Book Signing of Santa Cruz Mountains' Vintner Martin Ray Biography

Barbara Marinacci, step-daughter of legendary Santa Cruz Mountains vintner Martin Ray, will be signing copies of Vineyards in the Sky from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on April 17, 2004 at Michael's on Main, Main St., Soquel, California. This event is part of the Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Association Passport Saturday that allows you to sample premium wines and visit with winemakers.

(PRWEB) April 14, 2004 -- Barbara Marinacci, step-daughter of legendary Santa Cruz Mountains vintner Martin Ray, will be signing copies of Vineyards in the Sky from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on April 17, 2004 at Michael's on Main, Main St., Soquel, California. This event is part of the Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Association Passport Saturday that allows you to sample premium wines and visit with winemakers.

Heir to Paul Masson's legacy (whether legitimate or not is open to debate), Martin Ray was an influential winemaker from the 1930s through the early 1970s. His efforts improved the quality of our wines and his unique personality influenced many winemakers in the Santa Cruz Mountains, including David Bruce and Paul Draper.

Paul Masson's second wife, Eleanor, wrote Vineyards in the Sky with help from her daughter, Barbara Marinacci. The book is a fictionalized biography of Martin Ray. First published in 1993, it received acclaim from such wine luminaries as Anthony Dias Blue who said, "It is a gripping memoir that reads like a 'major' novel."

At the same venue, Casey Young and Ken Dawes will be signing copies of their book Mountain Vines, Mountain Wines; Exploring the wineries of the Santa Cruz Mountains, the first coffee-table book that covers the wineries in the Santa Cruz Mountains area.

The book signings are part of the Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Association Passport Saturday celebration. The event covers the wineries of the Santa Cruz Mountains an under-discovered wine country within minutes of Silicon Valley, an area that has been producing premium wines since the 1800s. Passport Saturday is a special opportunity to visit many of the wineries that aren't open to the public at other times. Each winery will stamp your passport with a unique commemorative stamp. You can get a passport at any winery or the association headquarters in Aptos, CA.

Don't miss this exciting opportunity to meet Barbara Marinicci, co-author of Vineyards in the Sky, and Casey Young and Ken Dawes, author/photographer of Mountain Vines, Mountain Wines. By participating in Passport Saturday, you'll have a great opportunity to taste unique, award-winning wines and meet the people who make them.

For more information on Mountain Vines, Mountain Wines or Vineyards in the Sky, contact the publisher/distributer at sales@mountainvinespub.com or 831-440-9153. For more information on Passport Saturday, contact the association at info@scmwa.com or 831-479-9463.