Adams Point
Adams Point Winery specializes in tropical fruit and dessert wines.Mango, Mango/Papaya, and Persimmon table wines are very food friendly. Made in an off-dry style, they have sufficient acid levels to balance Asian, Caribbean and Latin American cuisines. Mango Dessert wine and Persimmon Dessert wine are made in a “Port” style. Clear natural grape brandy is introduced during fermentation which stops the process early. The result is higher alcohol level with residual natural fruit flavors and sweetness.
Adams Point is unique in offering a White After Dinner wine, as well as a Red. Again a “Port” style is used to create these hand-crafted dessert wines. However it is the success of his Chocolate Dessert wine that convinced the then home winemaker, Bill Galarneau to go commercial. Like many winemakers, Bill started making wine in his garage. At some point, the operation began to take over every nook and cranny of the house. A decision was required; either keep winemaking as a hobby or go commercial. In 2005, Adams Point became a commercial winery in Berkeley.
Andrew Lane Wines
Andrew Lane combines progressive East Bay urbanity and luscious Napa fruit to create a true ‘surf and turf’ duo. Andrew Lane Wines rose from a family-run underground favorite in the Napa Valley to a commercial wine business in 2002 and recently moved production to a former submarine factory near Oakland. Andrew Lane draws fruit from some of the finest vineyards in the Napa Valley, specializing in an Oakville-hillside Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gamay Noir and Petite Sirah Their small, artisan winery celebrates community around the world through limited production wines built to foster discussion, perspective and relationships at the dinner table. Andrew Lane celebrates agriculture beyond the wine list and is a part of the Urban Wine Experience.
Aubin Cellars
Where in Oakland can you find beautifully crafted single varietal wines that show balance, fruit purity and Verve? Simple: at Aubin Cellars. Oak barrel importer turned winemaker, Jérôme Aubin, founded Aubin Cellars in 2001. Jérôme sources grapes and makes wine from three western states—-California, Oregon and Washington. The expertise and craftsmanship of various winemakers is utilized, each expressing a respective style in processing and maturing single varietal grapes: Pinot Noir, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc, French Colombard, and Gewürztraminer. Aubin Cellars blends old world methods and modern concepts to create distinctive wines worthy of fine pedigree and reputation.
Blacksmith Cellars
In 2003, winemaker Matt Smith launched Blacksmith Cellars with the release of his 2001 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, an elegant wine that celebrated the artistry, craftsmanship, and tradition of great independent winemaking.
Two years later, Matt’s first white wine, the 2004 Monterey Chenin Blanc, won a 4 Star Gold Medal at the Orange County Fair Commercial Wine Competition.
While Cabernet Sauvignon and Chenin Blanc have remained Blacksmith’s flagship red and white, Matt loves to work with new varietals. Over the years he’s added classic grapes such as Syrah and Chardonnay to Blacksmith’s line-up, as well as lesser-known gems, such as Torrontes and Verdelho, and a pair of exceptional proprietary blends: “Adamantine” and “Hephaestus.”
Carica Wines
Making wine of extraordinary character from small lots of premium Sonoma County grapes, Carica Wines has achieved critical acclaim and a devoted following for its single-vineyard Syrah, Petite Sirah, Rhone-style Red Wine, and Sauvignon Blanc. As a family-owned winery founded in 2005, we offer you limited production, hand-crafted wines worth your search: Wines that capture a unique sense of place and time. Great intensity is a hallmark of Carica wines, but never at the expense of the critical balance between fruit, acid, and tannins. We invite you to enjoy our wines and to share them with your friends.
Cerruti Cellars
There’s a wonderful synergy that surrounds Cerruti Cellars’, which sits a block from the Oakland Produce Market. The wholesale mart, which has been near downtown for more than 120 years, is where Cerruti’s owner John Tudal (pronounced two DAWL) spent many mornings as a boy unloading his dad’s and uncle’s vegetables from the family farm in Alameda. Cerruti Cellars, which specializes in consumer friendly brands, is poised to open a tasting room in close proximity to the soon-to-open Jack London Market. The additional history of the Tudal/Cerruti family has resided in St. Helena in the Napa Valley, where Tudal Winery celebrated its 30th harvest with the 2009 vintage. But it’s in Oakland, with its urban winery that Cerruti Cellars has been operating under the guidance of longtime winemaker Ron Vuylesteke (VOL steck). Cerruti produces several proprietary branded wines whose fruit is sourced from some of the best vineyards on the North Coast, including Napa Valley and Sonoma County. The winemaker began his career under the tutelage of the legendary Andre Tchelistcheff. Cerruti Cellar’s wines include a red blend, Tractor Shed Red, in its 11th vintage with the 2007 edition. Also produced is a Sauvignon Blanc called Honker Blanc; and a Merlot rosé, Mer Blanc; as well as a Cabernet Sauvignon blend called 50/50, whose grapes come from Tudal Winery’s 35–year-old Cab vineyards – one of the oldest in California — and from the famed Alexander Valley.
