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

I enjoyed a farewell meal with Ezra just before he departed. While inquiring about dessert, our server scraped the crumbs from our table with a small silver utensil we'd both seen countless times before, yet neither of us knew the name for it. Most just call it a crumber, our server replied with a smile. 

A simple, delightful and fitting name considering its application. And I would also contend that my five year old daughter thinking sunscreen is called sun-scream is equally fitting, particularly with how that application generally goes with her. I think about the peculiar names of things a lot. Cheerios and Triscuits. Ordinary objects like the spatula. My niece's old toy horse she named Charlicka. My other niece's doll she named Lumpy. Aglets on the end of my laces. The lunula of a fingernail. Someone at the bar taught me last week that the cardboard sleeve on my paper coffee cup was called a zarf.

What's in a name? Folks who stop in here may recognize the names of more common grape varieties like Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, or Syrah gracing some labels. Perhaps these familiar names guide their preference or suggest to a reasonable degree what flavors, aromas (or body, texture, etc) one might expect from those particular offerings. But what to make of the hundreds of obscure grape varieties overlooked and unappreciated due their peculiar sounding names? Happily, more folks are willing to give Grüner Veltliner a try - and have discovered its bright, crisp, easy-drinking and exceptionally food-friendly nature. We also see many more readily reaching for Carignan or Counoise or Grignolino these days... but what about Altesse? Nerello Mascalese? Hárslevelű?? So many buried treasures in the world of wine - and right here at the shop. Come put (at very least) a taste to these names and explore these delightful obscurities with us tonight...

THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS: Tasting Flights of obscure and unusual (and delicious) grape varieties!  
2021 Bohigas Xarel-lo
2022 Zafeirakis Assyrtiko
2020 Királyudvar Tokaji Sec
2018 Vaeni Naoussa Xinomavro
2018 Milos Plavac Mali
NV Pierce Ranch Cosecheiro Monterey Touriga
Red and white flights $15 from 5-9 and wines by the glass until close

SATURDAY FLIGHTS: Chillable Reds from around the globe...
2021 Aupa Pipeno
2021 Pomalo Plavina
2022 Les Lunes Astral Red Blend
2020 Karim Vionnet Du Beur Dans Les Pinards Beaujolais-Village
Flights $18 from 2-6 and wines by the glass until close.


See you soon,

Daniel

SUMMER WINE HAIKU

Always you like red...
When summer sun breaks records,
How ‘bout Lambrusco?

A floating ice cube:
Faux pas more than forgiven
In heat such as this.

Resting on their skins,
Some wines take on more color...
Orange or rose.

There are no rules -
In late July you may pull
Red wine from the fridge.

At home, no A/C:
Leave behind your computer,
Oakland Yard is cool.
 

Tonight...THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS: FRENCH WHITES & GAMAY from France & Italy
2021 Bernard Fouquet Domaine des Aubuisières Cuvée de Silex Vouvray
2021 Domaine Grivot-Goisot Côtes d'Auxerre Bourgogne Blanc
2019 Chapoutier Marius Carte Postale Viognier
2021 Domaine Dupeuble Beaujolais Villages
2021 Maison Angelot Bugey Gamay
2022 Grosjean Freres Gamay
Tasting flights $15 from 5-9pm and wines by the glass until 9pm

This SATURDAY 7/22: SPARKLING WINE flights from Austria, France and Croatia
2021 Pomalo Debit Petillant Naturel
NV Domaine Julien Braud La Bulle de l’Ouest Pet Nat
2019 Domaine Mittnacht Crémant d’Alsace Terres d'Étoile Extra Brut
2021 Meinklang Prosa Sparkling Rosé
Flights $18 from 2-6 and wines by the glass until 9pm.

Keigu,

Max

An older gentleman was at one of the bar tables a couple weeks ago, enjoying a glass with a friend, and he asked me about a particular bottle he was eyeing on the shelf. Having recently tasted it, I'd described the wine as vibrant right now but noted that those particular releases were also very age-worthy. I shared that I was fortunate enough to have tried wines from that producer with 20-30 years of bottle age and was blown away by how fresh and lively they still were. I suggested that those with time and patience would be rewarded to hang onto that bottle for a while. He offered up a light chuckle and said "well I have patience...but the problem is, I'm not sure I have the time".

