OCWS Newsletter AUG2024 : simplebooklet.com

2 ocws.org August 20242024 Board of Directors Carolyn ChristianPresidentCarolyn@ocws.orgFran GitshamVice PresidentFran@ocws.orgRich SkoczylasSecretaryRich@ocws.orgMel JayTreasurerMel@ocws.orgGeorge CravensDirectorGeorge@ocws.orgSue EnglandDirectorSue@ocws.orgLinda FleminsDirectorLindaF@ocws.orgFred HeineckeDirectorFred@ocws.orgJohn LaneDirectorJohn@ocws.orgPresident’s Message By Carolyn ChristianSummers in the OCWS mean one thing: the OC Fair is in full swing where hundreds of vol-unteers work tirelessly at The Court-yard during the 23-day run. August marks the midway point of this incredible undertak-ing. It is a time to reect on the organization and the dedication of its current members and to look toward the future with the biggest recruitment time for our organization. Wine CourtyardA big thank you to Fred Heinecke, Fran Gitsham and all of those who help make The Courtyard at the OC Fair happen. A special shoutout to Les Hodowanec for overseeing the setup crew. If you are one of the hundreds of volunteers, we thank you in advance for your dedication to the organization. If you are not volunteering this year, we encourage you to support the organization and the wineries by pur-chasing wine and attending the many activities in The Courtyard.Featured Winery ProgramSeveral years ago, Liz and Lloyd Corbett developed the Featured Winery Program in The Courtyard. The program has grown in popularity and features award-winning wineries from the OC Fair Commercial Wine Competition on Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Proceeds from this program go di-rectly to the OCWS Scholarship Fund. Much appreciation to the Corbetts and their team for hosting this program.Wine SeminarsThe Courtyard would not be complete without the seminars held each weekend of the fair at 1 and 3 p.m. As in past years, Sara Yeoman and Ed Reyes head a team of seminar present-ers offering amazing food and wine pairings and expanding attend-ees’ wine knowledge. They denitely deserve a round of applause!Annual Business MeetingThe Annual Business Meeting will be held on Sept. 6 via Zoom. The OCWS board has found that this format works well for this annual review of the organization’s nances and activities. We are aware that many of you miss the days of the in-person Annual Business Meeting, and we are adding a new event in September to replace the social aspect of past busi-ness meetings.Volunteer Recognition ReceptionThis Sept. 29, OCWS will be hosting its rst Volunteer Recognition Reception. This event will replace the previous volunteer recognition portion of the Annual Business Meeting and will include food and wine to enjoy as we recognize our many volunteers who have dedicated so many hours throughout the year. Invitations to those who will be receiving a volun-see PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE, page 3SAVE THE DATENew Member Mixer to welcome new members to be held 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 15. Details to follow!