Dashe Cellars
Dashe Cellars is a family-run winery founded in 1996 by the husband-and wife team of Michael and Anne Dashe. Their marriage, and combined experience making wines in California and France, is reflected in their wines, symbolizing the synthesis of the two geographic areas and winemaking traditions. The outcome is complex, balanced, and especially sensuous wines that capture both the charm of the creators and the personality of the top vineyards in Sonoma and Mendocino counties where the grapes are grown. By selecting outstanding vineyards with older vines, rocky soils, and special microclimates, they highlight the distinctive sites from which the wines are made. The resulting wines exhibit the intensity of California fruit, but also possess a stability and a depth of flavors that make the wines lovely in their youth, and equally delightful as they evolve and age-just like a marriage.
Eno Wines
Known for creating wines that are works of art-inside and outside-of the bottle, Eno Wines is a boutique winery producing small batches of Pinot Noir, old vine Zinfandel, Grenache, and Syrah from world class and undiscovered vineyards. Through a winemaking journal, photos, and sharing their inspirations, Eno Wines tells the story behind each wine The combination of award-winning labels and evocative names also expresses the unique qualities of each wine. Showing a profound passion for creating wines that transcend the typical, Eno Wines is a winery to be experienced!
Ehrenberg Cellars
Ehrenberg Cellars has been making great “homemade vino” and winning awards since 2003. We are very proud to announce that we are moving “out of the garage” and heading to Rock Wall! Our new home (commercial winery) in Alameda will allow us to expand our commitment to creating signature wines made for those who have “a love of the drink”!
My appreciation of wine traces back to my European roots. As a young boy sitting around the dinner table sipping wine with my family, I was always amazed at how much satisfaction and pleasure that great wines brought to us.This effect of bringing my family closer inspired a dedication in me to create fine wines. Tasting wine rich, full-bodied, deep in character with a nice oak finish that is intense and special; this tradition lives on today with the award-winning wines of Ehrenberg Cellar.
So come and enjoy what our friends and family have been enjoying for years. An array of red wines that have won an astonishing 33 awards! Take a sip of Ehrenberg Cellars. Relax, drop your shoulders just a bit, and you will find yourself saying “aahh, life is good”!
Irish Monkey Cellars
Irish Monkey Cellars is a family run winery, bonded in 2006, and had existed as a collective of wine advocate friends for 9 years prior. Bob Lynch as winemaker demands “fruit first” craft, citing that the majority contribution to a great wine is great fruit – without too much alcohol! Our focus is towards small lot vineyards, often where the growers lives amongst his and her own vines. We specialize in the Lovall Valley (Napa), where extraordinary Merlot, Syrah and Primitivo are grown. We continue to be amazed with Carneros/Napa quality, specializing in their cool-grown Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir. Bob has a trio of eclectic old-world styled Meritages that combine rigorous winemaking and delicate blending into The Art: a classic “Five Grapes Meritage” having Cabernet, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec. A wonderful Rhone styled red based on Syrah infused with Malbec and a touch of Sangiovese de Roma. The most unusual Meritage of the three is made from the grand classic Portuguese varieties, Touriga National, Touriga Francesca, Alvarino, Tinta Cao, Tinta Ruiz and Sousao, aged in both full and half barrels. Underlying all of these is Bob’s oft-repeated theme: honest wine that goes with food, and excellent wine that makes people happy.
JC Cellars
JC Cellars is an urban, artisan winery, which sources grapes from California’s finest vineyards to craft exceptional single vineyard wines featuring bold California fruit with the sophistication and complexity of great French wines. Renown for Rhône style wines, and hailed as on one of the masters of zinfandel, JC Cellars founder and winemaker Jeff Cohn marries his passion for classic French style winemaking with a spirited Californian sense of innovation to craft elegant wines that showcase terroir. JC Cellars produces Rhône style inspired syrah, bold petite syrah, exotic Rhône style whites, late harvest viognier, and powerful zinfandels.