The remark was left with some levity, but it echoed what a winemaker I assisted a few years ago shared about the limits of his vocation: "If I'm lucky", he remarked, "maybe I get to do this 20 more times?". And it got me thinking (again) about the ephemeral nature of all of this. Of these singular, natural delights on our shelves, and indeed of all the infinite and finite joys we share, or hold for ourselves, well beyond the shop walls. 

And I'll be thinking of time passing as I celebrate my father's 80th birthday this weekend. And watching my little ones play with their cousins - or perhaps trying their first root beer float. And I'll be appreciating days and years and many happy memories in between as our manager, Ezra, pours someone a last glass (from him anyway:) this Friday before he heads off to new adventures and a new home in Chicago.

As a fictional teenager from that city famously noted, life moves pretty fast. Let's keep our eyes open. Lets keep the cellars of our hearts full. Come enjoy good company, good music, good times and good wines with the good folks here. We've got THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS tonight, featuring FRENCH REDS and CALIFORNIA WHITES...
2022 Berryessa Gap Albarino
2021 Haarmeyer Chenin Blanc
2021 Field Recordings SKINS
2021 Damase Grenache
2021 Catherine Bernard La Route des Cretes
2019 Château Renaissance Bordeaux Supérieur Rouge
Tasting flights $15 from 5-9pm and wines by the glass until 9pm

THIS SATURDAY 7/15...Importer GRÉGOIRE MONTOT at OAKLAND YARD 
Everyone’s favorite Savoyard pours flights of two whites and two reds from his superb selection, including two stunning wines from Burgundy and some delights from Alsace and Loire.
2022 Charles Frey Pinot Blanc 
2021 Yannick Cadiou Petit Chablis
2021 Domaine Delobel Pineau d’Aunis
2021 Quentin Jeannot Hautes Côtes de Beaune Rouge 
Flights from 2-6 and wines by the glass until 9pm.

Cheers,
Daniel

The summer I graduated from college, after my classmates went home or out into the world, I stayed on in Poughkeepsie to continue studying music. Soon after, I would arrive in California and begin learning about wine in earnest, but that summer, I served lunch on the patio at the Beekman Arms Tavern and drove once a week to Luis García Renart’s Hudson Valley home in Red Hook for cello lessons. I was at the height of my musical powers, thanks to Luis, an incredibly gifted Catalan musician and teacher who had studied with Casals and Rostropovich in the late 50’s and early 60’s and enjoyed a successful solo career as a young man before deciding to become an instructor. By the time I met him, Luis looked a little like a gray-haired teddy bear, and more than any other teacher I’ve had, he treated me firstly as a friend.

I’ve been practicing the Bach Suites Luis taught me, on and off for the last thirty years, and over that time, I’ve thought of him often; how easily he would smile, how he would put down the cello and voice a passage in solfège, how he would light up a cigarette in the middle of a lesson, and how every note for him was integral to a musical phrase. He told me he had traveled to all of the great cities of the world as a concert cellist, but had seen nothing but the inside of auditoriums and music halls, so he decided to quit the circuit and live as a teacher. When I told him I was moving to California and planned to learn to improvise, he asked me if I had a way ‘to keep body and soul together’ and I assured him my experience in restaurants would allow me to continue pursuing my love of music.

I had not seen Luis in over twenty-five years when I learned that he had passed away on July 6th of 2020, but more than I was sad, I am grateful for his teachings, and his friendship, and I know from his dedication, and over a half century of teaching, that there are many like me who continue to carry him in their hearts and minds. In the spirit of Luis, a proud Catalan, and our own Pablo Vasquez, who is visiting his family in Madrid, and summer in general, which lends itself to the storied Spanish lifestyle, Oakland Yard is featuring wines of Spain at the tasting bar this evening. Come join us and lift a glass to those who have inspired you!

Tonight...THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS: ALL SPANISH Whites and Reds
2022 Carballal Sete Cepas Albarino
2018 Josep Masachs Ulls de Mel Xarel-lo
2022 Gramona Gessami Blanco
2020 HG Wines El Hato y el Garabato Cotexa Tinto
2020 Honoro Vera Monastrell
2018 Ramirez de la Piscina Rioja
Tasting flights $15 from 5-9pm and wines by the glass until 9pm

THIS SATURDAY 7/8: ROSÉ from around the world
Sample four dry pink wines from California, France, Portugal, and Austria! 2022 B Kosuge Rosé
2022 Château Soucherie Anjou Rosé
2022 Herdade Dos Coelheiros Rosé
2021 Umathum Rosa Rosé
Flights $18 from 2-6 and wines by the glass until 9pm.

