A girl I dated in high school gifted me a mug that said "These Are the Days". Turned out to be true in a way, as we broke up that weekend. I kept the mug, though I still struggle with the sentiment, living in the moment. I too often ruminate about where things are headed, with how things began and where or how they end up. With connections and pathways, plots and turns and coincidences and all that. I guess life in general and, frankly, what follows. When I was in second grade, a priest at my grade school asked me if I wanted to go to heaven. Years later, he told me that I had replied with suspicion: "Do you think it'll be any fun?"

For the shop's one year anniversary, I recalled our first newsletter last month, and how Max and I met. How was I to know I'd also meet my wife at that same little shop? Max and I and Julia and Glenny opened OAKLAND YARD in November 2016 and had our grand opening on December 10th. How was I to know that one year later (last Sunday) that Glenny and I would welcome Ellery June into this world on that same day?

Two schools in Southern California are separated by a fence. I was at soccer practice (over 20 years ago) on one side, on the other a young kid named Brendan was likely practicing his saxophone (or practicing smoking). How was I to know that many years later we'd meet and would end up working together in a wine cellar in western Sonoma? He went on to art school, and then on countless other paths, playing music in various indie and country bands, sound engineering for Nickelodeon and NPR, bartending, and eventually working in wineries in Sonoma and New Zealand. He can sometimes be spotted here at the shop, and he has likely filled some of your glasses at our weekly Thursday night tastings. But this SATURDAY, December 16th, he will be here pouring his wine, from his new label, Phantome Cellars. Joining him will be Brian Jessen, winemaker for Irene Wine Cellars, and Philip Cuadra of Highlawn Wine Co. 

These gentleman have been in too many cellars and vineyards to say they are just beginning. But we are thrilled to have these three rising stars all here together at OAKLAND YARD, showing what California wine can be: dynamic, expressive, and balanced.

None of us can see the future, but this Saturday you can taste it. Meet the Winemakers, SATURDAY from 3-6pm here at OAKLAND YARD! Four wines, $15. 

And TONIGHT: Thursday Night Flights! WHITE FLIGHT: French Rhone Whites // RED FLIGHT: California Reds. Flights of 3 wines, $12 from 4-8pm!

SUNDAY FLIGHT: Burgundy! Chablis / Macon-Villages / Bourgogne Rouge. Flights from 2-6pm.

I've been out for most of the week, with amazing support from the OAKLAND YARD team, and from the local wine community with good folks like Matt Gerloff of Kermit Lynch and Cory Gowan of Mission Wines generously giving their time and pouring their delicious wines earlier this week while I was out. But Im back - and hell, I''ve missed you. So get down and say hello! There's so much to raise glasses to these days. If nothing else... to the future.

See you soon,

Daniel

We heartily thank all of you who participated in our East For North fire relief fundraiser at Camino last week. There are so many who helped in ways large and small, and together - with donated food, wine, raffle and auction items - we were able to raise $25,000 for the Latino Community Foundation’s efforts to benefit the underserved communities affected by the north bay fires. Thank you!!!

In addition to the money raised at the benefit, and with help from Schatzi Wines and local winemakers, like Emily and Drew at Trail Marker Wine Co. and Philip of Highlawn Wine Company, OAKLAND YARD was able to raise another $2,500 for the foundation, by donating all profits from California wine sales by the glass over the past two months. So, another resounding chorus of thank yous to everyone who made the California choice at our tasting bar these past two months.

How can we all continue to do good and feel good doing it? Show up for California and keep buying the local wines. We’ve got some of our favorite bay area winemakers pouring here for the next two Saturday afternoons, and we hope you’ll join us to taste their delicious wares, get to know them, and to continue to show your support. Thank you all, and see you soon.

But first…TONIGHT: Thursday Night Flights! All Spanish Whites or Reds from 4 to 8pm - $12

This SATURDAY, December 9th: TRAIL MARKER WINE CO will be here! Winemakers Emily Virgil & Drew Huffine pouring flights of their Pinot Noir, Zweigelt and Chardonnay from 2 to 5pm - $15

SUNDAY, December 10th: Portuguese tasting flights: Red, White, and Sparkling Rosé from 2 to 5pm - $12

And next Saturday, December 16th: Three Local Winemakers pour their wines! Brendan Willard with Phantômé Cellars Anderson Valley "Broken Leg" Syrah, Brian Jessen with Irene Wine Cellars El Dorado Mourvedre Syrah blend and Philip Cuadra with Highlawn Wine Company Theopolis Petite Sirah and Rorick Vineyard Albarino!

See you soon,

Max

An epic month. My folks toasted to 50 years of marriage. OAKLAND YARD turned one. We had our first real Thanksgiving with you all. Max celebrated his birthday just a couple days ago... and speaking of birthdays, it's probably time to mention the elephant in the room. Or, one might say, the elephant in the womb. OK, not an an elephant at all. Fun pun, odd image. But yes indeed, a baby girl is on the way. My wife, Glenny, is due December 12th. Seems strange to correspond with you so often and not mention this. It also seems appropriate to prepare you for my nervous energy, my excitement, and my occasional absentmindedness should you encounter a sleep-deprived or otherwise altered version of me in the weeks or months (or years?) ahead.

I have a lot of stories, but none really start until age 5. I certainly don't remember being an infant, nor a toddler. Apparently some do. I had a friend in high school named Todd who recalled witnessing, at age 2, his sitter stealing his mother's earrings from her jewelry box. Reflecting on it now, as I write this morning... she sounds like a pretty lousy thief, but maybe not an altogether bad baby-sitter (Still keeping a close eye on him while burglaring and all...) Anyway, I digress. 

