Here and There in the Wine World

by Frank Mangio
2017 is off to a speedy wet start for wine events, like our “atmospheric river” of seasonal rains here on the west coast. Word from the Napa Valley is that flooding is causing great concern for the 2017 vintage. On the bright side, the 6 year drought is done and over with in California .

You have to know the rainy season is getting extreme when rain is in its 3rd week in the Palm Springs desert in Southern California, where I spent time with my close friend Mike Grgich, the pioneer winemaker who created the foundation for Napa Valley wine greatness.
Grgich has been my hero since I began writing on wine in 2005.

Wine columnist Frank Mangio visits with Napa Valley wine pioneer
Mike Grgich and samples his new release 2013 Merlot.

His rise in the 60’s and 70’s as a premier winemaker is well known. This year Grgich and family are celebrating their 40th anniversary  since founding Grgich Hills Estate in the Rutherford district in 1977. His current release 2013 Merlot is one to taste. ($43.)  Consistent sunshine and temperatures  created a complex, excellently balanced wine.  As Grgich determined, “this is a Cabernet lover’s Merlot.”

Croatian born and raised, Grgich and his daughter Violet, established a Croatian winery in 1996, Grgic’ Vina , overlooking the Adriatic Sea at Dubrovnik. See more at grgich.com.

How long can wine last once the cork is opened?
Like many wine topics, this one is subject to a lot of discussion.  Variables abound.  The easy answer is drink it all as soon as it’s opened, preferably with a friend. With a standard .75 ltr. bottle, the rule of thumb is 3 days before the oxygen intrusion begins to turn the taste toward vinegar. Use a pump and stopper to get the air out of the bottle before it accumulates and you can extend the time in a bottle to four days.  If the bottle has a twist cap, you can get a week out of it. Another thing that will help longevity is to keep it in a refrigerator after opening and buy quality wines whose tannins will help preserve its life to a week.

Did you know that one of the foremost Port and Sherry style wineries is in Vista, in San Diego County ?

Eric Brooking took us back to pre-prohibition days in the city of Vista and other North San Diego hubs that were making wine, especially fortified wine.  With a climate and topography that was distinctly Mediterranean and looked for all the world like a hillside in Portugal , some 120
wineries were producing  fortified wine before Prohibition.  When that hideous law swept across America , most of the wineries in San Diego County were wiped out and swept into the history books.

 Brooking Vineyards in Vista is an oasis of top quality Cream Sherry and Port style

wines, one of which, the Old Fashioned Angelica,
won gold at the San Diego County Fair.

Eric Brooking and his family survived and mastered the technique of fortification, where grapes grown in a warm Mediterranean climate like Vista , were fermented and interrupted by the addition of grape brandy, retaining the natural sugars. The grapes used are Tempranillos, those used in Portugal and Spain , generic homes for Sherry and Port.  He also makes Muscat Canelli Angelica on his 6 acre estate. Wines are $49. per bottle. See brookingvineyards.com

Mike Grgich Turns 93 – Makes More Wine History

by Frank Mangio
The evening of April 2nd at La Quinta Resort will always be a special time and place.  Miljenko “Mike” Grgich, my wine hero and world renowned Napa Valley winemaker, considered to be the pioneer of Napa Valley wine excellence, invited me to be with him for his gala celebration. He was being honored for several milestones: his new biographical book launch “A Glass Full of Miracles,” the 40th Anniversary of his smashing victory over French Chardonnays at the Paris Tasting of 1976, plans for a major movie on this event and most importantly, honored for his 93rd birthday.

He has been a close friend and mentor since I first started TASTE OF WINE in 2005.
Grgich came to Napa Valley from Croatia in 1958 with just a few dollars in his pocket but with dreams of making great wine.  His 1973 Chardonnay he made at Chateau Montelena that won the Paris Tasting,  will always be treasured for bringing Napa Valley to the world stage is a classic American story of hard work, determination and faith in the American dream of success.

