 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
East Bay Wineries
VISIT CALIFORNIA’S NEW WINE COUNTRY
San Francisco’s East Bay communities are the site of California’s vibrant urban wine revival. While we currently picture
lovely bucolic vistas when we think of the wine country, until the 1906 earthquake wine was made in the city with grapes
trucked in from the countryside. Now, 100 years later, a close knit group of eclectic, passionate winemakers have taken it
to the streets again.
Think soul, not soil. These wine entrepreneurs, unable to compete with the venture capitalists of Napa and Sonoma, or
simply choosing to craft their wines in the unique environment of the Urban East Bay, have transformed old warehouses,
aircraft hangars, and even an old WWII submarine repair facility into the home of some of California’s most exciting wines
and most interesting tasting rooms. The result is an absolutely fascinating, welcoming, fresh, magical experience. There
are no fountains, lovely gardens or Corinthian columns. No need to feel intimidated if you don’t know what “nose” and
“legs” have to do with wine. This is a non-pretentious, bring-the-wine-to-the-people movement. In so many ways it is just
exactly what you would think would sprout out of the Berkeley-Oakland-Alameda-Emeryville cultural soil. There is a strong
sense of community and social consciousness, humor, boundary-pushing, and celebratory spirit.
Here you can taste wine from over 20 different appellations, versus just a few found in the tasting rooms of most traditional
vineyard-based wineries. Because these artisan winemakers are free to buy the best grapes from all over California, they
have only their imagination to limit them as they take their decidedly non-traditionalist approach to blending. Their wines
reflect the soil and climate of Santa Barbara, Monterey, Sonoma, Napa, Lodi and Livermore vineyards. If you have long
since discovered all subtle nuances of Carneros chardonnay, try Dashe’s dry Alsatian-style Riesling or JC Cellar’s
Marsanne and Roussane blend, “First Date.” These wineries, most only 5 to 10 years old, are producing world class
Zinfandel, Syrah and exquisite Pinot. Periscope Cellar’s complex and tasty “Deep 6” is a fantastic bargain at $22. Lost
Canyon’s Pinot’s and Syrah’s have accolades and awards from Wine Enthusiast, Wine & Spirits and The SF Chronicle.
The tasting rooms reflect the diverse personalities and values of this very creative and untraditional band of winemakers.
All are open, airy, comfortable spaces that sing out possibilities. They run the gamut from funky and quirky to urban sheik.
Except for Rosenblum Cellars, which has been around for 30 years and now produces about 220,000 cases a year, they
are small and humble in their attitudes and scope. A few even practice the age-old and no-tech pigeage a pied (the old
fashioned foot stomping of the grapes) and many have barrel tasting. From the tasting room you are able to watch the
process separation, crush, fermentation and bottling and come away feeling a connection to the wine.
But the really interesting synthesis that these places have achieved goes beyond the grapes to the idea of wine as not
something separate, elevated and static, but alive, growing and integral to the personal and neighborhood experience.
They bring wine back home, to the community, to the consumer. These are neighborhood wineries where not only the
connoisseurs, but the locals and the workers from the ship yards or factories stop by on their way home to pickup a bottle
for dinner or hang out for a while. These are places that pair their wine with music (no, not just classical—blues and jazz,
alternative, rock), art work from the local consortiums, yoga, film, and of course food.
The neighborhoods have their own particular charm and attractions. Lost Canyon Winery is on Oakland’s historic
Embarcadero Cove, in a mixed commercial and residential section that has some upscale-looking lofts in the middle of the
industrial area. Emeryville’s Periscope’s Cellars is in a decidedly hip, South-of-Market looking area. JC Cellars and
Dasche share a communal space in Oakland where you can see forklifts and baby carriages on the same street.
Rosenblum Cellars is in a historic railroad building on the Oakland Estuary. This winery is so relaxed that even your dog
is welcome (Kent Rosenblum is a practicing vet). Sit out on their picnic deck and watch the massive container ships
docking so close you think they are going to pull right into the winery, or enjoy a view of The City from their huge tasting
room window.
And now for the most unusual tasting of the day in one of the most sophisticated urban spaces imaginable…that also has a
breathtaking view of San Francisco: St. George Spirits. This is not a winery, it is a craft distillery that is located in Hangar
1 of the old Alameda Naval Air Station. They are the makers of the Hangar One Vodka, which has accumulated a very
dedicated cult following. The Whiskey Wench or the Vodka Vixen, or any one of the young, irreverent and enthusiastic
tasting room staff will give you a free taste of the addicting Buddha’s Hand Citron Vodka or perhaps some Qi White Tea
Liqueur (these are not your grandma’s liqueurs!).
One of St. George’s most notable products is Absinthe, of which they are currently America’s only producer. Probably the
closest most Westerners have come to absinthe is an Oscar Wilde novel, but here you can finally sample the infamous
“Green Fairy.” This supposedly highly addictive and psychoactive spirit was banned in America and most of Europe for
almost a hundred years until very recently when they finally decided that it really was not any worse for you than regular
liquor. The distillery is a popular place for chocolate and spirits tasting and cocktail classes. What a great way to end a day
of Urban Spirits touring!