Fondly,
Max

This is a hard one to write. Our manager, Ezra, will be flying off to new skies and heading for the Windy City in a couple weeks. I tried to think of a word or story to tell today that might best demonstrate his unique personality or magnify what kind of person we will soon be missing. Last night I scrolled through a decade of gmail history and found our very first correspondence, a brief email he sent to me on March 28, 2012. It was just one short sentence: Would you and Glenny like to come over for dinner this Saturday after work?

I had just started working with him at Copain winery that week, having just moved back to CA from Brooklyn, eager to learn more about winemaking and excited to be on the Sonoma coast among the redwoods and rolling hills and vineyards, the winding ribbon of the Russian River tying it all together. Ezra managed the tasting room at Copain, bringing an enology degree from Davis along with experience in cellars in Sonoma, Mendocino, and an internship (a scholarship) to study in Burgundy. I smiled finding his first email to me, because that one simple, short sentence he wrote suggests as much about Ezra as any story could. Ezra is an invitation.

A warm and welcoming soul. Gregarious and generous. Fastidious and funny. A lover of food and wine and well-made cocktails. A good story teller. A great listener. Quick to make friends and good at keeping them. Always making new connections, always open to new experiences, new adventures. It is this spirit that propelled him around the world, traveling the globe and settling in Copenhagen for some time before eventually returning to the East Bay. We have been so very lucky that Ezra decided to make a home here at Oakland Yard the past two years. And we are forever grateful for his time, talents, and contributions - for all that he brought to this shop and to this community.

Come wish him all the best. Stop in this weekend (or in the next couple weeks) and raise a glass to a great man, a great manager, a great friend - before he heads to Chicago for his next adventure. As noted, he is exceptional at maintaining friendships, so we are certain to see him again.

In the spirit of Ezra, we extend an invitation to join us. To travel the globe in one way at least. Come meet new friends or reconnect with old ones. Come explore and try new delights, make new connections, find new joys.

Tonight...THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS: FRENCH Whites and ITALIAN Reds

2021 Grivot-Goisot Côtes d’Auxerre Blanc

2021 Domaine des Aubuisières Vouvray Cuvée de Silex

2021 Domaine La Cabotte Cotes du Rhone Blanc

2020 Carussin Barbera d’Asti

2018 Casa Scarpa Barbera d’Asti

2021 Ercole Barbera

Tasting flights $15 from 5-9pm and wines by the glass until 9pm

SATURDAY: NEW ADVENTURES...

We'll be traveling around the globe and highlighting some hidden gems from countries and regions that may not have their own section on the shelves here, but should not be overlooked! Come explore and check out these dynamic bottles with us from 2-6.

2021 Mother Rock Force Celeste Chenin Blanc (South Africa)

2021 Swick 'City Nights' White (Oregon)

2022 Louis-Antoine Luyt Tinto Chileno (Chile)

2018 Milos Plavac (Croatia)

Flights $20 from 2-6 and wines by the glass until 9pm.

Cheers,

Daniel

As Oakland Yard enters its seventh summer, I again watch from afar, monitoring inventory’s ins and outs, injecting infusions of fresh juice culled from springtime samplings, picking spears, late and thin, from the asparagus bed of my youth, and watching peonies burst and drop their petals, the sunniest plots exploding first. The Finger Lakes are timeless in their way, as is my mother’s kitchen. I’ve heard the bay’s been gray and tepid, as is typical, but I trust our shop can still warm hearts. Here are snakes and deer and thunderstorms, country roads named after farmers, and the wilds that made me.

I had a friend who, as a child, thought when they switched the TV off, the show would stop and ‘wait’ for their return. We all know now, nighttime happens while we sleep. The world goes on without us. I have no fear of missing out, rather I’m delighted so much can happen in my absence. I trust that Oakland Yard is buzzing with friendly faces, both familiar and brand-new, and that Alyson’s fascinating floral arrangements, siren-like, draw every eye to our back bar, where you may find a friend, meet a stranger, or simply drink in peace.

