It’s not surprising that the Lawrence A. Bertolini Student Center was packed with people to celebrate two of Sonoma County’s favorites. LeBaron’s columns, in the Press Democrat for decades, schooled us all in the history of this unique patch of earth with its agrarian roots. She continues to tell us fascinating stories about the people who bring this county to life. As for Ash, he taught us to savor the garden and put it on our plate. Under his tutelage, we learned to revel in our fresh veggies and be unabashed foodies.

LeBaron and Ash drew in a crowd of winery powerbrokers and they included: Rick Tigner, CEO of Jackson Family Wines; Joy Sterling, CEO/Partner of Iron Horse Vineyards; and Dan Kosta of Kosta Browne Winery.

Powerhouse brands from 30 wineries were also in good supply. They included Patz & Hall, Balletto, Collier Falls, Crux and AldenAlli.

Ash, in his remarks, added some levity when he shared these quotes:

“Remember you’re all alone in the kitchen and no one can see you” – Julia Child.

“Too few really understand a great sandwich” – James Beard.

“Never eat more than you can lift” – Miss Piggy.

“Wine is proof God loves us” – Benjamin Franklin.

The exhibit is in honor of The Wine Road’s 40^th Anniversary. All the barrels were sponsored by local businesses and many have already been bought, sight unseen. These “reinvented” barrels will be on public display at the winery beginning Friday. (There is a reception this afternoon, but it’s by special invitation.) DeLoach Vineyards is at 1791 Olivet Road. The Wine Road is a trade organization that encompasses a trio of appellations in Northwest Sonoma County – the Alexander Valley, the Dry Creek Valley and the Russian River Valley.

The “Judgment of Paris,” as the tasting came to be known, put California winemaking on the map, inspiring people all over the globe to take its craft seriously.

This year there will be a myriad of celebrations throughout Northern California and the country to celebrate the 40-year milestone. They include a series of winemaking dinners across the country, the debut of an autobiography and special gatherings at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington D.C.

While few are aware of this fact, the two winning wines of the Paris Tasting are on permanent display in the Smithsonian: The Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon and the Chateau Montelena 1973 Chardonnay. The two bottlings are on display in the museum’s exhibit: “FOOD: Transforming the American Table, 1950 to 2000.

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History will celebrate the historic tasting with special events May 16 and 17.

Napa Valley winemaker Warren Winiarski, who made the winning cabernet sauvignon, is the lead sponsor of the May 17^th dinner, which is a fundraiser for the American Food and Wine History Project. This projects collects winegrowing and winemaking objects, archival materials and audio interviews with many in the wine industry.

“As the grandson of immigrants, I am honored to be a part of the most American of all museums,” Winiarski said.

Featured guests at the dinner will include Steven Spurrier, the English wine merchant who instigated the Paris Tasting; George Taber, the Time magazine correspondent and the only journalist who covered the tasting; Violet Grgich, the daughter of Mike Grgich, the winemaker of the winning 1993 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay; Bo Barrett, the CEO and master winemaker of Chateau Montelena Winery and wife Heidi Barrett, winemaker and owner of La Sirena.

Meanwhile Grgich Hills Estate is paying tribute to the Paris tasting with a series of winemaker dinners throughout the country. The Rutherford winery is also releasing vintner Mike Grgich’s autobiography “A Glass full of Miracles,” which delves into his crafting of the winning chardonnay. (www.grgich.com)

Across the Mayacamas in Sonoma County,  Healdsburg’s Bacigalupi Vineyards will host an event April 30 to celebrate its historic grapes which were part of the blend in the winning chardonnay. The winery’s “Return to Paris” blind tasting will test the mettle of French and California wines by bringing in some of the bottlings that were originally tasted. (www.bacigalupisvineyards.com)

For the uninitiated, here’s the backstory about the tasting that shifted the tectonic plates of the winemaking world. English wine merchant Spurrier and his American business partner Patricia Gallagher spearheaded the May 24^th tasting, and they invited Time correspondent Taber to cover it. The formal blind tasting had a line-up of red and white wines – six California chardonnays against four white Burgundies, and six California cabernet sauvignons against four red Bordeaux.

The tasting was Spurrier’s experiment to pit the best of the Old World against the best of the New World. He enlisted nine highly esteemed French judges, and their findings, chronicled in Time magazine, shook up the wine industry, first in America and then in the world at large.

