Beba Turned 100

Beba Frey turned 100! The matriarch of the Frey community has become a centenarian. On June 22nd, family and friends from near and far gathered on the Frey property near Beba’s home to celebrate this amazing woman’s birthday! To honor her life, the family threw her the party of the century!

Surrounded by those who love her, Beba Frey turned 100 years old in style. Her party festivities began with cheese platter appetizers, melon plates, and refreshing drinks prepared in Chef Tamara Frey’s kitchen to refresh us through the heat of the day. Tamara also happens to be Beba’s full-time caregiver, and she made sure that her mom got to enjoy her favorite foods. The dinner meal menu included roast pork, corn on the cob, creamed potatoes, a local salad, and local bread. For our June 2024 Wine of the Month food pairings, we recommend this meal with our Frey Biodynamic Field Blend!

Beba’s party brought out many of the twelve Frey siblings, their spouses, their children, and their children! Beba’s brother Charles also attended the gathering, in addition to many cousins and other relatives. Guests from all walks of Beba’s life came to add to the merry-making.

Performances!

A wonderful couple of opera singers (opera music is Beba’s absolute favorite) entertained us throughout the day with their amazing vocal talents.

Many family members brought songs to sing for the musical portion of the gathering. An operatic duo sang throughout the gathering, and a band played until the wee hours for the late-night guests. In addition to the musical performances, the monks from the monastery up the road walked to the gathering and offered a chant.

Murphy Wylde duo performing their set (Ross Wylde is Beba’s grandson and Liam Murphy is his partner)

Beba is the mother of the Frey family, having given birth to twelve children who went on to found and run Frey Vineyards. They grew up with her love of agriculture, and have all become wonderful gardeners and farmers. The gathering was held at the Tomki Road winery site, just next to Beba’s home, the “Big House,” where she raised her family.

Just as Beba turned 100, the weather decided to orchestrate some very hot summer days, and the temperatures reached up to 100 as well! Luckily, the family sprayed down the party site with hoses and set up misters everywhere to keep us all cool. Several hundred people came to the party, and thanks to the shade of magnificent trees and the work of the cooling misters, everyone could focus on celebrating!

For those of you who aren’t familiar with Beba Frey, she became a doctor before it was popular for women to be in medicine. Beba grew up in upstate New York, the daughter of German immigrants. She was one of the only women in her class and one of the first handful of women to graduate! She married a doctor, Paul Frey, and together they raised their twelve children in Redwood Valley, California on the property that would later become Frey Vineyards.

It’s no small feat that Beba turned 100 years old this June! We’re all so grateful for her, and it was a deep joy to celebrate her with the family. Here’s a glimpse into the party through the eyes of the camera lens. Enjoy, and may you have a long, well-lived life, too!