During February JV Wine and Spirits marks Black History Month by featuring the Association of African American Vintners for wine tastings each Friday evening, 5-7 p.m.

Stephen Sterling, president of the association, opens the tastings tonight with wines from Esterlina Vineyards and Winery. “Our goal for 2008 is to get the best kept secret out,” he said. “There are African American Vintners producing excellent wines”.

The following tastings are:

Feb. 8, Vance Sharp III from Sharp Vineyards;

Feb. 15 Daniel Bryant from Running Tigers;

Feb. 22, Mac MacDonald from Vision Cellars;

Feb. 29 Lou Garcia from Stover Oaks.

JV Wine and Spirits is at 301 First St., Napa, at the corner of First and Silverado Trail. For  more information, contact Meryll Cawn at JV Wine and Spirits, 253-2624 or visit JV Wine and Spirits Web site at www.jvwine.com. For information about the Association of African American Vintners, contact Brenda Knight, 319-4773 or visit the Association’s Web site at www.AAAV intners.com.  

Flora Springs Winery kicks off its 30-year anniversary with an open house Saturday, Feb. 2 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the winery at 1978 W. Zinfandel Lane, St. Helena.

The luau theme celebrates Hawaii as the birthplace of Flora Komes, wife of Flora Springs founder Jerry Komes and mother of co-founders John Komes and Julie Komes-Garvey.

Guests will be greeted by Hawaiian dancers, the music of ukuleles and a pre-release tasting of 2005 Flora Springs Trilogy. A trip down memory lane of “the Trilogy years” includes a tasting of various library vintages of Trilogy, followed by a cave tour and tasting of 2004 Trilogy. Hawaiian hors d’oeuvres and a spit-roasted pig will be served with 2005 Trilogy, followed by Krispy Kreme donuts. The afternoon will also include giveaways and silent auction lots, with  proceeds benefitting the American Cancer Society in Napa.

Flora Springs’ library vintages and the 2005 Trilogy (pre-release) will be available for purchase with a 25 percent discount for wine club members the day of the event.

 Tickets are $25 for consumers and can be purchased by calling Margaret Meraz at 707.967.6723 or e-mailing  mmeraz@florasprings.com.

Flora Springs was among the first to make a California Meritage in 1984, originally an equal-part blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc. Over the years petit verdot and malbec have been added to the blend.

Peju Province Winery hosts the First Annual H.B. Release Day Party at its Rutherford tasting room at 8466 St. Helena Highway on Saturday, Feb. 2, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. In addition to the 2004 vintage release, Winemaker Sara Fowler will unveil a future sample of the H.B. Reserve, and Herta “H.B.” Peju will sign purchased bottles.  The H.B. Day tasting fee is $20 and includes a flight of four Peju wines plus a tasting of the 2004 H.B. Reserve and future barrel sample. Guests who would like to attend only the H.B. Day Party may do so for $15.

For more information, visit www.peju.com or call 800-446-7358.

A college scholarship fund has been established for the children of Ed Weber, who died unexpectedly Dec. 31 while riding his bicycle. Weber was the UC Extension Specialist and Napa County farm Advisor, and was highly respected by growers and vintners for his knowledge and integrity.

Contributions to the Owen, Grady and Reid Weber Educational Fund can be sent to Washington Mutual Bank, 699 Trancas St., Napa, CA 94558. The account number, 4412509650, should be entered in the memo line on the check.

Barbara and Warren Winiarksi have made a $5 million gift to St. John’s College in Santa Fe. The Winiarskis, founders of Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, both graduated from the Annapolis campus of St. John’s College.

 The Winiarskis met at St. John’s College in the 1950s, where Barbara (nee Dvorak) was an aspiring painter. Born in Chicago to Polish immigrants, Warren Winiarski returns to the Santa Fe campus each year to lead one of the college’s Summer Classics and serves on the college’s board of visitors and governors.

Winiarski credits his expertise in winemaking to the philosophical underpinnings of his liberal arts education:  “At St. John’s, we talked about the four classical virtues: truth, beauty, goodness and unity,” he said. He learned from the Greeks that perfect proportion requires balance and structure — elements that go into making the perfect wine. Winiarski’s first vintage was selected for competition in the Paris Wine Tasting of 1976, where it won first place among the red wines.

The Winiarskis’ donation will be allocated for construction of a new residential center.

 

 Austin Peterson has been named assistant winemaker at Ovid Vineyards. Peterson, who has been working with winemaker Andy Erickson and consulting winemaker Michel Rolland on the last two vintages, is a  UC Davis graduate, with a resume that includes industry positions in California, France, New Zealand and South Africa.