VISIT CALIFORNIA’S NEW WINE COUNTRY
San Francisco’s East Bay communities are the site of California’s vibrant urban wine revival. While we currently picture
lovely bucolic vistas when we think of the wine country, until the 1906 earthquake wine was made in the city with grapes
trucked in from the countryside. Now, 100 years later, a close knit group of eclectic, passionate winemakers have taken it
to the streets again.
Think soul, not soil. These wine entrepreneurs, unable to compete with the venture capitalists of Napa and Sonoma, or
simply choosing to craft their wines in the unique environment of the Urban East Bay, have transformed old warehouses,
aircraft hangars, and even an old WWII submarine repair facility into the home of some of California’s most exciting wines
and most interesting tasting rooms. The result is an absolutely fascinating, welcoming, fresh, magical experience. There
are no fountains, lovely gardens or Corinthian columns. No need to feel intimidated if you don’t know what “nose” and
“legs” have to do with wine. This is a non-pretentious, bring-the-wine-to-the-people movement. In so many ways it is just
exactly what you would think would sprout out of the Berkeley-Oakland-Alameda-Emeryville cultural soil. There is a strong
sense of community and social consciousness, humor, boundary-pushing, and celebratory spirit.
Here you can taste wine from over 20 different appellations, versus just a few found in the tasting rooms of most traditional
vineyard-based wineries. Because these artisan winemakers are free to buy the best grapes from all over California, they
have only their imagination to limit them as they take their decidedly non-traditionalist approach to blending. Their wines
reflect the soil and climate of Santa Barbara, Monterey, Sonoma, Napa, Lodi and Livermore vineyards. If you have long
since discovered all subtle nuances of Carneros chardonnay, try Dashe’s dry Alsatian-style Riesling or JC Cellar’s
Marsanne and Roussane blend, “First Date.” These wineries, most only 5 to 10 years old, are producing world class
Zinfandel, Syrah and exquisite Pinot. Periscope Cellar’s complex and tasty “Deep 6” is a fantastic bargain at $22. Lost
Canyon’s Pinot’s and Syrah’s have accolades and awards from Wine Enthusiast, Wine & Spirits and The SF Chronicle.
The tasting rooms reflect the diverse personalities and values of this very creative and untraditional band of winemakers.
All are open, airy, comfortable spaces that sing out possibilities. They run the gamut from funky and quirky to urban sheik.
Except for Rosenblum Cellars, which has been around for 30 years and now produces about 220,000 cases a year, they
are small and humble in their attitudes and scope. A few even practice the age-old and no-tech pigeage a pied (the old
fashioned foot stomping of the grapes) and many have barrel tasting. From the tasting room you are able to watch the
process separation, crush, fermentation and bottling and come away feeling a connection to the wine.
But the really interesting synthesis that these places have achieved goes beyond the grapes to the idea of wine as not
something separate, elevated and static, but alive, growing and integral to the personal and neighborhood experience.
They bring wine back home, to the community, to the consumer. These are neighborhood wineries where not only the
connoisseurs, but the locals and the workers from the ship yards or factories stop by on their way home to pickup a bottle
for dinner or hang out for a while. These are places that pair their wine with music (no, not just classical—blues and jazz,
alternative, rock), art work from the local consortiums, yoga, film, and of course food.
The neighborhoods have their own particular charm and attractions. Lost Canyon Winery is on Oakland’s historic
Embarcadero Cove, in a mixed commercial and residential section that has some upscale-looking lofts in the middle of the
industrial area. Emeryville’s Periscope’s Cellars is in a decidedly hip, South-of-Market looking area. JC Cellars and
Dasche share a communal space in Oakland where you can see forklifts and baby carriages on the same street.
Rosenblum Cellars is in a historic railroad building on the Oakland Estuary. This winery is so relaxed that even your dog
is welcome (Kent Rosenblum is a practicing vet). Sit out on their picnic deck and watch the massive container ships
docking so close you think they are going to pull right into the winery, or enjoy a view of The City from their huge tasting
room window.
And now for the most unusual tasting of the day in one of the most sophisticated urban spaces imaginable…that also has a
breathtaking view of San Francisco: St. George Spirits. This is not a winery, it is a craft distillery that is located in Hangar
1 of the old Alameda Naval Air Station. They are the makers of the Hangar One Vodka, which has accumulated a very
dedicated cult following. The Whiskey Wench or the Vodka Vixen, or any one of the young, irreverent and enthusiastic
tasting room staff will give you a free taste of the addicting Buddha’s Hand Citron Vodka or perhaps some Qi White Tea
Liqueur (these are not your grandma’s liqueurs!).
One of St. George’s most notable products is Absinthe, of which they are currently America’s only producer. Probably the
closest most Westerners have come to absinthe is an Oscar Wilde novel, but here you can finally sample the infamous
“Green Fairy.” This supposedly highly addictive and psychoactive spirit was banned in America and most of Europe for
almost a hundred years until very recently when they finally decided that it really was not any worse for you than regular
liquor. The distillery is a popular place for chocolate and spirits tasting and cocktail classes. What a great way to end a day
of Urban Spirits touring!
