly fads and trends. Bucket hats. Baggy Pants. Skinny jeans. Acid wash. Cardigans off one shoulder. Jelly bracelets, friendship bracelets, slap bracelets... the list goes on.

Trends come and go in the wine world too. Most come in waves and never quite fade completely. Everything gets cool again at some point. Rosé fans are here to stay, and skin contact and orange wines are still enjoying their spotlight. Chillable reds and Pet Nats remain in high demand too. Folks come into the shop and more frequently ask about the wines of Portugal or Greece or Eastern Europe than in the past. But one region that continues to trend hot and stay cool - that continues to captivate and call to curious palates is Sicily. Grapes like Grillo, Catarratto, Nero D'Avola, and Frappato (among others from Sicliy) are more often requested and we've found that wines from producers like Occhipinti, Cornelissen, COS, Cantina Horus, and Ayunta don't sit on our shelves for long. Stop in SATURDAY from 2-6 for flights of Sicilian wines and taste and explore with us... and discover what all the hype is about.

SATURDAY 8/12: WINES OF SICILY
Marino Abate Inzolita Frizzante Inzolia Pet Nat
2021 Tenuta Gorghi Tondi Grillo
2020 Ayunta Rosso
2021 Cantine Madaudo Barone di Bernaj Nerello Mascalese
Flights $18 from 2-6 and wines by the glass until 9pm

And while you're dreaming of Italy... 
NEXT SUNDAY, AUGUST 20th, URELIO'S Pizza returns! Former Chez Panisse cook, Sam Cicarreli, brings his roving pizza oven to our lot for an afternoon of pizza and wine. Oyster bar and outdoor beer and wine bar too! Scoops and sweet treats from De La Creamery. Pizzas sold individually from Urelio's truck from 1-5 pm (or until sold out!) and Shuckbuddy Oyster Bar .Wine and beer by the glass from us at our outdoor bar. Event will be in the back lot, enter through OAKLAND YARD. All are welcome! See you there!!!

But first... Tonight: THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS featuring Chenin Blanc and Languedoc Reds...
2022 Haarmeyer 'St Rey' SRV Chenin Blanc
2022 Domaine Fouet l'Ardillon Saumur Blanc
2021 Force Celeste Chenin Blanc
2021 Château La Roque Pic St Loup Rouge
2019 Les Clos Perdus Année Rouge
2021 Jean Orliac Le Loup dans la Bergerie Pays d'Herault Rouge
Flights $15 from 5-9 and wines by the glass until close!

See you soon,

Daniel

Someone walked into the bar last night and asked, “Are you doing Thursday Night Flights?” “Yes, tomorrow, when it’s Thursday,” I answered, trying not to sound snarky, and they chuckled at their momentary confusion. I understand, there’s a lot to keep track of. Sometimes the day of the week can be a bit of a surprise, as can the year in which we live, a number that climbs faster with age. So, just to get everyone on the same page, it’s Thursday again, and now August of 2023. What a time to be alive!

I’m back in town after many weeks away, and though a few things have changed here and there, Oakland Yard still feels like home. Or more like a room in someone’s home with tons of wine, a well-stocked refrigerator, and a revolving cast of familiar characters. Already this week, I’ve seen Oscar, talked with Sunny and Clyde, reconnected with Gemma, Penny, and Stefan, and met Natsumi’s mom, sweet as pie she is. And I’m looking forward to more of these little reunions in the coming weeks, as well as the slew of friendly faces I’ll surely find at the Urelio’s pizza and oyster party we’ve got planned for Sunday the 20th.

As summer wanes, some of you are leaving on last-minute jaunts, others returning, readying for school. In the waters to our west, humpback and blue whales are reaching peak abundance, and sea lions are pitching their final woo. Beyond the Oakland hills, winemakers are monitoring brix and acid levels, gathering crews for the coming harvest, and here at Oakland Yard, I’m back to help do what we do, pouring wines by the glass - all day, every day - with tasting flights on Thursdays and Saturdays. Hope to see you soon!

Tonight: THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS with Joe Manekin from Mission Wine Merchants.
Not your average Joe, the erudite and jovial Mr. Manekin will be pouring red and white flights featuring wines from Spain, Portugal, France, and Chile.
2020 Tardieux-Gal Touraine Les Parcs
2022 Nortico Alvarinho
2021 Vinos Tresbolillo Las Canicas Albariño
2021 Vina Maitia Aupa Pipeno
2020 Athlètes du Vin Chinon
2017 Olartia Rioja
Tasting flights $15 from 5-9pm and wines by the glass until 9pm

This SATURDAY 8/5: Tasting flights of ROSÉ from around the world
2021 Casa Rossa Rosé from CORSICA
2022 Rosner Rosé vom Zweigelt from AUSTRIA
2022 Trail Marker Rosé from CALIFORNIA
2021 Oda Family Naked Ojaleshi Rosé from GEORGIA
Flights $18 from 2-6 and wines by the glass until 9pm.

Cheers,
Max