I was an exchange student in Montevideo, Uruguay in 1976, not even a journalist or wine-lover yet. But later, when I became a wine-loving journalist, I realized just how powerful and far reaching this tasting was.  I’ve often thought what if a journalist hadn’t covered the tasting? What if no story had appeared in something as reputable as Time magazine?

Spurrier was wise to invite a Time magazine reporter to chronicle the event. Who knew the results would be so shocking?

Winiarski said he was simply following his passion, and he never expected top honors. He certainly never expected a bottle he crafted to bewitch French judges and wind up in a museum.

“We were just passionate about wine on its own terms,” Winiarski said. “We were trying to make beautiful and great wine, and in love with that idea, we gave it our lives.”

However, a new study by members of the American Association of Wine Economics, reveals a significant link between organic wine and high scores from three highly esteemed wine publications.

The study focused on a pool of wine – 74,148 bottlings produced in California between 1998 and 2009. The publications it drew scores from are The Wine Advocate, The Wine Spectator and The Wine Enthusiast.

“Our results indicate that eco-certification is associated with a significant increase in wine quality ratings,” the study reported.

Eco-certification is an umbrella term, covering organic certifications from California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) and biodynamic certifications from the Demeter Association.

I’m excited about this study because my palate has been convinced of its findings for years. I knew it was true in my tastings, but I didn’t have the wherewithal to prove it on a large scale.

This has been a trusted fact for many of us in Wine Country, even though we didn’t have statistics to back it up. Phil Coturri, one of Sonoma’s most revered vineyard managers, is most definitely in this camp.

Coturri has said, “It was a natural evolution to grow grapes organically. Winemakers are glorified chefs who cook once a year.”

Coturri’s son Sam has said his father had “coyote magic” in selling organic farming to people, alluding to the Native American legend. The owner of Sonoma’s Enterprise Vineyards, has more than 600 acres of vines certified organic under his supervision.

Coturri has long held the belief that organic produce trumps all. As he put it: “If an organic tomato is going to taste better than a hot-house tomato, an organic grape is going to taste better than a conveniently-grown grape.”

Mi Sueno, founded in 1997, means “my dream” in Spanish.

Before reeling through the Q&A, here’s a recap of Vanessa’s backstory.

Vanessa, you recall, turned heads when she was president of Sonoma’s Robledo Family Winery. She grew the business from a 100-case producer in 1997 to a 20,000 cases a year in 2007. Vanessa targeted the affluent Hispanic middle class, and taught wine pairing using her mother’s traditional Mexican dishes at winery events.

In 2008 Vanessa decided to strike out on her own and joined Black Coyote Chateau, a small producer of award-winning Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon. She again drew attention by establishing Black Coyote as a multicultural brand with national distribution in 18 states. She also increased direct consumer sales and wine club membership 100 fold.

At Mi Sueno, Vanessa will have a higher profile and broader responsibilities than she had at Black Coyote.

As for the Robledo Family Winery, it’s now owned by Vanessa’s brother, Everardo Robledo. There were court battles with some family members before Everardo became the official owner in 2013.

The Robledo story begins with their father, Reynaldo Robledo, who came to America when he was 16. He set a record by opening the first tasting room in the United States by a former Mexican migrant vineyard worker. (People magazine did a 2-page spread on Robledo’s story in Aug. of 2005.)

Vanessa also is making breakthroughs of her own. In 2015 she was awarded “Woman of the Year” by the Napa County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Marin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Author Rhoann Ponseti wrote, “She is not only the American dream personified, she is reinventing that dream as she goes along, serving as a bridge over cultures, gender, wine industry, age and family stereotypes.”

Here’s the Q&A with Vanessa, who continues to turn heads.

Q: Who was your role model growing up and for what reasons?

A: My role model is my mother, Maria de La Luz Robledo. Maria is the most remarkable woman I know. She was always cooking, cleaning, and helping my father work in the vineyards, and raised seven sons and two daughters. She never once would say anything negative. Instead, she was always smiling, loving life, and would always scold me for not learning her Mexican recipes. I have her strong work ethic and I strive to master her optimistic mind set. I still can’t cook as well as my mother, but I have perfected the art of pairing wine with each of her dishes.

Q: In what ways do you want to inspire others? How do you actively go about this?

A: I would like to inspire others by promoting the importance of education. A few years ago I was fortunate to support a small preschool for underserved children in Sonoma Valley. Most of the 21 students were Spanish speakers. Growing up in the public school system I quickly learned English because in the 80′s my brother and I were the only Spanish speaking kids in our class. Today, if you walk in the same classroom you will see that many of the kids are Spanish speakers. Due to culture shock and language barrier young students quickly fall behind in our school system, especially without attending preschool or being exposed to earlier education. This opportunity taught me the importance of early education for students whose parents support our wine, food, and hospitality industries.

