Malibu Seen

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Cindy Crawford (left) and Jane Seymour spread some good cheer to benefit Childhelp at the Malibu Wine Classic dinner. Photo by Rich Schmitt

TOAST OF THE TOWN

A vine time was had by all at the recent Malibu Wine Classic at Westward Beach. But the highlight of the annual grape-a-thon was a special meet-the-winemakers dinner to benefit Childhelp. Jane Seymour was front and center at the silent auction area. Looking lovely in a body-hugging, steel-gray cocktail frock and gold slingback shoes, the busy actress/artist/entrepreneur was eager to show off a fluffy-down pillow that she had designed and donated for the occasion along with one of her custom-made handbags and signature scarfs. The “Wedding Crashers” star has been a longtime supporter of Childhelp, which comes to the aid of abused and neglected children.

“Their work is very important for adults as well as children,” she said. “It’s wonderful that the Malibu community can come together with great wines and to benefit children at the same time.”

Jane joined an eclectic group of local wine lovers and food fans, including Cindy Crawford, Rande Gerber, Catherine Oxenberg, Emilio Estevez, Flea and Tony Griffin. Tony made sure his dad was on-hand for the occasion and in his lemon-yellow slacks, natty-blue blazer and striped button-down shirt, stylish Merv Griffin was hard to miss.

Inside the tented dining area, the tables were dressed up in black and white with soft spring arrangements of purple tulips and fragrant lilacs. When it came to food, the dish was delish with fall-off-the-bone braised beef, herb-encrusted salmon and a delicate salad of watercress, hearts of palm, pine nuts and avocado.

While the grub was great, the grapes took center stage. From local favorites to cult classics, the wine showcase featured dozens of Southern and Central Coast winemakers. And behind every vine, there’s a story to tell.

Tabitha Alger of Laetitia was pouring a stellar pinot blanc, which she described as being “crisp, refined and full of citrus overtones.” Tabitha had a selection of sweet sips that soon had my husband throwing out terms like “distinctive” and “dreamy.” The Central Coast winemaker proceeded to ask me whether I would be interested in some great acid. “Sure,” I said, “as long as it’s not the Woodstock variety.”

“You’re safe,” her husband Aaron assured with a smile. “This is pH acid. You’ll love it and it takes a lot less than eight hours to wear off.”

Winemakers like the Algers are more than happy to help you to get smart about the grape. Whether you want to learn more about microclimates and soil conditions or add to the endless array of wine terms, the classic is the perfect place to further your wine education.

After getting the lowdown on latitude and the skinny on smoke, we took our seats for the live auction. There were loads of alluring must-haves. And while bidding was fierce, for Bill and Cheryl Chadwick it was flat out fur-ocious. The Chadwicks went home with not one, but two golden retriever puppies for their brood of blond-haired cuties. “It’s going to be a long night,” said Cheryl on her way out the door. “I guess we’re going to have to wake the girls.”

Between the daytime session and the winemakers dinner, the fourth annual Malibu Wine Classic gave the community a reason to cheer. The event raised a lot of glasses and more than $100,000 for Childhelp. Salute!