Wine on Piedmont

Wine on Piedmont opened in 2009. The longtime owner retired last fall. I want to introduce you to the new owner and have her recommend some delicious local wines.

Lisa: Adriana Fabbro, what made you want to purchase wine on Piedmont?

Adriana: I started working here for Brian right before the pandemic lockdown and it was just such a joy to come here. The community came out here to support us. I had never really had that experience before. I just wanted this to be the last job I had. I didn't want to leave.

Lisa: You don't just sell wine here, right?

Adriana: We have a wide selection of spirits. We have beer, we have cider and our fastest-growing category right now is non-alcoholic options.

Lisa: How do you decide what to sell here?

Adriana: We taste 99 percent of what we bring in. We're looking for a good mix of the accessible, both price point-wise and style, and some far-out, exciting things you won't find in your average grocery store or elsewhere.

Lisa: You have a weekly wine tasting here, you sell wine by glass, and there are three wine clubs?

Adriana: Yes, that's a lot. It is a lot to manage. But it gives us a lot of different avenues to connect with people.

Lisa: Many people get together with family and friends over the holidays. What are some wines that you can recommend?

Adriana: So, I have a lineup right here, and I wanted to focus on local. Things that are unique to California.

So here we have Caraccioli Cellars, their Brut rosé from 2017. Sparkling is always a great way to welcome guests to get a party started. It's just beautiful. Think like strawberry rose. Really fine mousse. It's just delightful.

Many people come here around the holidays looking for something like La Crema or Meiomi. This is a similar price point, only $29—a fabulous, fresh, well-balanced Pinot noir.

Many people also come in here looking for something like The Prisoner. So, the main grape in those blends is Zinfandel and one of our staff's favorite is this Brown Estate. You can't get more classic California Zin than this coming from Napa Valley.

Love it or hate it, when most people think of Chardonnay they think of buttery. They think of Rombauer. I point them towards this Domaine Eden. It will give you that buttered popcorn, that baked apple, baked pear fruit, and that vanilla cream. And at $35, it might also be better priced—and I would argue better balanced.

The Domaine Eden Cabernet 2019 is drinking better than most cabs. It's got that black fruit. It's got that pine needle earthiness that that licorice. It's just hitting nicely right out of the gate.

Lisa: Adriana Fabbro, thank you so much.

Adriana: Thank you. Lisa. Appreciate it. And happy holidays.

Lisa: Happy holidays to you.