With Thanks
Learn below about a rare event and the presenters and contributors who made it possible. Visit the websites of TOR Wines, Beckstoffer Vineyards, and Marks the Spot Fine Food. Patronize their community-supporting businesses. Learn more about
Tor Kenward, Andy Beckstoffer, and how to secure your own copy of Reflections of a Vintner.
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Above all, thanks to our guests
Words & Wine:
Reflections of a Vintner
This event took place on Thursday, March 19, 2026 at the
Beckstoffer Vineyards Farm Center
Guests enjoyed TOR Wines and gourmet bites at the charming and private Beckstoffer Vineyards Farm Center. Tor Kenward and Andy Beckstoffer, good friends and two of Napa's revered wine celebrities explored the inside stories of our Valley's history. We celebrated the new edition of Kenward's essential book Reflections of a Vintner: Stories & Seasonal Wisdom from a Lifetime in Napa Valley.
Fresh, savory, and sweet treats from Marks the Spot Fine Food complemented an array of TOR Wines; St. Helena Public Library enthusiasts enjoyed one another's company. A memorable evening!​
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Proceeds benefit the
St. Helena Public Library
Learn, Laugh, Celebrate!
Tor Kenward
TOR Wines
For nearly 50 years, Tor Kenward has been a leading Napa Valley vintner. He spent 27 years at Beringer Vineyards, helping build its reputation for acclaimed reserve and single‑vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons and Chardonnays. After retiring in 2001, he and his wife, Susan, founded TOR Kenward Family Wines, focused on small‑production, hand‑crafted wines sourced from exceptional vineyard blocks he has long admired.
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Kenward’s decades in Napa Valley were shaped by mentorship from icons such as Robert Mondavi, André Tchelistcheff, Warren Winiarski, Ed Sbragia, and Maynard Amerine. His work at Beringer also took him through Europe’s greatest vineyards, deepening his understanding of site and craft. His winemaking philosophy—rooted in respect for great vineyards and the belief that “less is more”—guides the wines he produces today.
Andy Beckstoffer
Beckstoffer Vinyards
Andy Beckstoffer is one of the early and most important leaders in the evolution of the Napa Valley to world-class grape growing region.
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As a Founding Director and the second President of the Napa Valley Grape Growers Association, Andy forged an early, historic agreement on grape pricing that tied the price of grapes to retail bottle price. Thus began a new era in which grape quality and land preservation were brought to the forefront of the grape grower industry. To this day, the Napa Valley Grape Growers continues to thrive in its mission to preserve and promote Napa Valley’s world-class vineyards.
Andy was named “Napa’s most powerful grape grower” by both the Wall Street Journal and Wine Spectator.
Reflections of a Vintner recounts the lessons learned, relationships forged, and observations made from an insider’s nearly fifty-year journey through the burgeoning wine industry in Napa Valley. From the mid-seventies, when there were less than fifty wineries, to the present, with over eight hundred, Tor Kenward shares his recollections as the region became a world-class wine destination.
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Books were sold and autographed during the reception.
Reflections of a Vintner:
Stories and Seasonal Wisdom from a Lifetime in Napa Valley
Beckstoffer Vineyards
Farm Center
This event's special private venue is the hub of Beckstoffer Vineyards' business operation. Limited ticket sales ensured an intimate evening.