My thanks to Daniel, Ezra, Erica, Claire, Gabrielle, Pablo, Bibi, Caleb, Natsumi, and Sarah, for playing their parts in keeping Oakland Yard not just afloat, but radiant - the vibrant, welcoming, stimulating, comforting, positive space it continues to occupy in my mind. Please enjoy the Yard while I’m gone. I’ll be sending new wines your way from time to time, and wishing you both sun and rain. Know you’re in my thoughts until we meet again a little later in our seventh summer.

Tonight...THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS: ALL FRENCH Reds and Whites
2021 Labbé Abymes Jacquère
2021 Perroud Chiras Bourgogne Blanc
2019 Ribeauville Alsace Riesling
2021 Delobel Pineau d'Aunis La Parenthèse
2021 Sylvain Badel Si le Vin Syrah
2021 Jean Orliac Le Loup dans la Bergerie
Tasting flights $15 from 5-9pm and wines by the glass until 9pm

This SATURDAY 6/24: MOMMENPOP APERITIF TASTING with JARED MURRAY
Jared will be pouring spritzy flights of Blood Orange, Seville Orange, and the new Makrut Lime. And we can only hope he’ll be spinning classic soul LPs again from his dad’s dazzling collection.
Aperitif Spritz flights $15 from 2-6 and wines by the glass until 9pm

Fondly,

Max

Fondly,
Max

I was an odd kid (if you've just started following the shop, you can read this post from our first year for confirmation). And so I'm not entirely surprised my first child is peculiar in her way too. She's five and a half now, but just this week she started a curious role play routine which involves her reenacting milestones from her infancy. Pretend I'm a still a baby who can't walk yet, she'll propose, and thenslump down on her knees to the size of a backpack. She'll slowly rise up on wobbly legs, fake-toddling toward me, her facial expressions shifting from bewilderment to determination.

The charade has occasional variations. She'll sometimes say: Owl.. as she takes her "first steps" toward me with trusting arms reaching and balancing. She knows from a few years of storytelling that OWL was her first word, a reference to her white noise machine in her room. The really absurd thing in all of this is that the first time she did it I accepted my role in the act completely. I took my place immediately, ridiculously holding my breath, our eyes locked and lit up, anticipating her crashing finale and somehow truly and actually overwhelmed by what was happening. My arms outstretched to receive her. Proud of her. Proud of us.

I'm thinking of our not so little shop this morning and how far we've come from our first steps. And I'm thinking of all who will take their first steps in this weekend - or in the next few months. I wonder how many of you reading this have known us for years or since the beginning and can recall the earliest routines from our infancy, I wonder how many of you can remember our first interactions, our first words. 

Come join us tonight and this weekend for one of our favorite routines. We've got Thursday night Flights tonight from 5-9 and guest winemakers this weekend...

SATURDAY 6/17: French Flights with special guest Paul Duroussay, pouring wines made by his friends and family in France - and other selections from his excellent Pierreclos Imports portfolio.
2021 Domaine Dujardin Bouzeron Aligoté
2021 Cave Cluzel Roussanne
2020 Leo & Paul Arbois Ploussard 
2021 Domaine des Margots Bourgogne Rouge Pinot Noir
Flights from 2-6 and wines by the glass until 9pm.

SUNDAY 6/18: TERAH WINE CO. Special Tasting w/ Winemaker Terah Bajjalieh, pouring a flight of her wines from 2-5pm! 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. Flights of TERAH Wines: Vermentino, Rose, Sangiovese and Barbera from 2-5 and wines by the glass all day until close!


With arms outstretched,

Daniel

Humans are about sixty percent water, and wine is around eighty-five percent water. When you drink water, or wine, you make more of yourself. Skin holds our liquid selves in place, while wine is usually contained in glass bottles. On its way to becoming wine, grape juice may be held in a surprising variety of vessels, and this, to me, is just one of the endlessly intriguing aspects of the winemaking process.

