I was out for dinner with a small group a while back. After being seated the server asked if we wanted a round of drinks to start. Most happily ordered a selection from the well-curated drink list while others went with some classic. One member of the group I didn't know so well asked the server if they could make some drink no one had ever heard of. Then he waived off that whim and suggested another challenge: Surprise me..., he proposed. More than one in our group rolled their eyes.

Our drinks arrived. An Abeja, a Spagliato, a martini, a manhattan. The mystery drink was placed on the table last: a creamy, cloudy concoction in an ornate glass topped with a suspiciously abundant amount of fruit garnish and a tiny paper umbrella. The guy studied the drink for several seconds. "Is this a piña colada?", he asked. "Yes. Surprise!", the server whispered, with a small, sly smile and she moved on to a nearby table.

Minutes later he would confess to us: "Well, I guess I was surprised, actually. And, it's pretty damn good...".

It's been a week of little surprises around here. Strange rainy skies in May. Playoff upsets. Little ones with sleep regressions. And some pleasant surprises too. Welcome news from a friend. A new niece on the way. A nice visit from my in-laws. And surprises small and grand continue at the shop in the weeks ahead! We have ADELINE Jewelry Pop Up SATURDAY MAY 13th! Oakland native, Lindsay Ansley, will be here with some new pieces for sale from her stunning collection - and we'll have Sparkling flights and wines by the glass. SUNDAY JUNE 4th, URELIO'S Pizza will be here from 12-4pm or until sold out. Former Chez Panisse cook, Sam Cicarreli, brings his roving pizza oven to our lot for an afternoon of pizza and wine. More details and surprises to come!

But first... 
SATURDAY 5/6: LIFT COLLECTIVE Fundraiser from 2-6pm! Lift Collective a community-centered, multi-channel platform advocating equity and inclusion in the wine industry. BIPOC produced wines and Tasting Flights featuring selections from Bodkin, McBride Sisters, Camins2Dreams, and Domaine du Pourra. Flights $20 from 2-6, with proceeds going to the Lift Collective. 
 
Cheers,

Daniel

P.S. We made it to the final round for voting in Oakland Magazine's "Best of Oakland". VOTE for OAKLAND YARD for BEST WINE SHOP! HERE is the link to VOTE!  Click on FOOD & DRINK from Main Menu and then Best Wine Shop from menu list on left side when redirected. And THANK YOU for the nomination!!!

Oakland spring is in full swing, and little buds now dot the many vines to the north, the east, and south of us. Winemakers are bottling and releasing the whites and rosés picked last year, and our shelves are full of new arrivals. New in a sense, but a newness we know, a familiar part of our earthly cycle, with labels, regions, and grape varieties we’ve seen and tasted before.

These bottlings are fresh editions of previous pleasures, like versions of original songs covered by beloved musicians, or carefully executed batches of mac and cheese, each preparation slightly different but providing a particular satisfaction we remember and look forward to. As the many translations of the Tao Te Ching together bring its meaning to life, Syrah from Paso will taste different from Syrah grown in the Rhone, and will vary as well from one winemaker and vintage to the next, but they’ll share key qualities of the variety, and reveal its facets from alternate angles.

These constant variations are what keep us fascinated by wine, and food, and nature, and art. The wonder of a new enjoyment bound by a familiar form; the reimagining of a Jazz standard; a perfectly poached egg with the first tender asparagus; the blooming rose that never gets old; and the freshly painted face of Oakland Yard. May the cycle continue, with renditions derived from previous iterations, issuing ever-current editions and inspired interpretations to delight us anew this spring!

TONIGHT - THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS: ALL FRENCH reds and whites
2020 Domaine de la Fessardière Muscadet
2021 Jean-Jacques Auchère Sancerre
2021 Domaine Goisot Bourgogne Aligoté
2021 Domaine de la Patience Rouge
2020 La Grange de Piaugier Côtes-du-Rhône
2020 Domaine de Majas Côtes Catalanes Rouge
Red or White Flights $15 from 5-9pm and wines by the glass until 9pm

SATURDAY 4/29: NEWLY ARRIVED CALIFORNIA FLIGHTS
2022 Populis Sauvignon Blanc
2022 Broc Cellars Love Rosé
2022 Las Jaras Glou Glou
NV Pierce Ranch Cosecheiro Touriga
Flights $18 from 2-6 and wines by the glass from around the globe until 9pm

Cheers,
Max

The other day someone called the shop to arrange for a birthday gift delivery. They were calling from the east coast, but after I inquired about their 323 area code we discovered we were not only from the same part of town but that they once lived on Yosemite Way, a literal stone's throw from my folks' home. I had a similar moment of disbelief after chatting with Sam at States coffee across the street a while back, discovering that our fathers grew up just a few blocks from each other in East L.A. Small world, some would say.
 
If you say that phrase (Small world...) around my mother, there’s a 90% probability that her rejoinder will be: ...but I wouldn’t want to paint it. A phrase and perspective she inherited from her father, and perhaps he from his. Last weekend the large wall in front of our shop was tagged. I was deflated by the disregard and inconvenience of it all, and the mediocrity of the signature somehow made it worse. But I spent a few hours on a quiet Monday repainting the mural, and managed to find some peace in all of it. I have a mind that races nowhere fast and painting has a very calming, almost meditative effect on my brain. A couple hours passed in an instant. Someone honked. A shop regular driving past, offering thumbs up. And a handful of nice neighbors throughout the day offered sympathy and encouragement. Too bad... or Looking good!, they all would say. 

I got enough cheer from that to consider all the crazy connections, and such things that can make our world feel slightly smaller. And I thought about everyone who has been a part of the shop for the past several years, and the many who have left their own unique signatures, their personal and more meaningful tags. Someone who first suggested we offer wines by the glass. Some who requested more vermouth offerings, or more wines from Greece. Or another: more wines from women or BIPOC producers. There was a generous baker years ago who would surprise everyone with a cake on any given Sunday. Regulars past and present who might bring a fresh baguette to share with strangers. Staff putting on a new favorite album. All those and all of you who bring warmth and energy to this space. These graceful signatures that you leave. These indelible marks that say you were here. That you are here.


TONIGHT: Thursday Night Flights... Unusual Varieties Tasting! You know Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot and Cabernet. But what about Liatiko? Gros Manseng? Plavac Mali? Come try some new and dynamic varieties, each with their own unique signature. White & Red Flights $15 from 5-9 and wines by the glass until close!

SATURDAY 4/22: How do you like them Apples? ... Cider and Co-ferments Tasting FLIGHTS. Apple & grape co-ferments from Ashanta Wines and Etteilla Wines (2021 Ashanta Virga Morada, 2021 Etteilla Le Chaos) and a dry Basque cider from Arratzain. ALSO.... PROVECHO Returns! This Saturday, April 22nd from 2-6pm: Locally sourced, seasonal and intentional dishes from chef Eder Ramirez. Oaxaqueño flavor paired with curated flights and wines by the glass from OAKLAND YARD. Bites and FLIGHTS from 2-6 and wines by the glass until 9pm.

