The Island

Photo by Richard Bangert

Thanks to reader Richard Bangert for sending along this photo of Rock Wall Wine Company’s tasting and event space in progress. Two years in the making, the 33-foot-high geodesic dome (or GeoDome) is just about open for business. The GeoDome will hold a tasting room for the nine wineries at Rock Wall and crowds of up to 250 people who turn out for events (they’ll have catering). Meanwhile, big parties will continue to be held in the hangar.

“When you have parties in there, you’ll be able to view the entire city,” Rock Wall’s Chelsea Blackburn said of the Dome. “It’ll be a destination for the entire Bay Area.”

The doors for the dome showed up late last week when The Island checked in, and the dome will have vinyl sheeting covering it to keep things warm. When it’s finished, the Dome will be circled by a wood deck.

They’ve got some things coming up over the next few weeks, including the Alameda Rotary’s Community Grants Fundraiser and Wine Tasting By the Bay (5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, February 11) and Rock Wall’s own Chocolate Kisses and Bubble Dreams, a release of the winery’s new sparkling wines, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, February 13. Tickets are $20 in advance and available online, or $25 at the door.

Rock Wall is at 2301 Monarch Street, at Alameda Point. Their phone number is 522-5700.