Established in 1998, the Wine Advisory Board is a forum for South Bay men and women to join together in support of MBEF and the seven public schools in Manhattan Beach over their interest in fine wine.
Members of the board hold regularly scheduled dinners themed around particular varietals of wine at local restaurants and member homes. All attendees are encouraged to bring bottles of wine to share together, as well as donations to the auction.
Nearly all of the wine donations to the Manhattan Wine Auction come from members of the Wine Advisory Board. Individually, members donate from $500 to over $15,000 in wine – most from their private collections and cellars. The Wine Advisory Board also plays an important role in creating the silent and live auction wine lots.
The Wine Advisory Board provides an excellent opportunity to enjoy great food and wine among friends while supporting our children, schools and community. If you are interested in learning more about the Wine Advisory Board, please contact our Wine Advisory Board Chair, Rich Janson.
2020 Wine Advisory Board Donors
| Grand Sommelier Level ($10,000 – $20,000) | Burgundy Level ($1,000 – $2,000) |
| Tanja and Ralph Canada | Rachel and Christopher Alexander |
| Justine and Andrew Hunter | |
| Grand Cru Level ($5,000 – $10,000) | Virginia Sogomonian and Rich Weiss |
| Chris and Geoff Bremer | |
| Kim and Jon Friedman | Rhone Level (Up to $1,000) |
| Wanda and Chuck Kaminski | Dawn and Ken Bush |
| Ashley McCarthy and Bret Barker | Bonnie and Michael Darrow |
| Jeanne and John Oshiro | Richard Gronbach |
| Michelle and Greg Rosen | Joy Higa and Chris Tuffli |
| Matthew and Stacey Kravitz | |
| Premier Cru Level ($3,000 – $5,000) | Pamela and Matthew Luce |
| Gretchen and Rich Janson | Charlotte and Shawn Mills |
| Valerie and Paul Mellinger | Linda Rasheed and Neil Hammad |
| April and Roger Spencer | Shannon and Christopher Ryan |
| Bordeaux Level ($2,000-$3,000) | |
| Lily Chang and Jeff Konsmo | |
| Rita and Adam Goldston | |
| Robin Sue Kaminsky and Stewart Bogen | |
| Anicia Mendez and Adam Krikorian | |
| Ruta and Brent Sprenkle | |
List current through May 26, 2020