While tasting Burgundy at our staff meeting this week - and yes, one should always taste Burgundy at staff meetings - we discussed the effects of oak aging on the flavors and aromas of wine. This topic is never as simple as it seems. Wood is porous, and the oxygen it allows into the wine, and the gasses it lets out, can change the wine without leaving noticeable woodlike flavors. The effects of a wooden vessel vary depending on its size, age, shape, and how the staves are toasted or treated. American Oak and French Oak, though the same species, grow differently, breathe differently, and impart different flavors, and it’s not uncommon for producers to be insistent on wood sourced from a particular forest to best contain and develop their wines. A related and fascinating aside: a key element of the unparalleled excellence of Stradivarius violins is the consistency and density of the spruce and maple trees which grew during the Little Ice Age, a period of widespread cooling between 1300 and 1850.

Winemakers have also traditionally utilized Acacia, Cherry, Pine, Chestnut, and occasionally in California, Redwood, to ferment and hold their wine, though many prefer no wood at all, opting instead for steel or cement tanks, often lined with enamel or glass. Many use ceramic vessels - some large enough to hide a person - and still others use plastic or fiberglass. Daniel and I once tasted wine fermented in a cow stomach, an uncommon practice I cannot recommend. This is all to say, there are many ways to hold one’s wine, and the effects of this variety are fascinating to compare. As always, here at Oakland Yard, we’ll be sharing our knowledge of the wines we pour, along with our conjectures and theories about what makes it taste the way it does. Come join us for a glass or tasting flight this week. The best container is yourself.

TONIGHT - THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS: ALL ITALIAN reds and whites
2020 Villata Vite Colte Arneis
2021 Agnanum Sabbia Vulcanica Falanghina
2019 Taschlerhof Kerner
2020 Grifalco Gricos Aglianico
2021 Ampeleia Un Litro
2020 Ayunta Nerello Mascalese
Tasting flights $15 from 5-9pm and wines by the glass until 9pm

SATURDAY JUNE 10th: AUSTRIAN TASTING FLIGHTS
2021 Hirsch Zöbing Riesling
2020 Nikolaihof Hefeabzug Grüner Veltliner
2018 Prieler Ried Johanneshöhe Blaufränkisch
2021 Kolfok All Universe Together
Flights $20 from 2-6 and wines by the glass from around the globe until 9pm

Cheers,
Max

I’ve been in the Bay Area for over 11 years now. And though I spent most of my life near the 2 and 5 freeway interchange in Los Angeles, I found myself missing the old Brooklyn neighborhood where I lived before moving back to CA. At the little shop where Max hired me and where he would later hire Glenny, who is now my wife. And it’s no surprise to me that last night I was reminiscing, because Wednesday nights there were always a particular delight, a weekly routine of food and drink and free music.

The evening sequence started at the wine shop where we worked on Smith Street and then walking a bottle over to Lucali on Henry. Lucali Pizza was always busy, but this was before Jay-Z and Beyoncé made it their (eventually not so) secret weeknight date spot - and before things got next level crazy and the neighborhood pizzaiolo would achieve celebrity status. Back then, when it was just 'regular busy', the crew there would always take care of the neighborhood folks. They would tease my California accent and my recognizable voice - when I'd call from the shop or from the apartment on Sackett to inquire about the wait, Alex there would say Is this Daaaniel? ... I got you, hon, get on down here.

From there, with happy hearts and full bellies we’d walk over the BQE at Summit bridge and descend into Red Hook for the weekly variety show that was Roots & Ruckus at Jalopy Theater. Old-time music all night... gritty folk and bluegrass, clanky swing trios, gypsy jazz and the like. Feral Foster, Wiilly Gantrim, and Jesse Carolina and the Hot Mess. Sometimes traveling acts coming through like the Petrovic Blasting Company or seasoned stalwarts, like Stephane Wrembel thrilling us on guitar, the ghost of Django Reinhardt among us. And one singular moment remains: Jessie Carolina belting the blues and transitioning to a sweet and slow standard, "Moonglow". Bartenders and a few musicians, a couple lovers and friends, and some new guests in the audience with cocktailed courage, stepping out of the reclaimed church pews and slow dancing in the aisle. And me sitting there, next to my then-friend, Glenny, stealing a glance at her, wondering if we might be something more someday.

THIS SUNDAY JUNE 4th, URELIO'S Pizza will be here from 1-5 pm (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. Oyster bar and outdoor beer and wine bar too! Scoops and sweet treats from De La Creamery and LIVE JAZZ from Samuél Gonzalez Trio! I can't promise Jay or Bae will be there, or that you'll find true love. But anything is possible. And I can promise everything else from my favorite routine. Next-level wood-fired pizza. Excellent wine and FREE MUSIC. Pizzas sold individually from Urelio's truck and Shuckbuudy Oyster Bar - and 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!!!