 “ I count my blessings as miracles,” he would tell his biographer-writer.  “Meeting and making great award winning Cabernet Sauvignon for Robert Mondavi in 1969 was the first miracle.  The next was the “Judgement of Paris” for my 1973 Chardonnay”  On July 4th, 1977, Grgich broke ground in Rutherford Napa Valley for his own winery, along with partner Austin Hills . He named  it Grgich Hills Winery, later renaming it Grgich Hlls Estate in recognition that all its wines now were coming from Grgich-  owned vineyards.

Over the years Grgich has added to his miracles, his wine being acclaimed and served to dignitaries by several U.S. Presidents, and British royalty.  In 2008 he was inducted into the Vintners Hall of Fame and in 2012, he was honored when the Smithsonian National Museum of History opened its exhibition of the Paris Tasting.  It featured Grgich and his Chardonnay, plus his suitcase that he traveled to America with, and finally the  famous beret he is known for.

All this and more is documented in  the new book “A Glass Full of Miracles,” now available at www.grgich.com. It traces his childhood in Croatia , his arrival in the U.S. to make wine in the Napa Valley 50 years ago and the miracles and fame that followed.

Grgich continues his journey in wine as he  guides  Grgich Hills Estate and plans for its future with his daughter Violet Grgich and his nephew Ivo Jeramaz.  “My father had a rule he taught me,” Grgich said.  Every day do your best, learn something new, and make a friend.”  The winery keeps improving.  It now farms 366 acres from the original 18 in Rutherford. It is now organic, farmed naturally with no artificial fertilizers, pesticides or fungicides. All of the wines are estate grown, produced and bottled.

Occasionally I will run across a reader or two that declares winemaking should only concentrate on what is happening now in the industry, and bypass the legacy.  I say, those that ignore or mock history, are least prepared for the  future. Congratulations Miljenko “Mike” Grgich.  Keep showing us more miracles.

Napa: Into the Valley of the Greatest Grapes-Part 2

by Frank Mangio
It’s day two of my journey to the center of the wine universe, Napa Valley .

This 30 mile long by five mile wide wine country is one of the smallest with just 4% of California ’s wine grape production.  Yet, it generates $13 billion dollars annually for the local economy and accounts for 1/3 of the wine sold in the U.S. It’s been well documented that the leading varietals in Napa Valley are Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon.  Both were brought over from France and both Napa brands have beaten the French versions in high profile competitions.

Napa Valley has a dry Mediterranean climate, found only on 2% of the Earth’s surface which helps make it a consistently sought-after location for premium wines. There are nearly 500 wineries and I would venture to say that nearly all make Chardonnay and Cabernet, the top selling varietals in California.

In measuring the 2015 season, you have to go back to the winter of 2014 when a dry, warm winter resulted in small clusters of grapes on the vines with highly concentrated flavors.  According to the Napa Valley Vintners, this resulted in early bud break and a long flowering period.  In the Summer, everything got accelerated when a surge of hot temperatures  made for a quick conclusion to the season.  The first grapes for sparkling wine were picked on July 22nd and by October 10th, it was all over for the most part, about a month less than normal.  Napa Valley, like most other wine countries in California produced significantly less fruit this year, but what was collected is producing a high concentration of flavor.  Stacy Vogel, winemaker for Miner Winery said “we had one of the earliest harvests on record, with very low yields, half of what we produced in the great 2112 harvest.  The smaller cluster led to concentrated berries that gave us deep flavor and color.  We’ll wait about two years to bottle so they can fully develop.”

Ryan Hill of Hill Family Estate had a similar assessment when he reported that “we had a lot of heat in winter. January felt like May.  The spike in temperatures affected production to something like 2 to 4 tons of grapes per acre, about 60% less than normal.  In some cases with newer vineyards, costs will exceed sales.”

