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TThe he WWine ine PPressressVolume 49, Issue 2 ocws.org February 2025CALENDARpage 15FROM CAROLYNpage 2See DeFALCO, page 11WINERY PROGRAMpage 5Taste & Tour at AHCBy Damian J. Christian and Kevin CoyMINI-TASTING page 8Last September, about a dozen OCWS members had the good fortune of visiting the Allan Hancock College Winery in Santa Maria to deliver their Best of Class Award from the 2024 OC Fair Commercial Wine Competition.The community college is almost like no other as it is one of the few in California that has a winery right on campus. The school’s viticulture and enology program has a working commercial production facility and a four-acre vineyard. Professor Alfredo Koch and his staff and students provided insight into the program, which aims to teach the fundamentals of winemaking to those who may play an integral part in one of the most recognizable industries in California. The OCWS group tasted more than two dozen grape varieties from Muscat to Cabernet Sauvignon to Syrah that came right off the vines. Koch explained some of the characteristics of each grape and what we could tell from the different sugar levels of each varietal. We learned a lot from this see TOUR, page 14

ith January behind us, we are looking forward to a more uplifting year. I have been devastated by the agonizing loss of life and property in Los Angeles yet touched by the many human stories of resiliency and community coming together to heal. It is times like this that remind me how fortunate we are to have a close-knit community of members for support. I hope you and your family members are doing well. I am both humbled and honored to lead this amazing organization and in awe of its 49-year history.January EventsOur January events were very successful, from the fourth of our Vintage Member Luncheons to the Bushong Winery Program featuring owner Jason Bushong and his amazing wines and artwork. Some OCWS members gathered at Union Station to experience Uncorked L.A., while others enjoyed a tour and tasting at the historic Galleano Winery. The Varietal Hours this month focused on the blending of education and fun with their Orange Wine and Grocery Store Wine themes.February EventsFebruary is the month dedicated to LOVE, and nothing says LOVE like wine! This month promises to be another great month for OCWS events you will just LOVE—with a winery program from award-winning Korbel Champagne Winery and Bubbles ’n’ Brunch at Citrus City Grille. The latter event is already sold out. We highly recommend calling the OCWS ofce to be put on the waitlist for our sold-out events, as we do have cancellations and try to accommodate as many people as possible. And everyone is always welcome to participate in our Tuesday evening Varietal Hours via Zoom. Future EventsWe have dozens of upcoming events beyond February, but they do sell out, so please check the newsletter for information on future events and sign up on our website as early as possible.Future events include more Winery 2 ocws.org February 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 ChristianWJohn LaneDirectorJohn@ocws.orgPrograms (through May), a Mini-Tasting on March 1, the Wine Auction on April 19 and the Spring Social on May 3. Follow The Wine Press each month for additional events, activities and volunteer opportunities throughout the year.For those who want to try their hand at making wine, the Winemakers’ Group provides education, equipment and guidance on making your own wine as well as potluck quarterly meetings and other activities. Details for all the events mentioned above can be found in this newsletter and on our website at OCWS.org (logon required). Trouble logging on? Please contact our ofce for assistance.Volunteer Opportunities Our organization is more than just attending fun wine events. We are an all-volunteer organization that puts on these incredible wine events. On behalf of the OCWS, I would like to thank everyone who contributes their time to the organization each year. A list of those who received volunteer awards this past year are posted on our website: OCWS.org/volunteers-that-made-the-difference/.The number of volunteer opportunities with OCWS are endless. Consider volunteering at one of our events for set-up, check-in, pouring wine or clean-up. We have dozens of volunteer opportunities for our larger events as well. The Wine Auction, OC Fair Commercial Wine Competition, OC Fair Home Wine Competition and The Courtyard at the OC Fair have both active and sedentary volunteer positions. These events provide unique experiences to learn more about wine, meet OCWS members and winemakers and share in the organization’s success. To volunteer for an event, please check the event articles posted online for instructions on how to volunteer or contact the event chair.CommunicationsIt is important to stay informed of our upcoming events. We communicate see PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE, page 3

