Celebration Committee
Cindy Pawlcyn, Honorary Chair
Bart and Daphne Araujo
Liz and Bruce Boulware
Jack and Dolores Cakebread
Darrell Corti
Joe and Ashley Criscione
Narsai and Venus David
Bill and Lona Hardy
Tor and Susan Kenward
Frank and Kathleen Lucier
David and Cathy Marsten
Thomas and Martha May
Margrit Mondavi
Bob and Sylvia Pestoni
Koerner and Sandy Rombauer
Leslie and Susan Rudd
Bob and Verna Steinhauer
Diane Woodruff

The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, Saint Helena, California (CIA) and The Napa Valley College (NVC) will celebrate the generous contributions of Belle and Barney Rhodes to the world of food and wine.

Held on the CIA’s Greystone campus, the festivities begin at 5:30 pm with a reception hosted by Celebration Committee member and vintner, Tor Kenward, featuring appetizers paired with wines made by students at the Napa Valley College’s winery, with presentations by Rhue Bruggeman, ceramics instructor and Bryan Avila, enology instructor.

The highlight of the evening will be the presentation of The Spirit of Napa Valley College Award to Valerie Gargiulo on behalf of her aunt and uncle, Belle and Barney Rhodes. Several friends of the Rhodes will be on hand to share their memories of the couple and NVC College Foundation president Kathleen Lucier will present a tribute to the history of the Rhodes.

The Celebration continues with a walk around dinner in the Teaching Kitchen at the CIA, featuring celebrity chefs and Napa Valley wines. Dinner will be followed by dessert and dancing to the Toasted Heads in the CIA's Barrel Room.

Program

Heitz "Bella Oaks" Historic Tasting

Thanks to the generosity of the Heitz family, 36 "Bella Oaks" patrons will have the opportunity to taste a vertical of the famed Bella Oaks vineyard owned by the Rhodes and the source of grapes for Heitz's famous estate bottling.  This special tasting with Kathleen Heitz includes 14 vintages:  1977, 1978, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005.  Limited to 36 individuals, the tasting requires "Bella Oaks" patron tickets.

Silent Auction

A handful of priceless auction lots will be available this evening including:  a vertical celebration Lot of Heitz Bella Oaks Vineyard Cabernet - The most compelling way to experience the beauty and power of Bella Oaks cabernets is by tasting  a vertical of these historic wines. This lot includes six top vintages from the 1990s—all to be tasted in the private Belle and Barney Rhodes Tasting Room at the CIA. Your personal host for the evening will be Karen MacNeil, chairman of the Rudd Center for Professional Wine Studies at the CIA and author of The Wine Bible.

Dancing to Kate Hanni and the Toasted Heads

Kate Hanni and the Toasted Heads features vocalist Kate Hanni with Reed Fromer on lead vocals and keyboards, Tim Hanni MW on guitar and Tony Langford on drums. The group's repertoire consists of exciting, danceable rhythm and blues, rock and beautiful, moving rock and soul ballads.  Material is drawn from such dependable sources as Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson, The Isley Brothers, Chaka Kahn & Rufus, B.B. King, the Doobie Brothers, Earth, Wind & Fire, and Jeffrey Osbourne, as well as more current artists such as Montell Jordan and Maxwell. 

Purchase Tickets

Click here to purchase tickets now.

Suggested hotels if you'd like to extend your stay:

Meadowood Napa Valley
900 Meadowood Lane
St. Helena, CA 94574
Tel (800) 458-8080 or Tel (707) 963-3646 

Solage Calistoga
755 Silverado Trail
Calistoga, CA 94515
Tel (866) 942-7442

Harvest Inn
One Main Street
St. Helena, CA 94574
Tel (707) 963 -9463 or Tel  (800) 950-8466