The four founding brothers of Buoncristiani Family Winery present their portfolio of limited production wines at the Napa Valley Opera House Sunday, Sept. 2, 1 to 5 p.m. The afternoon event will feature music and food pairings with Buoncristiani wines.

Buoncristiani Family Winery was established in 1999 by four brothers who were born and raised in Napa. The brothers honed their winemaking and viticultural skills at some of Napa’s top wineries (Rudd, Hess Collection, Caldwell) and have since been producing highly sought after wines — their cabs were named as a “rising star” by Wine Spectator.

Tickets are available at $25 per person and may be purchased by contacting one of the Buoncristiani brothers at 259-1681 or www.buonwine.com.

Raymond Vineyards celebrates 30 years of Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon in September with the release of their 2004 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. Raymond Vineyards was founded in 1971 when Roy Sr., Roy Jr. and Walter Raymond purchased the winery’s estate property on Zinfandel Lane. Their first harvest took place with the 1974 vintage.

Walter Raymond has served as head winemaker since the winery’s inception and helped to plant the original cabernet sauvignon vineyards along with his father and brother on the Rutherford estate.

The Raymond family’s roots in the Napa Valley wine industry date back to 1876, when Jacob Beringer and his brother Frederick founded Beringer Brothers Winery. Five generations later, Craig and Krisi Raymond continue the family’s winemaking legacy at Raymond Vineyards.

Samples of the 2004 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon as well as the 2004 Reserve Merlot are available upon request by contacting Mitzi Inglis at 963-3141 ext. 658 or mitzii@raymondvineyards.com.

Grgich Hills Estate conducts its annual Blessing of the Grapes Sept. 5 at 11:30 a.m. in ceremonies open to the public.

The blessing is a tradition stretching over 30 years since the winery was founded by Miljenko “Mike” Grgich, Austin Hills and Hills’ sister, Mary Lee Strebl.

The ceremony takes place at the winery at 1829 St. Helena Highway, Rutherford. Info: 963-2784.

Tony Award nominee and Boston Globe “Best Cabaret Artist, 2000,” Tovah Feldshuh, will perform at the fifth annual “Diamonds in the Rough” fundraising dinner on Saturday, Oct. 6.

The fundraiser was begun by Al and Boots Brounstein, the founders and proprietors of Diamond Creek Vineyards. Al Brounstein, who battled Parkinson’s Disease for more than two decades, passed away in June,2006 at age 86, from complications from Parkinson’s. This will be the second fundraiser Boots Brounstein has hosted since Al’s passing. Funds raised at the dinner benefit the Parkinson’s Institute in Sunnyvale.

“Al had such a great attitude in the face of Parkinson’s, and was so convinced that with enough funding for research that we’ll eventually beat this disease. I’ve always shared that belief with him, so I’ve felt the continuation of the dinner even after we lost Al has been imperative,” Boots Brounstein said.

Hiro Sone of Terra in St. Helena, and Ame in San Francisco will prepare the meal.

Tovah Feldshuh played the late Prime Minister of Israel, Golda Meir, in “Golda’s Balcony,” which holds the record for the longest-running one-woman show in Broadway history. She’s also been nominated for an Emmy for her reoccurring role on “Law and Order” as defense attorney Danielle Melnick.

The dinner, which will be held at the picturesque Diamond Creek Vineyards in Napa Valley, can only accommodate 48 people. Tickets are $2,500 per person.

For further information, contact Boots Brounstein at 942-6926.

Wine Colleagues, a St. Helena-based wine consultancy, has published a directory of public relations firms around the country that specialize in the wine industry.

The list includes more than 50 firms, most in northern California and primarily in Napa Valley, Sonoma County and San Francisco. Another small concentration is in New York and a few are in Washington state.

The directory is available online at www.winecolleagues.com, or by calling 963-9009.

Rimon Winery in Israel has produced a pomegranate dessert wine that is certified kosher and will be introduced in the U.S. in time for the Jewish High Holy Days next month. The winery also produces a dry wine and a port-style wine made from pomegranates.

Back Room Wines offers a Taste of Spain tonight 5 to 9 p.m. The cots is $10 to taste  “value” wines from six Spanish wine regions: Ribera del Duero, Yecla Valley, Valdeorras, Terra Alta, Calatayud and Montsant.

Michael Hutchinson of Olé Imports will be on hand to explain the wines. According to Back Room owner Dan Danson, “Ask kindly and he might do his Jimmy Cagney imitation for you.” Back Room is at 974 Franklin St., Napa. Info, 226-1378.

Stave Wine Lounge in downtown Napa is holding a “Labor Day Weekend Bottle Blowout Sale,” beginning today and continuing through Sept. 3.  Stave is at 1149 First St., and is open Monday through Saturday from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., and on Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. Info, 259-5411.

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