23 October - Perfect Puree and Charbay Wizards of Elixer

The Perfect Purée of Napa Valley and Charbay Distillery host

The Wizards of Elixirs Cocktail Competition to Support Four Counties Affected by the Fires

Costumes Encouraged on October 30^th at CIA at COPIA

WHO: The Perfect Purée of Napa Valley, Charbay Distillery, & COPIA host their first annual Wizards of Elixirs Cocktail Competition to benefit families affected by the fires in Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake Counties. Originally slated for the Napa Valley High School Boosters program, in light of the current needs of those devastated by the fires, the Boosters are hoping that attendees will give far and large.

WHAT: The Wizards of Elixirs, a friendly cocktail competition fashioned in walk-around style at the Culinary Institute of America’s Copia location in Napa, The Wizards of Elixirs invites guests to sample cocktails by 13 of Wine Country’s top bartenders as they vie for the People’s Choice Award and apps prepared by the CIA. After The Wizard of Elixir is crowned, stay for a Halloween costume dance party from 8-11 p.m. Costumes are encouraged but not required.  Light bites provided by the CIA.

WHERE: CIA at Copia,  500 1^st St., Napa, CA (free parking)

WHEN: 6-11 p.m., Monday, Oct. 30, 2017

TICKETS: $35 at www.perfectpuree.com/wizards/ or $40 at the door. Tickets include cocktail tasting, light snacks and one raffle ticket. Additional raffle tickets will be available to purchase. Ticket and raffle ticket proceeds will benefit numerous families affected by the devastating fires. Must be 21 to attend with ID required for admission.

MORE INFO: Visit the Wizards of Elixirs event page for information and updates.  https://www.perfectpuree.com/wizards/

Participating Wine Country Bartenders Include:

Andaz, Vincent Lunden, Napa

Bank Café & Bar, Cornelia Mathis, Napa

Ca’Momi, Jonny Tindall, Napa

Celadon, Howard Phsu & Hernan Hernandez, Napa

CIA at Copia, Seth Johnson, Napa

Goose & Gander, Rafa Barba, St. Helena

Harvest Table, Mike Hallmark, St. Helena

Johnny's, Dan Kaiser, Calistoga

Morimoto, Jessie James Featherstone, Napa

Pizzeria Tra Vigne, Dane Hempel, St. Helena

Sam's Social Club, Jason Escudero, Calistoga

Solage, Kelly Dallas, Calisotga

The Charter Oak Restaurant, Michael Wagner, St. Helena

Marko J. Karakasevic: XIIIth Generation Winemaker & Master Distiller

Born in California, Marko Karakasevic grew up around pumps, hoses and tanks. This was his father's world and the family always lived close to the winery where Miles, his father, made wine. Marko graduated from St. Helena High School and spent a year at Davis where he began his studies in sports physical therapy. However, harvests would find Marko working in various Napa Valley wineries.

After working in a Napa Valley tasting room, he discovered he liked all sides of the wine business—from production to sharing his winemaking experience with visitors.

In the fall of '95, Marko realized he wanted to apprentice under his father and be the 13th generation to carry on the Karakasevic family tradition. That's when his parents realized: "He's the man we've been looking for."

From that point on, he has submitted to the same tough routine of generations of Karakasevic men and women before him: learning the winemaking, the distilling and the running of a family business where one must wear many hats. The Charbay Distillers' Port is a spirited salute to this father and son team. Marko conceived the idea of Charbay's whole-fruit flavored vodka program. He found the fruit and designed the packaging. Now, with two generations of enthusiastic winemakers/distillers behind the Charbay label, there are even more releases of "perfumes for the soul" to watch for.

Give Marko a few days off and he'll head down to Baja. There's a little town where they all know him and he enjoys being on the water or riding four wheelers. BV, 'Before Vodka', his travels were longer. One was a summer trip through South America with time in Cusco and Machu Picchu during the Summer Solstice. Lately his trips have been New York and Las Vegas! Marko, like everyone in this family, likes to travel & explore. No matter where he roams, always loves coming home to his St. Helena and his mountain top.

Marko married his long-time girlfriend Jenni Olson in April of 2009. Everyone agrees, she's a great addition to the family.

He became a Master Distiller with the release of his Doubled & Twisted Light Whiskey, after a nearly 30 year apprenticeship with his father. In the last five years or so, he has been moving more and more into the worlds of Whiskey and Tequila. Getting the opportunity to distill Tequila in the one of the most Iconic 75 year old distilleries in Arandas, Jalisco, the Highlands of Tequila, has been not only a wonderful experience, but, a game changer, a new path for Charbay. Being able to create a tequila in their (Marko and Miles) style with their concepts and their distilling methods, is something truly cherished. It shows too.

Whiskey also has also been a game changer. The fact that beer is distilled into whiskey, and by using Gold Medal winning drinking beer as his base "distiller's beer" has also allowed him to change the playing field, and carve out yet another niche.