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Message TThe he WWine ine PPressressVolume 49, Issue 8 OCWS.org August 2025CALENDARpage 16FROM CAROLYNpage 2CHEF of EVENINGpage 5VARIETAL HOURS page 8 THEFRENCHCONNECTION THEFRENCHCONNECTIONWhen Stephanie Burtin moved to Yorba Linda and eventually learned about the Orange County Wine Society, she knew she found a place where she could meet like-minded people. Born in Lyon, France, Stephanie was a chemical engineer by trade but she moved to Orange County with the intention of starting her own business — something she had always dreamed of doing. Mov-ing to the U.S. gave her the perfect chance to launch Osprey Boutique Travel, which brought together her two passions: wine and travel.See STEPHANIE, page 15BY GREG RISLING
The Orange County Wine Society is a truly unique nonprot volunteer organization that works like a well-oiled machine operating events throughout the year like the OC Fair Commercial and Home Wine competitions, The Courtyard at the OC Fair, the Wine Auction and a host of dozens of wine events and celebrations that focus on wine education and fundraising. The organization was started in 1976 by home winemakers who partnered with the OC Fair to start the wine competitions that we know today and develop wine education for the public at the OC Fair. But the greatest expansion of the OCWS educational mission came in 1981 with the start of the OCWS Scholarship Program (see history of the Scholarship Fund, page 10). California Wineries That Entered The CompetitionWithout the amazing wineries that participate in the competition, we would not be the organization we are today. During these tough times for the wine industry, we ask that you support the wineries that enter their wines. Interact with them on our social media platforms by reacting to our posts and their posts, search for your next wine purchase on our interactive website – WineCompetition.com – and plan your next vacation to one of the many amazing wine regions right here in California. If you aren’t already following us on Facebook or Instagram, make sure you connect with us soon — @ocwinesociety.OCWS PhotographerI am pleased to announce that Sue England has agreed to take on the position of OCWS photographer. Given the many hours dedicated by Jim Burk to this role over several decades, we have made the decision to move from a single photographer to a photography committee to handle all the jobs covered by Jim in the past. Sue will be chairing that committee and working with several photographers to cover all the OCWS events throughout the year. Many thanks to Jim Burk for his years of commitment to the organization and thank you to Sue for stepping up for this role.50th Anniversary Logo Contest and Memory SharingAs we approach our 50th anniversary in 2026, I would like to announce the 50th Anniversary Logo Design Contest for OCWS. Every ve years we celebrate a milestone, and this one is no exception. The winner will receive two tickets to a Winery Program of their choice in 2026. Please submit your print-ready design to history@OCWS.org by Aug. 18. Both a color and black-and-white version are appreciated. The winner will be announced at the Annual Business Meeting on Sept. 5.In preparation for our big anniversary in 2026, I also invite you to share your memories of the organization and your ideas on events and souvenirs to help us commemorate this major milestone. Use this link to share your ideas: OCWS.ws/50th.Annual Business MeetingThe Annual Business Meeting will be held on Sept. 5 via Zoom. The OCWS board has found that this format works well for this annual review of the organization’s nances and activities. Election TimeWe have an election for board members coming up this fall. I encourage those of you who have ever considered getting more involved to throw your hat in the ring. Serving on the board does require a time commitment but it is a very rewarding experience to be part of the leadership of this organization. Greg Hagadorn’s article in this issue will provide more 2 OCWS.org August 20252024-25 Board of Directors Carolyn ChristianPresidentCarolyn@OCWS.orgFran GitshamVice PresidentFran@OCWS.orgRich SkoczylasSecretaryRich@OCWS.orgFred HeineckeTreasurerFred@OCWS.orgSue EnglandDirectorSue@OCWS.orgLinda FleminsDirectorLinda@OCWS.orgDaniel VlahovicDirectorDaniel@OCWS.orgCL KeedyDirectorCLKeedy@ocws.orgPresident’s Message By Carolyn ChristianJohn LaneDirectorJohn@OCWS.orgsee PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE, page 3