February 2025 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 ChristianAlice PolserRochelle RandelEd ReyesWebsite AdministratorWendy TaylorOCWS PhotographerJim BurkCopyright (c)2025 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.comNew Members CORNERThe Orange County Wine Society extends a warm welcome to its newest members. Member-ships for the following members were approved by the Board of Directors at the January meet-ing: Michael Sharp and Barbara Swann.As of Jan. 1, the OCWS has 1,016 members. For new members logging onto 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 Administratorwith our membership through Constant Contact, with the announcement of our monthly newsletter, weekly upcoming event reminders and emails on specic events. If you are not receiving these announcements, please check your spam folder or contact our ofce for assistance. While your logon to our website is only available using the primary member’s email, our e-blasts are sent to both members and co-members if we have emails for each one on le. Please log on to your OCWS account to check your member and co-member emails listed in your prole.We look forward to seeing you at one of our future events. Happy Valentine’s Day to you all!PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE, from page 2The OCWS Wine Auction is our second biggest fundraiser of the year. It is a chance for us to clear out our wine cellar in preparation for the 2025 OC Fair Commercial Wine Competition and Wine Courtyard. As a nonprot organization, we rely on the auction to also help us fund educational programming for our members and the public at the OC Fair and to support our scholarship program, which provides scholarships for eight California educational institutions with degrees in enology, viticulture and culinary arts. The auction is also a benet of your OCWS membership because it gives you the unique opportunity to restock your cellar and purchase wines from last year’s competition at a fraction of the retail price.The 2025 Wine Auction is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, April 19 at the OC Fair and Event Center in the Huntington Beach building. If you have never attended this event, we can’t recommend it enough. Enjoy the afternoon with lots of wine and food to enjoy during the day and the opportunity to support the OCWS. We have over 1,000 lots of wine (four bottles together) in both silent and verbal auction opportunities. In addition to the auction lots, mystery boxes of wine will be available for purchase. You can go home with just a few bottles or many cases!Don’t miss this year’s addition of the Winery and Food Experience Auction, with winery tours, dinners and other experiences available to bid on.The OCWS Wine Auction is limited to OCWS members only and tickets are available online. At $30/person, the event is one of the best deals around. Volunteer opportunities are also available before, during and after the event. Sign up online when you purchase your event tickets. Please note that all attendees who purchase items must stay until the end of the event. No early checkout is available, so please plan accordingly.We look forward to seeing you in April. Cheers!—Carolyn Christian, OCWS President & Auction Chair2025 Wine Auction: Restock Your Cellar

