Humans have been making wine for over 9,000 years. Winewise, one might imagine, we’ve done it all, it’s all been done, nothing new under the sun. We’ve made wine from grapes that have been dried, or botrytised, picked green, or ripe, or frozen on the vine, pressed off the skins or macerated, co-fermented red and white varieties, aged in glass, wood, metal, and ceramic vessels. Traditional regional styles vary greatly, as do our tastes over time.

Before 1800, wine was often preserved by the addition of tree resin or and was most commonly diluted with water, as designated in an order placed by Thomas Jefferson in 1790: "...either red or white, which would be good for mixing with water.” And for the vast majority of winemaking history, we preferred sweet wines. Sources of sweetness were prized and few, and residual sugar helped preserve quality and flavor in the wine. Only in the past hundred years or so have we largely consumed wines in our current dry fashion. By the 1700’s, fortified Madeira, Port, and Sherry enjoyed international popularity, and throughout most of the 19th century Champagne was made in a sweet style.

In the last fifty years, Americans have variously clamored for Pinot Grigio, Soave, Chablis and Sancerre. Argentine Malbec, Australian Shiraz, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, and South African Pinotage have each had their day, then receded back into the shadows. High-octane Cabernet and buttery Chardonnay overcame California for a time, and in 2004, the film Sideways put a cinematic stake through the heart of Merlot, from which it has yet to recover.

Nowadays, dry rosé is ceding ground to skin-fermented ‘orange’ wines and chilled light reds, and here at Oakland Yard, pet nat ‘farmer fizz’ outsells traditional Champagne, Prosecco and Cava. There is also a current fascination with ‘natural’ wine made with no chemicals, no additions (i.e. yeast or sulfur) and no subtractions (Filtration or fining), a style of ‘natty’ wine commonly called ‘zero-zero’. Happy to provide and explore what’s hot - and some of what’s not - we at Oakland Yard embrace all the styles and do our best to bring you the highest quality examples to choose from, and this Saturday we’ll pour modish flights of what’s hip and happening in the wide world of wine.

But first...TONIGHT - THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS:
French Grenache blends and Austrian Grüner Veltliner
2019 Agramante Ciaula Côtes-du-Rhône
2021 Domaine de Majas Côtes Catalanes Rouge
2018 Château Redortier Beaumes de Venise Rouge
2022 Weingut Stix Grüner Veltliner
2021 Kurt Angerer Kies Grüner Veltliner
2022 Bernhard Ott Am Berg Grüner Veltliner
Tasting flights $15 from 5-9 and wines by the glass until 9pm

SATURDAY 5/11: TRENDING STYLES - Pet Nat, orange wine, chilled red & zero zero
2022 Pomalo Debit Pet Nat
2021 Fuso Cala Bianco Terre Siciliane Skin Fermented Catarratto
2022 Groundwork Counoise
2021 Castello di Tassarolo Orsola Monferrato Rosso
Also... HELLA BREAD Bakery POP UP from 2-6! Roll in and score some savory and sweet treats from Jean-Luc! Hella bread Pop Up and Tasting flights both 2-6pm and wines by the glass all day until 9pm.

Cheers,
Max