Saratoga Sampler
Pierce and Conrado win recognition for wines
By Mary Ann Cook
WINNING WINES: Attorney and amateur winemaker Mark Pierce won first place at the Santa Clara County Fair for both his 1997 Meritage blend, Quiver, and for his '97 cabernet sauvignon. The wine also won a bronze at the California State Fair.
All the grapes used to produce his award-winning wines were grown at his Sobey Road home. Another Saratogan, Paul Conrado, also won a first place at the county fair--for his '98 zinfandel. That wine won a silver at the state fair and a silver at the Indiana State Fair, in addition to a bronze at the Orange County Fair.
A Conrado Cellars cabernet sauvignon won a silver at the California State Fair and a bronze at the Orange County Fair. Why does he enter those particular fairs? They're among the largest and the most prestigious, he says.
The Indiana fair, for example, accepts 1,700 wine entries. Besides that, they award a real medal, not just a certificate, he says, chuckling. Conrado uses grapes grown on 11 different sites for his winemaking, including Sobey Road soil.
As president and founder of The Conrado Company, custom homebuilders, he says homebuilding and grape growing in the Saratoga area often go hand in glove. (Or sole to stomp if we want to put it in vineyard-speak.)
Thus, along with building homes, Conrado often helps people plant a vineyard on their property. As the grapes mature, he helps the homeowners produce their own wine. Half the produce in these arrangements goes to the homeowner, half to Conrado.
Both the local winemakers, Pierce and Conrado are Saratoga Rotarians; both have two children. Their wives, Darcy Pierce and Libby Conrado, help in the wine production. "It's a great lifestyle," attests Paul Conrado.
This despite the fact that every fall weekend is devoted to wine production. Mark Pierce grew up in Saratoga: his mother is former society columnist for the Mercury News Marjorie Pierce.
BANDING TOGETHER: The members of the Saratoga High class circa 1980 are a tight-knit, talented group who are pooling their efforts for a colossal music/variety show to benefit their classmate Bob Williams in his fight against esophageal cancer.
The benefit is Sept. 8, at 8 p.m. at Los Gatos High School. Organizers are Kevin Ruf and Lynette Bunyard, '80; along with Lance Guest, '78. Guest is an actor who appeared in The Last Starfighter and Stepsister from Planet Weird., among others.
Many of the other alumni to be featured are well-known names in entertainment, including musicians Mike Gurley, pianist John Boswell, guitarist Dave Boswell, screenwriter Ed Solomon, who wrote Men in Black and Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure; and physician/musician Brian Prestwich.
Williams taught second grade at Rosemary School in Campbell for the past five years, is known for his effective, unorthodox teaching style which delights and engages. He will try anything to get kids and their parents involved in learning, say colleagues.
Williams is living at his parents' home with wife Dana and children Tess, Cole and Riley. Tickets to Bob Fest 2000 are $100 per person. Checks can be sent to Bob Williams Fund, 158 N. 15th St., San Jose, 95112. For more information, call 408.294.2532.
BARBECUE: The Saratoga Senior Center barbecue/auction will be held Sept. 9, from 5 to 8 p.m. in the center parking lot. Bill Anders provides the entertainment, which includes country, western and Big Band tunes, while Chris Marchi works with the lighting.
Money raised will allow programs to be added and more sessions to be offered. Tickets to the barbecue are $20 for adults, $10 children. The center number is 408.868.1257.
NEW OFFICERS: Here are the new officers of the Saratoga Lions Club: Dick Siegfried, president; Pete Kreamer, secretary; George Bunyard, first vice president; Hugh Hexamer, second vice president; Bob Louden, third vice president; and Frank Lemmon, treasurer.
Jim Ousley is lion tamer and Marlene Duffin, tail twister. Directors are Helen Grays, Pete Kreamer, Kenny Harrington and Larry Wray. Editor is Dean James.
CELEBRITY WATCH: Trust celebrity hound Louise Webb to be in the right place at the right time whenever there are any famed folks around. This time it was at the Steinbeck Center in Salinas, where she spotted George W. Bush, the candidate himself.
All the other politico watchers had headed to the nearby railway station, where GWB was reputed to be making his entrance. Not Louise, of course. Now if she had told me she spotted Steinbeck, then I'd have to worry. But if anyone could, I'd put my money on the Webb.
GALA: The San Jose Symphony Gala will be held on Sept. 16, at Discovery Meadow with cocktails, dinner and auctions. The concert at 8 p.m. at the Center for Performing Arts features diva Marilyn Horne. Gala tickets are $250. Concert only tickets are $25, $50 and $75. One auction item of note is dinner for eight with the Russian Consulate General.
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Saratoga, California Since 1955