A Visit with the “Godfather” of Napa Valley
 Mike Grgich can “read” a grape better than anyone I know. Since 1958, when Miljenko “Mike” Grgich arrived in Napa Valley from Croatia to make wine, first for some of the leading winemakers of that era, then for his own winery, he has had a keen knack for knowing  when to hold them and when to pick them.

Hall of Fame winemaker Mike Grgich, at his Calistoga home in Napa Valley
with wine columnist Frank Mangio.

 
His legacy is well known worldwide, starting with his 1973 Chardonnay creation for Chateau Montelena that competed with similar wines at the famous Paris Tasting of 1976.  The Grgich-made Chardonnay defeated the French entries, a shock heard round the world of wine that put Napa Valley  firmly in a position of respect and fame.  It was only a year after this event that Grgich founded his own winery, Grgich Hills Estate.

He would later win the Great Chicago Chardonnay Showdown  of 1980, beating 221 other Chardonnays from around the world, including France for a second time, with a 1977 Chardonnay.  It was the first wine produced at his new winery, and today still tastes outstanding.

Grgich has now given the responsibility for winemaking and production to his Croatian nephew Ivo Jeramaz, and operations to his daughter Violet Grgich.  His 10 year Communications and Marketing Manager is Ken Morris, considered the most knowledgeable in the Napa Valley .

Never one to rest on his accomplishments, the 92 year old Grgich is thinking bigger these days. “I am now writing a book on my life as I know it, and I am helping to write a movie  on the real story of the Paris Tasting, from the book “Judgment of Paris.”  Shooting has already started on the movie with the star of the shoot, Mike Grgich.  The Napa Valley “Godfather” of Wine is reaching for new heights of fame. Read more at grgich.com.

Read more about the TASTE OF WINE Napa Valley Harvest Tour  Part 3, in next week’s column.

Wine Bytes
Seasalt Seafood Bistro presents a Luca Wine Dinner, Wed. Nov. 4th at 6pm.  Luca is an Argentina wine with many awards.  5 course dinner will pair with the wines.  $55. pp.  Call 858-765-7100 for an RSVP.

Twenty/20, in the Sheraton Hotel Carlsbad is planning a Whiskey Tasting event, Thurs. Nov. 5th at 6pm.  Delicious small plate pairings.  $55. ea.  Call 760-827-2500 for a place.

PAON Restaurant & Wine Bar Carlsbad has a Tolosa Wine event Wed. Nov. 4th from 6 to 8pm.  $20. charge.  More by calling 760-729-7377.

Sharing a Table with the King of Chardonnay

by Frank Mangio
In my last column, I shared some recent experiences in the great desert, from Rancho Mirage to La Quinta.  Palatial resorts, princely restaurants and the hauntingly beautiful Santa Rosa Mountains all caught my attention.

In Palm Desert on El Paseo at Portola, a relaxed European style restaurant, Mitch’s, is where Miljenko (Mike) Grgich comes to lunch from his nearby winter home in La Quinta. It reminds him of his early days as a youthful student of wine in Zagreb , Croatia in the 50’s, before he took his first wine job in Napa Valley in 1958. I got to Mitch’s early for my interview with this

World renowned iconic wine master, 91 year old Grgich is known the world over as the King of Chardonnay since his 1973 vintage Chardonnay won over all the competition  at the Paris Blind Tasting in 1976. His professional life has been and still is, the stuff that makes this nation so great:  a poor immigrant full of ideas about his chosen work, and making them work beyond his imagination.
When he arrived to join me at Mitch’s, he was careful to select just the right table, at the end of a row, with light shade. After a couple of tries, he found a soup to his liking.  I imagined that search for just the right essence came from his need for excellence in making wine.
“Great wine is made in the vineyard, “he said.  “We are caretakers bringing the earth and vines in harmony naturally, to produce pure, healthy grapes.

Then comes the passion, talent and experience of our people to bring them to their full potential. We have five beautiful vineyards with 367 total acres planted.  Our wines are 100% estate grown, produced and bottled.”

