Don't miss this opportunity to relish in the best that the wine and culinary worlds have to offer with our delectable winemaker dinner at Blackbird. Sip on delicious wines from The Four Graces Winery in Oregon's famed Willamette Valley, while mingling with winemaker Tim Jones, and enjoy an exquisite dinner from Executive Chef Travis Watson. The evening begins with a meet & greet reception on the patio, followed by a four course dinner in Blackbird. Each course is carefully curated by Chef Travis to perfectly pair with these superb wines.


About Tim

Tim Jones spent most of his life in Northern California and the Pacific Northwest. He was born in Ashland, OR and grew up in Eureka, CA. Tim first became interested in winemaking while he was a student at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon. On weekends, he would go wine tasting in the Yamhill and Dundee regions, but as a student, he had way more enthusiasm than money to buy wine. A BA degree in Spanish from Willamette gave Tim the opportunity to study wines abroad in Chile and Argentina. His growing passion for wine led him to winery harvest work in Sonoma County.

Tim joined The Four Graces team in May of 2018. At a small winery like the Four Graces where there are only four of them working in the winery, each day is unique and challenging. “It has given me the chance to develop a close connection to the wine through all stages of the winemaking process. With our two estate vineyards at Doe Ridge and Foley Family Estate, we get to taste and compare some of the best grapes in the Willamette Valley”.

Expect the unexpected during each new full moon with inventive cocktails by legendary mixologist Devon Espinosa. With personalized Tarot card readings and Runes readings, there's no telling what exciting experiences will unfold during the Flower Moon. Let your crazy out and vibe to Val-Mar Records spinning vinyl, play some classic board games and get lost in the experience.

This is a free event, but feel free to RSVP and follow Hotel Californian on Instagram for the latest news and highlights.

Don't miss this opportunity to relish in the best that the wine and culinary worlds have to offer with our delectable winemaker dinner at Blackbird. Sip on delicious Foley Johnson wines, while mingling with winemaker Michael Beaulac, and enjoy an exquisite dinner from Executive Chef Travis Watson. The evening begins with a meet & greet reception on the patio, followed by a four course dinner in Blackbird. Each course is carefully curated by Chef Travis to perfectly pair with these superb wines.


About Michael

Foley Johnson Director of Winemaking, Michael Beaulac, a Vermont native, joined the Foley Family Wines team in 2021, bringing over 30 years of experience working with premier luxury wineries. Michael began his winemaking career when a chance opportunity presented itself while he was running a Portland, Maine jazz dinner club. There, Beaulac’s career pivoted when Tim Murphy of Murphy-Goode offered him a job one night, partly in jest. The opportunity was one that Beaulac was looking for, and he accepted his offer and moved to Sonoma County, California.

Beaulac spent an interim period at Laurier Winery in Sonoma’s Carneros region working as a cellar master with Merry Edwards from 1989 through 1991. This opportunity gave way to becoming assistant winemaker back at Murphy-Goode, where he spent four years developing new varietal programs for Pinot Noir and Zinfandel. In 1997, Michael Beaulac spent four years as winemaker for Markham Vineyards in St. Helena. Beaulac took his expertise to the next level, becoming Vice President of St. Supéry Vineyards in Rutherford in 2001, working closely with Michel Roland and Denis Dubourdieu. With years of experience and a deep understanding of the Napa Valley, Beaulac became General Manager and winemaker at Napa’s Pine Ridge Vineyards in 2009 where he oversaw the estate’s 160 acres. Beaulac credits his development as a winemaker to working with Michel Roland and Pine Ridge’s high standard for producing quality wines.

Michael’s winemaking philosophy starts in the vineyard. Truly knowing the land, soil, and climate allows him to showcase the exceptionally pure qualities of the diverse vineyard sites throughout Napa Valley. He says of his philosophy for winemaking, “Be proactive in the vineyards. Let the fruit find its balance. Do not force the wine to be anything it’s not. Let it express its typicity. Once in the winery the wine should be touched as little as possible, in a perfect vintage, we really shouldn’t have to do anything.”

