Owners Marc Goldberg and Maggie D’Ambrosia celebrate 20 years of supporting arts education
PASO ROBLES — Marc Goldberg and Maggie D’Ambrosia, owners of Windward Vineyard, know how to produce winning wines and events. Not only did their 18th Annual Paso Pinot & Paella Festival on June 4 pair top Paso pinot producers’ wine with local chefs’ paella creations, it also raised $40,000 to support Paso Robles Youth Arts Center (Youth Arts).
Goldberg and D’Ambrosia have raised more than $500,000 for Youth Arts since an early iteration of the festival 20 years ago at Windward Vineyard.
Naturally, it takes a multi-talented team to make it all happen. Each year generous Paso Pinot-producing wineries donate their wine, chefs donate their time and cost of ingredients, and the community participates through ticket sales, making the festival one of the most highly anticipated of the season.
This year’s festivities included 27 Paso Pinot producers and 15 paella chefs providing unique pairings for 500 guests. The annual paella contest – always a stiff competition given the extraordinary talent and creativity of each chef – resulted in the first place Official Judges’ Award going to Chef Trish Jacob at Paso Catering. First place for the People’s Choice Award went to Chef Jeffry Wiesinger, of Jeffry’s Wine Country BBQ.
“Marc and Maggie have, yet again, generously donated all festival proceeds to Youth Arts,” said Ann Berry-Gallegos, executive director at Youth Arts. “We are so grateful to them and all the Pinot wineries, chefs and restaurants for supporting arts education for our local youth.”
Youth Arts’ free after-school arts program includes creative enrichment, a unique department encompassing classes outside standard arts offerings. In a safe, nurturing, environment, students can explore culinary arts (paella, perhaps?), video production, digital music creation, theatrical lighting, and sewing. The department aims to spark the imaginations and build the self-confidence of local youth, especially those who otherwise may not have access to creative enrichment opportunities.
Feature Image: Kids and instructors from the Paso Robles Youth Arts Center gather as Windward Vineyard owners Marc Goldberg and Maggie D’Ambrosia bring a check for the $40,000 raised by the Pinot and Paella Festival. Contributed Photo