While we wait for this tiny member of the OAKLAND YARD gang to join us soon, I'd like to also welcome and introduce someone who has already joined us. Some of you have met Jessie, who started working here at the shop a couple weeks ago. Jessie rocks. If you have yet to introduce yourself, come say hello! She'll be behind the bar tonight for THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS! Join us for a stellar lineup of electric, dry German whites and vibrant, food-friendly Italian reds. New arrivals and new vintages. Drop in tonight! Flights $12 from 4-8pm.

SATURDAY, Rachel Miers of Henry Wine Group will be here pouring outrageously delicious flights of her holiday favorites, including some top tier gems! Champagne, Txakolina, Rioja, and Burgundy. Not to be missed! Drop in to OAKLAND YARD, Saturday (12/2). Flights from 2-5pm.

SUNDAY FLIGHT: MERLOT! All lively, fresh and energetic expressions of this often misunderstood grape. Come taste and see. And Believe! We'll be pouring Domaine Le Vrille et le Papiilon 'Chapeau Melon', Little Frances Contra Costa Merlot and Vignoble Lapierre 'Quietude' Merlot. Flights from 2-6pm!

A million thanks once again for letting us be a part of your holiday celebrations, and a part of all the grand or small personal celebrations between and beyond. Thanks for making OAKLAND YARD your shop.

See you soon (and you too, little one...), 

Daniel

Just over five years ago, Hurricane Sandy brought four feet of water to our neighbors in Red Hook Brooklyn. As the flood receded, I grabbed two generators and a sump pump and headed to our local bar, the Red Hook Bait and Tackle, where the owner, Barry, was already dressed in a dry suit and wellies. Together with a few dozen neighbors, we began to clear out the flooded bar and basement. As the day progressed, many more came by to see if they could help, but there are only so many people you can put to work excavating kegs and cardboard. So Barry, bar owner-come community organizer, deployed the helping hands to the neighbors all around us. As that first day came to a close, the neighborhood gathered at the Bait and Tackle where without electricity, Barry managed a makeshift bar so folks could share a drink and a story and start to plan for the community’s recovery.

Throughout the following year, Barry and other small business owners became more than just shop owners. They worked together to raise money to help each other reopen, organized local politicians to respond to residents’ ongoing needs, and most of all, they made Red Hook a haven, giving a deep sense of purpose and place to those of us seeking it.

After the fires stopped burning in Napa and Sonoma Counties last month, and the smoky air in Oakland let up, I was brought back to that time in post-Sandy Brooklyn. Sharing stories with Allison Hopelain at Camino, of friends who had lost homes, wineries, and livelihoods, and inspired by the Red Hook crew, we cooked up a plan to bring together our communities in support of the folks who have been hardest hit. We are proud to be collaborating with Camino and Nokni to produce East for North, a benefit event this Tuesday 11/28. I hope you will join us.

Tickets include food, wine, and a raffle ticket. The evening will also feature a silent auction full of rare items and experiences like a private dinner at Zuni Cafe, dinner IN the downstairs kitchen at Chez Panisse, an overnight at the Scribe Hacienda, and much much more. More details can befound and tickets can be purchased at https://east4north.brownpapertickets.com/.

I was born in the last week of November, which means my birthday occasionally falls on Thanksgiving Day. Astrologically, this makes me a Sagittarius, but I am at odds with my sign. Sagittarians are meant to be extroverted, optimistic and enthusiastic; they embrace change and love travel. I am more often introverted, fatalistic and even-keeled, and I like neither change nor travel. I am, in essence, more of a turtle, but there is no turtle sign, no legendary tortoise, pinned by stars, crawling slowly across the night sky, murmuring softly ‘I told you this would happen.’

Daniel is an Aries, and this makes us very compatible. I’d hate to see what would happen if I spent sixty hours a week with a Virgo or Pisces. Aries are said to be actively enterprising, honest, and guileless, and, thankfully, Daniel embodies these characteristics, but he is rarely aggressive or egoistic, and it would be a stretch to call him organized. How about competitive? I didn’t think so, until he suggested we each design a discounted, pre-packaged, $99 six-pack of holiday wine and see who sells more. 

So I said, ‘Let the games begin!’ and we each filled bags with our favorite, crowd-pleasing, food-friendly wines. These are wines we like to drink, mixed reds and whites, different styles to suit the tastes of your various and discerning friends and relatives. Come on down and check them out yourself, or give us a call and order one by phone and arrange for free delivery.

So far, we’re neck and neck, but we all know: slow and steady wins the race..

We’ll be open THANKSGIVING DAY from 10am until 4pm for last minute libations, including our solidly stupendous $99 HOLIDAY SIX PACKS curated by Max & Daniel

TONIGHT: Thursday Night Flights - French Whites and Italian Reds - 4 to 8pm

This SATURDAY 11/18 - RED BORDEAUX Tasting Flights:

Special guest Alex Finberg pours transcendent top shelf Bordeaux imported by Neil Rosenthal – Saint-Estephe, Saint-Emilion, Haut Medoc, and more - 3 to 6pm - $15

This SUNDAY - Thoroughly sophisticated Thanksgiving sippers: Tasting flights of unique and delicious wines for your holiday table – 2 to 5pm - $15

And Tuesday, November 28th, come eat and drink with us at CAMINO for a FIRE RELIEF BENEFIT to raise funds for the LATINO COMMUNITY FOUNDATION. Oakland Yard is joining forces with Nokni and Camino to aid underserved communities affected by the recent North Bay fires. Food, wine, silent auction, and raffle. 6 to 9pm $100 Buy tickets at EAST4NORTH.BROWNPAPERTICKETS.COM

I've always fallen for fall. Some sort of teenage feeling, I suppose. Or something more ancient in my blood maybe. I'm not a pumpkin spice latte nut or anything, it's more internal for me. A stillness in the air that moves me. A time of year I find myself saying autumn more readily (sometimes with an accent, when no one is around). And I become insanely maudlin- starting poems, watching dreary foreign films, favoring waltzes, playing guitar more and writing songs for my old cat. 