Bubbles ‘n’ Brunch4 ocws.org February 2025 The city of Orange was originally called Richland. Raisins were their largest source of income in 1886. The rst orange trees were planted in 1872. The city’s name was changed a year later. Legend has it that four gentlemen, A. Glassell, A.B. Chapman and two others played a poker game, with the winner naming the town. Can you guess who won? In 1996, Citrus City Grille was built. It was family owned and operated, until they sold it to the new owners in 2022.Here is a sample of their buffet offerings:Breakfast Station: Crepes, wafes, French toast, sausage, baconCall Your Own: Omelet, Eggs Benedict, scrambled eggsSalad – Cheese – Fruit barHot Entrees: Chicken, short ribs, mussels, salmonCarving Station: Honey ham, prime ribSeafood Bar: Shrimp cocktail, ahi pokiBakery Station: Breads, bagels, danishes, sweet treatsCoffee, juice and soft drinks are included.The restaurant is located just north of the Orange Circle. Parking is in the rear of the restaurant or on the street. Carpooling or ride sharing is suggested. The price for the brunch is $68 for members and guests, all inclusive. The event will be posted on the website under “Events,” for signups. Space is limited; when the event lls up, please contact the ofce to be placed on a waitlist. No. 1 Bring a bottle of your favorite champagne and/or wine.No. 2Bring champagne and/or wine glasses.No. 3 Please wear your OCWS name tag. No. 4Please drink responsibly.Because we need to contract with the restaurant the attendance count, the last day to sign up, make changes or cancel to receive a refund is Feb. 17. Any cancellations after this date would be lled and refunded from the waitlist. Looking forward to toasting with you again.—Rochelle Randel,OCWS Champagne Brunch CoordinatorCitrus City Grille122 N. Glassell St.Orange, CA11 a.m. to 2 p.m.Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025Sign-Up Deadline:Tuesday, Feb. 17

Winery ProgramFebruary 2025 ocws.org 5Korbel Champagne Winery6:30 p.m.Friday, Feb. 7, 2025Hilton Hotel3050 Bristol St.Costa Mesa, CASign-Up Deadline:Sunday, Feb. 2Korbel was established in 1882 in Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley. They produce the United States’ most popular méth-ode champenoise champagne. The true measure of Korbel’s success during its 140 years can be seen in the impact it has had on American consumers and its presence at various celebrations throughout the years, including the past 10 presidential inaugu-rations. Owned and managed by the Heck family since 1954, Korbel currently makes 11 California champagnes and a limited amount of still wine. In a separate facil-ity, Korbel also produces three California brandies and imports Prosecco from Italy.We are truly fortunate to have Paul Ahvenainen return for this tasting. It’s been 10 years since he visited us in February 2015. Back then, Paul was the wine-maker; now he is Vice President – Operations and Winemaking. He oversees all wine and brandy production, winemaking, grower relations, maintenance and quality control. Paul, who has been with Korbel for 37 years, has been essential in the growth, production and consistent quality that has earned Korbel numerous gold medals throughout the years. Paul is also one of our judges at the Commer-cial Wine Competition.—Rich Skoczylas, Winery Program CoordinatorMenuMenuDinner will start with a salad of bibb lettuce, radicchio, asiago, kalamata ol-ives, sundried tomato, feta, with white balsamic vinaigrette, rolls and butterEntree Options:• Braised chicken, Cipollini onion, compare tomato, fennel, charred lemon, fresh herbs, served with chef’s choice starch and vegetables• Pesto baked salmon, toasted herb parmesan panko crumbs, served with chef’s choice starch and veg-etables• Broccoli rabe, roasted eggplant and portobello mushroom, rolled in smoked tomato and grilled scallion purée$62 members, $67 guestsYour meal ticket will be at the check-in table for you to show the waiter your entrée. Meals are ordered in advance and cannot be changed at the event. Please select your meal carefully. Be sure to wear your name tag.Dinner begins promptly at 6:30 p.m. Arriving before this time will make it easier for you to nd a seat. After dinner, we will have a short pre-sentation about upcoming events.Sign-UpsSign-UpsSign up on the OCWS website to attend this event. Attendees will self-park in the hotel garage. Bring your parking ticket to the event. Instructions will be provided for validating free parking.Volunteers NeededVolunteers NeededVolunteers are needed. Please indicate when you sign up to attend this event if you are able to help. • Help place agendas on tables• Help with check-in from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.• Help pour wine for the tasting