SUNDAY 4/23: Daruma Kiosk POP UP at OAKLAND YARD! Cal-Japanese inspired Takoyaki & Izakaya food from @darumakisok! Food Pop Up from 1-6pm. Wines by the glass all day until close and special Sequoia SAKE off-menu Sunday only!


See you,

Daniel

There are so many of them that it’s sometimes hard for me to believe. I suppose it’s not surprising that I have an unusual number of them if they all have the same basic identity, life force, and purpose; the same style in which they shine. They are independent and action oriented, and because of their fire, they are spontaneous, enthusiastic, inspired, self-expressive, and intuitive. Born under the sun sign of the vernal equinox here in the Northern Hemisphere, they carry the intensity, warmth, and light of the changing spring. You guessed it: they are my Aries friends. But who knew there would be such multitudes?

There is Daniel, whom many of you know as the other face of Oakland Yard; kind-hearted and mischievous, quick witted and circumspect, sometimes to a fault. I would trust him with my life, but only when I’m sure he’s paying attention. And my good friend Matt, egoless, reliable and generous; with love and enthusiasm, he has been there for me over many years with bear hugs and listening ears. And there is Tea, the tender Texan; equal parts intellect and emotion, they always make me feel heard and seen, and they smoke some mean pork ribs. Chad is a joker with a heart of gold; he is sharp and resilient, and he fancifully skims the seeming surface while delving deeply to reveal life’s secrets. Lore is a lovable misanthrope, a wise man whose inner child is never far off; more comfortable among the animals and vines, but understanding of the value of true friendship. And dear Suzanne, the quiet observer, who sees from angles others never dreamt, deftly eliciting hidden humor and nuance with her singular combination of elegance and edge.

Lastly, and most significantly, there is Julia, my partner in life for whom I am most grateful. I could write volumes of her charms and quirks, the qualities that have made our life together truly easy living; the ram who’s lit the fire that has both driven and warmed me for the last twenty years. Perhaps they have little in common aside from the fact that their parents must have gotten cozy one day in early July, but they delight and sustain me like the springtime into which they were born. Here’s to our allies in Aries! And to all of our friends who give us the meaning and worth we need to grab life by the horns!

Come lift a glass with us at Oakland Yard this week to those who inspire you most.
TONIGHT - THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS: French Reds and Whites from the Languedoc, Bordeaux, Beaujolais, Burgundy, and the Rhone and Loire river valleys. Flights $15 from 5 to 9pm and wines by the glass from around the globe.

And this SATURDAY April 15th from 2 to 6pm: EASTERN EUROPEAN FLIGHTS with wines from the Republic of Georgia, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, and Bosnia. Tasting flights $20 from 2 to 6pm and wines by the glass until 9pm.

In celebration,

Max

My younger daughter turns 3 next week. Simone was born the week after 40 million fellow Californians were ordered to shelter in place, March 2020. News had reached us that hospitals in New York were not allowing partners in for labor and delivery and we were dreading that our local hospitals would follow suit and that my wife would be sent in alone. 

As a 'pandemic baby', Simone's birthday will always bring up powerful memories and emotions. The isolation, the fear and uncertainty, the odd quiet of the streets. I can readily access the memory of that March, her older sister seeing us suddenly wearing strange masks, washing hands obsessively, wiping down packages from the mail. Seeing us often teary-eyed. Maybe hugging more frequently, and longer. I can still see the confusion in her eyes passing another abandoned playground. How I'd eventually alter my routes around town to avoid the sighting of taped-off swings and slides, to ease her disappointment and pleading. I can remember, three years ago nearly to the day, weeping silently over a video I'd come back to many times, the tiny iPhone screen and a dark grainy video of a street in Sienna where neighbors sang from their windows in unison, their voices joining in the dark, in harmony. 

Though these memories will always resonate with her particular birthday, each year also evinces a profound gratitude for life, for health, for growth and resilience. A marker of how far we've come from those early days. The shop being so frequently full of life again, and being able to welcome crowds - folks laughing and drinking and connecting in familiar ways again - brings us immeasurable delight. We've been thrilled to have the bar open all year and to have new events and tastings and pop ups happening weekly here. Though we were looking forward to a grand gathering next weekend, we are sad to announce that the Calçotada is cancelled. The intense rain and stormy weather all month has presented challenges to coordinating and has impacted the growing and harvesting conditions at the farm we have been working with for the leeks. In short, this unfortunately has been the wrong March for this endeavor. We know this is disappointing to many who were looking forward to the party, and thank you for your understanding. Full refunds will be issued to all who purchased tickets. We promise there will be future opportunities to gather and celebrate with friends, family, and neighbors again in the months ahead. The storms will subside and there will be light and sun and new joy arriving soon. We'll all be together for the delivery. There will be singing. 

Until then...TONIGHT - THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS: DOMESTIC REDS & WHITES

Broc Cellars Love Red (North Coast)
Portalupi Red Blend (Sonoma County) 
Pierce Cosecheiro Touriuga Nacional (Monterey)
Lieu Dit Melon (Santa Maria Valley)
Big Salt White (Dundee, Oregon)
Bodkin 'The Victor's Spoils" Sauvignon Blanc (Sonoma County)
Red or White Flights $15 from 5-9pm and wines by the glass until 9pm

SATURDAY 3/25 FLIGHTS: ALL WOMEN WINEMAKERS
2022 Brianne Day 'Vin de Days' Blanc
2021 Zoinos 'Epiloges' Debina 
2020 Oddero Barbera d'Alba Superiore
2020 Chatreau Falfas 'Les Demoiselles de Falfas' Cotes du Bourg Bordeaux
Flights $15 from 2-6 and wines by the glass from around the globe until 9pm

Looking forward,
Daniel

“Good living is an act of intelligence, by which we choose things that have an agreeable taste rather than those which do not.” - Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

Taste is a funny word with many related meanings. It is the sensation of flavor perceived by the tongue, nose, and brain, and it is also the action by which we ascertain said flavor. It can be used to describe a specific flavor; for example, I’ve heard one say, “Campari has a taste similar to earwax.” And while a taste may be a small sample of food or drink, it is also a brief experience conveying character, as in “a taste of what’s to come.” It can refer possessively to one’s likes and dislikes, or as an expression of one’s discernment or judgment, as in “good taste in literature.” Taste can also be a reflection of ethics or conformity, when, say, one’s comments or actions are deemed “in bad taste.”