I was a school teacher for ten years before (or, concurrently, while) getting into wine. This particular time of year, just before Thanksgiving, brings fond memories. I'll confess, the four day weekend was always a most welcome relief. But the week or two leading up was quite special. The world moving to a slower, secret rhythm. Everyone seeming to be looking for a little more warmth. We had an annual Stone Soup celebration. You know the folktale, right? A traveller, a village that keeps to (and for) themselves... he just has a pot and water- and a stone. He tells them he is making "stone soup", which would be much improved with a few carrots perhaps (which a reluctant villager contributes), and maybe some celery? (yet another skeptic adds), and some salt and pepper...  You got it. In the end everyone feasts. All are happy. A socialist utopia maybe, but a pleasant sentiment about the nature of sharing, and of giving. The sum greater than the parts.

This past weekend we celebrated our one year anniversary. It was awesome. All kinds of warm, familiar faces and so many new connections too. It's silly, hokey even - but it got me thinking of Stone Soup again. How OAKLAND YARD is ultimately just a vessel, a large pot. What you bring to this space is everything. It's immeasurable, potentially infinite. You are the stock, the meat and potatoes... you are the magic spice. I know Thanksgiving is still two weeks away, but I wanted to thank you- for all you contribute here, for your patronage, for your very presence. For being such an integral part of this celebration. We hope to be a part of your celebrations this month and into the holidays (and beyond). We are honored and delighted to be your shop. Here's to many years, many feasts, and many celebrations ahead...

And here's to Oliver, my old cat. 

SATURDAY: KERMIT LYNCH TASTING! Matt Gerloff will be here with Max pouring an exciting lineup of some holiday favorites from Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant!  Bordeaux varietals and cold weather reds. Flights from 3-6pm! Wines by the glass and Sparkling Sangria special too!

SUNDAY FLIGHTS: RIESLING! Electricity in a bottle. Stunning and wildly expressive. All dry, delightful and food-friendly- perfect wines for your holiday meals! Come taste and see! Flights from 2-6pm, and wines by the glass.

EVERY THURSDAY at OAKLAND YARD: THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS! All stellar new arrivals! Flights $12 from 4-8pm!


See you soon, 

Daniel

The very first party I remember attending was my great-grandmother Rose’s hundredth birthday celebration. It was a modest affair, at her apartment on East 10th Street in New York City and, though I couldn’t have been more than six or seven years old, with a pageboy haircut and corduroy pants, I dubbed myself the ‘bartender’, and doled out ginger ale with ice cubes from the cocktail cart. I took great joy in this role - my first foray into the world of hospitality - and I’m pretty sure Grandma Rose had a good time too. 

This Sunday, we hope you’ll join us for another birthday: One Year of OAKLAND YARD! Twelve months goes by awfully fast these days, and I think I can safely say that while Daniel, Glenny, Julia, and I have all worked harder in the last year than we ever have before, it’s really beginning to feel like it’s all come together rather nicely. Thank you all for your continuing support - your loans, laughter, patronage, encouragement, your thoughtful criticism and advice. And thank you especially for filling our place with life; your friendship, shared sorrows and victories keep us feeling valued and connected during what felt like a difficult year for all.

You usually come by here a few at a time, and many of you have met over a glass of wine at the bar, but we’ve not reached a critical mass of dancing and drinking since our grand opening party, and we barely knew you then. Now we know so many of you, some very well, and we’re looking forward to getting you all together to meet the others. I’m not as cute as I was back in the seventies, but my bartending skills are much improved, and will be in effect on Sunday.

THIS SUNDAY, November 5th, from 2 to 6pm, Nokni Oakland and Tacos Oscar will be serving up delicious food, we'll have beer from Temescal Brewing and, of course, you can count on amazing wines and bubbly by the glass and bottle all day here at OAKLAND YARD! House-made sangria too and live, cuban music by Calle Ocho!

TONIGHT: Thursday Night Flights!: Rhone-style wines - red and white - 4 to 8pm

And this Saturday 11/4: Portuguese Tasting Flights - red, white & bubbly - 2 to 6pm

I'm number six of seven. Certain things are inevitable when you have 6 siblings. As children, we could expect a fair share of Seven Dwarfs memorabilia around the holidays- greeting cards and ornaments and whatnot. One for each of us. It was a no-brainer that the infant, my little brother Timothy, would be "Sleepy". The oldest brother, "Doc", naturally. The occasionally ill-tempered brother accepted the "Grumpy" moniker with some pride, the shyest seemed happy to be "Bashful", but not too happy... you see where this is going. Yep. I got Dopey. Or rather, I was Dopey. Forever. Resistance was futile. It was simply by default, mom swore. I'd like to say I was skeptical, but I took her word for it. Like a dope.

Another inevitability of seven kids is an even (if not equal) distribution of chores. A certain symmetry to the working week. We were each assigned a day. Forever. It was known as our "Special Day". The rules were simple. You got to decide what was for dinner. And you had to do all the dishes that night. Amongst ourselves, we kids called it our "yucky day". Mine was Saturday. Always a big gamble: possible easy peasy, pizza night if I was lucky- or, at very least, the night older siblings were likely to be at friends' houses. But inevitably, the day would come when the big party was at our house. Then my nightmare was real: endless bowls of coagulated dips, grey guacamole, caked and crusted casserole remains. Everyone using three cups. I would pray that morning that there wasn't dessert. Root beer floats? You can all go to hell...