August 2025 OCWS.org 3New Members CORNERThe Orange County Wine Soci-ety extends a warm welcome to its newest members. Memberships for the following members were approved by the Board of Direc-tors at the July meeting: James Barnum, Kyle and Sylvia Franson, Thomas and Cynthia Peterson, Nadiyah Ward and Fred Wilson. As of July 1, OCWS has 1,021 members. For new members logging on to their account for the rst time, log on to our website, OCWS.org. Your default login is the primary member’s email address. The default password is the primary member’s zip code. Both may be changed under the My Account tab once you log on. If you joined us online, then you will have created your password. There may only be one login/password per membership.—Rochelle Randel, OCWS Business AdministratorThe Wine PressStaff BoxThe Wine Press is the ofcial 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 DirectorsDamian ChristianAlice PolserRochelle RandelEd ReyesWebsite AdministratorWendy TaylorOCWS PhotographerSue EnglandCopyright (c)2025 Orange County Wine Society, Inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved.The Orange County Wine Society is a non-prot 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: Ofce@OCWS.org Merchandise: OCWS.org/merchandise2025 Wine Competition Results:WineCompetition.comNew Member MIXERLearn more about OCWS, meet other members at Sept. 13 event New members are invited to a New Member Mixer event on Sunday, Sept. 13. At this free, invitation-only event, new members can meet oth-er new members and the Board of Directors as well as learn more about the many events the organization has to offer.This event is restricted to new members who joined on or after Jan. 1, 2025, and who have not previously attended a mixer. To sign up, go to OCWS.org, log on to your OCWS ac-count, and look for the New Member Mixer under Events. The deadline for reservations is Monday, Sept. 8.If you have never logged on to your OCWS account, your username is the email of the primary member on your account and your password is your zip code. You will be prompted to change your password the rst time you login. If you have issues access-ing you r account, please contact the OCWS ofce staff at (714) 708-1636 for assistance. Hope to see you there!—Daniel Vlahovic, New Member Mixer ChairTIME: 1-4 p.m. DATE: Saturday, Sept. 13LOCATION: Yorba Linda area (exact location will be emailed 3 to 5 days prior to event)ATTIRE: Casual (event will be outdoors, weather permitting)NOW SERVING: Wine, water, and light appetizersdetails on the process. Candidates will be able to present their qualications to OCWS members at the Annual Business Meeting on Sept. 5. Thank you all!We are so fortunate to have over 1,000 members who help us run this organization, and I am truly honored to serve as OCWS president. Please join me in thanking all the volunteers who make this organization what it is today. I hope to see you in August at the OC Fair so we can raise a glass of wine and toast this amazing organization! Cheers to you all!PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE, from page 2
4 OCWS.org August 2025Mini-TastingThe Results ARE INDuring our most recent Mini-Tasting June 28, our panel of experts concluded by a wide margin that Inland wineries were preferred over Coastal wineries. Summarizing the points in the table below, Coastal wines scored a total of 216 points across the seven sites; conversely, the Inland wines scored 363 points. Of course, the wines themselves are really the deciding factor in this comparison, as is the loose denition of Coastal versus Inland. It is easy to distinguish between Lodi (inland) versus Paso Robles, but is Paso more coastal compared to Napa, which is regarded Inland? Someone here is seriously challenged with geography! ROUND WINE BRAND LOCATION YEAR PRICE SCORE 1A Chardonnay Bernardus Coastal 2022 $21 58 Monterey 1B Chardonnay Hanzell Inland 2023 $32 30 Sonoma Pinor Noir Blood Root Inland 2023 Sonoma 2B Pinot Noir Busy Signal Coastal 2023 $39 18 Santa Rita Hills 3A Merlot Clos Pegase Inland 2021 $22 63 Napa Valley 3B Merlot Russian Ridge Coastal 2014 $28 Santa Clara 4A Zinfandel Klinker Brick Inland 2021 $35 103 Old Ghost, Lodi 4B Zinfandel Ancient Peaks Coastal Paso Robles 5A Cabernet Beckman Inland 2022 $29 114 Santa Ynez 5B Cabernet Paysan Coastal 2022 $20 53 Central Coast San BenitoCabernet262A2B 2021 $16 67see RESULTS, page 6 $22 47
August 2025 OCWS.org 5Mini-TastingCarrot Cake with Crystalized Ginger Mascarpone FrostingChef of the EVENINGTamara Reddy, a winning chef at the June 28 Mini-Tasting, has every Ina Garten cookbook. So when it’s time to whip up a dish for a potuck, Ina is her go-to source.“Her recipes are always a bit decadent, and I very much enjoy making them for the OCWS Mini-Tastings, where the food items brought by my fellow members are always so wonderful,” Tamara says. “Ina helps me rise to the level of my fellow attendees.”Tamara advises anyone taking on this dish to hand grate the car-rots.“Don’t be tempted to use a food processor as it creates too much liquid for this already very moist cake to handle,” Tamara says.IngredientsCAKE:2 cups sugar1⅓ cups vegetable oil3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature1 tsp. pure vanilla extract2 cups plus 1 Tbsp. all-purpose our2 tsp. ground cinnamon2 tsp. baking soda1½ tsps. kosher salt1 lb. carrots, grated1 cup raisins1 cup chopped walnutsGinger Mascarpone Frosting (recipe follows)Crystallized ginger (not in syrup), chopped, for garnishFROSTING:12 oz. Italian mascarpone cheese, at room temperature4 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar2 Tbsp. heavy cream½ tsp. pure vanilla extract1/8 cup minced crystallized ginger (not in syrup)¼ tsp. kosher saltDirectionsCAKE:PREHEAT oven to 400 degrees then grease two (9 x 2 inches) round cake pans. Line the bottom of the pans with parchment paper and grease and our the pans.BEAT the sugar, oil and eggs on medium-high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer tted with the paddle attachment for 2 minutes, until light yellow and thickened.STIR in the vanilla. In another bowl, sift together the 2 cups of our, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ones.TOSS the carrots, raisins, walnuts and 1 Tbsp. of our in a medium bowl. Stir into the batter with a rubber spatula. DIVIDE the batter between the pre-pared pans and smooth the tops. BAKE 10 minutes. Lower the heat to 350 degrees and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. COOL in the pans for 15 minutes. Turn out onto a baking rack and cool completely.FROSTING:BEAT the mascarpone, cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, cream and vanilla together in the bowl of an electric mixer tted with the paddle attachment for about 1 minute, until light and uffy. ADD the crystallized ginger and salt and beat for 30 seconds more.PLACE one cake on a at serving plate, rounded side down. Spread half the frosting on the top (not the sides). Place the second cake on top of the rst cake, rounded side up. FROST just the top of the second cake. Sprinkle with the ginger and serve at room temperature.
6 OCWS.org August 2025The CourtyardTo the 2025 Courtyard Crew: Cheers to Your Hard Work!OC FAIR 2025: Featured Wineries Aug. 1 California Street Winery Aug. 2 Sculpterra Winery Aug. 3 Fallbrook Winery Aug. 8 Pear Valley Vineyard Aug. 9 Morel Vin Winery Aug. 10 Wilson Creek Winery Aug. 15 Wine Guy & Wine Gal Aug. 16 Seis Soles Wine Co. Aug. 17 Weins CellarsAfter 3½ gritty days and through daily obstacle courses of the OC Fair setting up around us, our Courtyard set-up crew hope that our members and visitors enjoy a way to “Find Your Happy.” We are already making plans for the 50th anniversary for 2026 Court-yard at the OC Fair next year.The efforts of our dedicated set-up crew will help the OCWS earn TWO of our largest sources of annual schol-arships and get ready for the servers, cashiers and stewards that will last throughout our upcoming events. Now, it will all be torn down. We need your help as everything will be stowed away to get ready for next year. It would be helpful if you have a pickup truck. Please be respectful to our neighbor vendors as there will be activity around us. The teardown crew will meet on Monday, Aug. 18 and moving out Tuesday, Aug. 19 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at The Courtyard. Also, we may have the opportunity to purchase the live plants displayed in The Courtyard from Centennial Farm. Please bring cash only and a way to carry them out. You’ll know we took good care of them!To sign up directly, please email Les@OCWS.org so we can plan for ever-changing updates and lunch. Cheers to the entire 2025 Courtyard Committee, especially our teardown volunteers. —Leslie “Les” Hodowanec, 2025 OC Fair Courtyard Set Up/Tear Down CoordinatorWhat is absolutely clear is the Beck-man Cabernet was the highest scored wine followed by the Klinker Brick Zinfandel, both inland wines. Also noteworthy is the strong prefer-ence for the Zins and Cabernets over the Merlots, Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs. The one thing we can conclude is that people like what they like.Our Gold Medal Event is scheduled for Sept. 6 and sign-ups are available now. This is our most popular event, so sign up early to increase your chances for your preferred location.RESULTS, from page 4Tamara Reddy Carrot Cake with Crystalized Ginger Mascarpone FrostingDonna Hisey Carol Shelton’s Black Magic CupcakesSteven Halligan Homemade Ice Cream - 3 Flavors Vanilla, Pistachio, and MochaLinda ShepardCoconut Lime & Double Chocolate CupcakesAtsuko Barrett Fried Shrimp GyozaJed DouglasPoke TunaGeorge Cravens Pork Tenderloin with Cherry ChutneyCHEFS OF THE EVENING:
August 2025 OCWS.org 7EventsOCWS is holding a Chili Cook Off during the Fall Social on Oct. 11 at the OC Fair-grounds. The event is the Wine Country Hoe-down and Chili Showdown. We are looking for cooks to join us. The entry is free and open to teams with at least one OCWS member.The Chili Cook Off is always a lot of fun! We are excited to taste all the entries. Reserve your spot in the Cook Off by emailing Alice Polser at ajpolser@gmail.com. CATEGORIESYou may enter your chili in one of the following catego-ries, but only one category:• Best Chili with Beans• Best NO Bean Chili• Best Chili with Wine• Best Non-Traditional Chili (white, meatless, other)Please select the category you wish to enter. Additional-ly, all chilis are also eligible for the People’s Choice Award. This award will be voted on by the attendees after tasting the entries. THEMESTo make this event even more fun, each team is encour-aged to decorate their table area in the theme of the event. The Courtyard is going Western for our Wine Country Hoedown and Chili Showdown. You can be as creative as you are inspired to be within the 4-foot length of your area! You will also have the wall behind your area to work with. The attend-ees will vote for their top choice. Each team is eligible for two cooks to enter the event for free. Prizes are not monetary and are meant to carry the spirit of the event.RULES TO ENTER1. Each team will have 4 feet of table space for work and display.2. No more than two cooks may be at the table at a time.3. Each