The etymology is unclear, but our multifarious English word may be based on a blend of the Latin tangere ‘to touch’ and gustare ‘to taste,’ and its less literal meanings developed later, over time. According to linguist Carl Darling Buck, “The Hindus recognized six principal varieties of taste with sixty-three possible mixtures ... the Greeks eight .... These included the four that are now regarded as fundamental, namely 'sweet,' 'bitter,' 'acid,' 'salt.' ... The others were 'pungent' (Gk. drimys, Skt. katuka-), 'astringent' (Gk. stryphnos, Skt. kasaya-), and, for the Greeks, 'rough, harsh' (austeros), 'oily, greasy' (liparos), with the occasional addition of 'winy' (oinodes).”

On a trip to Brussels, Belgium, my mother asked a local grocer which coffee she would recommend, and the proprietor replied, “Ça dépend des goûts!” Indeed, “It depends on your tastes!” applies to so many choices we make, including which wine to buy. Because of our differing preferences, there is no ‘best’ wine we can all agree on. This is why our tasting bar is an indispensable part of the Oakland Yard experience: it is a place to explore and define one’s tastes, to become familiar with oneself. And it is a well-researched fact that women taste better than men, or said less ambiguously, that women tend to have a greater innate capacity to discern flavor, so it is no surprise that, given the opportunity, women often make excellent winemakers. We’re delighted to feature wines made by women in our Saturday tasting flights throughout the month of March, along with tasty bites from PROVECHO. But first...

TONIGHT - THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS: ALL FRENCH REDS & WHITES

2020 Henry Marionnet Domaine de la Charmoise Sauvignon Blanc 2017 Laballe Les Sables Fauves Landes Blanc
2021 Château la Canorgue Viognier
2021 Kevin Descombes Cuvée KéKé Beaujolais
2020 Domaine de la Graveirette Ju de Vie Rouge
2020 Domaine de Brin Vendemia Gaillac
Red or White Flights $15 from 5-9pm and wines by the glass until 9pm

SATURDAY 3/18 FLIGHTS: ALL WOMEN WINEMAKERS
2022 McBride Sisters Sauvignon Blanc (Winemakers: Robin and Andréa McBride)
2021 Anne Pichon Vermentino (Winemaker: Anne Pichon)
2020 Valérie Forgues Icône Rouge (Winemaker: Valérie Forgues)
2021 Terah Wine Co. Barbera (Winemaker: Terah Bajjalieh)
Flights $15 from 2-6 and wines by the glass from around the globe until 9pm

Tastefully,
Max

It was my junior year in college. A girl and I had exchanged glances here and there on campus the previous year and discovered we were both in the same sociology class that fall. One day after class she seemed to be lingering out front, and I took the opportunity to break the ice and introduce myself. She invited me to her friend's party that weekend and emphasized that "everyone there gets really dressed up". I would remember the details and directive differently and we would disagree for weeks and months after the events of that evening. I will concede the party was not on Halloween, but was a couple days before. And perhaps the word costume was never said, specifically. When I showed up at the party, the person who opened the door was decked out in a fabulous 1940s dress and donning a derby hat and so I didn't immediately realize that things were amiss. Until the door opened further and I noted nearly everyone inside was sporting vintage cocktail party attire. It was not a costume party, and my entrance was met with some confusion, whispers and snickers. A couple cheery laughs. Most there just wanted to know who invited the bashful pirate. 


Due to the forecast of several days of rain ahead, the March 12 CALÇOTADA will be postponed. So don't show up this Sunday in a barretina (though you will still be most welcome in our shop:) The NEW DATE IS NOW SUNDAY APRIL 2nd (same time and details). All tickets will be honored for the new date and full refunds given to anyone who can't make the new April 2nd Calçotada!
 

But for anyone needing some Spanish delights in your immediate future... get your castanyetes out and roll in TONIGHT for THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS: ALL SPANISH REDS & WHITES
2021 Sete 7 Cepas Albarino
2018 Josep Masachs Ulls de Mel Xarel-lo
2020 Vinos Tresbolillo Las Canicas Albarino Rias Baixas
2020 Vendrell Sere Montsant
2020  El Hato y el Garabato Cotexa Tinto
2020 Raul Perez Bierzo Ultreia St Jacques
Red or White Flights $15 from 5-9pm and wines by the glass until 9pm
 

WOMENS MONTH SATURDAY SERIES CONTINUES...
SATURDAY 3/11 FLIGHTS: ALL Women Winemakers - California Flights
2020 Loella PINOT GRIS (Winemaker: Megan Hughes)
2021 Terah Wine Co Muscat (Winemaker: Terah Bajjalieh)
2021 Ultraviolet Cabernet Sauvignon (Winemaker: Samantha Sheehan)
2021 Camins 2 Dreams Red (Winemakers: Tara Gomez and Mireia Taribó)
Flights $15 from 2-6 and wines by the glass from around the globe until 9pm

Cheers,

Daniel

At Oakland Yard, we’ve always made an effort to feature and promote products made by folks who are traditionally underrepresented in the wine industry, and this March - Women’s History Month in the USA - we’ll be bringing these efforts to the fore, with events and tastings focussing on women owned wineries and wines made by women. In my twenty years of professional wine buying, it has always been a challenge to gain access to wines made by women. In California, the percentage of women winemakers was only 10% in 2011, and just slightly higher at 14% by 2020, and the traditions and misconceptions of the industry in much of Europe still make it difficult for women to succeed in this still largely male dominated business.

I feel fortunate to have had many female mentors and colleagues in my wine education journey, and my understanding of the artistry, business, and enjoyment of wine would be incomplete without these teachers and voices. There are far too many to mention here, but I will take this opportunity to name a handful of women who have helped shape my conception of wine. In 2007, I was part of a team opening a restaurant in lower Manhattan, and the wine director was Lee Campbell, a Black woman sommelier who was already incredibly accomplished, and continues to do amazing work. Campbell instructed us with confidence and joy, and impressed upon me the importance of organic farming and minimal intervention in the cellar. Michele Pravda, my boss at Smith & Vine, was a master-class in running a wine shop - from encyclopedic knowledge to customer service to business integrity - and her excitement about wine was extremely contagious. I return perennially to the work of women writers, scholars, and scientists, like MFK Fisher, Carole Meredith, Jancis Robinson, and Karen MacNeil, to continue my learning. And I give thanks to the many female importers - Becky Wasserman, Denyse Louis, Jenny Lefcourt, Camille Riviere, Roni Ginach, Erin Sylvester, and Nadia Dmytriw, to name just a few - who’ve forged relationships with producers, providing us access to so many of our favorite wines.

