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54 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S P R I N G / S U M M E R 2 0 2 0 Noelle and John Micek, David and Tricia Roberts, and Rich and Amy Aurelia found- ed Red Stitch wines. They source from Napa and Monterey County grapes. T he rivalry between two California MLB teams stretches back to the 19th century, when the Dodgers and Giants were home-plat- ed in New York. Two standout players, retired Giant Rich Aurelia and current Dodgers manag- er David Roberts, and their wives, have bonded together to craft fine wines. Together with Carmel businessman John Micek and his wife Noelle, they founded Red Stitch to produce varietals from Napa Valley and Santa Lucia Highlands fruit. "We met at a Malbec tasting party and instantly became fast friends," Micek says. "Later, Dave approached us with the idea of starting a winery. And Red Stitch was born." Red Stitch's first release was a 2007 vintage that immediately received acclaim, finding its way onto wine lists at storied San Francisco restaurants Boulevard and Gary Danko. Harvey Steinman of Wine Spectator awarded the fledg- ling offering a 92 rating, and the Red Stitch team was on its way. "We've recently partnered with Gary Franscioni of ROAR, sourcing grapes from both his Sierra Mar and Rosella's vineyards," Micek says. "We're now producing more wine from Monterey County than Napa." Red Stitch annual production of Cabernet, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir today stands at around 2,000 cases. Visit redstitchwine.com. Red Stitch Wines Knock It Out of the Par k B Y M I C H A E L C H AT F I E L D SHORTCUTS WINE Photo: James-Erin and Courtney de Jauregui