The Culinary Institute of America's Vintners Hall of Fame Induction Dinner Spiced Up by Inductees' Descendants, Documentary Filming, and Rare Auction Lots

February 28, 2007, St. Helena, CA - Dr. Tim Ryan, president of The Culinary Institute of America (CIA), will deliver induction awards to the descendants of several honorees at the Vintners Hall of Fame First Annual Induction Dinner on March 9, 2007, at the CIA's Greystone campus.
 
The Icon award to Harold Olmo, legendary UC Davis viticulturist, will be accepted by Jeanne-Marie Olmo, Dr. Olmo's daughter. Robin Lail, great-granddaughter of Captain Gustave Niebaum, will accept the Founder award for Inglenook, now Rubicon Estate. The Founder award to Buena Vista founder Agoston Haraszthy will be accepted by his great-great-grandson, Vallejo Haraszthy; and the Founder award to André Tchelistcheff will be accepted by his wife, Dorothy Tchelistcheff. André Tchelistcheff's nephew, Mark Tchelistcheff, will film the proceedings as part of a documentary on the famous Beaulieu Vineyards winemaker. 
 
"The presence of these family members adds additional meaning and excitement to the event," says CIA President Tim Ryan.  "And that excitement has led to spectacular donations for our auction lots."
 
Fritz Hatton, auctioneer of the annual Auction Napa Valley and owner of Arietta Winery, will be the emcee for the evening and will perform the honors for the four unique auction lots.
 
The Robert Mondavi Winery Lot features a reception and dinner for 12, personally hosted by Margrit and Robert Mondavi at the winery; a 6-litre bottle from a stellar vintage in each of Robert's four decades at the winery: 1974, 1985, 1995 and 2001; and two full-conference passes to Robert Mondavi Winery's Taste3 conference May 6-8, 2007 in Napa.
 
The Robert Mondavi World of Wines Lot celebrates Mr. Mondavi's international reputation and pioneering efforts in Napa Valley and around the world. The lot includes: Opus One (Napa), Sena (Chile), Luce & Lucente (Italy), Arrowood (Sonoma), Byron (Santa Maria), Talomas (California) and more.
 
The Robert Mondavi Alumni Lot features the wines of some of today's most heralded winemakers who "graduated from Mondavi U.," including Zelma Long, Mike Grgich, Charles Thomas, Warren Winiarski, and Paul Hobbs.
 
The Vintners Hall of Fame Founders Lot honors this year's inductees. Their respective wineries have provided a unique and impressive collection of rare bottles.
 
The annual Vintners Hall of Fame induction dinner will endow new scholarship programs for the Rudd Center for Professional Wine Studies at the CIA at Greystone. Tickets for the ceremony and gala dinner are $500. For reservations and more information, contact events@balzac.com or call 707-255-7667.
 
Founded in 1946, The Culinary Institute of America is an independent, not for profit college offering bachelor's and associate degrees in culinary arts and baking and pastry arts. A network of more than 37,000 alumni in foodservice and hospitality has helped the CIA earn its reputation as the world's premier culinary college. Courses for foodservice professionals are offered at the college's main campus in Hyde Park, NY and at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, in St. Helena, CA. Greystone also offers baking and pastry, advanced culinary arts, and wine certifications.

For more information, visit the CIA Web site at:http://www.ciachef.edu/