Grgich Hllls Estate vineyards in Napa Valley touch almost every district known for excellent wines: Yountville for Cabernet, Merlot and Petit Verdot; Carneros for Chardonnay and Merlot; American Canyon for Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Merlot; Grgich Headquarters in Rutherford , an 18 acre winery and vineyard, for Cabernet  and Petit Verdot; and finally the family home and vineyard in Calistoga with 34 acres of hillside vineyards for century-old Zinfandel that make Miljenko’s Old Vines Zinfandel. “Zinfandel is a special grape for me,” Grgich revealed.

After spending a lot of time doing research and presenting proofs, he traced a variety of the Napa Valley Zinfandel to his homeland of Croatia . The next vintage Old Vine Zinfandel will be out for purchase in March of this year with very limited production.

This year, Grgich Hills Estate will be celebrating the 35th Anniversary of the Great Chicago Showdown, another Mike Grgich triumph when the first Chardonnay that was made at Grgich Hills, the 1977 vintage, took first place over 221 other Chardonnays. He is in the Vintners Hall of Fame and has been featured in an award winning documentary, “Like the Old Vine” that describes his life.  The Smithsonian Institute National Museum of American History displays his 1973 Chardonnay that won the Paris Tasting.  He is now busy on a book that documents his life, and a movie is being talked about that sets the record straight on the Paris Tasting, more in line with the book “The Judgement of Paris,”authored by Time Magazine correspondent George Taber. In 2013, Grgich established a million dollar endowment fund at the University of Zagreb in Croatia , to help educate future winemakers so its can become a world-class wine industry.

Some five million visitors a year come to Napa Valley which is neither the oldest or the largest wine country in California, but it is the most known and most chosen of the wineries in our great state.  The most compelling reason….one name…Miljenko (Mike) Grgich.  Read more at grgich.com.

Wine Bytes
In Temecula, Thornton Winery’s Chef’s Counter in a private kitchen is presented Fri. Jan. 30 at 7pm. A one of a kind dining experience, you will dine one on one as the chef prepares your five course meal in front  of each guest.  $125. pp.  RSVP at 951-699-0099 x 3129.

Skip Coomber of Coomber Ranch Wines will appear at la Costa Wine Company, Fri. Jan. 30 from 6 to 9pm.  Two Chardonnays, two Pinots and two Cabernets will be poured for $20.  Phone: 760-431-8455.

Capri Blu in Rancho Bernardo will present Rodney Strong Wines of Sonoma in a dinner on Wed. Feb. 4th at 6pm.  Lovely 4 course menu to accompany this award winning winery.  Details including price at 858-673-5100.

PAON Wine Shop in Carlsbad welcomes Tablas Creek Vineyards, Thurs. Feb. 12th starting at 5:30pm.  Wines include:  Vermintino, Espirit de Tablas, Mourvedre, Patelin de Tablas and Espirit de Tablas Rouge.  Price of $35. includes French onion soup, tuna tartar, and Prosciutto with burrata cheese topped with mixed greens.  Find out more at 760-729-7377.

In the Company of Miljenko Grgich, the Godfather of Napa Valley Wines

It is a well known occasion among knowledgable wine consumers that the beginning of the California wine revolution began with an extraordinary blind wine tasting of French and California wines in Paris in 1976, known as the Paris Tasting. In it, Napa Valley wines were invited to participate against their most endearing and best counterparts in France.  The California winners were a 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon from Stags Leap, and a 1973 Chardonnay
from Chateau Montelena made by Miljenko ( Mike) Grgich which scored the most points of the competition. Contrary to the movie about the event, the bottle was perfect and NEVER brown or discolored.

 Grgich went on to open his own winery one year later, with Austin Hills and his sister Mary Lee Strebl, that would be known as Grgich Hills Cellar, later changed to Grgich Hlls Estate.

Miljenko (Mike) Grgich  displaying his latest vintage wines including the 2011 Estate Chardonnay at a meeting in Palm Desert .
 