With vineyard partners in Napa, Sonoma, Monterey, Santa Barbara and beyond, JC Cellars established an artisian winery just off historic Jack London Square near downtown Oakland. An original home for an original winery, the location has proven an ideal fit for the artisan family winemaking of JC Cellars.
Periscope Cellars
The name says it all it all! Periscope Cellars is a unique winery located inside a WWII submarine repair facility in the heart of Emeryville, Ca. This unlikely setting for the art of winemaking sets an interesting backdrop that enhances the wine tasters’ experience and creates an ambiance all its own. Founded by Brendan Eliason, a self-proclaimed “follower of Dionysus,” Periscope Cellars focuses on red wines, utilizing exceptional grapes from small family-run farms to create incomparable blends and tastes. Coupled with striking names like Evil Eye, a blend of Syrah and Cabernet Franc, and Deep 6, a mixture of six different grapes, Periscope Cellars concocts more than just a bottle of wine, but a work of art. Periscope Cellars encourages everyone to stop by this one of a kind winery to view the winemaking process and taste straight out of their barrels, offering Happy Hours prices per glass, as well as discounts.
Prospect 772 Wine Company
A select group of wine experts and food industry veterans with one unifying passion came together in 2001 with the idea of making Rhone Style Blends produced from grapes grown on their land in the Sierra Foothills near Angels Camp. Three years later Prospect 772 was making their first wines at JC Cellars in Oakland with the assistance of winemaker Jeff Cohn. This is a serious group, committed to bringing wine varietals to discerning wine enthusiasts everywhere. In 2007, they offered The Brawler, black licorice, tar and Christmas spices on top of a deep lingering background of rich black fruit and The Brat on the contrary, and being somewhat opposite, shows itself elusively with a ruby red fruit center under a spicy layer of cinnamon and crushed stones. They are building their own facility on their property in Calaveras County, check their website for latest details.
R&B Cellars
R&B Cellars makes wine the way they perform their jazz – with passion, fun and adventure, with an eye to detail and the belief that wine should be enjoyed by all. The result is superb wine with an approachable price tag. A husband and wife team, Barbara and Kevin Brown, both lifetime musicians, believe that the ultimate pairing is wine & music. They perform at wine tasting events wherever they go, delighting people with their wines and their music. Kevin plays piano, Barbara sings.
R&B Cellars is in the East Bay’s town of Alameda, allowing Kevin and Barbara to source fruit from some of the best vineyards in Northern California – their wines consistently receiving 90+ scores and accolades around the world. With several different varietals and price points, they make their wine to share with the world. Their passion for wine and for jazz is evident by the fun musical labels and jazzy names.
Great music and wine, shared with friends. That’s what it is all about!
Rock Wall Wine Company
The Rock Wall Wine Company represents a new chapter in the East Bay winemaking scene. Founded and operated by a small group of wine industry veterans, including consulting winemaker Kent Rosenblum and his daughter Shauna Rosenblum, the winery offers wine lovers one of the most unique experiences in the wine world.
Rock Wall wines are founded on the philosophy of the right grape in the right place and are the result of many long-term relationships with acclaimed vineyards. Grapes are sourced from all over California which creates a diverse winemaking environment, complete with different grape varieties, styles and regional flavor profiles.
Ideally situated in Alameda, California, the winery boasts spectacular views of the San Francisco skyline, and more importantly its locale allows the winemaking team to be regionally centralized – ensuring that whether Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley, Zinfandel from Sonoma County, Petite Sirah from Contra Costa County or Chardonnay from the Santa Lucia Highlands the winemaking team is able to handle the fruit soon after it is picked.
Rosenblum Cellars
Rosenblum Cellars is the story of a hobby gone wild. Founded in 1978 by veterinarian Dr. Kent Rosenblum, the winery has evolved from basement winemaking to our current facility next to the ferry building on the island of Alameda. Rosenblum Cellars is now a world-class winery, producing award-winning, single-vineyard Zinfandels and Rhone varietals such as Syrah, Petite Sirah, Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne.