FLIGHTS TONIGHT: Southern French whites and reds...
2021 Domaine de la Patience Vin Rouge
2021 Domaine de Sulauze "Cochon"
2021 Domaine Rimbert Cousin Oscar 
2021 Vincent & Alexandre Cluzel Roussanne
2021 Domaine La Cabotte Cotes Du Rhone Blanc
2021 Canorgue Viognier 
Flights $15 from 5-9 and wines by the glass until close

SATURDAY FLIGHTS: California Rosé
Pink delights from  Broc Cellars, B. Kosuge, Horse & Plow, and Phantome Cellars
Flights $15 from 2-6 and wines by the glass until close


We got you, get on down here....

Daniel

At Oakland Yard, we collect wine from all over the world to provide pleasurable refreshment and ideal food pairings for our loyal east bay community. The story always begins with the vines - often planted and maintained by bygone generations - and requires sunlight, water, and a microscopic, unicellular fungus called yeast to finish the task. Once bottled, labeled, and packed, the wine is shipped to temperature controlled warehouses in places like Benicia, or American Canyon, where it rests quietly waiting to be called into service. The drivers who complete the transfer awake before dawn and brave the streets to disperse the goods, and they are as indispensable to our project as the winemakers, importers, and salespeople. Indeed, we see some of them several times a week and have developed valued relationships from these daily interactions. We used to assume the deliverymen didn’t pay much attention to our selections, but a few years back, Danny, one of our favorite drivers, since retired, came into the shop scratching his head. He had an Oakland Yard invoice for a case of Stella Rosa blackberry wine, and he said “Hey Max and Daniel, you didn’t order any Stella Rosa, did you? That doesn’t seem like you.” We chuckled and said, “You’re right Danny, thanks - that must be a mistake.”

If it’s the confected flavors of Stella Rosa you seek, you may find them at Walmart or BevMo, but we’re not opposed to combining fruit and wine for next-level refreshment, as long as the fruit is carefully sourced and organically farmed, and the wine is made simply and honestly, without chemicals and undue manipulation. These are key criteria for winemaker Samatha Sheehan’s line of Mommenpop aperitifs. Drunk as a spritzer with sparkling water, or used to spice up a Martini or gin & tonic, Mommenpop is a bittersweet, low-alcohol treat that screams summertime, and we’re flush with three flavors for the upcoming season. If you haven’t tried them - or if you have, and thirst for more - come by Oakland Yard this evening, where the charming and talented Jared Murray will mix Mommenpop tasting flights of Blood Orange, Seville Orange, and Ruby Grapefruit spritzes from 5 until 9pm.

TONIGHT: Thursday Night Flights - MOMMENPOP APERITIF citrus spritz tasting with special guest Jared Murray. $15 flights of 3 flavors from 5 to 9pm, and wines by the glass until 9.

And this SATURDAY 5/27: CALIFORNIA TASTING FLIGHTS featuring:
2022 Haarmeyer SRV Chenin Blanc
2021 Fres.Co Sonoma Fumé Blanc
2022 Jolie-Laide Glou d’Etat Red Wine
2022 Camp North Coast Zinfandel
$18 flights from 2-6 and wines by the glass all day until 9pm

Cheers,
Max

I’m writing you from the Eastern Sierras. I’m on my annual trip with my father and my brothers. Some of you know about that trip already. 

We’ll be up before the sun and will fish through the weekend and tell tales and laugh and feast and catch up on life. At the end of it all there may be some cheeky awarding of a cup for the best fisherman. There is still some debate about what makes one most worthy of that honor (whether catching the most fish or the biggest fish etc). In the end there is never any actual contesting or anything of the sort.