Not as well known is the fact that Grgich was, in that victorious year 1976, 53 years old and had 50 years of preparation in wine for that moment. He came to Napa Valley from what was formerly Yugoslavia (now Croatia ) in 1958, virtually penniless but with knowledge of winemaking and words from his father “to do better each day.” He is now 91 as of April 1, 2014 and is still enjoying great recognition as America’s winemaker. In 2008 he was inducted into the Vintners Hall of Fame.

In 2012, he was honored by the Smithsonian Institute of American History in Washington DC when it focused on American wine, displaying the Paris Tasting winning 1973 Chardonnay and other Grgich historical keepsakes.  The famous Chardonnay is now shown in an official book, “the Smithsonian’s History of America in 101 Objects, along with the Constitution, Lincoln’s hat, Alexander Graham Bell’s telephone and Neil Armstrong’s spacesuit.

My latest visit with Miljenko was at Mitch’s, his favorite restaurant in Palm Desert. Taste Of Wine TV had an opportunity to enjoy his company and to ask him some personal, probing questions.

TOW:  It’s been said grapes are like children in a family. There is always one favorite. What is your favorite grape?

MG:  Chardonnay is my favorite. ($42.) I drink more because it goes so well with Mediterranean food, a lighter food that is better for you. I have been disappointed that Chardonnay became bigger flavored, but it is now going back to its earlier elegant days. It needs to be naturally presented with food so it doesn’t become a cocktail.

TOW: What is left in your “bucket list” that you want to do in your life?

MG: It seems every year there is something special that comes to me.  I do want to author a book about my life in Croatia as a young winemaker then in Napa Valley showing wine as Art.  Art comes from the heart. It is the highest form of creation.

Mike Grgich points to one of the most famous bottles of wine ever, the 1973 Chardonnay made by Grgich, that conquered the French in the famous Paris Tasting of 1976.

TOW:  Is Merlot dead?  Will it ever recover from the beating it took in the movie Sideways?

MG:  Merlot will gradually take back its place.  Merlot, you know, is still one of the most expensive wines in France , on the right bank in Bordeaux . The 2011 Chateau Le Pin from Pomerol is priced at $1,455. California is moving away from the fruit bombs to more mellow wines like Merlot.  It’s much more acceptable as a food wine that doesn’t overpower the menu.

TOW:  What moment in your life are you most proud of?

MG: The Smithsonian Institute exhibit and recent book honor with Julia Childs kitchen and my exhibit with my wine, beret and travel suitcase when I first arrived in America , is my most proud moment. Grgich also has been the subject of a Croation TV documentary of his life, “Like the Old Vine,” which premiered at the Napa Valley Film Festival in November 2112.  For this and other information about Grgich Hills Estate, visit www.grgich.com.

Wine Bytes
Callaway Vineyard and Winery in Temecula has a Budbreak Celebration Sat. Apr. 5 from 6:30 to 9:30pm with a special winemaker dinner featuring vintner Craig Larson.  A five course meal will be prepared by Meritage Executive Chef Michael Henry.  Cost is $95. ea.  RSVP at 951-676-4001.

Eagles composer turned winemaker Jack Tempchin will appear at Whole Foods Market downtown Encinitas Sat. Apr. 5 from 4 to 6pm with a free wine tasting of his Peaceful Easy Feeling Cabernet Sauvignon as a courtesy from South Coast Winery. He will play a short set of his hit songs.  For more information call 760-274-1580.

Falkner Winery in Temecula will have free concerts on Sundays from Noon to 3pm, starting Sun. Apr. 6th. Location will be the outside lawn area, with chairs and tables
 set up. See www.falklnerwinery.com.

Zinfandel Wines are Zinfully Delicious

by Frank Mangio
Jammy, big fruited and pressing all the right buttons for wine lovers, Zinfandel is grown just about everywhere in California.  At one time, it was the most widely planted grape in this state.

