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NEWSMAKERS Faces& Forums A Family Affair In San Francisco Family Winemakers holds 23rd annual grand tasting Charles Smith is the winemaker at SmithMadrone Vineyards & Winery, which he runs with his brother, vineyard manager Stu Smith. Luciana Souza Alves is assistant winemaker at J. Wilkes, which produces Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from the Santa Maria Valley. S an Francisco, Calif.—The inaugural Family Winemakers of California tasting in 1991 featured 46 wineries pouring their wares. On Aug. 17-18 this year, more than 215 wineries participated in the 23rd annual event at Fort Mason in San Francisco, with at least 40 of them pouring for the first time. A larger number of wineries opted this year to offer wines for purchase at the tasting. These wineries were identified in the all photos: kate lavin program, and an icon on their signs alerted consumers that they had bottles for sale. Others indicated they were looking for distribution either in California or out of state. Trey Fletcher is winemaker at Bien Nacido Vineyards, which is owned by a fifth-generation farming family in Santa Maria, Calif. Decades after starting work as a vineyard laborer in Napa, Mario Bazán, pictured with wife Gloria, started his own wine label: Mario Bazán Cellars. Finally, the iSip Lounge was opened to wineries producing bottles that sell for more than $75. Wineries signed up for one-hour shifts in the iSip area, where between eight and 10 wineries were pouring at any one time. Extra tickets were required to access the lounge. As the voice for family-owned wineries in California, Family Winemakers focuses primarily on wineries producing less than 5,000 cases per year, although some larger producers participated in the grand tasting. Family Winemakers of California lobbies on behalf of its members for state policy issues. During the 2012-13 legislative session, the organization identified 51 Mary Rocca of Rocca Family Vineyards embodies the Family Winemakers concept: She is founder and vintner at the Napa winery. Winemaker David Coventry represented Puma Road Winery, which participated in the grand tasting for the first time this year. priority bills of interest to family-owned California wineries. —Kate Lavin Win es & Vin e s O C TO B ER 20 13 31