The Fresno Philharmonic is holding a spring wine event to raise funds to support the orchestra. An exotic car exhibit will add luster to "A Classic Afternoon."
The auction will be held on Saturday afternoon, April 25, between the hours of 12:30 and 4:30 p.m. at the estate home and gardens of Bill and Lise Van Beurden in Clovis. Admission is limited to 300 guests and the price to attend is $225 per person, of which $112.50 is a tax-deductible donation to the Philharmonic.
For information about the Philharmonic's "Classic Afternoon," or to request an invitation, contact the Fresno Philharmonic Box Office at 559-261-0600, or visit the Philharmonic's website at fresnophil.org
Most music lovers will agree that few things in life go better together than a glass of fine wine, delicious food, and beautiful music. With that combination in mind, the Fresno Philharmonic announces plans for a new signature fundraiser entitled "A Classic Afternoon." The event will include a live and silent auction of premium wines, luxury dining experiences, and other exclusive auction lots, including an opportunity to "guest conduct" the Fresno Philharmonic.
Michael Martini, a third generation wine maker from the famous Napa Valley Louis M Martini Winery, is the Honorary Chair of the event. Well steeped in the culture of wine making and wine auctions, Martini co-chaired the 25th anniversary of the Napa Valley Wine Auction. He is well known as a representative of the California wine industry.
While wandering the beautiful ten-acre gardens at the Van Beurden's home, guests will dine al fresco style from food stations provided by Vatche Moukhtarian of Cracked Pepper, Elena Mastro of Parma, Teresa Hurtado of Food for Thought, and Jim Pardini of Pardini's Catering.
Accompanying the exquisite food by these leading purveyors in our community, samples of the finest wines from the San Joaquin Valley Winegrape and Wine Industry will be poured by members of the association. Peterangelo Vallis, Executive Director for the San Joaquin Valley Winegrowers Association, serves as Master of Ceremonies for the afternoon. Noted Valley auctioneer Ed Croissant will raise the gavel on 15 premium auction lots valued at $2,000 and up.
Among the many live and silent auction lots, guests will bid on premium wines from Michael Martini, Domain Chandon, Justin, and Joseph Phelps. Also offered will be an Argentine-style dining experience with Malbec pairings and tango dancers, an opportunity to conduct a selection at the Fresno Philharmonic's holiday concert, and a week's use of a charming apartment in the Montmartre district of Paris offered by the Philharmonic's concertmaster, Aimée Kreston.
Adding to the enjoyment of the afternoon will be musical performances throughout the gardens by members of the Fresno Philharmonic, and an exotic car exhibit with rare classic cars from the collections of Peter Dal Pezzo, Bill Van Beurden, and others. Featured among the cars are Ferraris and a classic convertible once owned by the actress Ann Margaret.
Noting the success of other wine auctions such as the Sun Valley Wine Auction and the Jackson Hole Wine Auction in raising funds for their arts-related organizations, Philharmonic Board President and Chair of the auction Judith Peracchi said that in unusual economic times people yearn for the joy and inspiration that great music provides to a community. Despite the economy, Mrs. Peracchi believes that this auction offers those who value what is enduring and classical an opportunity to step forward and help one of Fresno's most significant cultural organizations.
In service to the residents of the Central San Joaquin Valley, the mission of the Fresno Philharmonic is to transform our community and enrich the lives of our residents through performances of great music. The Philharmonic's Executive Director Don Reinhold, who in his previous position at the Grand Teton Music Festival enjoyed the benefits of the Jackson Hole Wine Auction, said, "Amongst a growing renaissance of cultural activity in the Central San Joaquin Valley, the existence of a symphony orchestra is a resource of value and central to the life of this community. We believe that great music is a universal and timeless medium that enhances quality of life on an emotional, social, spiritual, intellectual, and economic level."
The Fresno Philharmonic has been under the leadership of Music Director Theodore Kuchar since 2002. The orchestra presents an annual series of Masterworks concerts at the Saroyan Theatre that have attracted some of the world's leading soloists such as Joshua Bell, Sarah Chang, Evelyn Glennie, and Itzhak Perlman. In addition, the Philharmonic presents annual concerts for schoolchildren at the Saroyan Theatre, which last November served nearly 7000 children, who attended with their schools for free with the underwriting of generous sponsors. With efforts to broaden its audience base within the community, the Philharmonic this season added a Pops series, which included the recent sold-out performance of the Classical Mystery Tour Tribute to the Beatles. The Philharmonic is presently planning a special Pops concert with the Valley's own Sons of the San Joaquin, which will take place this June at the Woodward Park Rotary Amphitheater.