Returning to the bay area from New York in 2014, my first full-time wine job was at Bi-Rite Market in the Mission, where I had the pleasure of working with a mostly female wine department, including Liz Rubin, Claire Hill, Rachel Gepner, and Sarah Lewington. These women knew their wines, worked harder than most men I know, and helped anchor me in the unfamiliar SF wine world. I’m very pleased to have the opportunity to welcome Liz Rubin, and her partner in wine, Pamela Busch, for a dyke/lesbian/non-binary/trans/queer wine bar pop up on Tuesday March 14th from 5pm-8pm at Oakland Yard. Liz and Pamela started the Somebody’s Sister Pop-Up series to create a safe space for other lesbian, gay, non-binary, trans, and queer people to come together and enjoy great natural wines. At the event, they’ll be pouring wines made by female winemakers, with a priority on spotlighting those from communities that have been historically underrepresented in the wine industry. Anyone is open to come, but everyone has to respect that this is a queer space. Stay tuned for details...

But first...TONIGHT - THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS: ITALIAN WHITES and CABERNET FRANCS
NV Tintero Bianco Secco
2020 Ercole Bianco Monferrato
2020 Flavia Alle Catarratto/Zibibbo
2020 Phantome Cabernet franc
2021 Bel Air Jour de Soif Bourgueil
2021 Sebastien David Hurluberlu
Red or White Flights $15 from 5-9pm and wines by the glass until 9pm

SATURDAY 3/4 FLIGHTS:
WINES MADE by ITALIAN WOMEN
2021 La Ghibellina Mainin Gavi
2021 Gorgi Tondi Grillo
2021 Occhipinti SP68 Rosso
2019 Villa Sant Anna Chianti Colli Senesi
Flights $15 from 2-6 and wines by the glass from around the globe until 9pm

Cheers,
Max

I went to blow my nose this morning and pulled what I assumed was a handkerchief from my jacket pocket only to discover tiny polka dot underwear. I also found hair clips, two types of lip balm, and several new bandaids in the other pocket. If one was to hold me by my ankles most days, a small avalanche would fall below (or above?): plastic rings, a rainbow of hair ties, small bags of goldfish, spinning tops, fruit leather, small rock collections...

As a parent of two little ones, I'm forced to anticipate sudden needs, surprises, accidents. I do my best to be prepared, albeit clumsily most of the time. My five year old seemed annoyed this morning, after getting herself fully dressed, and then spotting the rain outside, suddenly switching to a raincoat and boots while I stuffed a small umbrella in her bag. Who the heck is in charge of this weather?, she muttered, without a hint of humor. 

These transitional times of the year are peculiar for shops too, as we do our best to anticipate customers' needs - some eager for spring and looking for light, fresh reds or seeking out celebratory sparkling and Pet Nats for weekend parties. Others still taking comfort in wintery whites or full-bodied reds to accompany warm winter stews. 

This week's weather has been all over the place. Intense winds and massive temperature drops. And now more rain in the days ahead - but with a sunny Saturday perhaps?? While we can't control the wild weather, we'll do our best to continue to be prepared - with storm and party provisions, with seasonal and singular selections, with new delights and old favorites. Whatever the sky brings, we'll keep bringing it too, with more pop-ups and parties, more fun, food, and flights ahead! 

Starting TONIGHT (2/23) with THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS...
LOIRE WHITES & DOMESTIC REDS: 
2020 Le Fils de Gras Moutons Branger Muscadet
2021 Domaine Fouet Saumur Blanc
2021 Adele Rouze Quincy
2021 Groundwork Counoise
2020 Domaine Soupir Petite Sirah
2020 In Sheep's Clothing Cabernet Sauvignon
Red or White Flights $15 from 5-9pm and wines by the glass until 9pm

SATURDAY FLIGHTS 2/25: LAMBRUSCO FLIGHTS & PROVECHO!
Famiglia Carafoli L'Onesta Lambrusco di Sorbara
Lini910 Labrusca Lambrusco
Villa di Corlo Rolfshark Lambrusco
Flights $15 from 2-6 and wines by the glass from around the globe until 9pm

PROVECHO returns to OAKLAND YARD this Saturday 2/25 from 2-6pm! Locally sourced, seasonal and intentional dishes from chef Eder Ramirez. Oaxaqueño flavor paired with curated flights and wines by the glass from Oakland Yard.

TICKETS now on sale for OAKLAND YARD Catalan-style CALÇOTADA. Event is Sunday March 12th from 1 to 5pm, in our back parking lot, with music and merriment, fire-grilled leeks and romesco by chef Carlo Espinas, grilled spanish sausage and other delights by Crossman Meats, desserts by Sesame Tiny Bakery, and wine and beer from Oakland Yard. More info and TICKETS here: ONLINE SHOP

Cheers,

Daniel

Three years ago this month, I traveled to Spain for the first time, to meet Julia, who’d been working in Barçelona. We had many memorable adventures, and I left with an appreciation for the storied Spanish lifestyle, which centers gastronomy and family, and cares little for the proverbial rat-race. While walking from the Eixample to the Parc Guell, we passed through the Vila de Gràcia, where narrow, tree-lined streets of stone connect scores of public squares, alive at all hours with children playing and locals chatting and smoking. Gràcia feels like a small town within the city, perhaps because it was once a little village outside the city. In Roman times, Barcelona was a walled city, with barricades encircling what is now the Gothic Quarter.

Strolling through Gràcia that morning, we came upon an alleyway bustling with activity. Large, flat, sheet-metal grills were loaded with wood beside piles of large green onions, and men and women shouted, smiled and laughed as they lit fires and strung the leek-like onions together on a wire line for ease of flipping. They said to come back later for the calçotada, a traditional Catalan festival featuring the precocious winter vegetables they call calçots.

Returning from the Parc Guell with excitement, we found the party in full swing. Jamaican ska music filled the air, tap dancers laid down tiles to trade foot-driven percussive accompaniment, and long, communal tables were full of twenty-somethings drinking beer, while Spaniards of all ages pulled charred onions from newspaper wrappers, peeled the burnt outer skins, dipped them in romesco sauce, and tipped their heads back for a sweet vegetable slider. Everyone else seemed to know each other well, and when the tables filled up, neighbors came with card tables from their homes to expand the party, and Julia and I found a seat in the crowd and enjoyed a beer and a grilled botifarra sausage sandwich. The calçots, we learned, were reserved for the locals. We found this understandable, and were delighted to be welcome at the celebration, despite the limited menu. We also vowed then to host a stateside calçotada with enough fresh California leeks to serve all comers, and the time is approaching.

Save the date for Oakland Yard’s first Catalan-style calçotada, Tickets go on sale this weekend! Event is Sunday March 12th from 1 to 5pm, in our back parking lot, with music and laughs, grilled leeks and romesco by chef Carlo Espinas, grilled sausage by Crossman Meats, desserts by Marykate McGoldrick’s Sesame Tiny Bakery, and wine and beer from Oakland Yard.

ALSO... once again, PROVECHO returns to OAKLAND YARD this Saturday February 18th from 2-6pm! Locally sourced, seasonal dishes from chef Eder Ramirez. Oaxaqueño flavor paired with curated flights and wines by the glass from Oakland Yard.