I am thrilled to announce that our ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY celebration will be next SUNDAY! Not Saturday. Sunday. Sunday, November 5th from 2-6pm to be exact. And that's Timothy's "special" day so get down here and make a mess. It's going to be a hell of a lot of fun too! We'll be setting up an outdoor patio behind the shop (the store and tasting bar will stay open all day too)! Nokni Oakland and Tacos Oscar will be serving up delicious food, we'll have beer from Temescal Brewing and, of course, you can count on amazing wines and bubbly by the glass and bottle all day here at OAKLAND YARD! House-made sangria too and live, cuban music by Calle Ocho! Tell your friends. Tell your siblings. Tell Timothy to be ready...

But first... as always, THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS TONIGHT from 4-8pm! Vermentino or Gamay? 3 whites and 3 reds. A stellar selection this evening to be certain! Choose your own adventure tonight! Flights $12.

Also.. we are delighted to have HOUTSKOOL Dumpling House returning to OAKLAND YARD this SATURDAY from 4-7pm! We'll be starting the day off right with Flights from 3-6pm: Wines from Hungary! (insert hungry pun here). We'll also be pouring special wines by the glass all day and into the evening until 9pm. 

SUNDAY: Sparkling Flights from 12-6pm. Bubbles and by the glass specials all day. Lift off with us!


Heigh-Ho... Let's do this.


Daniel
 

At this time last year, Daniel and I had quit our jobs, Oakland Yard was a large, dusty, empty box, with no shelving, no permits, and no inventory, and my friend, Jens, had just arrived to help us make a wine shop out of a whole lot of nothing. This Jens (the J sounds like a Y) is a sculptor, and a builder, a master plasterer, and an accomplished metal worker. He is also a devoted friend, an excellent cook, and a wellspring of tremendous laughter. 

Jens flew to California with power tools and stayed in our home for a month, first itemizing our build-out budget, and helping us choose materials, then unpacking the truck he loaded in Red Hook, Brooklyn, full of wood and steel and more tools, and then working well into the night, day after day, with the mounting pressures of building and health inspections and a pre-Thanksgiving opening. 

Our store plans were drawn by Jens’ partner, Gita, one of my dearest and oldest friends. A skilled architect, gardener, and critical thinker, Gita was equally generous with her talents. The work they did would have cost us a small fortune, but we paid Jens in dinners at Burma Superstar, and beers at The Avenue, and gifted Gita a set of ceramic plates thrown by my father. They asked for no more, wanting only for us to have a beautiful space in which to work.

It’s been a year now, but I think fondly of Gita and Jens every single day, when I unlock the door, turn on the lights, and see again what they’ve made for us. Such acts of kindness shine brightly into the dark corners of our world as few things can, and as we at OAKLAND YARD have watched our friends and neighbors struggle with the fires up north, we’ve been thinking of ways we can help out. Profits from our California wine by the glass sales this last week, and the foreseeable weeks to come, are all going to fire aid, and Julia has organized, along with our fellow shops, Ordinaire and Vintage Berkeley, a fundraising tasting for this weekend.

This SATURDAY, October 21st, we’ll be pouring tasting flights from 12 to 6pm, and wines by the glass until 9pm, to raise money for the California fire relief efforts. Local winemakers have generously donated wine for the cause. We’ll be featuring delicious reds and whites from Wind Gap, Highlawn, Trail Marker, Waits-Mast, Thee & Thou, and Vinca Minor, and every penny will go to those in need.

And don’t forget, TONIGHT…

THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS!: French Whites and Spanish Reds, from 4 to 8pm

And this SUNDAY: Flights of all new Italian wines, white and red, from 2 to 6pm

Thanks for reading these. Max and I have been switching off every week or so, sharing stories for a year now. Just a month ago Max wrote about Sky Vineyards and in my last email I was reminiscing about my time in Sonoma, working in wine production before opening this shop. I have so many stories and memories up there. For brevity last time, I edited out a recollection of the first winemaker I worked for inviting me and two other harvest interns to join his family for a proper home-cooked meal after those first few back-breaking weeks. We gathered around the table and ate well and drank good wine and even coaxed him into playing some guitar for us, with his young son scurrying around in his pajamas, his daughter grinning at him in her high chair.

That kitchen table, that entire home in Santa Rosa, is now gone. As are countless others. Sky Vineyards fell victim to the fire too. This week has been surreal and devastating. A customer was in the other day lamenting that "our wells are dry". Talking about how we normally can get though the day-to-day until a personal or broader catastrophe hits home. Then we go to the well. But in this current political climate, the daily injustices, shootings, hurricanes, earthquakes... what is left in the well? 

We always wanted OAKLAND YARD to be more than just a shop. We hoped it could be a place for people to truly connect. A warm and welcoming space. A place of joy. We want these simple (and, maybe at times, silly) correspondences to be joyful too. We really do. It's just been a lot to deal with everything these days.

But there is light, always. It's been inspiring watching the waves of folks outside all week, dropping off water and clothing and respirators and blankets. Our neighbors at 1-2-3-4 Go! Records volunteered to be a drop off point for donations early on and we joined their efforts. Thanks to our neighbors, ten truckloads have been safely delivered to evacuation sites as of today. We will be coordinating with other East Bay shops for a Fire Relief Fundraiser tasting event next weekend (October 21st), stay tuned for details...

In the meantime, we will continue to be a place to gather and connect. A community well. We are now offering CA wines by the glass EVERYDAY, with 100% of the proceeds going directly to fire relief and bringing aid to all those displaced. Every glass helps. Drop in and drink up.

We also have THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS tonight, as always, White and Red Flights are all Italian lineups tonight. 
 