Q: What insights can you give us about growing up steeped in your traditions, while at the same time you were immersed in the American culture? What did each teach you? How do you integrate them?

A: I am very fortunate to have grown up in a multicultural family. My sister Lorena, seven brothers, and I were raised in Napa. In our home we were only allowed to speak Spanish and were exposed to strong Mexican traditions from the folkloric walls to the smell of my mom’s Mexican cuisine. When I would step outside of my front door and go to school I felt liberated because I liked being seen as an equal. In our family the women had disciplined roles. At school those rules or limitations did not exist.

I learned to appreciate my culture more later in life. When I was in my twenties and president of my family winery I traveled nationally to represent our wines. Because I am a woman I had to be escorted by one of my seven brothers to all my sales trips. When I would travel to NYC I had to bring two of my brothers because my parents believed it was the most dangerous city in the U.S. When I left the family winery to pursue my dreams I learned to appreciate the importance of family and no longer having the luxury of traveling with my brothers to help with my bags.

I integrate both my American and Mexican culture in the businesses I work in by pairing Mexican food with wine.

Q: What are your plans to reach out to Hispanics and Millennials? How important are each to your market?

A: The Millennials are a very important part of our economy making up approximately 80 million of our population in the U.S.  Although, not all are 21 yet.

At Mi Sueno Winery we like to be inclusive and equally target all generations. One of the ways we will reach out is by hosting educational seminars, establishing private clubs, and cultural events.

True or False? A wine is flawed if it smells like:

A)        band-aid?

B)         barnyard?

C)         wet, musty cardboard?

D)         cat pee?

E)         rotten eggs?

F)         petroleum?

G)        nail polish?

Okay genius, here’s the skinny:

If your sniffer picks up band-aid, wet cardboard, rotten eggs or nail polish, you’ve got a flaw on your hands. The other aromas listed, odd as they seem, are actually respectable in the wine world.

Now you’re all set to be a charmer when you order wine in a restaurant, thanks to this 60-second sip.

———————————————————————-

For those who have another minute to spare, here’s the detailed answer key:

A)        True. The smell of band-aids is a flaw. (It’s caused by temperamental wild yeasts known as Brettanomyces often called Brett.)

B)          False. The smell of barnyard isn’t a flaw, and is a beloved aroma in many pinot noirs.

C)        True. The smell of wet, musty cardboard is a flaw. (TCA is primarily responsible for cork taint. For the curious, TCA is the chemical structure 2,4,6-trichloroanisole.)

D)        False. The smell of cat pee isn’t a flaw, and some consider it a lovely aroma in sauvignon blanc.

E)          True. The smell of rotten eggs is a flaw. (It’s caused by volatile sulfur compounds.)

F)          False. Many consider the smell of petroleum a lovely aroma in older rieslings.

G)        True. The smell of nail polish is a flaw. (It’s caused by volatile acidity.)

Okay rock star, you stand protected. Now that you’ve trained your palate, a substandard wine never has to pass your lips.

It is OK to serve red wine with fish?

With no further adieu, here’s the question of the day: If you drink red wine with fish, does that make you:

A)    uncouth

B)    a renegade

C)    a savvy wine connoisseur

You guessed it – C is the answer. The “white wine with fish, red wine with meat rule” is dated. It was based on the body of a wine, which has changed over time. Whatever’s light in body – white or red – is great to pair with fish. And whatever is a weighty wine – white or red – is a great match for meat.

So there you have it – your 60 second sip.

It’s not surprising Forbes magazine picked Wedler in the Food & Drink category. The Petaluma-born wine educator has been leading blind wine tastings at Francis Ford Coppola Winery in Geyserville since 2011. He blindfolds the unsuspecting and leaves them with this startling revelation: sight can be detrimental when it comes to tasting.

Forbes selected 600 leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs in its fifth annual “30 Under 30” list covering 20 categories. The story was published in the January 18, 2016 Forbes magazine issue. (www.forbes.com/30under30.)

Wedler has been turning heads for years. In May of 2012 he was honored at the White House as part of President Obama’s Champions of Change program, for leaders in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math for people with disabilities.

I wrote a profile on Wedler last year, offering a glimpse of his unstoppable nature, the blind man, the visionary. Read it here.

Every year, without fail, we watch these holiday movies because they inspire us to believe in some semblance of goodness in this world, particularly during unsettling times.

