The Contemporary Museum – Makiki Heights
2411 Makiki Heights Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822
Main: (808) 526-1322; Exhibition Info: 526-0232; Café Reservations: 523-3362
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release July 15, 2009
Contact: Charlie Aldinger, Director of Museum Advancement;
Ph: (808) 237-5231; Fax: (808) 536-5970; E-mail:
caldinger@tcmhi.org
Web Site: http://www.tcmhi.org
27 Wineries Showcased at August Moon
Fundraiser Supports Children's Art Education
A hefty twenty-seven wineries from the best
wine growing regions in America, Portugal,
and Australia will be serving up their best
vintages at The Contemporary Museum's August
Moon Wine Tasting, a fundraiser for
children's education programs, on August 8
from 6 until 9 p.m. A special feature of
this wine tasting is that the wineries
feature organic and biodynamic wines all
grown using sustainable farming practices.
Among the vintners will be a solar-powered
winery L'Adventure Winery from Paso Robles,
California; organic wines from Storrs Winery
in Santa Cruz and one of the oldest organic
vineyards in Napa Valley, Tres Sabores
Winery; and sustainably-farmed Zaca Mesa
Winery in Santa Ynez, California.
Beside the art and lovely gardens, organic
and biodynamic wines will be the main
attraction at The Contemporary Museum's
August Moon Wine Tasting. Reservations are
$75 general and $125 sponsors and are
currently being accepted online at http://www.tcmhi.org/mi_winetasteevent.htm;
or by phone at (808) 237-5210; or by email
at
gwong@tcmhi.org.
Biodynamic wines are made using the
principle of biodynamic agriculture, which
has become popular practice with grape
growers throughout Europe, Australia, and
North and South America. Many high-profile
commercial growers have converted to this
practice in recent years, with now over 450
biodynamic wine producers worldwide.
Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) is credited with
starting the practice of biodynamic
viticulture in the art of growing grapes for
wine. Steiner predates the new organic wine
movement by a few decades, and is now famous
for his Agriculture Course, which he first
offered back in 1924. His concepts
include understanding the ecological, the
energetic, and the spiritual in nature.
Most common day principles and practices of
biodynamics viticulture are based on his
original spiritual/practical philosophy.
Today's biodynamic winemakers make claims of
stronger, cleaner, more vibrant tastes, as
well as wines that remain drinkable longer.
These claims are being upheld in blind
tastings by head sommeliers that frequently
judge biodynamic wines to be superior to
their conventional counterparts.
With the creation of the National Organic
Program by the USDA, an "Organic wine" is
defined as a wine made from organically
grown grapes without any added sulfites.
Wines grown from organically grown grapes
are also often called organic wines and are
allowed to contain up to 100 ppm of added
sulfites.
Bouchaine Vineyards, located in the Carneros
region of Napa Valley, will be one of the
featured wineries. Bouchaine Vineyards
believes in protecting the environment to
sustain our natural resources. Planting
cover crops such as fescue grass helps with
erosion control and the use of organic
compost instead of inorganic fertilizers are
just two ways the winery practices
sustainable farming. Bouchaine was
among the first wineries to participate in
the Napa Green Farm Certification Program.
They also worked closely with Napa County
Resource Conservation District to develop a
long-term farm plan to conserve natural
resources and protect surrounding waterways.
The winery is less than a mile from the
Carneros Creek, Huichica Creek, and the Napa
River and marshes.
Near the heart of the Russian River Valley
is the Donum Estate, known for their unique
Pinot Noir wines. Donum farms in both the
Russian and Carneros River valleys. This
winery is in pursuit of the ultimate Pinot
Noir, based on the Burgundian grand cru
model. The ranch, farmed by Anne
Moller-Racke, includes over 70 acres growing
varieties of "heirloom" grapes such as
Calera, Martini, Roederer and Swan, Chalone,
and Hanzell. Their wines are being featured
at the South Beach Florida Wine and Food
Festival and the World of Pinot Noir in
Shell Beach, California.
From Portugal will be Kopke and Rocha Ports,
from Australia, Glaetzer Winery and Woop
Woop Winery, from Washington State, Gordon
Brothers and Milbrandt Vineyards, and many
more besides. August Moon will be a great
way to sample a wide variety of vineyards
throughout the many wine-growing regions of
California (Napa, Sonoma, Russian River
Valley, Monterey, Santa Barbara, and Santa
Maria Valley) and the Pacific Northwest.