Currently, Austin oversees the day to day operations at the winery, as well as the vineyards. While earning his bachelors degree from UC Davis, he worked at a local cooperage and spent time in the cellars of St. Clement, where he met winemaker Aaron Pott who encouraged Austin to pursue his practical education in Europe and introduced him to Erickson.

As construction on the Ovid winery facility neared completion Erickson invited Peterson to work for this small producer. “Austin has a keen understanding of traditional techniques and practices, and he’s gathered a lot of experience in both venerable and maverick regions. He’s detail-oriented and adventurous and has a clear passion for every aspect of making wine,” said Erickson,

Ovid Vineyards’ first release, an estate grown 2005 red bordeaux blend, will debut in the spring of 2008.

Eagles Trace Valhalla Vineyard pinot noir was the only Napa Valley wine to receive a Jefferson Cup award in the recent Jefferson Cup Invitational wine competition held recently in Kansas City.

The Jefferson Cup was founded by Doug Frost, who holds both the Master of Wine and Master Sommelier titles.

Eagles Trace, located in St. Helena, is made by owner/winemaker Gus Anderson, a 35-year wine industry veteran.

More than 650 wines were judged during the competition, and only 13 wines were awarded a Jefferson Cup, including three white wines, seven reds, two dessert wines and one sparkling wine. Eight of the awards went to California vintners.

Diageo Chateau & Estate Wines has entered into an agreement to acquire Rosenblum Cellars for $105 million. The proposed transaction, which is subject to regulatory approval in the United States, is expected to complete in the first quarter of 2008.

Rosenblum Cellars, founded in 1978 by Kent and Kathy Rosenblum and based in Alameda, Calif., produces of zinfandel and Rhone varietals. Diegeo doesn’t currently have a brand primarily focused on zinfandel.

According to IRI data, the premium zinfandel category continues to show consistent growth, and over the past six months has been the fastest growing major varietal in both volume and value.

As part of the acquisition, Kent Rosenblum will continue to make award-winning wines, and he will play a key advisory role in the strategic direction of the brand.

 Christina Pällmann has joined Twomey Cellars as winemaker. Before taking this position she was the winemaker at Fritz Winery, located in Cloverdale.

Pällmann is responsible for the production of the Twomey wines made at their wineries located in Calistoga and Healdsburg. Twomey currently produces Napa Valley merlot and sauvignon blanc and a Russian River Pinot Noir.

Pallman holds a masters degree in enology and viticulture from UC Davis and a masters degree in political science from LMU München. She has earned bachelor degrees in French and political science from UC Berkeley. She is fluent in English, German and French.

 When the Pebble Beach Food & Wine debuts on March 27-30 it also marks the official release of the Mondavi family’s new venture, Continuum. On March 28, a tasting of six distinct Mondavi wines, including old and new vintages of Opus One, Robert Mondavi Reserve, Ornellaia, Sena and Luce, culminates with the 2005 Continuum.

Continuum is the collaboration of Tim Mondavi, his father Robert, sister Marcia, and Tim’s three children, Carissa, Chiara and Dante.

 “The 2005 Continuum embodies the best of what we have been able to achieve as a family,” Tim Mondavi explained. Dante, an aspiring winemaker, worked along side his father to create Continuum, Carissa is overseeing sales and marketing, and artist Chiara’s painting is the central focus of the label.

The Mondavi Family goal was “to produce a single wine that is recognized among the finest in the world.” Grapes for Continuum were sourced from To-Kalon Vineyard and from Mondavi family holdings in the Stags Leap District. The 2005 Continuum is a blend of 60 percent cabernet sauvignon, 20 percent cabernet franc and 20 percent petit verdot

Continuum will release just 1,500 cases in spring 2008 ($125 a bottle).  

The Mondavi Vertical Tasting is just one of many experiences that will be available during this weekend of culinary events, which include wine-pairing dinners, cooking demonstrations, vertical tastings from top producers, a master sommelier blind tasting challenge, grand tastings, and a rare-wine auction and dinner. Activities will take place at venues throughout the award-winning Pebble Beach Resorts, located along scenic 17-Mile Drive overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

The four-day celebration will bring together more than 50 prominent chefs, including Thomas Keller, Gary Danko, Rick Tramonto, Alain Passard, Tom Colicchio, Jacques Pépin, Hubert Keller, Michael Mina, Charlie Trotter, along with more than 200 acclaimed wineries from around the world, including Kosta Browne, Chateaux Margaux and Harlan Estates.

Ticket prices range from $165 for a single event pass to $12,400, based on double occupancy, for a three-night stay with the VIP ticket package, which provides access to all events and exclusive after-hour parties with the chefs and winemakers. To purchase tickets to Pebble Beach Food & Wine, or for more information on ticket packages, visit www.pebblebeachfoodandwine.com or call 1-866-907-FOOD (3663).