LOS ANGELES —  When the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation hosts “A Culinary Evening with the California Winemasters” May 17 on the Midwest Street backlot at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, 1,400 guests from all across the country are expected to attend this always sold-out event.

Last May’s event netted more than $1,520,000 for the Foundation’s vital research and care centers, and 90.6 cents of every dollar raised funds vital cystic fibrosis research and care programs.

This year 45 celebrity chefs from around the world will pair with 67 of California’s most talented winemakers to present a tasting and hors d’oeuvres extravaganza.

The event also boasts an extravagant auctions with more than 1,000 live and silent auction items from fantasy trips to  collector wines. Among them are a 12-day voyage to Antarctica with a stopover in the presidential suite at the Ritz-Carlton in Santiago, Chile and a Custom MODUS F11 Digital Piano with back panel designed by Los Angeles artist Andy Moses, a 3-liter bottle of 1983 Chateau d’Yquem and a 12-magnum case of a rare vineyard designate cabernet sauvignon from Paul Hobbs.

The event draws heavily from the Napa Valley community. A number of guests attend and several Napans fly down to LA to volunteer their time and talents the day of the event. One Napa resident, Peter Riechers, has even offered to fly up to four passengers round trip to the event in his luxurious Cessna 414 in exchange for a donation of $500 or more per person to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Anyone interested in this complimentary private charter flight should get in touch with Barbara Balik, CF Foundation Special Events Director at bbalik@cff.org.   

Cystic Fibrosis remains North America’s number one genetic killer of children and young adults. Thanks to new treatments, people with cystic fibrosis are now living one year longer for every year of research. Sponsors, vintners, chefs and guests understand their support is the reason for this lifesaving reprieve. The momentum and excitement are growing for a record fundraising effort this May, and the event is expected to sell out earlier than ever before.

The event begins at 6 p.m. May 17. Tickets are $350. For more information contact Barbara Balik or Kacie Wolkoff at (323) 655-8525 or www.californiawinemasters.org.

The wineries of Appellation St. Helena return to Flora Springs Winery & Vineyards May 10, 2-5 p.m., for the annual consumer tasting. Dean & DeLuca will cater foods designed to pair with the wines.

In addition to the traditional wine tasting, guests are invited to participate in a blind tasting, and many of the “blind” wines will be among the 90 or more being poured by the 30-plus participating wineries, so there is an opportunity for a little detective work prior to entering the competition. There will be prizes for the correct answers and every participant is entered in a drawing to win an instant Appellation St. Helena cellar of three cases of wines valued at more than $1,500.

Flora Springs Winery & Vineyards is at 1978 West Zinfandel Lane, St. Helena. Tickets are $75 per person; $45 for associate members of Appellation St. Helena. Tickets may be ordered on line at   www.appellationsthelena.com. For further information, call 963-6045. A portion of the ticket price will be donated to Work Connection, a St. Helena non-profit service dedicated to helping vineyard workers find employment with wineries and growers throughout Napa Valley.

  Terlato Wines International has made a long-term marketing agreement with Mischief and Mayhem, adding the Burgundy producer to the company’s portfolio.   

Mischief and Mayhem is a partnership between Burgundy-based wine negociant Michael L. Ragg and Michael Twelftree, of the renowned Australian winery Two Hands. In 2005, the longtime friends with a shared passion for Burgundy set out to produce wines from the classic home of pinot noir and chardonnay that were intended for a new generation of wine lovers.

“Mischief and Mayhem has broken new ground with visionary marketing and packaging, demystifying for consumers what has traditionally been an extremely complex region,” Terlato said.

All Mischief and Mayhem wines highlight the grape variety of the wine on the front label, display a contemporary graphic style and use a back label written in English detailing vineyard sites, vine ages and winemaking protocol.

“If we can produce great pinot noir and chardonnay from Burgundy, yet at the same time provide guidance and information that makes the wines a little easier to select, understand and enjoy then Mischief and Mayhem will be doing what we intended it to do,” Ragg said.

The portfolio includes core value wines as well as Premier and Grand Cru wines. The wines will be sold through Terlato’s Premier Selections division.

 A free  winery filtration seminar will be hosted by Cuno Inc. and Vinquiry on May 28 from 8-12 at the Napa Marriott with free lunch served.

This is a noncommercial, interactive seminar on general winery filtration and bacteria control principles.  For sign-up or more details, contact Rick Howard at rlhoward2@mmm.com or 209-345-5430.

 Eight next generation Carneros winemakers will kick-off the Carneros Heritage Fest by hosting eight tables at a special all-lamb, multi-course  dinner  for 80 guests May 30.  The event will pair with a meal prepared by executive chef Jeff Jake of the Carneros Inn’s Hilltop Restaurant. The all-day outdoor Carneros Heritage Fest: Wines, Vines, Woolies & Wetlands follows on Saturday, May 31.All inclusive tickets are $125 per person and are available only from the Carneros Wine Alliance Web site, www.carnerosheritagefest.com.   

The Saturday, May 31 Carneros Heritage Fest, from noon to 4 p.m. at the Donum Estate, 24520 Ramal Road, off Rt. 121 in Sonoma, will feature a lamb BBQ, pairings of Carneros wines, sheep herding and falconry demonstrations, artisan wool boutiques, music by the Back Burner Blues Band, vineyard walks, marsh talks, and other activities and exhibitions by the California Department of Fish and Game. Two growers pavilions will show which wineries are paired with the Carneros growers.

For more information, and tickets, visit www.carnerosheritagefest.com or call 253-2678.

 

 Debra Eagle has been appointed  vice president of marketing at Clos Du Val Wine Company, Ltd. Eagle will also represent the  Goelet Wine Estates portfolio, of which Clos Du Val is a part. She will assist with international marketing strategies for Clos Du Val’s sister brands, Taltarni Vineyards of Victoria, Australia; Lalla Gully and Clover Hill of Tasmania, Australia and Domaine de Nizas of the Languedoc region of France.  

Eagle has 15 years of wine industry experience. Her career began in 1994, when she managed international sales and marketing and public relations, for Kenwood Vineyards. She went on to work as director of marketing for Robert Mondavi’s flagship winery in Oakville and later for Sutter Home Winery in St. Helena. Eagle most recently served as director of marketing at Bond winery in Oakville.