4/26 - Barbara Balik - CA Winemasters & Carmen Policy of Casa Piena

Barbara Balik - Winemasters
The 21st Annual Culinary Evening with the California Winemasters

Saturday, May 15th, 2010
6PM at Warner Bros., "Midwest Street"

A wine tasting extraordinaire and spectacular hors d’oeuvres dinner benefiting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The 2010 event will be held on the "Midwest Street" backlot at Warner Bros.

Carmen Policy - Casa Piena, Policy Vineyards

Casa Piena embodies an intimate relationship between our family and a remarkable piece of land, located in one of the most beautiful parts of the world.

Our select estate vineyard is meticulously cared for with a passionate commitment to growing Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc that exhibits profound depth and character.

We are blessed to have exceptional fruit that is the ideal reflection of the unique terroir of the Policy Vineyard site, allowing our team to handcraft wines of restrained power, great integrity and supreme elegance.

4/19 - Nancy Lasseter, Justin Vineyards & Winery

Nancy Lasseter - Lasseter Family Vineyards 

The story of Lasseter Family Winery began in 1992 when John and Nancy Lasseter moved to the town of Sonoma and discovered the art of winemaking through a group of amateur winemaking friends. For them, it was a leap from appreciating wine to immersing themselves in the winemaking process.  By 2000, the Lasseters were making their wine at the winery of their close friends, Tommy and Marcy Smothers. The “idea” of Lasseter Family Winery was slowly evolving, and John and Nancy began to consider options for a winery site. When a historic Sonoma Valley winery and vineyard property in desperate need of caring restoration and renovation became available in 2002, John and Nancy decided it was a perfect place to continue the story. Escrow on the property closed during the 2002 harvest, on the same day that several generations of the Lasseter family worked together crushing grapes just down the road at the Smothers Winery.  The Lasseters have partnered with master winemaker Julia Iantosca, who has many years of experience throughout Sonoma County, as they "fine tune" the vineyard, develop their signature blends, and craft what will ulitmately become the house style. Julia's passion for blended wines dovetails perfectly with the Lasseter's approach. Cellermaster Bart Hansen has years of experience from long tenures at Kenwood Vineyards and Benziger Family Winery. He knows the Sonoma Valley intimately and brings tremendous attention to detail to his daily winemaking responsibilities.  Three generations of the Lasseter family continue to work together on this project.

Justin Vineyards & Winery - Paso Robles, California

"When we started there were less than 10 wineries in the area."  JUSTIN Winery is a family owned and operated winery making estate grown and produced wines. The property was founded in 1981 by Justin and Deborah Baldwin when they planted their 160 acre property to the major Bordeaux varietals and created their Estate vineyard.  The winery is located in the Paso Robles appellation of California’s Central Coast. The region’s first grapes were planted in 1779 by Franciscan missionaries and today are home to the third highest concentration of wineries in the United States.  Their desire is to make world class wines that reflect the unique soils and climate of their California Central Coast property. Emphasis is placed on making Bordeaux-style blends and single varietals, combining Old World tradition with New World techniques.

4/12 - Stacy Lille - DeLille Cellars and Jeff Marazoni - Rudi Wiest Selections

Stacy Lille - "DeLille Cellars"

DeLILLE CELLARS is now working with our vineyard partners, and with our own estate, Grand Ciel Vineyard, to apply for certification with L.I.V.E. (Low Input Viticulture & Enology - http://www.liveinc.org). LIVE is a non-profit organization that promotes and certifies sustainable vineyard practices. We are planning that soon, all of our fruit will be grown in a green and sustainable manner so that we can continue to make the best, most natural and authentic wines for many years to come. We are dedicated to do our part so that we have the best possible world in which to make them. We are also applying to be certified by Salmon-Safe (http://www.salmonsafe.org). Important to the Northwest, Salmon-Safe is an independent nonprofit organization devoted to restoring agricultural and urban watersheds so that salmon can spawn and thrive.


Jeff Marazoni - Rudi Wiest Selections

Rudi Wiest Selections is a leading importer of fine German wines in the United States market. Since 1978 our sole focus has been rebuilding the image of legendary Germany wine estates through education of consumers and persons in the wine trade alike. We are committed to giving the best service and information regarding the selection of fine German wine. Visiting Germany two to three times a year, we personally maintain relationships with every estate and exhaustively involve ourselves with the selection process. Our commitment assures only the finest wines earn the Rudi Wiest Selections quality seal. Rudi Wiest Selections is imported by Cellars International, Inc.

4/05 - Terry Hall, Larry Van Aalst, Equus

Terry Hall - Communications Director - Napa Valley Vintners 

It began as most things do in Napa Valley: over a table replete with good food and good wines. In 1943, Louis M. Martini, John Daniel, Jr., Charles Forni and Louis Stralla began meeting to exchange ideas and work as a group to overcome industry obstacles and elevate the status of Napa Valley wines. By 1944 the group had expanded the meetings to include other vintners, including Georges de Latour, Robert Mondavi, Elmer Salmina, Charlie Beringer and Roy Raymond, and the Napa Valley Vintners became a formal association.  More than 60 years later, that epicurean and social camaraderie has grown into a spirited partnership committed to advancing Napa Valley wines worldwide. The Napa Valley Vintners, a regional trade association with an active membership of over 300 wineries, represents a tradition of dedicated vintners and grape growers who have worked and cared for this premier winegrowing region since the early 1800s. Today, Napa Valley Vintners (NVV) is widely-recognized as one of the leading wine trade organizations in the world. Our vintners are committed leaders - breaking new ground at home and in the larger wine community. Whether raising funds for local charity organizations (Auction Napa Valley has given nearly $85 million to local non-profits since its inception in 1981) or raising international consumer awareness regarding truth in labeling, Napa Valley Vintners are constantly seeking new and innovative ways to protect, promote and enhance the region they call home.

Larry Van Aalst - Sommelier Equus Restaurant - Fountaingrove Inn 

Stylish, classic and modern.the Equus Restaurant and Loungebar has been transformed into an inviting casual dining experience. The California fusion menu highlights local ingredients and emphasizes classic flavors with Mediterranean, Spanish and French influences. The Loungebar features Friday evening wine tasting and Saturday entertainment. Equus Restaurant and Loungebar.make it your next stop.  Reverse Happy Hour Monday-Friday from 9:00pm-10:00pm Happy Hour Monday-Thursday from 4:30pm to 6:30pm