Bonny Doon Vineyard Founder Pleasantly Surprised to be so Honored in Napa Valley
The Culinary Institute of America, Greystone announced today that Randall Grahm, founder and President-for-Life of Bonny Doon Vineyard, will be among the 2010 inductees for the annual Vintners Hall of Fame. The C.I.A. Hall of Fame, established in 2007, honors California vintners, past and present, who have made significant contributions to the wine industry. Grahm, an iconoclastic and at times contrarian vintner based in Santa Cruz, was taken aback by this honor. 'It is more than a bit surreal to find myself here in Napa Valley acknowledged for my vinous achievements. While deeply moved by this unexpected honor, I do feel a bit out of place, not unlike a cru bourgeois amongst the first growths,' said Grahm.
At a luncheon held to announce the class of 2010 in the historic Barrel Room at the C.I.A. campus, Grahm and his fellow inductees Andy Beckstoffer, Zelma Long and posthumous recipients Al Brounstein and Leon Adams, were toasted and acknowledged for their many contributions to the world of wine. W. Blake Gray, journalist and chair of the Hall of Fame nominating committee, noted 'Randall Grahm's contributions to the California wine industry go well beyond what any one person could hope to accomplish in a lifetime.' The official 2010 induction ceremony will take place March 13th 2010 as part of the Culinary Institute of America's Celebration of California Wine & Food.
Mr. Grahm has accomplished a significant amount in his nearly 30 years at Bonny Doon Vineyard. These firsts include: his flagship red Le Cigare Volant the original California Rhone blend, Vin de Glaciere the first freezer (frozen grape) dessert wine, Le Sophiste the first white Rhone blend and more recently his small Demeter certified Biodynamic(R) estate grown wines especially the award winning Ca del Solo Albarino. Since 2001 all Bonny Doon Vineyard wines use screw cap closures exclusively; additionally, since 2007, all wines feature full disclosure ingredient labeling. Grahm owns two vineyard estates, the Ca del Solo Vineyard in Monterey and a newly purchased property under development in San Juan Bautista, both farmed using Demeter certified Biodynamic(R) methodologies. Bonny Doon Vineyard's Cellar Door Tasting Room and Café has quickly become Santa Cruz's premiere culinary destination since its opening at the winery in 2008. Fall of 2009 saw the release of Grahm's first book Been Doon so Long: A Randall Grahm Vinthology a witty and compelling collection of his writings on wine, life, literature, and philosophy, published by University of California Press.
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