This morning I had a different memory return to me. I was at a school carnival with a couple classmates, Jeff Gleason and Tony Ligon. We were in fifth grade. There was the game where you have to knock all the milk cans off the platform in three tries. Jeff threw first and his pitch sailed just a hair over the top of the pyramid of stacked bottles. Tony threw next, accurately and with all this might, and cleared everything off but one bottle. I had the last pitch: a singular task, but a small target. And though I can rarely get a crumpled paper ball into a large wastebasket these days, I was able to send a perfect strike on that day and dispatch the last milk bottle. Tony and I spent the next hour disagreeing on whose feat was more challenging, and who was more deserving of the ridiculous stuffed prize. When we couldn’t convince the other of our merit, Antonio suggested we give it to Jeff, and we did. Jeff ended up giving it to a little kid who had lost a game nearby. 

I try to do and to be my best generally, though I miss the target often. Close friends will also tell you that I can also be more competitive than I like to admit. And while the etymology of my name suggests I may not naturally look to peers for judgment, I will also concede, happily, to honorable and more sage souls from time to time. 


OAKLAND YARD made it to the final round for voting in Oakland Magazine's "Best of Oakland". Thank you for the nomination and for all who voted to get us through to the final round! We humbly ask you to consider voting 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 again for the nomination!

We've got a fun weekend and flights ahead.... Roll in and join the good times. Surround yourself with friendly folks and drink and be merry. Know that I'll be raising a glass from afar. All are in good hands with our warm and welcoming crew pouring Thursday Night Flights TONIGHT... GREEK REDS and AUSTRIAN WHITES! Tacos Oscar is OPEN next door - tacos welcome here with flights or glasses anytime!:). Flights $15 from 5-9 and wines by the glass until close. 

And.. SATURDAY FLIGHTS: Wines Of OREGON
2022 Breane Day 'Vin de Days' Blanc
2022 Ovum 'Big Salt' White
2017 Twill 'Stormy Morning Vineyard' Syrah 
2021 Maison Noir 'In Sheep's Clothing' Cabernet Sauvignon
Flights from 2-6 and wines by the glass all day until 9pm


Cheers,

Daniel
 

Aside from public school, and later, shooting pool, my most consistent activity as a youngster was the cello lesson. School and pool I managed on my own, but these music lessons required the presence of a parent, or ‘home teacher’ as they were sometimes called by practitioners of the Suzuki method, a system of musical education designed to build character and empathy over technical ability. Suzuki students often begin playing at age 5 or 6, listening and echoing musical phrases as one would a new language, so a ‘home teacher’ is necessary to guide practice sessions between lessons, to help maintain whatever focus is manageable at that age, and to operate the record player.

Though she was not at all fond of the goateed, small-minded, conservative patriot who ran our Suzuki school in East Rochester, my mother was a devoted and excellent home teacher, attending lessons every week and driving us to Saturday group rehearsals for nearly a decade, because I enjoyed playing, and because she believed in the power of music to enrich our lives. It was a little like going to church, but less onerous; dressing presentably and trying to be somewhere on time, enmeshing our lives with families from other backgrounds, kids from other schools, with social structure and a common goal. I made good friends there, and my mother and I enjoyed our shared community, despite its questionable leadership.

We children grew up and scattered, and I’ve seen few of these old friends in recent years, but my mom has maintained friendships with a number of the ‘Suzuki mothers’ and though child development is no longer the uniting force, their relationships have deepened over the decades and provide a model for me of the continuing friendship and nurturing community that make life bearable, if not delightful. Thank you, Mom, and thanks to all of the mothers, and fathers, and adults of all stripes, who take the time to engage with children, and to do the work necessary to build a supportive community - Oakland Yard salutes you!!!

TONIGHT - THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS:
LOIRE SAUVIGNON BLANCS and MENDOZA MALBECS
2021 Delobel Angle Droit Touraine Sauvignon Blanc
2021 Les Deux Moulins Sauvignon Blanc
2021 Domaine Adèle Rouzé Quincy
2018 Familia Furlotti Malbec
2021 Reunion Malbec
2018 Hinojosa Malbec
Red or White Flights $15 from 5-9pm and wines by the glass until 9pm

***SPARKLING SATURDAY 5/13***
LINDSAY ANSLEY & ADELINE JEWELRY POP-UP with BUBBLY FLIGHTS
The Diver Days of Youth Sparkling Wine
Domaine Ligier Crémant du Jura
Filipa Pato 3B Sparkling Rosé
$15 Sparkling wine flights & local, handmade jewelry for sale from 2-6pm ... And wines by the glass from around the globe until 9pm!

Cheers,
Max