A visit to our Alameda Tasting Room offers a unique opportunity to experience the diversity of California’s top wine regions in just one local stop. The more established regions of Napa and Sonoma play a large part in the winery’s portfolio, but Rosenblum Cellars is constantly searching for quality vineyards and makes wines from appellations as far north as Mendocino and as far south as Santa Barbara.
Tucked inside an historic railroad building on the edge of the San Francisco Bay, our Alameda Tasting Room is a hidden gem. Its rustic charm attracts fans from around the world who enjoy the unique, relaxed atmosphere. No snootiness here. Our fun-loving staff is nearly as popular as our world-class wines. The tasting room is open daily, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Stage Left Cellars
Like many small wineries, Stage Left grew out of a passion for wine. But more importantly, Stage Left was formed from the thread of experiences and adventures accompanying that passion. Some might say that the more we drank, the better the idea of starting a winery sounded. Is that wrong?
So, making wine is our gig. We don’t make much, mind you. We just handcraft small lot wines from Syrah, Viognier, Grenache, and Mourvedre. And Petite Sirah. And a little Roussanne. Boy do we like Roussanne. Even Cabernet and Zinfandel make cameo appearances every now and then. And we mix it up with some of the top vineyards throughout California and Oregon. That’s right, Oregon.
Vineyards, varieties, and vat sizes aside, the real name of our game is to make wine that moves you. After all, bridging the gap between mere drink and lasting memories is why we got into this crazy business in the first place. Besides, everyone needs an exit strategy. We’re open for tastings every first Saturday of the month from 11am-5pm or by appointment. Call for details.
Stomping Girl Wines
Stomping Girl Winery produces small lots of artisanal Pinot Noir inspired by our family’s three generation winemaking history. We source grapes from top vineyard sites in Northern California, and use traditional, low intervention winemaking practices to guide the expression of Pinot Noir’s true flavors.
Kathryn and Uzi Cohen founded Stomping Girl in 2008, after making wine in their home wine cellar for years, in honor of Uzi’s grandmother who started the family winemaking tradition. Uzi has warm childhood memories of helping his grandmother make wine on the family property in Israel. She was an independent, resourceful woman who would often recruit his sister to stomp grapes with her bare feet. Years later, while visiting relatives who had moved to Burgundy, France, Uzi and Kathryn Cohen were inspired by these childhood memories and decided to revive the family’s winemaking tradition.
Tayerle
On a modest budget Loren Tayerle put together a small winery in the O2 Artisans Aggregate, a compound of artisans and craftsmen in industrial West Oakland (Baja Napa!). There the focus is on authentic handcrafted small lot wine production, emphasizing gentle handling techniques, to bring purity, balance and expression of the varietal. Tayerle has a close long standing relationship with his main vineyards including the making of their own wines. Loren brings a sense of aesthetics to winemaking from a career as a classical musician with an impassioned attention to detail and an ability to handle complexity with grace and precision. Wines produced by Tayerle are to be enjoyed! Visit their website for tasting room hours and more details.
Urbano Cellars
With the inspiration of another home winemaker turned professional, Fred and Bob started making wine in Bob’s garage in 2002 – then in 2006 they decided to give it a go professionally. Based in the East Bay, Urbano Cellars desires to produce food friendly wines that possess character and balance, using blends and unique varietals such as Grenache, Tempranillo, Barbera and Sangiovese. In addition, Urbano Cellars balances its collection with classic offerings of Syrah and Zinfandel. They strive to source grapes from smaller growers that subscribe to sustainable growing practices. All wines are handcrafted in small lots with current annual case production about 700. Urbano Cellars wines are available at Periscope Cellars tasting room in Emeryville.
Urban Legend Cellars
Urban Legend (\`ər-bən\ \`le-jənd\): 1. A fanciful story that appears mysteriously and spreads spontaneously. 2. An Oakland cellar capturing the magic of distinctive California grapes in honest wines.
Urban Legend’s wines begin with skilled growers who sustainably cultivate fruit that expresses the soul of California’s landscapes. Our winemaking–with a little magic–lets the grapes speak. The story our wine tells reminisces about the Old World while embracing the New—full, balanced, distinctive but never strident. Sophisticated without taking itself too seriously. Honest wines. Really!™ Urban Legend Cellars is here where you are, making it easy to explore new flavors and make them part of your experience. Winemakers Steve and Marilee Shaffer believe that wine is too special not to be part of every day’s story, and we craft our vintages to complement good food, good times, and living well.