SUNDAY February 19th, from 2-6, French Laundry alum and pasta pirate, Tango will be at OAKLAND YARD with fresh pasta made that morning and hand delivered here to the shop! Chef Tango will be here in person to chat about the pastas and answer any culinary questions. He will have a small quantity of fresh pastas and sauces on hand to sell that day - but you can reserve yours and pre-order by clicking HERE! Pre-order cutoff is Saturday @5pm.
 

But first...TONIGHT - THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS
CALIFORNIA REDS and ITALIAN WHITES: Portalupi Lupi Red, Phantômé Cellars Cabernet Franc, Folk Tree Pinot Noir, Villata Arneis, Ercole Bianco, & I Pastini Locorotondo Bianco Antico
Flights $15 from 5-9pm and wines by the glass until 9pm

SATURDAY FLIGHTS 2/18: Les Vins de Savoie
2020 Domaine d’Ici La Altesse La Croisette
2020 Fabien Trosset Avalanche La Blanche
2020 Maison Angelot Bugey Gamay
2021 Domaine de Ardoisieres Silice Rouge Mondeuse
Flights $15 from 2-6 and wines by the glass from around the globe until 9pm
*Provecho Pop Up out front 2-6*

Salud!

Max

I've probably told some of you this story before, but I was texting with my older brother and this memory returned. 

I have a small army of siblings. Growing up, there was a consistent and somewhat fair "you snooze, you lose" acceptance in our house. One summer evening my brother and I were out playing Batman and Robin. I was around 6, Jeff 8. It wasn't terribly fun. Jeff was always Batman. But we got to wear capes, so life was good. The charade was mostly just running about in our nylon capes and homemade eye masks. I'd point at a tree or something and shout "there's one of those no good...!" and Jeff would throw some boomerang we'd fashioned earlier that day from glued popsicle sticks and I'd say "Nice SHOT, Batman!" And Jeff would say (in the calm, deep voice of Adam West): "Thanks, Robin". I'd have to improvise if he'd miss the target "Aw, he's a wily one!..." and scramble to retrieve his weapon. You get the idea.

Ignoring my mom's hollering that day, we finally came in and the kitchen smelled so sweet. Fresh pineapples were chopped earlier, now all devoured. We were bummed. The family was watching a movie so we quietly pouted on the kitchen floor. Then Jeff spotted discarded strips of the hard pineapple skins in a plastic bag. There still seemed to be so much yellow flesh exposed, we started licking and thought we'd struck gold. Still so sweet and sublime with everlasting flavor! So we kept licking away, giggling and snickering to ourselves (who needs those jerks!) as evening settled on Gotham. All was well until the screaming started.

In the way that seeing one's ex can open a wound, pain sometimes needs a visual. I looked up and there was blood in Jeff's mouth. That's when I too felt the sting. I looked down at the pineapple I was licking and it also was covered in wild, bright crimson streaks. Our super powers were no match for the hidden barbs and the aggressive enzymes and acid. The pain was intense. Like a million paper cuts on our tongues, doused with lemon juice. The Joker had the last laugh once again.

Best to come when you're called, sometimes.

TONIGHT at OAKLAND YARD: Thursday Night Flights! Three German Whites and Three Spanish Reds. Wines so good you'll want to lick the inside of the bottles. Come help us take these bottles down tonight. Same bat-time, same bat-channel. Flights, $15 from 5-9pm and wines by the glass until 9pm. 

ALSO!!! We're sending out the signal once again: PROVECHO returns to OAKLAND YARD on Saturday February 11th from 2-6pm! Locally sourced, seasonal and intentional dishes from chef Eder Ramirez. Oaxaqueño flavor paired with curated flights and wines by the glass from Oakland Yard. Best to come when you're called, trust me...

SATURDAY FLIGHTS: Wines of Austria 
2021 Bernhard Ott Am Berg Gruner Veltliner
2020 Umathum Sauvignon Blanc
2018 Prieler Johanneshohe Blaufrankisch 
NV Moric Hausmarke Rot
Flights $15 from 2-6 and wines by the glass from around the globe until 9pm!
*Provecho Pop Up out front 2-6*

Finally... mark your calendars: SUNDAY MARCH 12th we will be taking over the back lot for an all day party, welcoming spring, and bringing some Catalan spirit to 40th St. with our own Calçotada Festival! There will of course be fire-grilled calçots and salvitxada sauce to accompany the spring onions as well as grilled spanish sausages, wine, beer and cider, and other culinary treats available that day! Music and food and fun! Stay tuned for more details about pre-sale tickets in the days to come!!!


Cheers,

Daniel

Oakland transplants missing ‘seasonal’ weather are getting their fix this winter. First rain, then cold, now a bit more rain to come, and all welcome, but a little out of the ordinary. While we haven’t reached the coldest temperature in Oakland history (which was 25 °F, most recently on January 5, 1949), we have had some near freezing nights in the east bay these last couple of weeks, and the morning frost has put me in mind of New York, where it will drop to the single digits tomorrow. Bundle up, my eastern friends, you have some winter yet to come.

Here in Temescal, the trees are blossoming; first the acacias, heavy with fuzzy yellow spheres, then the stately magnolias, purple, pink and white, flowering with perfect posture. And now, right here on 40th Street, the cherry and plum trees have begun their dense and reckless explosion of pale pink blooms. We, too, are back in view and showing our colors. In the past week, I’ve seen neighbors more often and made new acquaintances. I’ve been out and about, even all the way across the bay to San Francisco! We’ve recovered from the holidays, weathered the winter, and learned to manage the pandemic, or at least our related fears, and now we’re getting on with our lives.

And Oakland is ready for our return, with tasty new food outlets on 40th Street and Telegraph Avenue and a series of pop-ups at Oakland Yard. OK’s Deli started serving their Asian-inflected, gourmet sandwiches last September, and the opening crowds have diminished enough to make a trip to OK’s more than worthwhile. Kitava had its grand opening two weeks ago, and is serving fresh, healthy fare at 40th and Opal Streets. Poppy’s Bagels on Telegraph is having their grand opening today! And right next to Poppy’s, Small Change Oyster Bar is working to get open as soon as possible. Pssst...keep an eye out for a Small Change oyster pop-up at Oakland Yard while they get their ducks in order. The future is mouthwatering. But first...

TONIGHT 2/2 - THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS: Domestic Whites & Italian Reds

2020 Loella Pinot Gris
2021 Phantômé Cellars Gruner Veltliner
2017 Red Newt Cellars Finger Lakes Dry Riesling
2021 Tenuta la Pergola Il Goccetto Brachetto
2020 Poderi Sanguineto IGT Toscana Sangiovese
2016 Terra d'Aligi Tatone Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
Flights $15 from 5-9pm and wines by the glass from around the world until close!