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August 2024 ocws.org 3The Wine PressStaff BoxThe Wine Press is the ofcial newsletter of the Orange County Wine Society, Inc. The newsletter is published monthly. The Wine Press welcomes input from the OCWS membership. Please forward comments, questions and suggestions to Editor@ocws.orgExecutive EditorsCathy RislingGreg RislingContributing WritersOCWS Board of DirectorsJim BurkDamian ChristianScott HarralAlice PolserRochelle RandelEd ReyesWebsite AdministratorWendy TaylorOCWS PhotographerJim BurkCopyright (c)2024 Orange County Wine Society, Inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved.The Orange County Wine Society is a non-prot 501(c)(3) educational organization incorporated under the laws of the State of California with its principal place of business in Costa Mesa, California.Orange County Wine SocietyP.O. Box 11059Costa Mesa, CA 92627Phone: (714) 708-1636Fax: (714) 546-5002Website: OCWS.orgOCWS Email: Ofce@ocws.org 2024 Wine Competition Results:WineCompetition.comThe Orange County Wine So-ciety extends a warm welcome to its newest members! Membership for the following members was ap-proved by the Board of Directors at the July 2024 meeting: David and Teresa Burgdorf, Lisa and Russell Hahn, Tyler Lane, Wendi Marshall, Chris and Amy Stewart, Doug Wright and Charlotte Lucich.As of July 1, the OCWS has 1,027 total members with 616 memberships.New Members: For new mem-bers trying to log onto our website, and who have not already created their own password, go to OCWS.org. Your default login is the pri-mary member’s email address. The default password is the primary member’s zip code. Both of these may be changed under the tab “My Account” once you log on. However, there may be only one login / pass-word per membership.—Rochelle Randel, OCWS Business AdministratorNew Members CORNERVINOS UNIDOS, from page 1teer award will be sent at the begin-ning of September.Membership SpecialThis is a reminder that we have a great membership special that pro-vides a $20/person credit for new memberships during the fair. This includes memberships purchased through the website through the end of August. Maybe you have a friend or two who needs a gift membership. Now is the time to purchase it!OC Fair Commercial Wine CompetitionAlthough the competition is over, committee members are hard at work delivering medals to wineries who won the top awards of Best of Class and Double Gold Medals. You will see photos and posts on Facebook and Instagram throughout the next month or so as they make their way around the state. Please like, share and comment on the posts to show your support for the winning wineries.Marketing and Social MediaThe Marketing Committee and its Social Media team have stepped up their game this year, adding sever-al new Social Media campaigns. In addition to the OC Fair and medal delivery posting from the past, you will also notice campaigns promoting wineries by county and other related posts. Please engage with the posts to help promote our award-winning wineries. Feel free to post your travels to wineries on your own social media pages and tag us @ocwinesociety and the wineries. The wineries love to see our people out enjoying their wines!Thank You All!We are so lucky to have over 1,000 members who help run this organiza-tion and I am truly honored to serve as president. Please join me in thanking all the volunteers who make this orga-nization what it is today. I hope to see you in August at the OC Fair so we can raise a glass to this amazing organization! Cheers to you all!PRESIDENT'S MESSAGEfrom page 2

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4 ocws.org August 2024Mini-TastingGold MedalMini-TastingVarious Host Sites6 to 9 p.m.Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024Sign-Up Deadline:Tuesday, Aug. 20The Gold Medal Mini-Tasting is a chance to taste many of the Gold and Double Gold Medal-winning wines from this year’s Commercial Wine Competition. The tasting will feature different varietals that won Gold Medals and we try to obtain as many Double Gold winners as possible. This event is always a sell-out, so please sign up early! NOTE: If you are interested in hosting, please contact George Cravens, george@ocws.org.Hosts: This event is always very popular, so we will need quite a few hosts. The weather should be nice for an outdoor tasting if you have space. If you’d like to request a specic host