When Zin wine lovers gather, it’s time to party.  The annual (ZAP) Zinfandel Advocates and Producers convention in San Francisco, shown here, is the largest of its kind on the West Coast. Photo by Wayde Carroll from ZAP.

As much fun as Zin is, it has a historic and traditional side to it.  Old Vine Zin, gnarly, twisted vines that have been producing Zinfandel grapes for more than 40 years, some well over 100 years, make wines of amazing richness and depth.  They are found mostly in the hills of Sonoma and Napa, where immigrant Italians and Croatians planted them when they settled in from their old world former countries.  Although many still consider Zinfandel as “California’s grape,” DNA testing has focused on the link to the Italian grape Primitivo, with an original relationship to the Croation grape Plavac Mali.

The best case for the Croatian connection comes from my friend and world-famous winemaker from Croatia, Mike Grgich of Grgich Hills in Napa Valley.  “My family owned a small vineyard and winery in Croatia where I was born.  It was my duty to take care of the vineyard. One of the grape varietals was Plavac Mali.  When I came to the Napa Valley in 1959, they had Zinfandel grapes and I remember seeing these grapes and feeling like I had come home to the same grape vines from Croatia. In later years I brought Zinfandel samples to Croatia and researched studies that linked Zinfandel, Primitivo and Plavac Mali.”

Joel Peterson is the leading Zinfandel winemaker of Ravenswood since 1976 and helped found the Zinfandel Advocates and Producers (ZAP). He has come from producing 327 cases of Zinfandel to producing about 800,000 cases of red wine annually, working with over 100 growers that provide grapes for Ravenswood.  He has been involved in a clonal study of the heritage of the grape to save the legacy of the ancient vines.  He wanted respect for Zinfandel on the same level as that of Cabernet which was displacing Zin. “Zinfandel is California’s unique varietal.  But we don’t have a solid history of its evolution in California.  We now know that age makes a big difference in the mature flavor of Zin. We are improving the root stock in such a way that we keep getting more flavorful wine.”

ZAP recently put together a road show in San Diego, presenting their members at the Bristol Hotel.  Some previously profiled Zins were there, including:  Opolo of Paso Robles with its Mountain Zinfandel ($22.) and Carole Shelton of Sonoma and its Wild Thing Old Vine Zin.($19.)

Linda Neal of Mellowood Vineyard

I was introduced to the wines of Linda Neal of Mellowood Vineyard in the Sierra Foothills.  The standout was the 2009 Zinfandel, ($26.) an important part of the up and coming El Dorado Wine Country. El Dorado also is home to Lava Cap, makers of a highly rated Zin and Petite Sirah ( $30.).

Best recent vintages for Zinfandel in California have been 2008 and 2009.  Yet to be rated is the 2012 but from what I hear from winemakers, it will be an elegant, California style fruit forward year.

To learn more about “California’s wine,” visit www.zinfandel.org.

Wine Bytes
Meritage Wine Market in Encinitas is Grillin and Chillin and saluting Sauvignon September, Fri. Sept. 13 from 6 to 8pm.  Pricing and details at 760-479-2500.

§Bernardo Winery in Rancho Bernardo is hosting a Grapestomp, Sat. Sept. 14 from Noon to 4pm.  $75. pp.  Music, dancing, wine and a sit down dinner. RSVP at 858-487-1866.

TUSCANY Restaurant in La Costa continues with their Jazz concert series, Sun. Sept. 15, featuring Grammy nominee singer Gail Jhonson, appearing with Brad Rambur and 3 Track. Doors open at 11am, showtime at Noon.  Tickets $30. in advance, $35. at the door.  RSVP at 760-929-8111.

A Royal Tribute to the King of Chardonnay

by Frank Mangio
Crisp and rich with the flavors of tropical fruit, the appreciative guests raised their just-poured 2010 Chardonnay as one, and saluted the lone host of the evening, celebrating his 90th birthday.  Mike Grgich, the maker of the wine, and many other wines of choice, flashed his famous smile under his iconic French beret and acknowledged the assembled with a warm “thank you.”  It was not so long ago that he earned his greatest salute when his 1973 Napa Valley Chardonnay was sent to Paris in 1976 to compete with the Chardonnays of France, thought to be the best in the world.

