Beckstoffer named grower of the year

Andy Beckstoffer of Beckstoffer Vineyards will receive the Napa Valley Grapegrowers Grower of the Year award at organization's dinner in St. Helena Friday.

The award recognizes an individual who exhibits unparalleled leadership agricultural, best practices and innovation, industry advocacy and community involvement.

"Andy's commitment to land stewardship, dedication to vineyard technology and ongoing efforts to elevate the social, political and economic status of grapegrowers in the Napa Valley has made him a role model in the wine industry and the community," said Jennifer Kopp, executive director of the Napa Valley Grapegrowers.

Beckstoffer, whose Napa Valley grapegrowing career spans more than three decades, was an original founder of the Napa Valley Grapegrowers, a longtime director, and is a current advisor of the association. Most recently, he initiated and chaired the group's Historic Vineyard Registry project and its highly successful Hang Time seminar series.

Beckstoffer Vineyards supports sustainable grapegrowing and has been at the forefront of community-based projects with the Napa County Resource Conservation District. A leader of land preservation, he has donated conservation easements to the Land Trust of Napa County on his 40-acre Beckstoffer Vineyard X and his 44-acre Carneros Creek Vineyard. Over time, he will donate easements on 900 of his 1,000 acres of Napa Valley vineyard land. /Register

Cab tasting at the CIA

A new consumer tasting of the current vintage of California cabernet and a sneak preview, barrel sample tasting of the 2005 vintage will be offered to the public starting at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at the Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena. This event will be held in conjunction with the California Cabernet Society's annual trade and press tasting, which takes place Monday at the CIA.

The Society represents nearly 100 wineries producing California cabernet, and the new consumer tasting will be an opportunity for the public to taste, side-by-side some of the best offerings of this well-known varietal. Winemakers or winery principals will be present discuss their wines with the public. Previously, this tasting has only been available to the trade.

Only 500 tickets are available at $75 per person and may be purchased at www.californiacabernetsociety.com.

For those who wish to stay for an optional Sunday night dinner at Greystone, please call 967-1010 for reservations, prices, and information on the special menu to pair with California cabernet sauvignon./Register

Alta Heights fundraiser

Casino-style gaming, wine pouring by the Hess Collection, local cuisine and live music will all be part of the Alta Heights Elementary School's Monte Carlo Night and Wine Auction at Copia in Napa Friday from 7 to 11 p.m. There will also be a live and silent auction including Harlan, Screaming Eagle, Nickel and Nickel and other hard to find collector wines in both large and small format. Tickets are $40 in advance and $45 at the door. For advance purchase, call 252-3484./Register