entry must provide at least six quarts of chili for tasting.4. Contestants will have access to set up starting at 11 a.m. If you need to set up earlier, let us know!5. Chili must be ready for judging by 1:30 p.m.6. Each team must provide their own way to keep the chili hot, such as a crockpot, camp stove, etc. Each team will need to bring a heavy extension cord to access electrical outlets.7. Bring your ladle or spoon for serving.8. OCWS will provide cups and spoons for tasting.9. Each team must have at least one OCWS member.So, you think you can cook chili?Wondering what to do with all those wine corks you have stored in boxes, bags or vases? We are offering a class on how to make a beautiful wreath from wine corks. Once the wreath is complete, you can add ribbon, grapes, leaves, etc. to make it shine for your décor. I like my wreath to not have any decorations and I put it on a stand on the hall table. Due to space limitations, the class is limited to 20 people. The net prots will go to the OCWS Scholarship Fund. The cost includes all materials needed to complete the wreath. The only item we request you bring is a hot glue gun if you own one. If you have certain corks you want to incorporate, you are welcome to bring those as well.To join the class: Please email Betty Jo Newell at bettyjonewell@yahoo.com. If you registered and paid at the Spring Social, there is no need to contact us. We will be contacting you with the address soon. Hope to see you there! —Betty Jo Newell and Alice Polser, event co-chairsSAVE THE DATEDATE: Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025TIME: 1 to 4 p.m. COST: $40PLACE: Location will be shared when you sign upLearn the art of making wreathsFall SOCIAL
If you haven’t heard of our Varietal Hours by now, here is your chance to the participate. Because of the suc-cess we are having on our change to Tuesday nights, we are greeting new members every Varietal Hour. And even with the OC Fair, we are having more Varietal Hours than ever. We will also be starting up the Tuesday after the fair ends.The Varietal Hours are free. Sure, you say, nothing is free, and if it is then it’s not worth my time. What started as a way of gathering during the COVID quarantines has blossomed into quality time with friends, both old and new. And the things we have learned and been taught by this group are priceless.So here is our challenge to all of you: If you haven’t already attended one of these Varietal Hours, please attend one. Yes, just one. We promise you three things: 1) You will have fun. 2) You might just learn some-thing OR you might teach ussomething.3) You won’t regret spendingthat hour of your life! And youwon’t even have to drive home.So picture this…Your own comfort-able furniture. A glass of wine in your hand. Chatting with fun friends, some you know, some you may not. Right there in your own house with friends, old and new. And here’s the best part — you don’t even have to clean up everyone’s mess. We’re always happy to have new mem-bers join the fun and meet some people who enjoy wine.Each event has a theme, but we never “kick anyone off the island,” so it never matters if you follow the theme. The setting is very casual, with stories told about each of the wines we’re drinking, what we do (or don’t) like about them, Tuesday nights, when the fun never stops8 OCWS.org August 2025Varietal HoursAUGUST 19TIME:7 p.m.THEME:Wines Discovered at the OC FairHOST:Damian & Carolyn Christianwhere we got them and more.Regardless of your knowledge of wine, the Varietal Hours have some-thing for everyone. Varietal Hours are held 7 to 8 p.m. every other Tuesday.All you need is a computer (or phone) and internet con-nection. If you are new to the Varietal Hours or to Zoom, please feel free to contact Don Phillips at don@OCWS.org for help and infor-mation, even if it means contacting him days before the event. He will walk you through the process and even do a short Zoom meeting, just for you, to get you comfortable with the process.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 7 p.m. the Monday night before the event. Couples only need to sign up for one per-son since this event is via Zoom. A link for the Zoom meet-ing will be emailed to you on the day of the event.We are also looking for hosts for upcoming Varietal Hours. It’s fun and easy to do. Please contact Don at the above email if you wish to host, or with any questions or suggestions.We look forward to Zooming with you soon at one of the future Varietal Hours. Bottoms up!—Don Phillips,OCWS Varietal Hours Chair
