THE CROWD:A toast to Pisoni Vineyards’ very fine wine

Wine connoisseurs are lining up behind the pinot noir created by the Pisoni Vineyards in the Salinas Valley of California. Last week, in Newport Beach, Gary Pisoni graced the restaurant on the peninsula known as 508 29 for a special tasting of the pinot noir that some consider the very finest in the world.

Dennis Overstreet, international wine purveyor and owner of the renowned Wine Merchant in Beverly Hills, and his dynamic wife, Chris, invited Gary Pisoni to showcase his pinot noir at their trendy eatery in Newport’s Cannery district. Wine lovers turned out for a midweek evening of fine wine, a wonderful selection of aged cheeses, and a sampling of Chris Overstreet’s mini-hamburger sliders and ultra-thin crispy French fries that are one of the casual signature treats at 508 29.

“My father did not understand why I wanted to start a vineyard,” Gary Pisoni told the wine lovers, all holding a glass of his pinot noir in toast formation. “I was raised in the Salinas Valley on a 1,000-acre farm, where we primarily grew lettuce. I told my dad, have you ever been invited to a $250-a-plate dinner and toasted with the lettuce?” The local wine lovers roared and then sampled the fruit of the vine that has made Pisoni a star among vintners.

The success has not come overnight. He started his winery some 30 years ago. Now in his 50s, Pisoni works with his two sons, who he says, “do all the work while I enjoy my life.”

In the crowd were Lido Isle’s A-list couple Anne and John Wortmann; bon vivant Scott Sarkisian, owner of Newport’s Normandy Metals and New York Hardware Co.; Jennifer Herft of Newport and Century City; David Bradburne; Laura Russell; and Orange County auto dealer Tim Tauber of Newport Imports. For more information on Pisoni Vineyards and Winery, visit www.pisonivineyards.com.

New Directions for Women, a local organization dedicated to assisting women suffering from alcohol and drug dependency and helping them turn their lives around, is in the final stages of planning its dinner fundraiser set for March 28 at Joe’s Garage in Tustin. Newport’s Kim Farthing reports that the evening is shaping up to be a wild and crazy outing, with the highlight being the raffle of a black and silver Mustang. Chances are being sold at $25, with funds going to New Directions programs for women and their children. For raffle and event information, e-mail Kfarthing@newdirectionsforwomen.com.

Newport’s handsome couple Beverly and Bob Cohen are opening their exquisite new estate tomorrow on the Newport Harbor, formerly the site of the home of American icon John Wayne. The Sunday reception is a benefit for the Freedom Writers Foundation, and the Cohens will be joined by Erin Gruwell as they welcome guests who have made significant contributions to the foundation. The afternoon party will be the first public peek at the estate that has been years in the making. The Freedom Writers Foundation is an organization dedicated to training teachers and providing scholarships to students with the goal of reducing high school dropout rates. To learn , contact Carlos Cortez at (949) 475-2331 or e-mail rsvp@freedomwritersfoundation.org .

At Tuesday’s opening night performance of “The Dancer’s Life,” part of the Orange County Performing Arts Center’s new Curtain Call series in Segerstrom Hall, the audience sat enthralled watching Chita Rivera and ensemble perform her life story in dance. The 74-year-old entertainer has been universally acknowledged as a national treasure — in 2002, she was the first Latina woman to receive a Kennedy Center Honors award recognizing her contribution to U.S. arts and culture. In 1957, she starred as Anita in “West Side Story,” and now 50 years later she is still out-dancing everyone. Rivera has danced through life’s ups and downs with consummate grace. Catch this Broadway legend at the performing arts center tonight or Sunday. For tickets, call (714) 556-2787. Tonight’s performance is at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday’s are at 1 and 6:30 p.m.