Special SATURDAY CIDER TASTING. This will be a fun and unusual offering and something not to be missed. Flights from 2-5pm.

SUNDAY FLIGHTS: PINOT NOIR from around the world. We'll be pouring Flights from 12-6pm. 

Know that we'll always be here for you. But right now you're needed here. To fill this well we call OAKLAND YARD. So stop in tonight or this weekend or when you can. Your neighbors need you.

See you soon, 

Daniel




ps. Additional ways to help:

https://www.redwoodcu.org/northbayfirerelief

http://www.napavalleycf.org/fire-donation-page/

nbcbayarea/howyoucanhelpwithnorthbayfirereliefefforts

http://www.sfgate.com/local/article/how-to-help-north-bay-fires-napa-santa-rosa-12264095.php

Between my college years, I worked at several restaurants on Fire Island, a car-less beach community thirty minutes by boat from the south shore of Long Island. I’d stay at my grandmother’s house on the island, swim in the ocean every day, shoot pool in the bars after work, and slowly reel in the spending money that would get me through the winter. I also learned a lot about how not to run a business.

I made friends with the other young people working on the island, a mix of Long Island jocks and frat-boys, Irish kids working in the states on Morrison Visas, and some rough and tumble Manhattan kids who’d figured the beach was the better place to be during summer, even if you had to work and play with all of these jokers. I gravitated toward the latter group and made good friends with Sauce, Dan, Derek and Daryl, city boys with considerable experience in food service, and an irrepressible sense that the world was their oyster, or at least their Clams Casino.

After two seasons bussing tables, Dan helped me get my first job as a waiter, at an outdated but quaint little hotel dining room, with clear views of the Great South Bay, and arguably some of the better food around. There were a handful of waterfront eateries in the town of Ocean Beach, and they were all pretty terrible. Ingredient quality was poor – frozen seafood shipped to an island surrounded by fishing boats – and questionable preparation and technique further worsened the situation.

The owner, and chef, was a raging - is the only word – alcoholic, a lascivious and blustery mustachioed despot, who took it upon himself to sexually harass any marginally attractive young man within earshot. He drank a vanilla-flavored Italian liqueur called Tuaca, wore cutoff jeans and Timberland boots without socks, and chain-smoked cigarettes as he worked the sautee station, with long ashes dangling precariously over every sauce, as plated food and spouted obscenities. Dan hated him so much that he’d throw away the restaurant silverware along with the food scraps as he bussed tables.

If you were not there to pick up the food when it was ready, you were soundly excoriated, but if you stood in the kitchen waiting for the food, the abuse was even worse, so I attached a small mirror to the doorframe between the bus station and the kitchen, and I would stand just outside the door with my eyes trained on the countertop in the tiny looking glass until the food popped into view, then I would snatch it and run.

What did I learn there? If you want to do something, do it right - with integrity and kindness, sow only good seeds and they will grow likewise around you. Life’s too short for bad vibes, or second-rate food cooked without love. We’re very excited to be partnering with Julya and Steve of Nokni Oakland for tomorrow’s pop up Korean food and wine pairing event, because they share these values – and their food is amazing! No smoke, no mirrors, just quality ingredients and a welcoming, positive attitude.

We’ve filled up the second round of tasting, but still have space available from 5 to 6:30. Come by the shop or give us a call to reserve a spot now, or buy tickets online at brownpapertickets.com and stay tuned for more Friday Night Bites coming soon to OAKLAND YARD.

But first, TONIGHT…

THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS: Spanish Reds or Austrian Gruners from 4 to 8pm!

And weekend tasting flights:

SATURDAY: Sparkling Wine from France, Spain and Italy. Bubbly Flights from 3-6pm!

SUNDAY: Wines of Alsace. Flights from 12-6

See you soon,

Max

I got a job teaching right out of college. Ten years later, a fully-grown kid, I found myself living with two friends in a cabin in western Sonoma, perched above the Russian River, near Hacienda Bridge in Forestville. We had decided that winemaking sounded fun. Like most firsts, that harvest was memorable. The work was initially back-breaking for a wimp like me who rarely worked with his hands beyond correcting essays. Now I was climbing racks and scrubbing bins and cleaning tanks and steaming barrels, nearly always filthy and wet from sweat and spray. Things got crazy when the grapes arrived by the truckload, as tanks rapidly filled and dropped and fermentations progressed at varying speeds. Managing the many lots was tricky but exciting. Most things came together. Some things went sideways. A Chardonnay barrel topped with Syrah. A broken press. One of the other interns fell off a tank and shattered the bones in her hand. Get this: her last name was Tank. And the the last name of the hand surgeon? SEVERT. What a world...

As I write this, many winemakers, enologists, cellar crews, and interns I know are in the thick of it. I miss being up there this time of year. I miss the magic and mayhem, and the strange isolation coupled with the curious camaraderie of it all. I also miss how incomparably refreshing a cold beer could be at the end of a long shift. Folks up there like to say "It takes a lot of good beer to make great wine". And it rings true. So we thought it would be fun (for old times' sake, I suppose) to drink some good beer this harvest. Come join us for a SPECIAL SATURDAY FLIGHT and BEER TASTING. The theme will be Sour and Salty. Two new Barrel Aged Sours and a crisp, refreshing Gose. Flights $10, from 2-5pm. 

SUNDAY TASTING: (THE LAST) ROSÉ ALL DAY! (for a while at least;). Come say a belated farewell to summer and send her off in style. All Pink Flights from 12-6pm and BTG specials!

And (first) TONIGHT: THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS!!! Portuguese Whites and French Reds. Choose your own adventure from 4-8pm. Flights $12. Wines by the glass too!