Wineries Pouring at "A Classic Afternoon"
1. Mariposa Wine Company
Located just 30 minutes north of Fresno on Hwy 99, Mariposa Wine Company provides the kind of gracious high quality experience one finds in the best tasting rooms of California's wine country. Situated just north of the historic township of Berenda, Mariposa provides an oasis for thirsty travelers on the long stretch of road from Fresno to Sacramento. Bringing together a collection of premium California wines MWC boasts a portfolio of three distinctive labels under one roof: CRU , a collection of cool coastal appellation Pinot Noir and Chardonnay; Carmichael, an upscale selection of Euro-styled blends from Monterey and Yosemite View, rustic hand hewn varietals that showcase the Sierra Foothills region.
CRU
"CRU" is a French term that identifies and classifies prestigious vineyards and the wines made from them. This ranking embodies the notion that each vineyard site has a unique indigenous style. MWC understands the intricacies involved in attaining this rare level of distinction, and their CRU brand focuses exclusively on producing cool climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from California's coastal appellations. CRU represents a marriage of site typicity and winemaking skill that elevates their wines to a level of artistry not commonly found.
Carmichael
Passionately committed to the "Art of the Blend" Carmichael dares to be different with Mediterranean inspired compositions, hand crafted from premium coastal appellations.
The wines are designed to be approachable in their youth, yet with structure worth aging. Carmichael's Euro style blends are delightful, intriguing wines that serve as ideal companions or a wide array of cuisine or for enjoyment a cappella.
2. Cardella Winery
Our philosophy is that wine is an extension of the climate from which the grapes are grown and the soils from which they are rooted. By fusing old world secrets with new world technologies, we believe we are able to make wines that are truly unique and unprecedented in the San Joaquin Valley.
Our vineyards are managed by winemaker Nathan Cardella (an disciple of the triumvirate of culture: wine, food and music), which means that the wine-making decisions for next years vintage are already being made in the vineyard today. Great wines start out in great vineyards and we are routinely making viticultural choices that fortify the quality our grapes.
Our wines are produced as gently as possible sparing no expense to ensure quality. We harvest by hand and bottle by hand avoiding the harsh effects of machine handling. All of our premium wines are aged in traditional oak barrels that are housed in our subterranean cellar.
3. Ramos Torres
Oscar F. Ramos Torres (owner and winemaker), believes that sometimes there are things that one really cares to do, which must be shared with those who care to know about them even if it's coming from the most unlikely place.
Oscar is a young winemaker with a degree in enology from Fresno State (and a passion for music), who has been making wine at Cedar View Winery as an assistant winemaker to Jim Van Haun, beginning with the 2004 crush. Today, Oscar's vision of producing his own label has become a reality. Ramos Torres Winery produces wines that truly introduce the Central Valley with its very own premium wine
At Ramos Torres Wines we are committed to crafting wines of unique character, elegance, and intense focus. This commitment goes beyond the cellar door and into the finest vineyards of our region. We only source grapes from winegrowers that produce the highest quality grapes for fine winemaking. We are committed to the arduous process of finding the absolute best vineyards where their growers are steadfast in their care and attention to detail to produce only the finest wine grapes while using a sustainable approach. These growers have proven themselves to have a sophisticated outlook and demonstrate expertise, knowledge, and passion for growing grapes that produce world-class wines. With these superior grapes, we use techniques that involve a minimum of human intervention. This approach leads us to craft wines that reflect the terroir from which they were grown.
4. Sunfire Estate
Nestled in California's Sierra Foothills, just outside the picturesque town of Oakhurst, lays the Sunfire Estate vineyard. The site was "discovered" in 2001 by Stewart Epstein, our winemaker, after an expansive search through California's quality wine regions. The warm summer days and cool nights combined with the granite infused rolling foothills of the Sierra Mountain range was the magic "terroir" combination he sought. Intensely focused on the creation of outstanding, individualistic wines far removed from the mainstream, Stewart looks more to the wines, winemaking and viticulture of the Old World as his inspiration. He combines the art and the science of winemaking in his drive to produce the finest of wines. The region itself is blessed with beautiful views, fantastic local produce and, of course, Yosemite National Park.
Stewart, a profound music aficionado, is proud of the Viticultural heritage of the region, and has become the very first winery in the San Joaquin Valley to consistently earn 90+ points from prestigious wine publications.
