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Berkeley:
March 28, 2004
Rubissow-Sargent is a
collaboration of two families, and a working partnership between
two locations. Winemaker Tony Sargent, a retired University of
California Senior Scientist, felt it would be better to
live and make
wine in near his home, rather than drive the 50 miles to the Napa estate
every day to tend the wines. Thus the two-location system was established
with the Rubissows farming the Napa estate and the Sargents
focusing on
the winemaking in Berkeley.
The winery is open for
tasting on Sundays only, from noon to 5pm & by appointment.The tasting room is operated by Ariel Rubissow-Okamoto, who is also the
Vineyard Manager
at the estate in Mt. Veeder.
You would never know this
winery was there unless you were looking for it. The facility is in an
industrial area of Berkeley, sandwiched between film production houses,
fashion outlets, small industrial buildings, busy design studios and
artisan ateliers. A small sign marks the place and Ariel puts out the
a-frame 'open for tasting' sign on Sunday mornings. It's a neighborhood
winery that locals frequent and many have been surprised to learn that
there is one just around the corner. The entire space can't be more than a couple thousand
square feet, and includes a small wine tasting bar. The stainless steel
fermentation vats are just a few feet away as are the racks of barrels
where the wine is aging. It also warehouse's what's left of the 2500+
cases that comprise their annual production.
Ariel is expecting us and
gives us a brief tour explaining how crowded this small space can be
during crush &
bottling. But yet they manage to get it all done. After almost 20 years
they have gotten it down to a science.
Rubissow-Sargent is not the
only 'urban winery' in Berkeley, Grapeleaf Cellars is just a few blocks
away and also offers tasting on the weekends. Audubon Cellars and Edmund
St. John have Berkeley addresses as well, however they are not open for
tasting.
The Wine
Guide Visits the Rubbisow-Sargent Estate |
Winery
Information & Tasting Notes |
The Wine Guide