I have too many harvest stories to tell here. But you should roll in for some wine and ask me about the barrel that exploded, or the tank that imploded. Or ask me about the curious characters one meets living in the woods. Ask me about my days as a raccoon trapper, or about the "smoked salmon". Ask about the underground dwarf wrestling league that some there refer to as The Little Opera. 

Let's laugh soon,

Daniel


p.s. Tickets still available for the Friday Night Bites: NOKNI at OAKLAND YARD on 10/6. Read more about it and purchase tickets here or ask us about it tonight!

As a child, I was often flown from New York’s Laguardia airport to Louisville, Kentucky, to spend time with my grandparents, Bonny and Bonnydaddy. On those occasions, they’d greet me with boundless joy and we’d marvel at the giant pegasus sculpture suspended from the ceiling of the Standiford Field airport on our way to baggage claim. This ritual started as soon as I was able to fly alone, which I think, back then, was around four or five. I spent many long weekends and school holidays at Bonny’s heels in the kitchen, helping her prepare Sunday Suppers. For anyone who has family from the south or has spent any time there, you may have some idea of what this looks like. At Bonny’s house, there would be no less than a brisket and a turkey, a dozen side dishes, homemade dinner rolls, and a variety of pies, cakes and cookies. For my grandmother and many of her guests, Sunday Supper was a spiritual act, a continuation of the morning’s church coffee hour, where my grandfather’s students, my grandmother’s mentees, and nearby friends and family would come together. My grandmother expressed love in many ways but the more bountiful the Sunday spread, the more dishes on the table, the longer folks would linger, telling stories and knitting their lives together. 

When we were planning Oakland Yard, I knew we wanted to create a place that would bring people together around food and wine and creativity. And while we’re not recreating Sunday supper, I am pleased to introduce Friday Night Bites: a pop-up we'll be curating in collaboration with chefs who love to build community as much as we do. I’m thrilled that our inaugural event is with Nokni, Steve Joo and Julya Shin’s homage to the diversity of Korean food through the bounty of Northern California’s farms, fishermen, and ranches. 

Join us October 6th for Friday Night Bites: Nokni at OAKLAND YARD, an evening of tasting flights and small bites. Tickets available here: http://oaklandyard.brownpapertickets.com

But first... TONIGHT (as always!) THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS! Spanish Whites and Portuguese Reds. Come relax and explore with us. Flights $12, from 4-8pm.

SATURDAY FLIGHTS: Pinot Noir from Around the Globe! Flights from 2-5pm

SPARKLING SUNDAY: All Bubbly Flights from 2-6pm and by the glass specials all day.

See you soon!

At the close of a cool, grey August in Oakland, the late summer sun kicked into overdrive, heating San Francisco to a record high, and baking much of the California countryside. Grape growers and winemakers picked frantically to avoid spiking sugar levels, with fruit shriveling to raisins on the vine, while we city dwellers sought refuge - sipping, snacking, slowing our atoms - in the bay area’s uncommon, well air-conditioned hangout spots, like OAKLAND YARD.

In addition to the thirst-slaking sparkling, white and rosé wines we always pour at our tasting bar, we’ve been offering chilled reds during the recent heat wave; and, no surprise, but it turns out that Steve Matthiasson’s Tendu Red and Broc Cellars’ Love Red are really delicious served slightly cold, as are many of the lighter, brighter reds we drink the most, like Casa Comerci’s beguilingly beautiful Magliocco Canino ‘Rosina’, and Martincic’s tart, refreshing Slovenian Cvicek blend; they’re all the more delicious having surrendered some degrees.

The lower temperature brings out the fresh berry flavors, tightening and brightening the wine into a sharper focus…and it feels good to drink something cold.

This Saturday, September 16th, from 2 to 5pm, when it’s stiflingly hot outside (again) and perfectly cool in here (always), come join us for a tasting flight of chilled light red wines.

But first, tonight…

THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS: German Whites or Cabernet Sauvignons. Flights 4-8pm, $12

And this Sunday, September 17th, beat the heat with rosé all day! Pink flights and glass specials from 12-6pm.
 

Cheers,

Max

This is a quick story about a kid named James. I never knew him too well to tell much longer tales, as he moved by second grade. But this is my first year of elementary, about a month into the school year I believe. It's early morning and I'm waiting at the tables outside for the bell to ring. That's when I notice James, talking to himself. Or more than that. He's having a conversation with someone who just wasn't there. It was confusing for me at the time. I asked the teacher about it and Sister Mary Remi explained to me that some children have "imaginary friends". I was little, of course, but could pick up on a tone of sympathy here. I understood the message: Pray for James.

The next part of the story I don't like telling, mostly because I'm a real asshole here. But the ending is inspiring, so bear with this little jerk.

It's a couple weeks later and we're all out playing and at some point we're in a bigger group and things get feisty. A boy named Kevin is making the rounds and teasing everyone, putting each kid down one by one. Kids can be cruel. When he gets to me he goes for an easy one, saying something about me not owning a comb (fair enough, I had a wild head of hair at the time). Some of the group laugh, including James, and so I redirect the ridicule his way.

"What are YOU laughing at? You have an imaginary friend"

Kids can be cruel.

James is suddenly animated, adamant. His eyes aglow... "No I don't!"

But then, a proud pause... a mic drop... and we are silenced:

"I have FOUR."



TONIGHT at OAKLAND YARD: Unusual Varieties Tasting. Unknown, misunderstood, under-appreciated. Unique and gloriously different. Singular sensations. THREE WHITES (Mtsvane, Debit, Ribolla Gialla) and THREE REDS (Xinomavro, Blaufrankish, Touriga Nacional). Six distinct, delicious, and delightful wines we are showcasing and celebrating tonight. THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS at OAKLAND YARD form 4-8pm. Bring a friend, or four. 