Don't miss this opportunity to relish in the best that the wine and culinary worlds have to offer with our delectable winemaker dinner at Blackbird. Enjoy the special selection of wines from Chalk Hill Estate Winery, while being accompanied by Winemaker, Darrell Holbrook, and enjoy an exquisite dinner from Executive Chef Travis Watson. The evening begins with a meet & greet reception on the patio, followed by a four course dinner in Blackbird. Each course is carefully curated by Chef Travis to perfectly pair with these superb wines.

About Darrell,

Born and raised in Sonoma County, Darrell Holbrook spent his childhood among the vineyards. By age 12, Darrell often accompanied his father to his job at Lytton Springs Winery, now Ridge Vineyards, driving tractors and helping where he could.  The beauty of the landscape and excitement of working in this hands-on industry was of deep interest to him even at a young age.

In 1994, after working at Lytton Springs in the vineyards, he began an apprenticeship under world-renowned winemaker, David Ramey and moved into the cellar at Chalk Hill Estate. By listening to his mentors and immersing himself in the winemaking process from the ground-up, he worked his way up from a cellar intern to Enologist and Production Manager, and then Assistant Winemaker in 2009.

In 2019, with more than 25 years of experience in the wine industry, Darrell was promoted to Winemaker at Chalk Hill Estate, which he considers a second home. He remains enthralled by its beauty, diversity, exceptional vineyards, and the thrill of harvest time at Chalk Hill. His favorite part of the day during harvest is watching the sunrise over Windy Ridge on the estate while processing grapes on the crush pad.

Don't miss this opportunity to relish in the best that the wine and culinary worlds have to offer with our delectable winemaker dinner at Blackbird. Sip on delicious wines from Silverado Vineyards, while mingling with winemaker Alison Rodriguez, and enjoy an exquisite dinner from Executive Chef Travis Watson. The evening begins with a meet & greet reception on the patio, followed by a four course dinner in Blackbird. Each course is carefully curated by Chef Travis to perfectly pair with these superb wines.


About Alison

A native of Baton Rouge, LA, Rodriguez remembers wine always being part of her family table, which inspired her passion. After graduating from Duke University with a degree in International Relations, she began her career path with an entry-level job in wine sales.

After roles in the cellars and sustainable/organic vineyards of Quivira Vineyards (Sonoma), Schlossgut Diel (Nahe), Weingut Graf von Kanitz (Rheingau), Manincor (Alto Adige), and a practical thesis at Schloss Johannisberg (Rheingau), Rodriguez decided to put down roots in Northern California.

At Silverado Vineyards, Rodriguez oversees all winemaking activities for the luxury winery and its four estate vineyards in Napa Valley’s top AVAs including the Silverado Vineyard in Stags Leap District, Mt. George Vineyard in Coombsville, Miller Ranch Vineyard in Yountville and Borreo Ranch in Napa. Rodriguez is proud to carry on the legacy of the Disney-Miller Family as only the third winemaker in Silverado’s history. Silverado Vineyards became part of the Foley Family Wines portfolio in July 2022.

Don't miss this opportunity to relish in the best that the wine and culinary worlds have to offer with our delectable winemaker dinner at Blackbird. Sip on the most luxurious reds that Foley Family Wines has to offer, while mingling with Vice President of Grower Relations and Winery Operations, Lise Asimont, and enjoy an exquisite dinner from Executive Chef Travis Watson. The evening begins with a meet & greet reception on the patio, followed by a four course dinner in Blackbird. Each course is carefully curated by Chef Travis to perfectly pair with these superb wines.

About Lise

Lise’s first major in college, biology, with the intention of following her parents into medicine, as well as her second, anthropology, would not suggest that she would pursue a career in the wine industry. Her parents were big lovers of wine, however, and her father suggested that she consider becoming a winemaker. So, after completing a B.A. in anthropology at Saint Mary’s College in 1998, Lise enrolled in the Environmental Horticulture program at the University of California, Davis, specializing in viticulture; she earned her M.S. in Viticulture in 2000.