Winery Program MCV Wines6:30 p.m.Friday, March 14, 2025Hilton Hotel3050 Bristol St.Costa Mesa, CASign-Up Deadline:Sunday, March 9Matthew Villard, the passionate owner and winemaker behind MCV, has his love for wine blos-soming around the family dinner table. After graduating from the University of California Davis, he embarked on internships at Quintessa Winery, Justin Winery and Vineyard, Gainey Vineyards, Chalone Vineyard and BV.MCV has undergone a remark-able transformation since its hum-ble beginnings in Morro Bay in 2011. Relocating to Paso Robles in 2020 presented its share of ob-stacles, but it also brought fresh insights, partnerships and excit-ing possibilities for valued MCV guests. Matt’s aspiration is to welcome both his loyal members and new visitors to experience his wines, indulge in delightful cheese pairings, embark on winery tours, savor exquisite meals in the barrel room and witness rsthand the exhilarating energy of the MCV harvest.Through these experiences, Matt honed his winemaking skills and developed a deep under-standing of the craft. Today, he brings this knowledge and exper-tise to MCV, infusing each bottle with his unwavering passion and commitment to quality. From vine to glass, Matt’s dedication shines through in every sip of MCV wine.—Rich Skoczylas, Winery Program CoordinatorMenuMenuDinner begins with a salad of vine-ripened tomatoes and buffa-lo mozzarella, basil olive oil and cracked pepper with balsamic modena drizzle, rolls and butterEntree Options:• Chicken piccata, served with chef’s choice starch and vegetables• Grilled salmon let with white beans, peas, olives, tiny tomatoes, asparagus and virgin lemon olive oil• Broccoli rabe, roasted eggplant and portobello mushroom, rolled in smoked tomato and grilled scallion purée$62 members, $67 guestsEach attendee must pick up a menu card with their name to show your server the entree you have selected.Dinner begins promptly at 6:30 p.m. Arriving before this time will make it easier for you to nd a seat. After dinner, we will have a short pre-sentation about upcoming events. A meal ticket will be at the check-in table for you to show the waiter your entrée. Be sure to pick up your meal ticket when you check in. Meals are ordered in advance and cannot be changed at the event. Please select your meal carefully. Be sure to wear your name tag.Members may bring their own wine to enjoy and share during din-ner. Please drink responsibly.Because we contract each meal that you selected with the hotel, the last day to sign up, change your en-trée or cancel and receive a refund is noon Sunday, March 9.Sign-UpsSign-UpsSign up on the OCWS website to attend this event. Attendees will self-park in the hotel garage. Bring your parking ticket to the event. Instructions will be provided for validating free parking.Volunteers NeededVolunteers NeededVolunteers are needed. If you are able to help, please indicate when you sign up to attend this event. • Help place agendas on tables• Help with check-in from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.• Help pour wine for the tasting6 ocws.org February 2025

February 2025 ocws.org 7 Winery ProgramRussian RiverVineyards6:30 p.m.Friday, April 25, 2025Hilton Hotel3050 Bristol St.Costa Mesa, CASign-Up Deadline:Sunday, April 20Russian River Vineyards wine-maker Giovanni “Gio” Balistreri will be our featured speaker. He comes from four generations of farmers, and he would not have it any other way. Gio is a farmer, rst and foremost.To produce great wine, Gio believes that you must rst pro-duce excellent fruit. It is the es-sential character and avor of that fruit, when it is harvested, that will determine its potential to become a superior wine. There is no shortcut. You must be there and manage the crop at every step. The Russian River Valley is one of the world’s greatest winemak-ing regions where true devotees of great wine are familiar with the magic of this valley. So, just over a decade ago, he set out to make the most of an incredible environment to make great wine. The Russian River area enjoys warm summer days that are important for sug-ar production in grapes and cool night temperatures to preserve the acidity in the grapes. This pro-vides a combination to achieve and maintain the delicate balance of sugar and acid. These attributes, combined with rich and diverse soil conditions, make the Russian River Valley a winemaker’s dream for Gio to work his magic.