Award to be bestowed as part of a fundraiser for the Smithsonian Food History Project; Winiarski to donate signed bottle of 1973 Stag’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon, the 1976 Judgment of Paris winner
Napa, Calif., Feb. 29, 2024 — In recognition of a lifetime creating long-lasting change in the world of American food and wine, The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts will recognize legendary Napa Valley winemaker Warren Winiarski with the Foundation’s inaugural Trustee Medal of Honor at a fundraiser for the Smithsonian Food History Project, Thursday, Feb. 29.
“There is no one more deserving of this first-ever award,” said Eric W. Spivey, (pictured with Winiarski), Chairman of the Foundation. “It was established so the Foundation’s trustees could recognize those who have made an enduring lifetime contribution in the fields of gastronomy and the culinary arts. Julia held Warren in such high regard for his achievements in elevating wine and winemaking, and it is my honor to present him with this medal.”
Ever since his first Napa harvest 60 years ago, Winiarski has worked to achieve the “sense of completeness that makes a beautiful wine” and, in the process, to elevate wine and its accompanying meals. He found a peer and kindred spirit in Child, who inspired millions to take to their kitchens to experience creating — and then enjoying — foods and flavors that were not familiar to them. In January 1984, Winiarski appeared on “Dinner with Julia,” during which she poured Winiarski’s Stag’s Leap Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon and the two mused on the intricate relationship between food and wine.
“Her kitchen symbolizes exactly what she stood for: a gracious and familiar way to access the elevation of food from merely nutrition to something beautiful, something that satisfies another part of our soul,” Winiarski said. “I am honored to accept this award from her Foundation. The Foundation and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History are both executing critical work in preserving the marvelous history of American food and wine.”
Winiarski has been involved with the Smithsonian since 1996 when he called to ask how the museum would be honoring the 20th anniversary of the Judgment of Paris and its impact on American life and culture. In 2013, the museum highlighted his 1973 Stag’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon as one of the “101 Objects that Made America,” later including it in the Smithsonian’s “History of America in 101 Objects.” Since then, Winiarski and his late wife, Barbara, have set up a bequest that will endow a full-time curator position for the museum’s Food & Wine History Project to ensure American food and wine are always served on the American table and venerated in American history books.
The Trustee Medal of Honor also recognizes Winiarski’s impact as a mentor universally admired for his thoughtful, deliberate and imaginative ideas and for his collaborative approach toward achieving his and his mentees’ goals.
The award presentation will take place at a fundraising dinner hosted at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars and featuring silent auction items donated by a who’s who of Napa Valley wine. The silent auction will commence and be available online during the event, and will remain open to the public online March 1–8. The proceeds from the dinner will benefit the Smithsonian Food History Project.
View the full list of entries and place bids here. Select auction offerings include:
- Signed bottle of Winiarski’s famous 1973 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon that won the 1976 Judgment of Paris, from his personal cellar and accompanied by a copy of the Smithsonian’s “History of America in 101 Objects.”
- Private tasting for eight with John Kongsgaard at Kongsgaard Napa Valley along with a magnum of 2014 Kongsgaard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
- Luncheon and private tasting featuring “fabulous wines” for six with John Williams at Frog’s Leap Winery
- Wine tasting experience with Michael Silacci at Opus One and a bottle of Opus One wine
- Behind the scenes, curator-led tour of Julia Child’s kitchen and the Food 2.0 exhibition and tickets for two to the Food History Gala featuring the presentation of the 10th annual Julia Child Award at Flag Hall in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.
About Warren Winiarski
Warren Winiarski is a Napa Valley resident since 1963, grape grower and philanthropist. His well noted Arcadia Vineyard in the Coombsville AVA of Napa Valley grows Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. He planted his first Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard in 1970 in what is now the Stags Leap District. A longtime advocate of Napa Valley land preservation, Mr. Winiarski has backed legislation over the past 50 years to protect agricultural and open space for future generations. He has donated six conservation easements to the Land Trust of Napa County, protecting almost 200 acres of wild land and vineyards in perpetuity. His was the first producing vineyard ever donated, protecting the site of the Paris Tasting grapes. He is an avid supporter of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History’s American wine programs and has established funds to support the UC Davis Library’s collections of prominent wine writers’ manuscripts and papers. Also at UC Davis Mr. Winiarski is funding the research to update the Winkler Index to support winegrowers of the future make the best planting decisions in climate change. Founder and former proprietor of Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Mr. Winiarski is a Napa Valley winemaking icon with a deep legacy commencing when his 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon won the Judgment of Paris in 1976, helping put Napa Valley on the global wine map.
About The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts
The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts was created by Julia in 1995 and became operational in 2004. Its mission is to honor and further Julia’s legacy, which centers on the importance of understanding the elements and origins of good food and the value of cooking. Headquartered in Santa Barbara, California, the Foundation is a non-profit that makes grants to support research in culinary history, scholarships for professional culinary training, food writing, and media as well as professional development and food literacy programs. Since becoming operational, the Foundation has made over $3 million in grants to other nonprofits.
About the Smithsonian Food History Project at the National Museum of American History
Through research, programs, and collections, the Smithsonian Food History Project at the National Museum of American History welcomes everyone to participate in exploring the history and ongoing significance of food cultures in the United States. By engaging in activities and conversations about food history, Museum audiences will gain a greater understanding of the roles they play, individually and collectively, in shaping the future of food production, distribution, and consumption. In addition to its foundational exhibition, “FOOD: Transforming the American Table,” the Museum has developed a diverse menu of programs and demonstrations that bring audiences together, virtually and in person, for relevant discussions that start with history and expand to the present and future of American food. As the home of Julia Child’s kitchen for 20 years, the National Museum of American History is committed to examining the impact of food, drink, and agriculture on American history.