It was a blind tasting and a challenge to European wines on their home ground.  The outcome was predictable, snooted the French press.  No story there, so they didn’t come.  Just before the tasting, an American from Time Magazine, thought he might come by. George Taber was the reporter who flashed the shocking news… Mike Grgich’s Chardonnay had beaten the French and other California entries.  It was the “Judgement of Paris.”

Mike Grgich of Grgich Hills Estates in Napa Valley at his 90th Birthday Tribute Dinner.

It was the miracle that Napa Valley had been waiting for.  For the hard working wineries of this spirited place, it had the ring of another great man, the Spirit of St Louis and Charles Lindbergh’s solo flight to Paris. It was the singular greatest moment in the history of wine.

We all know that wine improves with age.  Some say, jokingly, that the older we get, the better we like it  With Mike Grgich the older he got, the better he made it.  After his huge success in Paris in 1976, he

founded his own winery with the coffee magnate, Austin Hills, and called it Grgich Hills Estate in Rutherford, central to Napa Valley.  What got him this far was his strong work ethic, the youngest of 11 children in Croatia, where he studied winemaking.

He came to California in 1958 to make wine, nearly penniless and with little more than the clothes on his back, but with a big smile and a determination to make “elegant wine.”  He made friends with the great wine makers of that era, Andre Tchelistcheff at Beaulieu, Brother Timothy at Christian Brothers and the legendary Robert Mondavi.  Eventually the Smithsonian Institute would unveil a display of his accomplishments.

Today, as Grgich passes the milestone 90th year of achievements, his winery has won many other awards for outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel and Fume’ Blanc, as well as other vintages of Chardonnay. He is now committed to natural winegrowing and sustainability, farming five vineyards using passion and art to handcraft food-friendly, balanced and elegant wines.  The goal of a wine maker is not to produce more and more wine, but to reveal the earth, or “terroir,” through the wines, and natural growing does just that. All of Grgich’s 366 acres follow his rule of “every day do something just a little better.”

This year, he has  bottled a special selection 2010 “Paris Tasting” Chardonnay ( $90.) in celebration of his 90th birthday. Visit the web site for more at www.grgich.com.

Wine Bytes
Le Papagayo in Encintas is the scene for a Support Local Now Launch  Party and wine dinner Mon. Apr. 8 from 7:30 to 11:30pm.  Cost is $45. and includes a five course dinner with locally grown food and wine, live music and a Support Local Now presentation.  Call 949-302-7012 for an RSVP.

The Grand Del Mar Wine Room is the location for a “Catch of the Day” cooking demo and dinner with wine pairings, Thurs. Apr. 11 from 7 to 9pm.  Demo, dinner and wine for $65. pp.  RSVP at 858-314-1996.

A Wine Tasting & Cheese Making Demonstration is featured at Milagro Farm Winery in Ramona Sat. Apr. 13 from 11 to 3pm.  Cost is $80.  Details at 858-384-6566.

Meet the Chefs of Del Mar and taste great food and wine at the 17th annual event  at the Hilton Del Mar, Sun. Apr. 14 from 1 to 4pm.  $150. General Admission, $200. for VIP.  Funds to benefit Casa de Amparo.

SDSU will be offering a wine course featuring Australian wines Wed. Apr. 10 to the 24th from 6 to 9pm, part of the Business of Wine program.  For more information, call 619-594-1138.

The 33rd Wine Extraordinaire is being held at the Anaheim Hilton Convention Center Sun. Apr. 14 from 2 to 5pm.  Hundreds of boutique wines will be highlighted with local restaurant sampling.  Silent auction.  Cost is $50.  Get the full story at 714-708-1636.