—Rich Skoczylas, Winery Program CoordinatorMenuMenuDinner begins with a salad of eld greens, goat cheese, cashews and poached Anjou pears with a champagne vinaigrette.Entree Options:• Grilled free range chicken breast, charred pepper and goat cheese puree, served with chef’s choice of starch and vegetables• Seared salmon with lemongrass vinaigrette, served with chef’s choice of starch and vegetables• Cremini and portobello ravioli with tomato cont, fresh grilled aspara-gus and Madeira cream sauce$62 members, $67 guestsThe evening begins with a sit-down plated dinner promptly at 6:30 p.m. Arriving before this time will make it easier for you to nd a seat. Be sure to pick up your meal ticket when you check in to show the waiter your entrée selection. Meals are ordered in advance and cannot be changed at the event. Please se-lect your meal carefully. And be sure to wear your name tag to this tasting. After dinner, we will have a short presentation about upcoming events.Members may bring their own wine to enjoy and share during din-ner. Please drink responsibly.Because we contract each meal with the hotel that you selected, the last day to sign up, change your entrée or cancel and receive a refund is noon Sunday, April 20.Sign-UpsSign-UpsSign up on the OCWS website to attend this event. Attendees will self-park in the hotel garage. Bring your parking ticket to the event. Instructions will be provided for validating free parking.Volunteers NeededVolunteers NeededVolunteers are needed, please indicate when you sign up to attend this event: • Help to place agendas on tables• Help with check-in from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.• Help pour wine for the tasting

8 ocws.org February 2025MIni-TastingWinter 2025: French vs. Italian Wines6 to 9 p.m. • Saturday, March 1, 2025 • Various Host SitesBoth France and Italy are recognized around the world for outstanding wines. France is second in the world with the amount of wine consumed per person, followed closely behind by Italy, which is ranked third in per person wine consumption. French wine is often associated with elegance and renement, thanks to its centuries-old classications and strict regulations. Regions like Bordeaux and Burgundy are globally renowned for producing complex, age-worthy wines, with Bordeaux excelling in blends of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and Burgundy specializing in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Additionally, Champagne, the sparkling wine from northeastern France, is a symbol of luxury and celebration worldwide. French winemaking emphasizes terroir—the idea that the land, climate and geography profoundly shape the wine—giving each appellation its distinct identity.On the other hand, Italian wine stands out for its diversity, accessibility and deep cultural ties to food. Italy boasts a staggering number of grape varieties, with over 500 documented indigenous types, many of which are rarely found outside the country. Iconic regions such as Tuscany and Piedmont produce world-class wines like Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino and Barolo, while Prosecco from Veneto has become a popular sparkling wine globally. Italian wine is often crafted with a focus on pairing with meals, as it plays a central role in the country’s culinary traditions.For our next Mini-Tasting, we will explore ve French and ve Italian wines to compare and contrast and determine if participants have a preference for one country’s wine over the other. 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 as-signed host site is also based on the order in which your sign-up is received in the OCWS ofce. COST:The cost to attend the tasting is $35 for members, $40 for guests.DISH: 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 attend-ees of each site). Our winning Chefs of the Evening can have their recipe published in The Wine Press. Plan on arriving promptly at 6 p.m. so the event can get started on time. Please bring your own wine glasses for tasting; keep in mind the wines are served in ights of two.SIGN-UPS:We are planning for seven to eight sites for this Mini-Tasting depending upon the number of hosts. Sign-ups open Jan. 15 to facilitate the most efcient guest assignments. We encourage you to sign up early as sites ll quick-ly. Once sign-ups ll up, call the OCWS ofce to be added to the waiting list. DEADLINE:The cut-off date for online sign-ups is Sunday, Feb. 16. After this date, contact the OCWS ofce to determine availability. Due to the advance purchase of wines, you may not receive a refund if you cancelled after Feb. 22 (we will try to ll the spots from the waiting list).—Don Mayer, OCWS Mini-Tasting ChairIf you are interested in hosting, please contact Don Mayer at Don.Mayer0709@gmail. com. If you'd like to request a specic host site or to carpool with another member, please add a comment on your signup.