See you tonight,

Daniel


ALSO WEEKEND TASTINGS...

SATURDAY 9/9: LOIRE VALLEY WHITES. Mineral driven, focused and bright. All lively and electric. Come explore and enjoy from 2-6pm.

SUNDAY 9/10: ROSÉ ALL DAY! Relax and escape the heat. Refeshing A/C and chilled rosé from 12-6. All delightful and dry and all yours. By the glass specials too! Roll in to OAKLAND YARD this weekend!
 

This morning, as the sun slowly rises, I sit at my desk in Oakland wishing I were on top of Mount Veeder, where the first fruit for the 2017 vintage is being cut from the vines at Sky Vineyards. The land, on a remote peak of the Mayacamus Range between Napa and Sonoma, is home to the Olds and Apgar families, and countless wild animals, and it holds a special place in my heart; a place full of happy memories; a place right beside the old New York farmhouse where I grew up. 

Their address says Napa, but it is far from the valley floor, in about as many ways as you can imagine. 2,100 feet up a frightening, car-punishing one-lane road, Lore Olds and his daughter Skyla manage a dry-farmed fourteen-acre vineyard of Zinfandel and Syrah, and they produce some of the most delicious and age-worthy California wines I’ve ever tasted. The site is unique in many ways, a number of which make it the perfect place to grow wine grapes: iron-rich, red volcanic soil, no chemicals for miles around, and an elevation that allows the grapes to ripen slowly and evenly. Some winters, there is snow. 

The only electricity at Sky Vineyards is generated by a small solar panel, and there is no city water line. Rattlesnakes, bobcats, and black widows are all at home here, and, a few months ago, their closest neighbor, cousin Jesse, lost a goat to an enormous female mountain lion. The lovable and misanthropic seventy-one year old vigneron rarely leaves the mountain, and he and his girlfriend Amy, spend much the winter painstakingly hand-pruning every vine on the property. There’s not much else to do up there, but it’s still an impressive feat. I like to say it’s like making wine while camping, and I’m pretty sure no one else born in this century could pull it off so well. Lore’s been there for forty-five years, so he’s figured a few things out.

Lore’s two daughters have always helped with the work in the vineyard and winery, but in the last few years, Skyla, the younger, has set aside a successful career as a do-gooder lawyer to pick up the winemaking reins, and they now work together to maintain the most honest, hands-on, site-specific, vintage-reflective, and simply made wines in California.

Join us at OAKLAND YARD this SATURDAY, September 2nd, from 3 to 6pm, when the lovely and talented Skyla Olds takes break from the harvest to pour Sky Vineyards 2013 Zinfandel, 2011 Syrah & 2016 Rose - $15

But first, tonight… 
THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS: Italian Whites or Spanish Reds! Flights from 4-8pm, $12

And SUNDAY SPARKLING continues... Flights 2-6pm!

Finally... HOUTSKOOL Dumpling House will be at OAKLAND YARD this MONDAY from 3-6pm! Pairing Flights and glass specials all day too! Stay in the loop via Instagram!!!
 

The first week of college a young man in a well-worn navy Brooks Brothers sweater suggested that I join him and his roommate that evening for a cigar in the courtyard. I didn't smoke, but was intrigued. What 18 year old smokes cigars? Sometime after dinner I walked outside our dorm to meet them and discovered nearly two dozen freshman assembled in the dusk, some smoking but most of them failing to keep their cigars lit. The chairman of this gathering had offered the same welcome to the entire floor apparently. It was a grand and unusual gesture. We gathered in a clumsy circle and he held court, telling stories into the night. And we all listened, grinning, feeling like a part of something.

He seemed to be from another era, too old for young love and too much depth for his height. A charismatic Kerouac with an unhealthy hint of Hemingway, a rogue who would rob me of much of my formal education. We became fast friends. We occupied our time with absurd entertainment for our age: listening to the Marcels or Armstrong, playing dominoes and drinking lemonade, dressing in old men's suits and selling (giving away) goldfish to children downtown. Little ones would hobble up with a shy how much, mister? and he would beam: For you...nothing!  

This friend was also a great nuisance, often waking us all in the middle of the night, insisting the moon was ripe for adventure. Each time I'd almost think it a dream until I tasted the salt water on the air. Before I knew it we were lined up once again on the end of the pier, overlooking the Pacific. The wind in our hair and the stars above and all of us counting to three and plunging into the cold, glorious depths below. 
 
We'd drive back in silence, our teeth chattering. The car heater blasting and the windows cracked and howling. With nothing behind us, everything ahead of us. 


THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS $12, from 4-8pm
French Whites
2016 Metaireau 'Carte Noir' Muscadet
2016 Deux Moulins Loire Sauvignon Blanc
2016 Domaine de Nerloux Saumur Blanc
French Reds
2016 Domaine Dupeuble Beaujolais Villages
2015 Francois Xavier Cotes du Rhone
2016 Vannieres Heritage Rouge

SATURDAY: DOMESTIC FLIGHTS 3-6pm, $12
2015 Dancing Crow Sauvignon Blanc (w/ Stefan Cartlidge)
2016 Broc Love Red
2015 Helmet Santa Barbara Red

SUNDAY FLIGHTS: ROSÉ ALL DAY! 12-6pm, Flights $12
2016 Trailmarker Eagle Point Ranch Rosé
2016 Fenouillet Cotes du Ventoux Rosé
2016 Vinum Rosé Paso Robles

Everything is ahead, this weekend and beyond. Come be a part of the adventure at OAKLAND YARD. Bring a friend. Bring a goldfish. Let's be close (but no cigars).