August Moon is being organized with the help
of Kristen Chan, Jeff Finney, John Koga, Bob
Madison, Nate Smith, and John Staub. In-kind
sponsors include A'a Party Rentals.
Each ticket purchase includes a free TCM
one-year Individual membership, of which $45
may be applied to a renewal or an upgrade to
an existing membership, if you are already a
TCM member, or given as a gift membership to
an individual of your choosing.
Valet parking is free to all who buy tickets
at the sponsor level, and to any 4
ticketholders that carpool together in one
car. Free parking for all others will be
provided at Roosevelt High School with a
complimentary shuttle service up to the
Museum.
TCM's epicurean and gourmet wine tasting
will feature a hand-picked selection of
organic and bio dynamic wines courtesy of
Wine Merchants of Hawaii, a division of
Johnson Brothers. A variety of fine dining
establishments such as Sheraton Waikiki's
new Twist at Hanohano restaurant, Ruth's
Chris Steakhouse, King Food Service, La
Gelateria Italian Style Frozen Desserts, and
the TCM Café will be serving their epicurean
fare to accompany the wines.
Johnson Brothers was founded in 1953 in St.
Paul, Minnesota. The company is family-owned
and being run by a second generation of
Johnson Brothers. They are one of the
premier distribution sources for wines and
spirits in the United States. Wine expert
Tim Garrard is coordinating the wine-tasting
portion of the event.
Specially selected wines, artworks and home
decor by local artists and designers will be
featured in a silent auction. Among the
artists whose works will be featured are
John Koga and Derek Bencomo. All the artists
featured will be those who work with
sustainable and recycled materials.
All proceeds from this fall fundraiser will
benefit the public art education programs of
The Contemporary Museum. TCM offers free
tours to more than 10,000 school children
every year. Through the museum's
Transportation and Transformation program,
TCM even provides free bus service for
schools that have little resources,
expanding their ability to expose school
children to the arts and cultural aspects of
contemporary art.
"With the State's budget cuts this year more
drastic than ever, we hope to raise
additional funds to help provide increased
opportunities and art education resources to
our public schools during this time of great
need," says TCM Executive Director
Georgianna Lagoria.
For more information about The Contemporary
Museum or August Moon Wine Tasting, visit
our website at
www.tcmhi.org;
Exhibition Info: (808) 526-0232; Reception
Desk: (808) 526-1322. Third Thursdays are
free entry days!
-end-
General Information:
The Contemporary Museum - Makiki Heights
Entry: One-Day Membership Pass - $8 Adults; $6 Students & Seniors; Members & Children 12 and
under are free. (Cost of a one-day pass may be applied to the cost of an annual membership on
the day of issue.) It is always free to visit the Museum Shop or The Contemporary Café. Third
Thursdays are free entry days! Museum and Shop Hours: Tuesday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.;
Sunday from Noon to 4 p.m.; Closed Mondays and major holidays. The Contemporary Café Hours:
Tuesday-Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; Sunday from Noon to 2:30 p.m. Café
Reservations: (808) 523-3362. Docent Tours: Tuesday-Sunday at 1:30 p.m. Cades Library Hours:
Tuesday & Thursday from 3 to 5 p.m.; or by special appointment. Parking: Free. On The Bus: #15
to Makiki Heights Drive-stops in front of the Museum. Address: 2411 Maikiki Heights Drive,
Honolulu, HI 96822. Exhibitions/Events Line: (808) 526-0232. Tours/Administration: (808)
526-1322; Web Site: www.tcmhi.org. Membership: (808) 237-5219.
The Contemporary Museum at First Hawaiian Center: Entry: Free. Hours: Monday-Thursday from
8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Closed on weekends and banking holidays;
First Fridays: 7-9 p.m. Docent Tours: Third Thursdays at Noon. Parking: TCM Members enjoy
validated parking at FHC. Address: 999 Bishop Street, Honolulu, HI 96813.
For all press inquiries, please contact Charlie Aldinger, Director of Museum Advancement, at (808)237-5231
or via e-mail at caldinger@tcmhi.org.