Mini-TastingFebruary 2025 ocws.org 9The last Mini-Tasting of 2024 in-troduced a selection of 10 exception-al wines from California, Oregon, Italy, Argentina and Australia.With a diverse array of varietals, the tasting highlighted the unique qualities and characteristics of each region, providing a delightful experi-ence for participants. The event was well attended with 90 individuals across six host sites. A special shout-out to the hosts who commited their time during a busy time of year.The tasting revealed the diverse strengths of wines from different regions. The standout was undoubt-edly the red blend from Stag’s Leap Winery, showcasing the pinnacle of Napa Valley winemaking. Wines from California dominat-ed the higher scores, but Argenti-na’s Malbec provided a delightful surprise with its affordability and quality. Overall, the event celebrated the artistry of winemaking, leaving participants eager to explore more from these remarkable regions.Sign up now for our next Mini-Tasting, which is scheduled for March 1. For that event, we will compare ve French wines against ve spectacular Italian wines to determine our members’ preference between the two styles of wine. —Don Mayer, OCWS Mini-Tasting ChairThe Results ARE INCalifornia wines dominate tastingChefs of the EVENING Varietal Brand Year Price TotalThe magic of the Mini-Tastings is about the combination of great camaraderie, great food and great wine. Once again our Chef's of the Evening did their part and delivered an assortment of delicious culinary creations that were recognized by the attendees from each host site. Congratulations to all!Hosts: Hank & Chris BruceChef: Aimee Hallinan Dish: Butternut Stuffed ShellsHosts: Mark & Jody TheissenChef: Jody Theissen Dish: Moroccan Harissa SoupHost: Stephanie D'Jang & Daniel VlahovicChef: Pamela Clauss Dish: Beef, Carrots and Mushrooms in Wine SauceHosts: Carolyn & Damien ChristianChef: Kevin DonnellyDish:Shepards PieChef:Craig StarkDish:Sous Vide Tri-TipHosts: Jay & Betty Joe NewellChef: Frances CravensDish:Port Wine Chocolate CupcakesHosts: Greg & Cathy RislingChef: Cathy RislingDish: Mediterranean Chicken PastaAnd the winner is...

Events10 ocws.org February 2025As we continue into 2025, OCWS Varietal Hours have exciting new themes and are experiencing new mem-bers joining us.The best thing is they are FREE. What started as a way of gathering during the COVID quarantine has blos-somed into quality time with friends, both old and new. And the things we have learned and been taught by this group are priceless.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 something, OR you might teach us something. 3) You won’t regret spending that hour of your life. And you won’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 ev-eryone’s mess. We’re always happy to have new members join the fun and to 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. Part of the fun is nding a wine to t the theme. The setting is very casu-al, with stories told about each of the wines we’re drinking, what we do (or Varietal HOURSTuesdays continue with new themesdon’t) like about them, where 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 connection. 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 information, 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 person since this event is via Zoom. A link for the Zoom meeting 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 ChairFEBRUARY 4TIME:7 p.m.VARIETAL:Favorite CabernetHO ST:Stuart FrickeFEBRUARY 18TIME:7 p.m.VARIETAL:Fruit WineHO ST:Don PhillipsMARCH 4TIME:7 p.m.VARIETAL:Wine Club WineHO ST:Ed ReyesThe 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 following dates, we would like to scan your copies to add to our archives:If you have any of the above issues 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!—Hank Bruce, Carolyn Christian, Linda Flemins, Jane Goodnight, Stephanie Richards, OCWS 50th Anniversary CommitteeIn search of oldOCWS newsletters

February 2025 ocws.org 11 EventsAppreciating wine in new ways through winemakingLike many of you, I joined the Orange County Wine Society to learn about wine. Prior to joining, I attended formal wine tastings, went to educational seminars, visited wineries, talked to winemakers and sommeliers, tasted at wine bars and probably did all the wine-related things most everyone else in the organization has done.Yes, the OCWS offers these same opportunities and more. But what’s unique about the OCWS is the winemaking aspect, which I thought, would be fun and provide new ways for me to learn about and appreciate wine.Well, I haven’t been disappointed. Winemaking has taught me to appreciate the importance of grape growers. To me they are the unsung heroes of winemaking. Without quality grapes, you simply cannot make a quality wine. Just like when cooking, you cannot make a great meal unless you start with fresh, high-quality ingredients. I’ve also learned to appreciate commercial winemakers. I know the hard work, time and patience that goes into making my small batches of wine. I can only imagine the effort that goes into making large quantities of wine of consistent quality each year. To me, winemaking is