site or to carpool with another member, please add a comment on your sign-up. Locations: Host sites and directions will be announced to those attending approximately one week prior to the event. We try to place you at the location nearest your home or to accommodate your specic site request; however, your assigned host site is also based on the order in which your sign-up is received by the OCWS ofce. Cost: The cost to attend the tasting is $35 for members and $40 for guests.Mini-Etiquette: Each person/couple attending will sign up with their host site to bring a potluck dish (appetizer, entrée, side dish or dessert) to serve a small portion to 16 to 18 people. There will be a special bottle of wine that evening as a prize for Chef of the Evening (voted on by the attendees of each site). Our winning Chefs of the Evening can have their recipe published in the The Wine Press.We are planning for 10 sites for this mini-tasting. Sign-ups will open on July 1. Due to the high attendance at our Mini-Tasting Programs, we encourage you to sign up early as sites tend to ll quickly. Once sign-ups are full, please call the OCWS ofce to be added to the waiting list. The cut-off date for online sign-up is Tuesday, Aug. 20. After this date please contact the OCWS ofce to determine availability. Due to the advance purchase of wines, you may not receive a refund if you cancel after the cancellation deadline (we will try to ll the spots from the waiting list).Cheers! —George Cravens, OCWS Director

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Mini-TastingAugust 2024 ocws.org 5Ingredients 1 lb. Kielbasa sausageSalt and pepper1 lb. jumbo shrimp (16 to 20 per pound), peeled and deveined1 lb. scallops6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil7 garlic cloves, minced1 3/4 tsp. smoked paprika3 Tbsp. tomato paste4 cups chicken broth1 (8-ounce) bottle clam juice2/3 cup dry sherryPinch saffron threads (optional)1 onion, chopped ne1/2 cup jarred roasted red peppers, chopped ne3 cups Spanish Bomba or Valencia rice1 lb. littleneck clams, scrubbed1 cup frozen peas, thawed6-8 whole shrimp with heads6-8 stalks asparagus, grilledLemon wedgesInstructions PREPARATIONSCLEAN shrimp of any dark intestinal tract. TOSS shrimp with 1 Tbsp. oil, 1/2 tsp. garlic, 1/4 tsp. paprika and 1/4 tsp. salt in bowl until evenly coated. Set aside. REPEAT seasonings with scallops and set aside.GRILL asparagus and set aside.REMOVE legs and antennae of whole shrimp.IN SEPARATE SAUCEPANHEAT 1 Tbsp. oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. ADD remaining garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until garlic sticks to bottom of saucepan and begins to brown, about 1 minute.ADD tomato paste and the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until dark brown bits form on bottom of saucepan, about 1 minute.ADD chicken broth, clam juice, sherry and saffron. Increase heat to high and bring to boil. REMOVE saucepan from heat and set aside.FOR GAS GRILL (or stovetop burner)TURN gas burners to high and heat until hot.PLACE paella pan on grill (turning burners to medium-high) and add a tablespoon of oil. When hot, add Kielbasa and sauté to render some of the fat. Remove Kielbasa and set aside.ADD 1/4 cup oil, and when it starts to shimmer, add onion, red peppers and 1/2 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion begins to soften, 4 to 7 minutes. ADD rice (turning burners to medium) and stir until grains are well coated with oil.POUR broth mixture over rice. Smooth rice into an even layer, making sure nothing sticks to sides of pan. Scatter Kielbasa around the pan.PLACE shrimp in center of pan in single layer when liquid reaches gentle simmer.ARRANGE clams in center of pan, evenly distributing with shrimp and pushing hinge sides of clams into rice slightly so they stand up.PLACE whole shrimp decoratively in pan.COOK covered, moving and rotating pan to maintain gentle simmer across entire surface of pan, until rice is almost cooked through, 12 to 18 minutes. (Adjust heat to maintain simmer.)SPRINKLE peas and arrange asparagus evenly over paella, cover grill and cook until liquid is fully absorbed and rice on bottom of pan sizzles, 5 to 8 minutes. CONTINUE to cook, uncovered, checking bottom of pan frequently with metal spoon, until uniform golden-brown crust forms, 8 to 15 minutes longer. (Rotate and slide pan around grill as necessary to ensure even crust formation.) REMOVE pan from grill, cover with aluminum foil, and let stand for 10 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.—Recipe courtesy Rich SkoczylasSeafood Paellaon the GrillChef of the EVENING

