Friday Evening Reception at the Depot
If you miss the Friday BHS tour earlier in the day and don't recognize anyone at the hotel (without a name tag), the wine and cheese reception at the train station may be your first chance to meet up with friends and classmates. The renovated Burlingame Depot now houses the Chamber of Commerce, as well as the Burlingame/Hillsborough Historical Museum. There you’ll enjoy seeing pictures of the Burlingame we remember from the 50s. We’ve added a few here to jog your memory.
Be sure to visit the “memory section” of the Burlingame/Hillsborough Historical Museum web site where great topics are discussed and many marvelous stories are available for your reading pleasure.
Andrew Perelli-Minetti (Erni’s son) will donate and proudly pour two of his family's highly-rated wines for our pleasure.
As noted on the winery web site listed below, the original winery was located in Healdsberg where in 1912, Antonio Perelli-Minetti (Ernie’s grandfather) began making his own wine as his own father Guisippi had done in Italy.
After having studied wine making and a graduating from the Royal Institute of Viticulture and Enology in Conigleano in Italy, Antonio was well qualified.
Over the next years, Antonio opened wineries in Ukiah and Delano,and Mario (Erni's father) worked in the vineyards at these wineries (concentrate only during prohibition) and graduated from Stanford Law School. After two years working in the US Senate and practicing law in Los Angeles for ten years, he returned to the wine business saying, "Grapes and Wine are in my blood."
For over 30 years, Mario worked with the Carlifornia Wine Association in marketing. After retiring in 1977 as General Manager, he started MPM Vineyards and Wines in 1979. It is home to elegant, European-style wines of finesse, sourced from some of the finest vineyard sites throughout Napa Valley.
In 2000, Andrew Perelli-Minetti, one of Erni's three sons, joined the family business that produces 4,000 cases of wine a year. Andrew graduated from California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo in 1999 with a BS in Agricultural Business Strategy and Wine Marketing,
and is looking forward to meeting many of his father's high school friends. If you have any photos of Erni from grammar and high school, please bring them along to share with Andrew.
For more information about the winery, visit: