Margrit
Mondavi Honored As First Inductee
To Women for WineSense Hall of Fame
Copia in
Napa Valley to serve as permanent site
for Hall of Fame
Sonoma, CA, June 4, 2007
- Women for WineSense is honoring Margrit
Mondavi as its first inductee into the Women
for WineSense Hall of Fame. Founded in 1990,
Women for WineSense (WWS) is the premier
national grassroots organization dedicated
to educating consumers about the pleasures
and benefits of moderate wine enjoyment.
Copia: The American Center for Wine, Food
& the Arts will serve as the permanent
home to the Women for WineSense Hall of
Fame, which upon its installment, will represent
the center's first step in its long-standing
plans to establish the Copia Wine and Food
Hall of Fame.
Formal induction of Mrs. Mondavi will take
place Saturday, June 23, at the San Francisco
Four Seasons Hotel, as part of the Wines
Women Want (tm) Grand Tasting event. This
event will give the public an opportunity
to further their wine knowledge and taste
the medal winning wines from the first-ever
National Women's Wine Competition that occurred
in March 2007. Mrs. Mondavi and Kathryn
Hall, Ambassador and winery owner, are the
honorary co-chairs of the event. "Knowing
the pivotal role Margrit has played in the
development of winery hospitality and culture
in the Napa Valley, we decided that this
event was the perfect time to honor her
and recognize her contributions to our industry,"
explained Karen Jess-Lindsley, Chair of
the Grand Tasting event, sponsored by Women
for WineSense. "While many people know
of her husband Robert Mondavi's accomplishments,
few are aware of the long career and influence
Margrit has had in the development of Napa
and California as premier winegrowing regions."
"Margrit introduced the concept of
hospitality to the winemakers of Napa Valley,
and by extension, the American wine business.
She knew well before others that it was
good business to celebrate the pleasures
of the table," according to Gabrielle
Leonard, national president of WWS. "She
also remains a cultural leader in bringing
together wine and the arts, having started
four decades ago to incorporate art exhibits,
concerts, literary evenings and international
cooking classes into the extensive education
programs offered at Robert Mondavi Winery,"
adds Michaela Rodeno, co-founder of WWS.
Mondavi's induction into the Hall of Fame
caps a daylong series of educational programs
focusing on wine knowledge and opportunities
in the wine industry. Tickets are available
for advance purchase.
The education program begins at 8:30 AM
and includes seminars and panel discussions
on wine appreciation, sensory analysis,
careers in the wine industry and women icons
in the wine industry. The morning sessions
will be followed by presentation of the
Rising Star and Lifetime Achievement awards,
honoring the wine industry's most notable
women. The awards will be presented by Mrs.
Mondavi and Ambassador Hall. Following these
awards, the attention will turn to Mrs.
Mondavi, as Women fo r WineSense honors
her as the first Hall of Fame inductee.
A walkabout lunch limited to 200 participants
and prepared by the Four Seasons chef follows
the award ceremony, and features stations
offering foods that pair well with different
varietals. Some 100 wineries are expected
to show their award-winning wines. A special
tasting for members of the news media will
take place from 1:30 to 2 PM. The Grand
Tasting, featuring the winners of the National
Women's Wine Competition, begins at 2 PM.
The price of all-day admission, including
the Education Programs, Award Ceremony,
Luncheon and Grand Tasting, is $125 ($100
for WWS members). Tickets for the Walkabout
Lunch and Grand Tasting are priced at $95
($85 for WWS members). Admission to the
Grand Tasting Event is $50 ($40 for WWS
members). Tickets are available online at
www.wineswomenwant.com. Proceeds from the
event will underwrite the educational programs
and activities of WWS and fund two scholarships
for women in viticulture/winemaking and
women wine educators.
About Women for WineSense
Women for WineSense was founded in 1990
as a grassroots organization for women interested
in wine, with a mission to inform and educate
consumers and food industry professionals
about the cultural, health and culinary
attributes of moderate wine consumption.
About the National Women's Wine Competition
The National Women's Wine Competition is
the first and only competition to be judged
solely by accomplished women in the wine
industry. The judges included women winemakers,
sommeliers, wine educators and winery owners.
Over 1,800 individual wines were judged
in the combined General (open) Competition
and the Women Winemaker's Challenge, which
was limited to wines made only by women.
The winning wines that will be showcased
June 23 at the Four Seasons span the full
spectrum of varieties, tastes and styles,
yet all share characteristics of balance,
integration and elegance, according to Master's
of Wine Lisa Granik, who was a judge at
the competition.
About COPIA
Copia is located at 500 First Street in
downtown Napa. Hours are Wednesday through
Monday 10am - 5pm (closed Tuesday). General
Admission is $5.00 for adults, $4.00 for
seniors and students, and free for children
12 years and younger (accompanied by an
adult). Wednesdays are half price for Napa
and Sonoma residents. Memberships are available.
For additional information, please call
707.259.1600, or visit the website at www.copia.org.
Copia is a non-profit discovery center whose
mission is to explore, celebrate and share
the many pleasures and benefits of wine,
its relationship to food and its significance
to our culture. Located in the heart of
Napa Valley, Copia is the premier Wine Country
destination - offering visitors exceptional
wine experiences in education, discovery
and appreciation; plus outstanding food
programs, organic edible gardens, fine and
casual dining, exhibitions, performing/visual
arts, shopping and more! Proceeds from ticket
sales, membership and donations support
Copia's educational programs and exhibitions.
|