Vintner Mike Grgich and Queen Noor of Jordan will receive the Roots of Peace 2007 Global Citizen awards at a luncheon May 6 aboard the Queen Mary 2, before the ship departs on a six-day “Cruise for Peace,” crossing from New York to Southampton, UK. A reception will feature Grgich Hills Estate wines.

The events are part of a “global call to action,” a joint effort of the UK-based Mines Advisory Group and the U.S.-based Roots of Peace to mark the 10th anniversary of the death of Diana, princess of Wales, who brought the issue of landmines to world attention when she walked into the mine fields of Angola, where an estimated 12 million land mines still remain.

“The grapevine represents the seeds we have in common rather than those (that) separate us,” said Heidi Kuhn, founder and CEO of Roots of Peace, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the eradication of landmines by returning de-mined land to productive agricultural use.

Inspired to help his fellow Croatians following the War of Independence, Grgich joined Roots of Peace on a U.S. State Department trip to his homeland in 2000. Grgich raised funds for the group to help restore the once-bountiful vineyards of Croatia. Since then Roots of Peace has completed projects throughout Croatia.

Queen Noor has been a tireless advocate for mine victims and their families. In 1998 she hosted the first international conference on Landmine Injury and Rehabilitation in the Middle East and has traveled the world to raise awareness of the humanitarian disaster wrought by landmines.

For more information on booking passage for the Cruise for Peace and attending the Bon Voyage Luncheon visit www.rootsofpeace.org.

Elizabeth Spencer Wines celebrates the release of its organic 2006 sauvignon blanc from Norma Gibson’s 30-year old vineyard in Mendocino County with food, wine and music Sunday, 1-4 p.m. at the Elizabeth Spencer Tasting Room, 1165 Rutherford Road, Rutherford. The cost is $20; complimentary to wine club members. The Rutherford tasting room, which is open daily, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Info, www.elizabethspencerwines.com or 963-4768.

A new wine marketing book makes its debut today — “Wine Marketing and Sales: Success Strategies for a Saturated Market” by Paul Wagner, Liz Thach and Janeen Olsen.

The book covers such topics as selecting an appropriate niche, research and demographics, advertising and promotion, graphic design, packaging, public relations, budgeting and pricing, traditional and alternative sales channels, wine clubs and e-commerce, establishing a tasting room, and exporting and importing.

Also included are real-life stories of model marketing and sales successes, turnarounds and what was described in the announcement as “a sobering crash-and-burn.”

Wagner heads Balzac Communications in Napa and teaches at Napa Valley College, Thach is a professor of management and teaches in Sonoma State University’s Wine Business Program, and Olsen is a professor of marketing at Sonoma State and teaches a variety of marketing classes.

The book, which costs $69.95, is available at book stores, wine shops or on the Web at www.wineappreciation.com.

George Riedel recently asked Jeff Morgan, a Napa Valley producer of rosé wines, to find a glass in the Riedel collection that is perfectly suited for rosé wines. He chose the pink Vinum glass as the one that illustrates the broadest array of qualities in a variety of rosés. Riedel will donate 15 percent of the proceeds of sales of the pink Vinum glass to Living Beyond Breast Cancer, an organization that provides services and information for breast cancer survivors.

Mitch Clark and Jim Buckley have purchased Scott Street Portfolio, a wine importing company previously owned by Evans & Tate Wine Group of Australia. The new company will be re-named Avanti Fine Wine Selections LLC and will expand its distribution to include wines from California, Oregon, Washington, Europe and South Africa, in addition to continuing to import Australian wines.

Both men previously worked for Robert Mondavi, and assisted in the launch of Michael Mondavi’s Folio Wine Co.

Dr. Pascal Chatonnet, a French enologist and a leading authority on wine quality issues leads a workshop on detecting wine faults at Copia on May 9, 9:30-11:30 a.m. The free workshop is hosted by Amorim Cork America and Portocork America. Another session will be held the following day in Santa Rosa. To reserve a seat contact Rogers Archey at rarchey@balzac.com or 255-7667 by April 25.

David Campbell, formerly with Clos du Val Winery in Napa, has formed a new wine industry consulting company called Strategic Solutions for the Wine Industry LLC, and plans to bring together project teams that will offer wineries individualized solutions in strategy, financial management, marketing and export development.

Campbell also had been associated with Jekel Vineyards and F. Chauvenet in Burgundy, and also operated his own distributorship in Montreal. Info, 255-1667.

Judd’s Hill Winery introduces a new event, the Judd’s Hill Musical Bonanza, April 14, noon to 4 p.m. at the winery’s new location at 2332 Silverado Trail.

Because the Finkelstein family, owners of Judd’s Hill, is as devoted to the arts as it is to making wine, the event will benefit the Arts Council of Napa Valley. Tickets cost $70 per person, and wine club members will receive a 20 percent discount on wines purchased.

Music will be provided by Judd Finkelstein’s band, the Makai Gents featuring the Mysterious Miss Mauna Loa along with the San Francisco tropical rock band APE — which will be accompanied by a tiki carver working to the beat of the music — and King Kukulele, a comedic ukulele player.

A barbecue feast will be available all day, along with the winery’s new release, 2005 Old Vine Zinfandel, and all other current wines.

Info, 255-2332.

Submit items for Toast of the Valley to On Wine editor Sasha Paulsen at spaulsen@napanews.com