20 May Please The Palate Pick of the Week: Walk 10,000 Steps for a Good Cause at the Alma Rosa Winery 4th Annual Peace of Mind Event

Alma Rosa’s Peace of Mind 10,000 Steps in the Right Direction is coming soon. The 4th Annual Walk will take place on Saturday, July 22, 2023. This past week, I attended a media preview of what is to come. And, after the mini-walk that I experienced, I can easily say that Alma Rosa Winery’s 4th Annual Peace of Mind, 10,000 Steps In the Right Direction Walk, is the Please The Palate pick of the week. Alma Rosa’s Peace of Mind: 10,000 Steps in the Right Direction is an annual fundraiser to support mental health. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), one in four people globally will be affected by mental or neurological disorders at some point in their lives. And with everything happening in our society, mental health issues have become increasingly prevalent. So to support mental health research, as well as community services, the Peace of Mind event is a walk of approximately 10,000 steps, or 4.5 miles across the Alma Rosa estate. Alma Rosa Winery is owned by Bob and Barb Zorich who launched the annual Peace of Mind fundraising walk in 2020 to support mental health community services, as well as fund research on the causes, treatment and potential cures for anxiety and depression. The two benefactors are the Mental Wellness Center and One Mind. Based in Santa Barbara, Mental Wellness Center has been a community leader in building hope for individuals and families, providing support in recovery, and raising awareness of mental health for 75 years. One Mind was launched in 1995 by Napa-based Shari and Garen Staglin as their means to “run toward the problem” of their son’s schizophrenia diagnosis. One Mind catalyzes visionary change through science, business, and media to transform the world’s mental health. And today Brandon Staglin, whose own experiences inspired the creation of the non-profit, serves as its President. In the last three years, the winery has raised over $545,500 for mental health organizations and the goal is to raise even more this year. The Zorichs will be matching individual donations dollar-for-dollar up to $35,000 for each organization, for a total of $70,000. For our preview of the pending event, we did not walk the total 10,000 steps but we did walk up one of the hills to the top of the vineyard to see magnificent 365 degree views. The official Peace of Mind Walk is a 4-5 mile walk that takes approximately 2 hours. It starts at the front of the Alma Rosa estate on the valley floor. It includes three quarter-mile steady inclines along the route, culminating at the furthest and highest vineyard on the estate. When you make it to the top, you will be greeted by a splash of Alma Rosa Sparkling Brut! And after the walk, there is a reception where the current releases from Alma Rosa will be tasted with winemaker Samra Morris. Current release wines include the refreshing and texture 2021 La Encantada Pinot Gris or the fresh and crisp 2021 Pinot Noir Vin Gris.   Or one of the beautifully elegant Pinot Noirs.