Honorary Vintners - A Night for Sight - The Alliance for Vision Research

Château Beychevelle - Since the Middle Ages the illustrious owners of Château Beychevelle have gradually endowed it with the best plot of land and have perpetuated the tradition that has always been of prime importance in the destiny of this Grand Cru Classé.

Château Beychevelle, is a prestigious Cru Classé whose character has been forged by three centuries of history... Nowhere does the word Château in its noblest sense ring as true as it does at Beychevelle. The elegance of its classical architecture makes it a jewel in the crown of the Medoc, coveted since its creation by the powerful families who have successively marked the economic, political and cultural life of Bordeaux and the region.

Under Herni III, Beychevelle was the fief of the Dukes of Epernon, particularly the first of them; Jean-Louis Nogaret de la Valette. This Admiral and Governor of Guyenne was all-powerful; according to legend, the boats that passed before his Chateau had to lower their sails as a sign of allegiance.

Hence the name "Baisse-Voile"(lowering of sails), which was to become Beychevelle, and the emblem of the Chateau, the ship with a prow in the shape of a griffin guarding Dionysis' cellar.

Chateau Grand Traverse - This is a thriving vineyard comprised of approximately 150 acres of European Vinifera vineyards with an annual production of around 75,000 cases. Chateau Grand Traverse Riesling wines are now recognized as some of America's finest with numerous awards and accolades.

Chateau Grand Traverse is 100% family owned and operated as well as being the first commercial winery and vineyard in northern Michigan.

Bob Egelhoff is the winemaker for Egelhoff Wines. A seasoned professional, he has over 25 years of experience in the California Wine Industry. Bob has held previous positions with such successful and prestigious companies as Beckstoffer Vineyards, Robert Craig, and Merryvale Vineyards. Currently, he makes wine for Amizetta Vineyards, Axios Wines, David Arthur Vineyards, and Phelan Vineyard. In addition, he has substantial background in premium custom winemaking and has coordinated production for over three dozen nationally recognized brands.

An essential philosophy behind Egelhoff's approach to winemaking is his hands-on involvement in directing vineyard and winemaking practices and closely monitoring the results. For Egelhoff Wines, Bob selects grapes from estate owned hillside vineyards. He performs all aspects of the winemaking process with help from the winery staff.

Egelhoff's winemaking is aimed towards producing full-bodied, elegant wine. Controlling all aspects of viticultural practices and combining old world and modern enological techniques enables him to produce the wines that accurately reflect their grape source.

Robert Egelhoff is a graduate of the University of California at Davis where he earned his Bachelor of Science Degree. He lives in St. Helena with his wife and two children.

Celani Family Vineyards - Vicki and Tom Celani are from an Italian family rich in tradition with a keen interest in wine, and then winemaking. It is no surprise that he fell in love with and purchased this Tuscan-style Napa Valley estate, with 17 acres of grapes and 120 olive trees in the foothills of the Vaca Mountain range, where tiny villages with their twinkling lights dot the evening skies. As the proprietor of the Celani Family Vineyards, Tom has chosen to bottle wine without costs becoming a consideration. This is about quality, not quantity. To Tom Celani, winemaking is not business, but a passion. The greatest compliment he could receive is to have a perfect stranger tell him that his premiere vintage of Ardore is the best wine that he-or-she has ever tasted. "If we never bottled more than 24 barrels of Ardore a year I would be satisfied, because our commitment is always going to be to quality," states Tom.

In concert with Tom's passion for people and wine, he has created a high-end Cabernet called Ardore. The first crush for Ardore occurred in September, 2005 with a release date in March of 2008. Ardore, which means passion in Italian, is a fitting name which reflects Tom's approach to business and life. Tom is also producing an estate grown Merlot and Chardonnay from Celani Family Vineyards. The first crush for both wines occurred in 2006.

The Rombauer Story...

Wine is a product of nature. But nature is rarely under its very best conditions. Most of the time very good wine is the product of nature being gently guided by the hand and wisdom of man. Guiding the land through its cycles from dormant vines in winter sleep, through the growing season, the wine making, aging, and finally bringing the finished wine to the table. The balance between the product of nature and the guiding of the hand of man, is the essence of the finest of wines and the philosophy at Rombauer Vineyards.

Rombauer Vineyards was founded in 1982 by Koerner and Joan Rombauer and sits on a tree covered knoll overlooking the Napa Valley. The winery features caves that extend for over a mile into the hillside. The caves provide a constant temperature and humidity which result in optimum conditions for aging our wines.

Rombauer wines are consistently ranked high in the wine trade journals. Many of the finest restaurants throughout the country include Rombauer wines on their list and feature them by the glass. The joy of wine is something that's important to Rombauer. Whether you are a collector of fine wines or like to have wine with food, wine is something that truly should be enjoyed. Rombauer Vineyards puts a lot of hard work and tender care i nto making drinkable wines. And because wine is a simple product to enjoy, emphasis is given to taking the mystique out of enjoying fine wines.

Their emphasis on the joy of wine comes from the heritage of the Rombauer family. Koerner's ancestors made wine in the famous Reingau region in Germany and his great aunt, Irma Rombauer, wrote the book The Joy of Cooking. Hence our focus on wine as complements to good food and good friends. Every family member is actively involved in the day to day operation of the winery from selecting grapes for the winemaking process and getting the wine to market.

Rombauer Vineyards produces several varietal wines, such as Carneros Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Estate Grown Zinfandel from the vineyard below the winery, and a blended reserve wine called Le Meilleur Du Chai, which m eans the Best of the Cellar. At Rombauer Vineyards, they take the time to hand craft and nurture our wines. Season after season, year after year. They are pleased to say the fruits of their labor have paid off. At wine competitions and where it counts – in every glass of Rombauer wine.