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News6 ocws.org August 2024 Each year, the OCWS donates thousands of dollars to eight California educational institutions that have enology, viticulture, wine marketing and culinary arts programs. To date, we have donated over $828,000 over the last several decades. Scholarship funds come from various sources. Since we are in the midst of the OC Fair, I wanted to highlight how our volunteer work in The Courtyard helps the OCWS Scholarship Fund. First, any tips received at The Courtyard counter go directly to the Scholarship Fund. Additionally, the proceeds from the Featured Winery Program also go to the Scholarship Fund.The Featured Winery Program was started several years ago by Liz and Lloyd Corbett and has taken off over the past few years, with representatives from numerous award-winning wineries enthusiastically sharing their wines for this worthy cause. In 2023, the program brought in approximately $16,000 for the Scholarship Fund.—Damian Christian, Scholarship ChairOCWS Scholarship PROGRAMSupport Future of WinemakersJust a friendly reminder that you can make a donation to the OCWS Scholarship Fund anytime. There are two ways to donate:Donate Online — Log on to your account at ocws.org and go to the scholarship donation page: ocws.org/product/scholarship-donations/. You can make your donation online and print a receipt for tax purposes at the same time.Mail a check — Make your check out to OCWS and mail it to the OCWS ofce at OCWS P.O. Box 11059 Costa Mesa, CA 92627 Attn: Scholarship Fund A donation letter will be sent to you.—Damian Christian, Scholarship Chair DONATE TODAY12The OCWS Annual Business Meeting will be held on Friday, Sept. 6 at 7 p.m. In our continued efforts to reach the most members possible, the meeting will again be presented via Zoom Webinar.The meeting will focus on the current state of the organization, including a year in review and nancial status. We will cover events and highlights of the year, as well as discuss plans for the remainder of 2024.Our Annual Election for Board of Directors is upcoming, and this meeting will give everyone the opportunity to hear from the candidates, who will present their qualications and goals.Sign-ups for this event are required, although there is no cost to attend. A Zoom Webinar link will be sent to each attendee in advance of the meeting. This is a member-only event.Please note that the former in-person social aspect of this event will be replaced with the Volunteer Recognition Reception on Sept. 29, when we will present volunteer awards. Honorees will receive notication in early September.On behalf of the entire OCWS Board of Directors, I encourage you to attend this important meeting. The meeting will be conducted in accordance with the OCWS Bylaws and government regulations for 501(c)(3) nonprot organizations.We look forward to seeing you at this important business meeting. For those unable to attend the annual business meeting, a recording will be posted for your viewing.—Carolyn Christian, OCWS PresidentSAVE THE DATE: 2024 OCWS Zoom Webinar

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NewsAugust 2024 ocws.org 71Which California wine region, shaped by two monumental geological events, 40 million and 30 million years ago, has soil diversity of over 100 variations (equal to one half of the world’s soil orders)? These soil variations enable the growth of a wide diversity of grape varietals.a. Napab. Mendocinoc. Sonoma2 How many distinct American Viticultural Areas (AVA) each unique due to its soil and climate does Napa Valley have?a. 12b. 14c. 163In which Southern Oregon AVA is the Abacela Winery’s The Fault Line Vineyard (named for the fault that runs through it)? This vineyard has rocks that are 20 million years old on one side of the fault and rocks that are over 200 million years old on the other side.a. Rogue Valleyb. Umpqua Valleyc. Applegate Valley4 In which Rhone Valley region did the Nimes fault push up limestone slabs, which are rare in the Rhone Valley, to high elevations making terraces where the best Grenache wines come from?a. Rasteaub. Vacqueyrasc. Gigondas5What eastern French wine region lays between two major parallel faults and is crisscrossed by many smaller faults providing a broad soil diversity in a compact area, which may be the reason for the region’s 51 Grand Crus including the well-know Rangen de Thann Grand Cru Vineyard? a. Alsaceb. Jurac. SavoieSo don’t get the shakes peering at fault lines, it’s not a tragedy. And remember, it’s no fault of your own if you just nd a wine you like and enjoy it. Cheers!