Local wine industry loses icons Narsai David, Warren Winiarski
June marked the loss of local wine industry icons Warren Winiarski and Narsai David.
Winiarski, who died June 7 at age 95, was founder and proprietor of Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars in Napa. He made the 1973 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon that bested the French Bordeaux at the 1976 Judgement of Paris, putting California, and in particular Napa, squarely on the map as a wine region worthy of global note.
Winiarski first came to learn about wine from Martin Ray, who planted the vineyard in Saratoga that is today Mount Eden Vineyards. It was this exposure to lean, focused and restrained Santa Cruz Mountains cabernet sauvignon that made a lifelong impression on him. It was very much in his mind when he told me, “The perfect wine is complete. It has a beginning, a middle and an end. It has nothing extraneous. It leaves you wanting nothing. It is just…enough.”
The definition stemmed from Aristotle, who, like Winiarski, inspired many greats to follow in his footsteps, among them Michael Silacci of Opus One and John Kongsgaard of Kongsgaard Wines.
Known for fashioning his own stylish and colorful bowties, David was a foodie purist by upbringing. His Assyrian mother instilled in him a love of simple, seasonal cooking, which he parlayed into newspaper columns, a restaurant, a weekly radio segment on KCBS and several cookbooks. David died on June 20 at age 87.
David also ran a small print shop in Berkeley where he printed, on a Heidelberg press, the original labels for Chalone Vineyard, the first winery to operate on a shareholder model. He also had vineyards in Napa, along with an eponymous wine brand.
Considered by many a cherished mentor, he helped give a young Kurt Grasing, who began as a sautée cook in 1979 at the Kensington restaurant named Narsai’s, the chance to own his own place in Carmel, Grasing’s, which opened in 1998.
Which brings us to the much-coveted Wine Spectator Grand Award, of which Grasing’s was one of four recipients this year.
“We have been very fortunate that we have gotten this ‘best of’ award,” Grasing said. “It’s always been a dream, but, at a certain point, you just have to go forward and do what you do and know that you are the best at what you do.”
He credits Grasing’s wine director Eric Ewers, who joined the restaurant in 2020, for organizing and augmenting the 3,000-bottle cellar, which humbly began with eight wines. Grasing says he still serves the 2019 Narsai Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon by the glass.
Contrary to its name, the Women’s Wine Competition is open to wine made by all but is judged exclusively by women. This year’s competition awarded San Jose’s Alamitos Vineyards with Best of Class for its 2021 Estate “Andorinha” Touriga Nacional, a Portuguese variety typically made into Port, but here, expertly fashioned by George Troquato into a table red.
Alamitos Vineyards also garnered Silvers for its 2021 “Running Quail” Pinot Noir and 2020 “Night Owl” Syrah/Cabernet blend.
There is no shortage of wine events in the South Bay and on the Peninsula this summer.
Thomas Fogarty winemaker Nathan Kandler is hosting a special tasting of single-vineyard Rapley Trail wines on July 13,1-4 p.m. Tickets are $250 at https://www.exploretock.com/fogartywinery.
Ancoro Vino Los Gatos presents a tasting of Assiduous Wines with winemaker Keegan Mayo (formerly with Testarossa) on Friday, July 12, 5-7 p.m., and for a tasting of Madson Wines with winemaker Cole Thomas on Thursday, July 18, 5-7 p.m. $25 general, $15 wine club members.
The Santa Clara Valley Wine Auction is set for Saturday, July 27, at Clos La Chance Winery in Morgan Hill, opens to VIP ticket holders at 5 p.m. Kentucky Derby attire is suggested. Tickets are $95-$150 at https://visitmorganhill.org/santaclaravalleywineauction.
The biggest block party to date is coming on July 18 to San Pedro Square, 5-9 p.m., when more than 40 vendors will be offering bites to eat and products to shop, plus entertainment from the band GTC. For more information and to reserve a spot at this free event, visit Eventbrite.com.
Vino Locale in Palo Alto has added a happy hour Tuesday-Saturday, 3-5:30 p.m., on the front patio, featuring wine by the glass at $8, with bites for $10. A variety of wines are priced from $10-$20 a glass, including local selections, and are accompanied by a new food menu, featuring the 1957 Normandie cheese and charcuterie platter or baked sour cherry Brie, and entrees like lobster ravioli, swordfish kabobs and sultan kabobs. Visit https://vinolocale.org/menu for the full menu.