See you soon,

Daniel

 

In 1995, I was a 23 year-old cellist and a bartender at Chez Panisse. On my days off, I’d take BART through the hills to a bus, and then walk another twenty minutes, with my cello, to a housing development in Pleasant Valley, to study jazz with a violinist from the Turtle Island String Quartet. It was a long journey; cars would whiz by, and sometimes I would I pause to rest along the way and eat a snack in the baking sun between suburban driveways, apparently the only pedestrian in all of Pleasant Valley. 

That year, I also enrolled at the Ali Akbar Khan School of Music in San Raphael. My roommate, Chris, was a cook at Café Venezia and an accomplished guitarist, and he and I had been listening to Shakti, by John McLaughlin and Zakir Hussain, and attempting to recreate the blustery eastern fusion in our Berkeley apartment. It was messy, and we knew it. We also knew the only school for Indian classical music in the US was just a bridge away, so we got in Chris’ van and headed to Marin.

Surprisingly, the beginning classes were taught by the septuagenarian Ali Akbar Khan himself, or Khan Sahib, as we all called him, the master. We removed our shoes before entering the school, we learned rhythmic tali patterns by clapping, and Hindustani solfege (Sa Re Ga in place of Do Re Mi), and we were instructed to never step over a musical instrument, as this would disrupt its connection with the heavens. Khan Sahib’s musical teaching was eye opening for me, but I was most impressed by the atmosphere of respect, love and kindness the school engendered. There were about thirty of us, cramped in the classroom, holding violins, sitars, sarods, cellos, and often a young man with a double bass, all listening and concentrating intently, in stocking feet. 

Indian classical music is not really about making music, but was designed as a pathway to divinity, a way out of the self, to a place of peace, love and understanding. At the end of each lesson, the most devoted students would form a line to pay their respect to Khan Sahib by kneeling and touching his feet, and after a few months of study, I took my place in line. When it was my turn, I touched Khan Sahib’s feet, and he looked down into my eyes and asked, “How is your father?” The question was both very kind and rather absurd, as I was sure Khan Sahib had never met my father, but I smiled and said, “He is well, thank you.” 

Khan Sahib passed away in 2009, but his lessons remain in the minds of so many of us. My father is still quite well, and I will be with him next week, celebrating his 77th birthday. I like to think OAKLAND YARD is not an end in itself - not really about wine at all - but rather a vehicle, a place for us to foster peace, kindness, respect, and love in a world that seems to require these values more than ever. Please help us.

Start tonight with THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS: Italian Reds or French Whites - 4 to 8pm – three wines for $12

This SATURDAY, August 19th – 2 to 5pm - $10 Methode Sauvage winemaker Chad Hindspours his 2016 Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc 

This SUNDAY, August 20th – 2 to 6pm – SPARKLING WINE TASTING - $15


- Max

As some of you know, 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 masks. I'd point at a tree or something and shout "there's one one of those no good...!" and Jeff would throw some boomerang we'd fashioned from glued popsicle sticks and I'd say "Nice SHOT, Batman!" And Jeff would say (in a calm, deep voice): "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 skins in a paper 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.

Much like the way seeing one's ex can open a wound, pain really likes a visual. I looked up and there was blood in Jeff's mouth. That's when I felt the sting. I looked down at the pineapple I was licking and it too 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 Austrian Reds. Wines so good you'll want to lick the inside of the bottles. Come help us take these bottles down this evening from 4-8PM ("Same bat-time, same bat-channel"). No jokers.

ALSO!!! We're sending out the signal. Announcing some stellar selections from two rising stars of the "New California" wine scene. Best to come when you're called sometimes...

SATURDAY 8/12 at OAKLAND YARD, we welcome HIGHLAWN Wine Company and winemaker, Philip Cuadra. Philip will be pouring his Albariño from Rorick Vineyard (Calaveras) and a Syrah from Halcon Vineyard (Yorkville Highlands). 

SATURDAY 8/19: METHODE SAUVAGE at OAKLAND YARD with winemaker, Chad Hinds. Chad will be showcasing the new vintage of his Vista Verde Chenin Blanc and Bates Ranch Cabernet Franc

Don't snooze and lose... trust me.

Cheers,

Daniel
 

Listen, my friends, to the tale of Phylloxera,
Loathed by gourmands, just as one might a pox, or a
Plague on grape vines and their life-giving roots,
The louse traveled from vineyard to vineyard on boots,
And laid waste to the world’s most valuable juice.

Indigenous bugs from the US of A,
They took steamboats to England - the Victorian way -
Invaded the mainland, to France and beyond,
The pale yellow, sap-sucking insects have gone
And destroyed the old vines, sparing nary a one. 

You have little hope, my dear plant, that is if you’re the
Specific sort we call Vitis Vinifera, 
Lest you’re planted in schist, or on slate or pure sand,
You’ll fall prey to the louse that has ravaged the land,
And you’ll bear no more fruit for the bottle again.

Beneath each prized vine, some did bury a toad,
For to suck the disease from its hidden abode,
But it wasn’t ‘til scientists Planchon and Riley
Revealed the American louse was behind the
Destruction and found a solution so wily.

They grafted their scions to roots from the States,
And made them resistant, but it was too late
To save most of the vineyards, so they’ve been re-sown,
With feet from America, but arms of their own,
These Frankenstein plants are the norm now in Beaune.

Come join on this Saturday from 2-5pm at OAKLAND YARD, when another scientist will save the day (or at least make it a lot more fun). Local winemaker and microbiologist, Kristie Tacey, will be pouring her 2016 Russian River Viognier (Catie's Corner Vineyard) and her 2015 El Dorado Grenache as OAKLAND YARD welcomes TESSIER WINERY to 420 40th St.

All over the world, the damned louse did the nasty,
Who started this mess? Some blame Count Haraszthy.