—CL Keedy and the Wine Education CommitteeAnswers: 1-a; 2-c; 3-c; 4-b; 5-aWine WISDOM“The Fault, Dear Brutus, is not in our stars…”OC FAIR 2024: Featured Wineries Aug. 2 Fallbrook Winery Aug. 3 Bella Grace Vineyards Aug. 4 Steinbeck Vineyards & Winery Aug. 9 Deance Vineyard Aug. 10 915 Lincoln Aug. 11 Eberle Winery Aug. 16 Boisset Collection Aug. 17 Dark Star Cellars Aug. 18 San Pasqual WineryAlthough William Shakespeare is not known as an oenophile, he was more prophetic than he imagined in his somewhat famous line from Julius Caesar. Yes, the fault is not in our stars.The fault can be in our wine as many learned last month during the excellent Fault Workshop put on by OCWS members Don and Mary Ann Mayer. However, the fault can also be in our terroir.Two articles, one by Natasha Geiling in Smithsonian Magazine (August 2014) titled “Why Earthquakes Make Napa Wine Taste So Good,” and the other by Elin McCoy in Decanter China magazine (July 2017) titled “Seismic shifts: Wines on fault lines,” delve into the effects of our shifting California soils on the vineyards we visit and the wines we drink.But shifting soils and quaking barrel rooms are not unique to our home state, and neither is planting vineyards and building wineries on fault lines. You can nd this in Oregon, and farther aeld the same is true in Eastern France, New Zealand, Australia and Italy. Is there a perceived benet that overrides the associated risks? Yes, it’s the soil’s diversity—soil composed of limestone, sedimentary rocks, volcanic rocks and pieces of ancient sea oor millions of years old that has resulted from the formation of fault zones and the faults’ subsequent activity. This mixture of soils is believed to add to a wine’s aroma and taste complexity No scientic data corroborates this belief but some winemakers contend that some of the world’s best vineyards are planted near fault zones.TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

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8 ocws.org August 2024Home WinemakersAugust is here and harvest is on the horizon. Grapes are ripening on the vines. Things are relatively calm in the home winery. Last year’s vintage is tucked away and quietly developing into a wine to be proud of. Everything is running smoothly before the hustle of the harvest season begins.As a home winemaker, this is the most wonderful time of the year. Everything is pretty much running on autopilot and it’s time to start planning for the next vintage. What wines and how much of each varietal will I make this year? What equipment will be needed and will I need more room for everything? What yeasts and other supplies will I need?Fortunately for OCWS winemakers, there’s one big question we usually don’t have to worry about: Where will I get the grapes? Our Winemakers Group is fortunate to have several sources of high-quality grapes. Most of the fruit we buy comes from vineyards in premier growing regions like Santa Barbara and Sonoma counties. Occasionally we’re also able to source from other growers in the Paso Robles and Temecula areas.As with any product, it’s important to know your sources. Our sources supply us with high-quality fruit, the same fruit sold to commercial wineries. These grapes always produce high-quality wines which, over the years, have garnered many awards for OCWS winemakers in the OC Fair Home Wine Competition.We have a history with these sources and have developed good relationships with them. Many years ago, we were able to get only a few varietals, mainly the most popular ones like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay. As our relationships with these suppliers have grown, we’ve gained access to Zinfandel, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier. We’ve also been fortunate to get varietals like Sangiovese, Barbera, Dolcetto, Malbec and more. This year, we’re expanding our offering to our OCWS winemakers. Newly available to us are some unusual Italian varietals from a well-managed vineyard in the Temecula area. Our Santa Barbara County source is also offering us some different varietals in