Home WinemakersAugust 2025 OCWS.org 9Winemakers: Preparing for the Upcoming Harvestuse? What test chemicals, yeasts, oak and other supplies will I need? There’s one big question we OCWS winemakers don’t have to ask: Where will I get the grapes? We’re 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. Our sources supply us with the same high-quality fruit sold to com-mercial wineries. These grapes always produce excellent wines which, over the years, have garnered many awards for OCWS winemakers in the OC Fair Home Wine Competition.There’s another factor working in our favor this year. Economic conditions in the wine industry have led to an oversup-ply of grapes. Commercial wineries are buying less than in the past and vineyards are turning to home winemakers to buy that excess fruit. We may have access to new sources of high-quality grapes this year.The 2025 Winemakers Group grape order form will be sent to our winemakers this month. This is an exclusive oppor-tunity to get high-quality winemaking grapes from premier growing regions. Grapes will be picked up from the source and delivered to a distribution point in Orange County. The order form will have a list of available grapes, pricing, estimat-ed harvest dates, pickup information and other details.To help novice winemakers, the Winemakers Group will hold a pre-crush workshop in early September. It’s a great introductory class for those making wine from grapes for the rst time. It’s also a valuable “refresher course” for experi-enced winemakers who just want to brush up on their knowledge.The workshop will help you plan for harvest with advice and tips from experienced OCWS winemakers. You’ll get instructions on how our grape pickup works and learn how to prepare before With the Home Wine Competition just completed, it’s time for home winemakers to start planning for the upcoming harvest. This year’s grapes are ripening on the vines. Last year’s vintage is tucked away and aging. It’s relatively calm in the home winery and everything is running pretty much on autopilot. It’s the perfect time to start planning for the next vintage, before the bustle of the harvest season.There are many questions a wine-maker must consider before the harvest. What grapes will I get? Will I make a different varietal this year, or maybe a new style of wine like a rosé or a blend? How many varietals and how much of each will be needed? Will I have enough space and equipment to process it all? In what condition is my equipment? Is it clean and ready to see HARVEST, page 15
News10 OCWS.org August 2025 Scholarship FUNDCommittee looking for past newslettersThe 50th Anniversary Committee is busy preparing for the big event next year. Currently we have copies of 30 years of our monthly newsletter The Wine Press, and we are hoping to get copies of all 49 years. If you have any of the dates, we would like to scan your copies to add to our archives.If you have any of the issues listed below of The Wine Press, or any of the Free Run newsletter that OCWS used to produce for the OC Fair, please contact Carolyn Christian at carolyn@OCWS.org to arrange a time to scan your newsletters. Thank you!—OCWS 50th Anniversary Committee50th ANNIVERSARYIn 1981, OCWS donated scholarship funds to two California institutions: UC Davis and California State Univer-sity Fresno. Both locations ran enology and viticulture programs. The organization donated $1,000 to each university for the rst few years, increasing to $1,500 and then to $2,000 each by 1986. In 1987, OCWS con-ducted a “Guess the Number of Corks” in a 5-gallon carboy and netted $350 for the Scholarship Fund.In the early 1990s, OCWS added Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Cal Poly Pomona and Orange Coast College to its scholarship recipient list, supporting wine marketing, enology and viticul-ture at SLO, hospitality at Pomona and culinary arts at OCC. The Los Angeles Culinary Arts Institute received scholarship funds in 1992 and was then removed from the scholarship program the following year. Allan Hancock College was added in 1999; Napa Valley College was added in 2005; and California State Universi-ty Sonoma was added in early 2000s. Revenue for the OCWS Scholarship Fund comes from a variety of sources, including special auctions at the Spring and Fall socials, the Featured Winery Program at the OC Fair, donations from members throughout the year and donations from the public during the OC Fair. Most recently, members have been recycling cans and bottles and donating proceeds to our program. In addition, at the OC Fair Commercial Wine Com-petition, judges are invited to donate their honorarium to the program, which is then given in rotation to a different school each year. Over the years, we have also had special memorial scholarships includ-Just 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 oce at OCWS P.O. Box 11059 Costa Mesa, CA 92627 Attn: Scholarship Fund A donation letter will be sent to you. DONATE TODAYing the Marino Family Scholarship Fund and the Chris Cunningham En-dowment Scholarship Fund.The amount donated each year in scholarships has increased from $2,000 in the rst year of the program to $49,507 this year. Funds have generally increased from year to year except for a few years, most notably 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic when there were no funds brought in by the OC Fair or Wine Auction. With our current total donations reaching over $940,000, we plan to reach the $1 million mark next year for our 50th anniversary. We hope you will donate to the pro-gram through one of the many methods we have available.—Carolyn Christian, OCWS PresidentDelve into history of OCWS’ support of viticulture, culinary students