SATURDAY 2/4 - PROVECHO at OAKLAND YARD from 2 to 6pm

Saturday Flights: Wines of Greece
2021 Zoinos Epiloges Debina
2020 Semeli Mantinia Moschofilero
2013 Vaeni Grande Reserve Xinomavro
2020 Thymiopoulos Young Vines Xinomavro
Flights $15 from 2-6pm and wines by the glass until 9pm *Bites from Provecho out front*

SUNDAY 2/5 - SPARKLING SUNDAY at OAKLAND YARD. Sparkling Flights and our first in a series of ARTISAN JEWELERS popping up here monthly. We are excited to host our first artist, Lindsay Knox of LADHA, who will be bringing a curated selection of offerings from her amazing collection - for sale here in the shop Sunday 2/5 from 2-6pm. Come have a glass and add some sparkle in the new year!

Cheers,
Max

There is a new member of our house here. His name is Cha Cha. Neither dog nor cat nor bird nor fish... and no, not that - my wife and I are certainly through after two. I'm not certain which of my daughters first knew or named him. An imaginary, amorphous entity… though his assigned traits and projected mischief suggested the size and character of some invisible Elf on a Shelf. As of this week he is now referred to (by them) as their "baby brother", and Cha Cha seems to have grown smaller. Last night my 5 year old daughter Ellery was tearing a toilet paper square "for his towel", and later wrapping him in a “toilet paper burrito". It's his faaavorite thing…, little Simone confirmed with an enthusiastic nod.  


We've got a new folks suddenly popping up here at the shop too - and we can assure you they are very real. While Cha Cha offers little more than some silly tricks and occasional laughter, the delights and treats offered here this weekend - and in the weeks ahead - are likely to exceed your imagination. If you stop into OAKLAND this SATURDAY the 28th, PROVECHO will be here out front from 2-6pm, serving locally sourced, seasonal and intentional dishes from chef Eder Ramirez. Oaxaqueño flavor paired with curated flights and wines by the glass! 

And on SUNDAY (Jan 29th) from 2-6, French Laundry alum and pasta pirate, Tango will be at OAKLAND YARD with fresh pasta made that morning and hand delivered here to the shop! Chef Tango will be here in person to chat about the pastas and answer any culinary questions. He will have a small quantity of fresh pastas and sauces on hand to sell that day - but you can reserve yours and pre-order by clicking HERE! Pre-order cutoff is Saturday @5pm.

And NEXT SUNDAY, February 5th...
SPARKLING SUNDAY at OAKLAND YARD. Sparkling Flights and our first in a series of artisan jewelers popping up here monthly. We are excited to host our first artist, Lindsay Knox of LADHA, who will be bringing a curated selection of offerings from her amazing collection - for sale here in the shop Sunday 2/5 from 2-6pm. Come have a glass and add some sparkle in the new year!

Finally (and first:)...
TONIGHT 1/26 - THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS: Dry Alsace Riesling & French Reds

2019 Ribeauville Riesling
2019 Kuentz Bas Riesling
2020 Domaine Wassler Riesling
2021 Pierre-Olivier Bonhomme Le Telquel
2021 Domaine Rimbert Cousin Oscar 
2020 Domaine la Cabotte Colline Cotes du Rhone Rouge
Flights $15 from 5-9pm and wines by the glass from around the world until close!

SATURDAY 1/28 - PROVECHO at OAKLAND YARD
Saturday Flights: Wines of Spain and Portugal 

2021 Sete 7 Cepas Albarino
2020  Domino Vinho Branco Colar 
2017 Dirk Niepoort Sempar Portalegre Tinto 
2020 Alvaro Palacios Camins del Priorat
Flights $15 from 2-6pm and wines by the glass until 9pm *Bites from Provecho out front*

Cheers,
Daniel

It feels, at last, we’ve come to rest, with an ocean of water back inside the earth, and a thick layer of snow on our peaks. Did we awaken in California or atop the mountains of Ararat? In any case, the skiers and farmers among us are delighted. The rain’s postponed some winter pruning in the vineyards, sent sheep to shelter, and in places carried soil and stones downward and away, but grapevines are happily dormant, with the crucial fragility of bud break still weeks away. Aquifers are flowing, surface salts dispersed, and reservoirs restored. Tablas Creek Vineyard reported this week ‘you could almost hear the cover crops growing’ between the rows, and I think I heard a collective sigh of relief in Oakland with the return of our brightest star, the sun.

Here at Oakland Yard, we’re emerging from a wet and welcome hibernation and embracing the sunny spirit of renewal. Back to the daily task of sipping and spitting with vendors, we’re busy securing new labels, and new vintages of some dear old favorites. We’ve also got a fresh lineup of wines by the glass this week, and we’re planning a series of food pop ups and outdoor parties, starting Saturday the 28th with PROVECHO serving tasty bites to go with our afternoon tasting flights. From our little spot on Fortieth Street, the future shines brightly with the promise of spring flowers, grilled leeks, unbridled laughter, wine with friends, dance parties, oysters on the half shell, and many other unknown pleasures, starting...

TONIGHT 1/19 - THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS: Natty Loire Whites and Langhe Nebbiolo

2021 Clos du Tue-Boeuf Vin Blanc
2021 Herve Villemade Bovin Blanc
2021 Agnes & Rene Mosse Magic of Juju Blanc
2020 Elvio Tintero Langhe Nebbiolo
2018 Bricco Maiolica Langhe Nebbiolo
2020 Luigi Scavino Azelia Langhe Nebbiolo
Flights $15 from 5-9pm and wines by the glass from around the world until close!

SATURDAY 1/21 - WHAT’S NEW IN CALIFORNIA FLIGHTS

2021 Ramble Heringer Vineyard Clarksburg Chenin Blanc
2021 Luuma Sonoma Coast Chardonnay
2021 Jolie Laide Glou D’Etat
2021 Broc Cellars Le Clairet The Perfect Red
Flights $15 from 2-6pm and wines by the glass until 9pm

Cheers,
Max

There is a fluffy gray cat wandering my block. If my front door is open for a minute too long, the feline will bee line, eager to enter our home. We just moved in a few months ago, and I don’t know what treats or kindness was once offered here. But the cat has not forgotten them, seeming ever eager to reclaim some small delights.

There's a funny conversation you'll hear at the wine shop this time of year, as we reorder and restock bottles for the shelves, replenishing the sparkling section in particular, after the high demand for bubbles amid the fervor New Year’s Eve celebrations. Familiar faces return now to buy some still whites or comforting reds for winter nights, and countless customers will recall the delight of their recent sparkling selection. That bubbly was delicious! one will remark. The Cremant was a big hit... says another. That Pet Nat was so fun! Et cetera.  And almost inevitably there will be at least one who will say the quiet part loud: I don’t know why we don’t drink sparkling more often!. And then, would you believe, in some strange, subconscious defiance of joy, an entire year (to the day!) will pass once again before that simple delight is revisited. 