Lise’s first post-graduation position was a one-year stint as assistant vineyard manager at Cambria Vineyards. She joined Beam Wine Estates in Healdsburg, where she worked until 2006 as grower relations representative. Lise then became Director of Grower Relations for Francis Coppola Winery in Geyserville until late 2017. By early 2019, she had returned to her viticultural roots by joining Cakebread Cellars in the Napa Valley as Director of Vineyard Operations. Lise joined Foley Family Wines in 2022 as Vice President of Grower Relations and Winery Operations, where she will play a prominent role in the success of all our winegrowing and winemaking operations, helping forge new bonds with growers, create new ones, and improve the many varying aspects of the winemaking process.

Along with her artist husband, Shawn Phillips, Lise launched her own label, Dot Wine, in 2016. Founding the enterprise came at the impetus of Shawn, who couldn’t find a Pinot Noir she loved, so he dared her to start making her own. 

Don't miss this opportunity to relish in the best that the wine and culinary worlds have to offer with our delectable winemaker dinner at Blackbird. Enjoy the special selection of white wines from  Ferrari-Carano Vineyards and Winery, while being accompanied by Winemaker, Natalie West, and enjoy an exquisite dinner from Executive Chef Travis Watson. The evening begins with a meet & greet reception on the patio, followed by a four course dinner in Blackbird. Each course is carefully curated by Chef Travis to perfectly pair with these superb wines.

About Natalie

Growing up on a small family vineyard in Dry Creek Valley, Natalie spent time helping tend to the vines and learned from a young age her love of vineyards and the wine industry.

After earning a degree in Viticulture and Enology from UC Davis a Natalie worked several internships that led her to New Zealand, San Martin, Russian River Valley, and Alexander Valley where she joined Ferrari-Carano in 2005 as an Enologist at the Prevail winery. Natalie became Assistant Winemaker for Ferrari-Carano red wines, and most recently was brought to the Estate winery in Dry Creek Valley to oversee the Ferrari-Carano white wine production.

Don't miss this opportunity to relish in the best that the wine and culinary worlds have to offer with our delectable winemaker dinner at Blackbird. Enjoy the special selection of Banshee Wines, while being accompanied by Winemaker, Alicia Sylvester, and enjoy an exquisite dinner from Executive Chef Travis Watson. The evening begins with a meet & greet reception on the patio, followed by a four course dinner in Blackbird. Each course is carefully curated by Chef Travis to perfectly pair with these superb wines.

About Alicia, 

Raised on her family’s almond farm in California’s Central Valley, Alicia Sylvester’s strong work ethic and love of agriculture was cultivated at a young age. “Harvest time has always held a special significance in my family.” She fondly remembers spending time as a child following the picking crew with her red wagon on her family owned 20-acre Zinfandel vineyard. Having this connection with grapes from childhood is what sparked the seed of interest for the world of wine.

Alicia attended California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo where she began to explore the wine business through her studies and summers full of viticulture and enology internships. She graduated in 2011 with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture Business with a marketing concentration, minoring in Wine & Viticulture. While her studies were more business-oriented, winemaking really stole her heart when she obtained her first winemaking internship at Provenance Vineyards — and she hasn’t looked back since.

Inspired by travel and differing winemaking techniques from around the world, Alicia went on to work back-to-back harvests around the globe including notable regions of Australia, Italy, Argentina, and South Africa. The work didn’t stop once stateside — Alicia stayed busy with domestic harvests as well, including at Chateau Montelena where she was the second woman ever to receive the “golden shovel” award, and at Sonoma Cutrer, where she dialed in Chardonnay winemaking practices. Her breadth of experience has given her an opportunity to have her hands on numerous wines from Wine Spectator’s famed Top 100 list, including those from Hewitt Vineyard, Mollydooker and Fincas Patagonicas.