addition to the usual ones they supply. With all the grapes available to us this year, what will we ultimately buy? That’s where we need your input.A grape survey was recently sent to OCWS winemakers to determine which varietals our members are interested in and how much of each. Once we tabulate your requests, an order form will be sent in early August with grapes available, pricing and other details.One of our longtime winemakers, Bruce Powers, is once again spearheading the Winemakers Group grape purchase. This is a huge project. A very small number of people make it happen each year. We especially need drivers for our grape pickups from Lucas & Lewellen Vineyards in Buellton and from La Cresta Vineyard near Murietta. We pick up grapes using cargo vans or large pickup trucks which do not require a special driver’s license. Pickups are made in teams of two so there will be an experienced person on each run.On the survey form you can indicate if you’re interested in helping with the grape pickups. We need help organizing and distributing the enzyme and yeast packets we provide with all orders. We can also use help distributing grapes to everyone on grape delivery days.If you’re interested in getting grapes but didn’t get a survey form, please contact me. We’ll get you the form and get you on the Home Winemakers email list. —Ed Reyes, ed@OCWS.orgSecuring Grapes for the Next Vintage

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August 2024 ocws.org 9EventsReady for fall? Seems like summer just arrived, but fall is just around the corner and we’re brewing up some Halloween fun for the Fall Social you won’t want to miss!Imagine a magical gathering inspired by the enchanting world of Hocus Pocus! The air is crisp and lled with the scent of pumpkin spice and the sound of classic Halloween tunes, making it a night of spellbinding fun and unforgettable memories.To celebrate Halloween at the Fall Social, we’re transforming The Courtyard into den of ickering candles, cobwebs and spells. Save the date for Sunday, Oct. 6, for an evening of enchantment. Ticket prices are $45 for members, $50 for guests.Start by setting the mood and picking up a potion from the Wine Wall—all proceeds and donations benet the OCWS Scholarship Fund. Cast a spell to mingle with new club members and take part in the costume contest judged by none other than our own coven of witchy characters. Plan to arrive in your nest Halloween attire to win prizes for most creative, best couples costume and more. The Cooks’ Caucus will be preparing a delectable cauldron of offerings, including a monstrous mashed potato bar. Ready to dance? Returning after a warm welcome at the Spring Social, DJ Henry “Streak” Martinez, will be playing some bone-chilling tunes and taking requests. There will also be a photo set and props to capture the mystical moments.As always, this year’s event will include a silent auction to benet our Scholarship Fund. Last fall we raised $1,500 for the program and this year we hope to exceed that amount. We already have a great start with donations including Waterford wine glasses, a Tobin James basket, dinners and more. If you have items you would like to contribute, please call Alice Polser at (410) 299-8810 or drop them off at the OCWS ofce any day between 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Be sure get a donation receipt for yourself or for those vendors who are contributing goods or items.NOTE: We will accept cash, check or credit cards for all purchases.Don’t get left in the dark. Mark your calendars for Sunday, Oct. 6, and stay tuned for more upcoming details!—JoBeth Skaggs, Fall Social Committee MemberFall Membership SOCIALCelebrate Halloween with a little Hocus PocusSAVE THE DATESu n day, Oc t. 6th e cO ur t ya r dOc Fair & event centerIf you haven’t heard of our Vari-etal Hours by now, here is your chance!The event is open to all OCWS members, but sign-ups are required. Please log on to the OCWS website to register for the event no later than 10 p.m. the Sunday night before the event. Couples only need to sign up for one person since this event is via Zoom. A link for the Zoom meeting will be emailed to you on the day of the event. All you need is a computer (or phone) and internet connection. Feel free to contact Don Phillips at don@OCWS.org or George Cravens at george@OCWS.org.—Don Phillips, OCWS Varietal Hour Co-ChairVarietal HOUROCWS Varietal Hours...Where The Fun Never Stops!