I'm thinking about the memories of cats this morning. And wondering about the habits of some humans I suppose. We're not pushy folks here at Oakland Yard and we won't force bottles on anyone. But I can only encourage you, with every atom of my being, to enjoy more bubbly this year. And I encourage you to encourage others. And beyond bubbles, here's to any previously annual joys becoming bi-annual, or tri-annual, maybe even monthly, weekly..  whether it's dressing up for dinner, or riding a tiny train through the woods at Tilden Park. Returning to the Sierras or that cottage in Mendocino. Here's to hosting a costume party in March, to roasting a turkey in May. Send flowers and a love letter in January. Let's reserve more nights for board games with friends. Make pasta from scratch more. Surely we can reserve more than one arbitrary Thursday evening in November to take turns around the table declaring what we are thankful for. 

TONIGHT 1/12 - THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS: Portuguese Whites & French Reds

2021 Filipa Pato WHITE Dinamico Dinamica Vinho Branco
2019 Herdade do Mouchao Dom Rafael Branco Alentejo
2021 Luis Seabra Xisto Ilimitado WHITE Douro Branco
2021 Domaine de la Damase Grenache 
2019 Domaine Graveirette Cotes du Rhone
2016 Domaine Ferrer Ribiere Empreinte du Temps Carignan
Flights $15 from 5-9pm and wines by the glass from around the world until close!

SATURDAY 1/14 - *SPARKLING FLIGHTS*
Jo Landron Atmospheres Brut
Ayunta Metodo Ancestrale Rosato Pet Nat
NV Bulli 'Jvlivs' Bolle Macerato Sparkling
Flights $15 from 2-6pm and wines by the glass until 9pm

Cheers,

Daniel

In climes so mild and unobtrusive, the rare violent storm captures our attention like a galloping herd of rhinos. California is hella wet this week, and having been lulled by years of sun and drought, it’s hard not to be preoccupied with the level of rain and wind we’re sheltering from and moving through. Two cars sit fully submerged five blocks away, on Webster street, below the 580. Some folks are panicked, and some stricken, with flooded basements and businesses. Still others, those with a solid roof and nothing to lose, are excited about the weather, looking on with fascination and wonder.

I watched the loose ellipse of cloudmass on the radar screen with surprise and recognition; it moved like the whimsically named storms that creep up the Atlantic coast and land with a tremendous, sweeping force. At night, waves of unsteady wind audibly strain the window panes and make the bed feel lost at sea, then a sudden silence follows, and lingers until another gale comes hurtling. The Claremont Canyon Jordan Trail is closed this week, busy remaking its own pathways, eroding unseen. And with the rain, the spent, ragged firs of yesteryear lie prone upon our sidewalks, traveling like the water, inevitably back to the land.

It feels strange to begin the year with such outward turmoil, but perhaps it’s oddly fitting. In any case, it’s what we’ve got; upending change is the not-so-new normal, and we did ask for rain, did we not? At this time of year Oakland Yard’s reliable sixty-eight degrees feels downright cozy, and we invite you to enjoy the comfort, hospitality and fine libations we’ll continue to offer throughout this wet winter. If you’ve taken to teetotaling, and your personal January is dry, you’ll be happy to hear we’ve beefed up our alcohol-free shelf, with two new low-sugar botanical sodas from Casamara Club - that makes four all day - and a damn good ‘phony negroni’ from St Agrestis that tastes remarkably like the hard stuff. And for the rest of you...

TONIGHT 1/5 - THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS: French Reds & Austrian Whites

2020 Domaine de la Dourbie Petit Canet
2021 Château d'Oupia Les Hérétiques
2019 Clos Perdus l'Année Rouge
2020 Umathum Sauvignon Blanc
2021 Hiedler Loss Gruner Veltliner
2021 Schloss Gobelsburger Riesling

SATURDAY 1/7 - SPANISH TASTING FLIGHTS

2020 Parra Jiménez Gulp Hablo Verdejo
2021 Desconcierto Albariño
2021 Celler Escoda-Sanahuja Nas del Gegant
2019 Juan Gil Monastrell

May we all retain our power - and agency, love, and compassion in this new year.

Cheers,
Max

When my brother-in-law was a young boy, he had a hamster that he named Muggsy Bogues. In addition to being one of the best things any child could name a hamster, there was likely a special affinity a youngster had for such an under-sized athlete, making his name on the big stage in the big old world (I had a similar connection to Spud Webb on the Atlanta Hawks). But being a child of the 90s, Peter was all about the 5' 3" Muggsy, for a season at least. For having the fickle heart of a child he would find his imagination captured and re-captured by other stars, and his pet Muggsy would be re-christened months later as Michael Jordan. And then Scottie Pippen a couple months after that - and still other names before the tiny creature's predictaly early passing. By most reliable reports, the hamster died as "Shaq". 

I wrote a letter a couple weeks ago, talking about the shop in it's early years. It's identity being still formed, certain aspects, still malleable, still growing. Hearing a story about his hamster on Christmas Eve I thought again about the identity of the shop. And about you all. About the wines and producers themselves - how some bottles, some specific grape varieties, or some appellations become our favorites for a time. And how, even with hearts all grown up, our affections can quickly change and new delights can capture our imaginations.

Certain bottles and certain vintages, like hamsters and goldfish, their time may be short-lived, swapped out for something similar, if not nearly identical, with the same potential to bring and sustain joy. But the shared experiences in a warm, communal space may always remain. Some of these experiences still accessible 30 years on, some maybe shared with friends or family, with laughter, on a random Christmas Eve, still lighting up a room decades beyond the initial spark.


Happy Holidays once again from OAKLAND YARD. And for those we won't see before Sunday - Happy New Year! If you need bubbles for your celebrations small or grand, we'll be here for you, OPEN NEW YEAR'S EVE until 8pm. 

Cheers,
Daniel

SATURDAY, December 31st: SPARKLING FLIGHTS!
OAKLAND YARD is OPEN NEW YEAR"S EVE from 12-8pm. We'll be popping corks and pouring dry, delightful bubbly from around the globe. Sparkling Flights $15 from 2-6pm and wines by the glass until 8pm!

OAKLAND YARD is OPEN TODAY and though Saturday (Open NYE Eve 12-8). Our TASTING BAR is OPEN for WINES BY THE GLASS Everyday (Indoor & Outdoor Seating). OAKLAND YARD will be closed New Year's Day and Jan 2nd. 

When we opened Oakland Yard six years ago, we envisioned a ‘wine shop and community junction.’ The wine shop concept is easy to understand, but I’m not sure we knew what we meant by the ‘junction’ part, aside from the fact that we wanted Oakland Yard to be a meeting place for both friends and strangers. Our first few years, we sold wine, made friends, threw parties, and hosted events, and the junction was happening, until March of 2020, when we were rudely rendered asunder. As you well know, it’s been fits and starts from there. One year ago yesterday, facing a viral surge, we again suspended service at the Oakland Yard tasting bar, and didn’t resume tasting flights for a full six months. Now we’re back in the swing of things, and it finally feels like a rebirth of sorts.