August 2025 OCWS.org 11NewsWe are only a month away from the OCWS annual Business Meeting slated 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5. In our efforts to reach the most members possible, the meeting will again be via Zoom.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 rest of 2025.Our annual election for the Board of Directors is upcoming and this meet-ing will give everyone the opportunity to hear from the candidates, who will present their qualications and goals during the presentation. We also will be presenting volunteer awards.Sign-ups for this event are required, although there is no cost to attend. A Zoom link will be sent to each attendee in advance of the meeting. You only need to sign up once per household un-less you will be viewing the meeting on separate computers. Please note this is a member-only event.The meeting will be conducted in accordance with the OCWS bylaws and government regulations for 501(c)(3) nonprot organizations.We look forward to seeing you at the meeting. For those unable to attend, a recording will be posted for your viewing.—Carolyn Christian,OCWS PresidentMembers encouraged to attend via ZoomAnnual Business MEETINGIf you are innovative, open-minded, possess good interpersonal skills, are results oriented and a problem solver, then a position as an OCWS director might be right for you. The beginning of a three-year term of the nine members of the Board of Directors, according to the bylaws, shall be staggered such that three members’ terms will expire each year. The three vacated board positions will be lled each year by a vote of the OCWS membership, following the An-nual Business Meeting in September.The overall time commitment varies based on assignments and participation. We are moving from having the Board manage some events to having our members run event with a board coordinator being the liaison regarding budgets, event timing and placement.A candidate should possess some of the following skills and experience as well:General knowledge of OCWS events and activitiesExperience as a volunteer in some eventsAbility and time to organize events during the yearSelected event, budget management skillsBe a member in good standingCandidates must present their Decla-ration of Candidacy in writing, by mail or via electronic media to the Election Chair no later than 14 calendar days prior to the scheduled Annual Business Meeting. The last date to declare candidacy for this year’s election is Friday, Aug. 22. During the Annual Business Meeting, candidates can speak to the member-ship and present their qualications. A written Statement of Qualications must be presented to the Election Committee no later than ve calendar days after the Declaration of Candidacy is submitted. For more information, contact Greg Hagadorn at (714) 388-8803 or Greg@OCWS.org. Board ELECTIONSDeadline to run for director position this monthAre you thinking of attending an event and not sure how to sign up, what to bring, how it works, or just want someone to meet and greet you at an event? Do you have questions as to how this all works, but are not sure who to ask? Please let us know by contacting the OCWS ofce at ofce@OCWS.org and we will assign a New Member Volun-teer to contact you. Please include your preferred form of communication, e.g. text, phone or email. Participation in the New Member Friend Program is optional.To see a list of all events and to sign up, please use the link on our website for the OCWS Events Page – from this page you will need to log on to the website to see the event information and sign up. If you have issues with your account, please contact our ofce at ofce@OCWS.org or (714) 708-1636 as they are the website experts. Our goal is to welcome you and to aid you in enjoying all that OCWS has available. We are glad you have joined our organization!—Alice Polser, OCWS Membership Member LiaisonNew PROGRAMMember Friend Program helps members ease into events
12 OCWS.org August 2025Wine Wisdomsee ROSE, page 13Exploring the Roots of the Riveting RoseRosé wine, however, is not a mod-ern-day creation. The Greeks and Phoenicians would press their red grapes soon after harvest with very little macer-ation, resulting in a pink-hued wine. The Romans would often blend water with their red wine making a light red wine to help purify their drinking water and stop drunkenness. Around 600 B.C., the Phoenicians took winemaking to Marseilles and as a result, Southern France became a major rosé winemaking area. By the Middle Ages the pale clairets from Bordeaux became popular in England. These pale red wines were known as vin d’une nuit (wine of one night) as they had a single night of skin contact. Likewise, Champagne of the Middle Ages was not truly white but a pale pink color because of winemaking methods. The pale pink color was suggestive of a partridge’s eye and nicknamed Oeil de Perdrix. By the 18th-century, France had increased rosé production and Provence had become a major rosé exporter. However, it wasn’t until after WWII and the demand of the returning GIs that rosé wines started to become popular in the U.S., especially with the introduction of two Portuguese rosé brands, Mateus and Lancers. The U.S. market for rosé wine blossomed with an increased demand for blush wine, also called vin gris. It was during this time that Bob Trinchero’s popular Sutter Home White Zinfandel, resulting from a stuck fermentation, was made and came to market. Today rosé wine is made around the world and goes by as many