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Photo of the MonthAugust 2024 ocws.org 11TASTE of TUSCANYCL Keedy’s winning photo of Vinsantaia at Castillo di Poppiano in Tusca-ny was taken with his iPhone and the only light is from the window. This is where Vin Santo Wine, a unique dessert wine of Tuscany, is aged for years before being bottled.The OCWS sponsors a photog-raphy contest and you are invited to participate! As you might have guessed, the subject is “wine,” but this can mean many things to many people.Do you have a great shot of the sun ltering through the vines just before picking? Or an action shot of wine being poured with some great swirls in the glass? Perhaps a romantic shot of a couple toasting each other?These are a few ideas and I’m sure you have many more of that great shot involving wine in some way.Each month the photography committee will select a Photo of the Month for publication in the upcoming newsletter as well as on the OCWS website. The winner also will receive a bottle of wine from the OCWS wine cellar. The ultimate goal is to publish an OCWS calendar consisting of the 12 best photos of the year. These may or may not be the 12 monthly winners.If you have any questions, email Photo@OCWS.org. Calling all OCWS photographersTHE RULESEntrants must be OCWS members in good standing and the submitted photo must have been photographed by the OCWS member when he/she was an active member.The photo must be some-how wine oriented. It may be of a winery, vineyard, the winemaking process, the nished product or simply the consumption. But don’t limit yourself just to these ideas!The photo or photos may be submitted to the OCWS photography committee any-time but will be considered only for the month it was sub-mitted. There is a limit of ve (5) submissions per month. Upon submission, rights to the photo are given to the OCWS for marketing pur-poses, so before you submit it make sure it is your property. Please get permission from any people in the photo.The photo must be sub-mitted in one of the follow-ing formats: JPEG, RAW, TIFF or Photoshop. Any size is ac-ceptable, but it is preferred to be at least 3000x2400 pixels, which is an 8”x10” shot at 300 dpi for printing. In the event that insu-cient entries are entered in a month, the committee reserves the right to move any contributed photos to the next month.To submit a picture, attach it in an email to Photo@OCWS.org. Be sure to include your name, phone number, picture location and picture title. Pho-tos are due by the last day of the month to be considered for that month’s winner. 124536

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12 ocws.org August 2024Feature StoryCELLARMASTER, from page 1Each OCWS Cellarmaster through the years is remembered with a name plaque on this wine glass rack in the cellar. Note the top center red cup represents Bill Redding.The position, which is appointed by the sitting OCWS president, has been occupied by only a handful of the society’s more knowledgeable minds. The honor has been bestowed on Bill Redding, who has served in many roles, including president.On a recent summer day, as dozens of volunteers worked feverishly to set up The Courtyard for the upcoming fair, Redding himself was busy preparing the cellar for the heavy foot trafc over the next few weeks.Redding explained it was former OCWS President and Cellarmaster Charley Owen who built the cellar when The Courtyard was being transformed to its current state. Owen got all of the pallets donated that are in each cubby hole. He was meticulous about the cellar design. Being Cellarmaster is equal parts about doing the small things like checking the cellar’s temperature and cleanliness but also some of the heavy lifting by providing certain types of wines for a host of events.A major responsibility of the cellar master is to get the wines sorted into lots for the annual auction. This task takes about 10 working days and requires the help of 12 to 14 volunteers each year.Redding, a former high school science teacher and administrator, said those skills he acquired in the education eld have helped him while being Cellarmaster. The position is part manager, part liaison, all the while keeping track of the wines going in and out of the cellar.Redding pulled out a big white binder that tracks the order requests submitted for events where wine is being poured such as the Spring and Fall socials and the annual Wine Auction. “Part of the job is deciding what wines each event gets,” Redding said. “My philosophy is that I give a mix of award-winning and non-award-winning wines that are representative of the Commercial Competition.”The job also entails a strong knowledge of wine – which means Redding needs to whet his palette with different varietals. .“For the last 20 years, I have been trying everything I can,” he said. “I don’t turn my nose down to anything.Being Cellarmaster enhances the enjoyment and the value of wine. You are getting to learn a lot more. It’s like you aren’t reading grade-level books anymore – you are reading college-level books.”Redding, who has served more than eight years in the role and is helped by Cellar Manager Kevin Coy and Assistant Cellarmaster George Cravens, suggests if anyone ever wants to assume the role that they have a good working knowledge of the Commercial Competition and how OCWS operates.Redding, along with the other nine previous Cellarmasters, has his name adorned on a cork-lined wine glass rack tucked in the back of the cellar. He appreciates the opportunity afforded to him by being appointed Cellarmaster.“It’s very fullling and has been a privilege,” Redding said. “You get paid with knowledge.”It’s very fullling and has been a privilege. You get paid with knowledge.BILL REDDING, CELLARMASTER“

OCWS Newsletter AUG2024

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