A few weeks ago, I was behind the bar at Oakland Yard, and our neighbor, Sam, came by to pick up a can or two of Roses’ Taproom beer, as he’s wont to do after a day of screen printing at Rise Above Graphics on Webster Street. As we made the transaction, Sam spotted some of his work on a tote bag slung across a fellow customer’s shoulder. The bag was from Crossman Meats, an east bay charcuterie producer, and featured what appeared to be dancing hot dogs. Sam said proudly, “I printed that bag.” The customer smiled and said, “It’s my favorite bag.” This episode made me happy for so many reasons: that Sam comes to us on the regular for beer made here in the neighborhood - one local business supporting another local business supporting another local business; that Robin from Crossman Meats went to Rise Above for his printing needs, rather than some big printer in another state or country; and that Oakland Yard is a place where one can meet people who’ve already had a positive effect on their lives.

The pandemic years have been hard on so many of our local small businesses, and I’ve taken to spending money more deliberately than I used to. When I buy tofu at Joodooboo, I’m sharing what I’ve earned with my friend Steve; when we get booze and housewares from Umamimart, we’re helping support Yoko and Kayoko; and when we go for tacos from Oscar and Jake, we feel good about it too, because it keeps our community vibrant and prosperous, and because these business owners are lovely humans, who value people over money, respect their environment, and take good care of their workers. Thanks to all of you who spend thoughtfully, helping to create the world we want to live in with our purchasing power. Some of us have more than others, but we all hold this power, and it’s up to each of us to use it wisely.

We’ll be OPEN this Saturday from 11 to 6 and CLOSED on Sunday the 25th. May you enjoy these last days of 2022, and join us for a Thursday Night Flight or Christmas Eve Day Tasting!

TONIGHT... THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS: California Cabernet Sauvignons and Loire Valley Sauvignon Blancs. Flights $15 from 5-9pm and full menu of wines by the glass available too!

SATURDAY, December 24th: FLIGHTS for your FEAST - taste 4 of our highly recommended, most gastronomic, holiday wines. Flights $15 from 2-6pm and wines by the glass.

Cheers,

Max

I can remember one of my first evenings working with Max, back in Brooklyn, almost thirteen years ago. A customer asking him about a couple wines on the center table. Some common descriptors were offered for the first bottle (crisp, citrusy, mineral...) but after the woman inquired about the next bottle, a kind of Kermit the frog smile spread on his face, his fingers animated like he was tickling the keys of a tiny invisible piano. Playful is how he described the affordable alpine white.

After a tasting this week, I looked over Max's notes, curious about his thoughts on some wines a rep brought in for us to consider. While our palates are generally aligned, I sometimes enjoy seeing how our different impressions are expressed. Aromatic, fresh my notes might say. Herbaceous, lively Max will have written. And I can always count on some descriptor on his sheet that sums up my impression better than I had written. Usually succinct and honest and true, like Max. One wine last week - my notes said stewy, pruned, medicinal/cough syrupy, old/tired.  Max simply wrote joyless. 

And now I'm fixed on that word, joy. Obviously it's oft written and sung during this season. But Max's simple succinct scribble was a light in the fog. We see a lot of new faces this time of year, and they'll enter the shop with a sweeping glance and ask So what's your "thing" here? I've always found this question a little funny, thinking of someone walking into Ace Hardware or The Gap with a similar inquiry. But fair enough, and we'll answer something along the lines of having a carefully curated selection of dynamic bottles from small producers around the world. We might talk about classic regions, or minimal intervention winemaking, and may field questions about Biodynamics or try to find an agreed upon definition of "natural". It's all good, as we inevitably move to find agreed upon language, an understanding. But perhaps I say too much, and maybe once again have written too much. So I will follow Max's lead. I'll follow Max's nose. To put it simply, these wines are joyful. And at the end of the day, literally, these bottles can bring you joy. And others too. Spread the word, spread the cheer. Let heaven and nature sing.
 

TONIGHT... THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS! Reds from Spain & Whites from Portugal. 
Flights $15 from 5-9pm and full menu of wines by the glass available too!

SATURDAY, December 17th: Phantômé Cellars Tasting with winemaker Brendan Willard. Repeat the sounding joy! Brendan returns once more, pouring his current lineup this Saturday! Flights $15 from 2-6pm and wines by the glass all day until close.


Cheers,

Daniel

The Cold Moon of December shone full last night, obscuring Mars and lingering long and high above the city. I didn’t know there was this verb, but it is said, the moon occulted Mars, in the original Latin sense: to hide or conceal. I suppose most things are hidden from where we stand, with our scope so limited, and the world so full of secrets undivulged. Even just tomorrow, so close to today, cannot be known from here and now; together we live steeped in uncertainty, and together we move on with hope and expectancy.

I don’t know what to expect from this winter, but lately I’ve been enjoying more time with friends around the dinner table, and despite regarding myself as an introverted misanthrope, I’ve found these suppers invariably nourishing to both body and soul. For the next few weeks, with variants hovering in the wings, inevitably narrowing the guest list here and there, I hope to continue carefully gathering for such meals. Our friends’ children have grown so much while we were eating alone, and I allowed myself to forget how beautiful, dynamic, inspiring, and generous people can be, at a candle lit table, eating food cooked with love and care.

May this be a season of maintaining close friendships, of bringing folks back into the fold, and of meeting new people; may we rub elbows and noses as long as we have them, in lieu of jabbing and sniffing; and may we all find warmth and comfort in the companionship and hospitality of our community, those well known and yet unknown. Allow us to recommend a wine for your tofu stew, your roast duck or your shakshuka, and by all means, come join us for a tasting flight or glass of wine among friends. As the kids are saying, this week’s tastings are FIRE!

TONIGHT 12/8: THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS
Wines from the Southern Hemisphere - Chile, Argentina, New Zealand and South Africa:
2021 McBride Sisters Sauvignon Blanc
2021 Santa Julia La Oveja Torrontes
2021 Force Celeste Chenin Blanc
2021 Cacique Maravilla Pipeño
2018 Gabrielskloof Bot River Syrah
2021 Reunion Malbec
$15 flights from 5-9pm and wines by the glass until 9pm.

THIS SATURDAY 12/10: BURGUNDY FLIGHTS
Taste four classic and exquisite examples from the famous vineyards of Bourgogne:
2020 Marc Cameron Sagara Bourgogne Tonnerre Blanc
2019 Jean-Claude Martin Chablis Premier Cru Montmains
2019 Michel Arcelain Siserpe Beaune Rouge
2020 Quentin Jeannot Maranges Vieilles Vignes
Flights $20 from 2-6pm and wines by the glass until 9pm!

Cheers,

Max