different names as there are countries making it: Italy – rosato, ramato and chiaretto; Spain – rosado and claret; Germany – rosewein, rotling, weissherbst and schil-lerwein; Austria – schilcher; and Switzer-land – sussdruck. But with all this history what do we really know about rosé? There are four major rosé winemaking methods and several variations. They are: Direct Press: red grapes are pressed, the juice has a pale color from the skins, and the rosé wine is made like a white wine; Maceration: the red grapes are lightly crushed and fermentation is started, after a few hours, but no longer than a few days, the skins are removed and the wine nishes fermenting; Saignée: a variation of Maceration, as the fermentation be-gins in the process of making red wine, some of the pale colored wine is “bled” off after a few hours or days and is fer-mented separately as rosé; Blending: mix a red wine and a white wine and voila!We have red, white and orange wine and of course pink wine, better known as rosé. But what do we know about rosé other than the majority of rosé wines are made from just red grapes? Question 1Which of these methods has been banned in the European Union as a method of making rosé wine?a. Direct Pressb. Macerationc. Saignéed. BlendingAnswer: D – Blending, with the exception of Champagne. A little red wine is allowed to be blended with white wine to make rosé Champagne. Provence’s co-fermentation of classic red grapes with the white grape, Rolle (Vermentino) may also be consid-ered an allowed exception. Question 2Although several Southern Rhone Appellations make rosé wine as well as red and white wine, which appellation is exclusively dedicated to making rosé wine?a. Liracb. Gigondasc. Vacqueyrasd. TavelAnswer: D – Tavel makes rosé from grenache, syrah, cinsault and mourvedreTEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
Wine WisdomROSE, from page 12August 2025 OCWS.org 13 Question 3In 1999, which head of state had a preference for the drier more sparkling version of Mateus Rosé?a. Boris Yeltsin, President of Russiab. Queen Elizabeth of Englandc. Jacques Chirac, President of Franced. King Juan Carlos I of SpainAnswer: B – Don’t know why Queen Elizabeth preferred Mateus but I liked it in the ’70s. Question 4Which country is the largest producer of rosé wine by volume? (2022 data)a. Spainb. Francec. USAd. ItalyAnswer: B – France 30%; Spain 21%; USA 10%; Italy 10% Question 5Which county exports the most rosé by volume? (2022 data)a. Franceb. Spainc. Italyd. USAAnswer: B – Spain exports more by volume, but France exports the most by value. Question 6Which country imports the most rosé by volume? (2022 data)a. Germanyb. Francec. Englandd. USAAnswer: B – France is biggest by volume, but England is biggest by value. Rosé accounts for 10% of all still wine imports around the world. Question 7Which country consumes the most rosé wine? (2022 data)a. Germanyb. USAc. Franced. EnglandAnswer: C – France 33%; Germany 11%; USA 11%; England 6%. Makes sense, France makes the most and imports the most, so they must consume the most! Question 8Where in France is the most rosé wine made?a. Bordeaub. Beaujolaisc. Provanced. Languedoc-RoussillonAnswer: D – Languedoc-Roussillon – grenache, syrah, cinsault and mourvedre grapes are used to make rosé using both the lightly macerated and the saignée methods. Question 9 Where, other than in the Champagne region, is a sparking rosé made?a. Languedoc-Roussillon, Franceb. Lombardy, Italyc. Western Styria, Austriad. Western Cap Region, South AfricaAnswer: All of the above – In Languedoc-Roussillon it’s called Crémant de Limoux; in Lombardy it’s Franciacorta rosé; in Western Styria it’s Schilcher rosé; and in Western Cap Region it’s Cap Classique rosé. Question 10Which famous chef said, “Rosé can be served with anything”?a. Julia Child b. Auguste Escoferc. Massimo Butturad. Alice WatersAnswer: A – Julia Child made this statement in her 1961 Mastering the Art of French Cooking. It is believed to be some of her best wine advice. After the publication of her book the popularity of rosé began to rise in the U.S.Rosé wine has evolved from a remedy for unsafe drinking water to a solution for the question of what wine goes with what food. Rosé can be made from any red grape, it can be blended with white wine, it can be made any number of ways and it comes dry, sweet, still and sparkling from anywhere in the world. There’s so much to learn about the pink wine. So don’t hesitate. Just get a bottle, open it and enjoy! Cheers!—CL Keedy,Wine Education Committee