Uncorking a great bottle of wine while watching a sentimental movie has become a rich tradition at my house. Of course choosing the right wine — bottling film noir — is always the trick. But after giving this some thought, I’m confident you’ll have fun with these pairings.

It’s a Wonderful Life
George Bailey (James Stewart) is reinvented thanks to his angel (Henry Travers). For this reason, this sentimental wine with wings is in order: Merry Edwards, 2011 Angel Wing Pinot Noir. The bottling has angel wings etched on it, and Edwards produced it as a tribute to her son, Warren Miller, who passed in 2006. It’s no longer available at the winery but you can find it online, in some places for $50. Of course, knowing the backstory is enough to make any pinot at Merry Edwards a worthy, sentimental pick.

A Christmas Story
Ralphie Parker (Peter Billingsley) is so preoccupied with getting a Red Ryder air rifle, he isn’t the least bit upset when his Christmas turkey is devoured by a pack of dogs. Since the family winds up eating at a Chinese restaurant, the best pick here is a good riesling. One that pairs particularly well with spicy food is: Kung Fu Girl, 2014 Evergreen, Columbia Valley, Washington Riesling, at $12.

A Christmas Carol
A trio of ghosts ultimately win over Ebenezer Scrooge (George C. Scott), but before that he’s so miserly the film calls for this budget wine: Picket Fence, 2013 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, at $15.

White Christmas
Singer Bob Wallace (Bing Crosby) ultimately triumphs as the white knight for singer Betty Haynes (Rosemary Clooney). This victory, coupled with that surprising snowfall in Vermont, calls for this celebratory sparkler: Gloria Ferrer, 2007 Royal Cuvee Carneros Brut at $37.

Miracle on 34th Street
After an old chap going by the name of Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn) fills in for an intoxicated Santa in Macy’s annual Thanksgiving Day parade, the magic begins. For this reason a magical wine is in order, one that will make you believe in the goodness of the world, and most particularly, the wizardry of winemaking. This one will turn heads: Black Kite, 2013, Soberanes Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir, at $55.

Wine, thankfully, can be used as way to change the course of the banter. Think of it as an interception … a much needed interception, in fact, when a Donald Trump supporter and a Bernie Sanders backer sit down to break bread.

When talk gets louder and reaches a fevered pitch, jump in and play the diplomat. Don’t wait for name-calling.

Here’s all you need to say:

“Excuse me, you two. Have you tasted the Conundrum? Wow. What a great white wine. I bought it because it’s such a great holiday white. Just take a minute and let me know what you pick up. Apricot? Honeysuckle?”

If you’re smart, you’ll line up six bottles for your feast, so you’ll have plenty of ammunition should things get hot. Aunt Martha worked too hard on her fruit cake for it to be tossed in a food fight.

Here are six detente bottlings, at all price points, so you can keep the peace at your holiday feast.

Kung Fu Girl, 2014 Evergreen, Columbia Valley, Washington Riesling, 12 percent, $12. This wine has an incredible range. Aromas and flavors of bright apricot, mango and mineral. Crisp acidity. Nice length. It’s a steal.

Smith-Madrone, 2013 Spring Mountain District Napa Valley Riesling, 12.6%, $27. This riesling will turn heads with its great minerality. It has gorgeous stone fruit of apricot and peach, with lime in the mix. This riesling is rare because it has pitch perfect balance. Strikingly crisp.

Iron Horse, 2011 Brut X, 13.5 percent alcohol, $50. This is one of the liveliest sparklers you’ll ever come across, and it’s a modest price for the quality. It’s dry, with bright acidity and great minerality.

Le Reve, 2007 Blanc de Blancs, 12%, $105. This bubbly is pure elegance. What makes it extraordinary is its range and its restraint. It has notes of baked pear, brioche and almond, to name a few. The rich flavors are balanced by bright acidity. Pinpoint bubbles. Striking.

Dutton Goldfield, 2013 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, 13.5 percent, $40. This pinot is impressive. It has a deep, lingering note of Bing cherry that is just stunning, and all other aromas and flavors are crafted around it — the headliner. It’s also earthy and smoky, a top rate pinot on all fronts.

Loring Wine Company 2014 Keefer Ranch Vineyard, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, 14.3 percent, $45. This pinot is drop dead gorgeous. It has flavors and aromas of cherry, strawberry and sandalwood. Bright, lively, upfront fruit that lingers. Impressive.

A word of advice: Don’t delay. Stock up on your peace-keeping wines. This is the time to strategize.