Photo of the Month14 OCWS.org August 2025The OCWS sponsors a photography contest and you are invited to partici-pate! 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 com-mittee will select a Photo of the Month for publication in the upcoming news-letter as well as on the OCWS website. The winner also will receive a bottle of wine from the OCWS wine cellar. If you have any questions, email Photo@OCWS.org. THE 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 somehow wine oriented. It may be of a winery, vineyard, the winemaking process, the nished product or the consump-tion. But don’t limit yourself just to these ideas!The photo or photos may be submitted to the OCWS photography committee anytime but will be considered only for the month it was submitted. There is a limit of ve (5) submissions per month. Upon submission, rights to the photo are given to the OCWS for marketing purposes, so before you submit it make sure it is your property. Please get permission from any people in the photo.The photo must be submitted in one of the following formats: JPEG, RAW, TIFF or Photo-shop. Any size is acceptable, 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 insucient entries are en-tered 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. Photos are due by the last day of the month to be considered for that month’s winner. 1245Calling all photographersThis month’s winner of the Photo of the Month is OCWS President Carolyn Christian, who captured a bevvy of wine bottles at the OC Fair, which continues through Aug. 17. Winning Photograph36
FeatureAugust 2025 OCWS.org 15STEPHANIE, from page 1Stephanie Burtin’s business pairs travelers with unique experienc-es like visiting barrel rooms at wineries in France.Tapping into her French roots, Stephanie specically designs trips for those wanting to explore the various French wine regions. She takes pride in the curated experiences that clients seek, whether it’s visiting centuries-old castles in Loire Valley, enjoying a wellness journey in Provence or discovering hidden wineries in Burgundy. She is able to unlock the gems of each region to a traveler’s liking. “It’s really geared to what people want,” she said. “It’s very customized and personalized to match a client’s preferences. People come to us because we are not doing business as usual.”From an early age, Stephanie learned about the value of good food as she and others who grew up with her were immersed in agriculture. Eventually with the assistance of a sommelier, she was introduced to the nuanced world of wine and the importance of pairing food with a specic varietal.When she decided to start her busi-ness four years ago, she said the way to separate her business and to really stand out was providing wine journeys that were truly authentic experiences. In that vein, she often travels to France herself and works with Michelin-star chefs or nds off-the-beaten-path wineries that don’t often open their doors to the public. Pairing food and wine “is the French way of life,” she said. “It’s social. It’s about community. It’s about understand-ing how wine from vineyards only ve minutes away from each other can taste totally different.”Just as OCWS seeks to educate those who join the organization, so does Stephanie, who says clients come back to the United States with a greater appreciation of the French winemaking ways. Usually, the biggest takeaway is having people understand how vital the terrior – the environmental factors such as climate, soil and location – can inuence the wine’s character.“There are so many regions and you really never taste the same wine,” she said. “For us in France, wine is an agri-cultural product and there’s a diversity there.”Stephanie has come to enjoy the ar-ray of wines in California. Her favorite is Petite Sirah, a grape that isn’t found in France, and she also enjoys Zinfan-dels. She said there’s never a bad time to open a bottle of California wine.As she continues to bridge the path for Americans to visit her native coun-try, Stephanie is grateful she’s able to share her heritage and appreciation of wine with others. “It’s a product that comes from a fruit and you are able to create some-thing really special,” said Stephanie, who gets the occasional goosebump when asked to describe her love of wine. “Wine is so diverse and has so many possibilities that can be enjoyable.”HARVEST, from page 9getting them. We’ll show you what to do when you get grapes. You will learn how to take them through the entire winemak-ing process.The workshop will be combined with an equipment “swap meet.” We will have a listing of used winemaking equipment that needs to be “rehomed.” Equipment might be free or available at a greatly reduced price. Some small equipment may even be available on-site. It’s a great opportunity for new winemakers to get started. Look for details on the pre-crush workshop in upcoming email notica-tions. It takes only a couple of minutes to make sure you’ll be notied about grapes, classes and winemaker happen-ings throughout the year. Cheers!IMPORTANT: To get Winemakers Group email notications, your OCWS membership prole must be set to receive Winemakers Group information. Log on to the OCWS website, go to the top menu that says “Account” and click on “My Prole.” If you are the primary member, scroll down to the question that asks: “Interested in Home Winemak-ing?” Make sure it says “Yes.” For a dual membership, repeat this for the secondary member. —Ed Reyes, ed@ocws.org
2025UPCOMINGEVENTS16 OCWS.org August 2025September 6GOLD MEDAL MINI-TASTINGVArious LocationsAug. 18-19THE COURTYARD TEAR DOWNOC Fairgrounds / Costa MesaSeptember 5OCWS ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETINGVia ZoomSeptember 27WREATH-MAKING CLASSLocation TBANow-Aug. 17OC FAIR OC Fairgrounds / Costa MesaOctober 11FALL SOCIAL / CHILI COOKOFFOC Fairgrounds / Costa MesaAugust 19VARIETAL HOURS / WINES DISCOVERED AT THE OC FAIR / Via ZoomSeptember 13NEW MEMBER MIXERYorba Linda