just a fun hobby. If I can’t get a particular varietal one year, I just won’t make that wine. For a commercial winemaker, it’s their livelihood. If Mother Nature throws them a curveball and a particular varietal is unavailable or in short supply, they need to pivot quickly or their business suffers.Winemaking has also taught me to appreciate the wine itself. It is estimated that 90% of all wine purchased in the United States is consumed within two weeks of purchasing it. And like most people, I drink my wine soon after I buy it. That is, unless I’ve attended the OCWS Auction and ended up buying more wine than I intended. But that’s a topic for a different article.I never bought a case or two of a single wine with the intent of letting it sit in a cellar to drink sometime in the future. Sure, I’ve heard the anecdotal comments that wine changes as it ages. But I never had the experience of opening bottles of the same wine at different times to taste it happening. That is until I started making wine.When I would buy wine, at the most I’d get maybe three or four bottles of something I really liked. They never sat in my cellar for more than a few months. When I started making wine, I would make three to four cases of a single wine. I’d wait several months after bottling them, open a few and then pretty much set them aside as I drank my older wines. When I revisited them six to 12 months later, they would always be different than what they were like when I rst opened them.For example, I entered a 2023 Merlot at the 2024 OC Fair Home Wine Competition. It won a gold medal. I have three cases of it, drank a few bottles over the summer and stored the rest away to drink in the cooler weather. When I revisited the wine in the fall, it had changed Winemakers GROUPsee WINEMAKERS, page 14Part of the fun of winemaking to me is just experiencing how the wine changes and accepting that it will change over time.ED REYES“

12 ocws.org February 2025News & NotesTo Wine or Not to Wine, that is the questionWine WISDOMTake Verjus (vair-Z-hoo), a non-alcoholic green grape juice made from the early-on harvesting and pressing of unripe grapes. The name is French “green juice” and because the juice is not fermented, it contains no alcohol. Verjus has been around since the Middle Ages and used as a way to acidify foods. In the past, if you lived in a part of Europe that could grow grapes but not lemon trees, then the making of Verjus became common and useful. Probably the many good chefs we have as OCWS members knew this, but I didn’t, so I thought it very interesting and something worth sharing. The avor prole of Verjus is pleasingly tart, light and refreshing with the slightest touch of sweetness thanks to the grapes just developing sugars. Verjus yields a bright, high acid juice that adds bright avor to any recipe. It is less acidic than vinegar and more complex than citrus. Since the acid from Verjus is malic rather than citric, its avor is apple-like.Today Verjus is used in craft cocktails, mocktails, salad dressings and marinades. It is interchangeable with wine, vinegar or lemon juice and can be used to deglaze a pan when making chicken. The versatility of this culinary product is never-ending. It is no wonder it has been a staple in European kitchens for centuries.Verjus can be made from a variety of grapes. Most white Verjus is made from Chardonnay and most red Verjus can be made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Montepulciano, Aglianico and Pinot Noir.From non-alcoholic Verjus we go to Dry January, which is the action of giving up alcohol for the month of January. A CNN article entitled, “Worried about your drinking? Check out our Dry January Advice” states reasons for being dry such as, “perhaps you imbibed a bit too much over the holidays” or “want to start a healthy routine” or “can’t afford the calories”– that last one is the only one I really understand! From non-alcoholic Verjus to non-alcoholic Dry January we go to Mirin. Michael Bugajski, an avid home chef, baker, coffee enthusiast and blogger, describes Mirin as “one of the key ingredients which brings to life Japanese dishes.” He continues by stating, “Mirin is a semi-sweet, alcoholic cooking rice wine that enhances umami and adds depth and richness to your cooking.” Unlike Verjus, Mirin contains alcohol. It is similar to sake but with a lower alcohol content and higher sugar content. The sugar content is a complex carbohydrate that forms naturally during the fermentation process; no sugars are added. According to Pascale Yamashita, a recipe developer, food stylist, food photographer and avid food lover, Mirin is a Japanese sweet rice wine made by fermenting a combination of steamed mochi rice, koji (fermented rice) and shochu (sweet potato alcohol) for 40 to 60 days. During this period, the starch in the rice is broken down, creating sugar, umami amino acid and organic acid, yielding mirin’s distinctive tangy-sweet avor. Mirin contains up to 14% alcohol. It became common in the early 1900s, when it became frequently used in soy-sauce-based sh dishes and paired with sh stock and soy sauce to make a dipping sauce for soba.There are three types of products marketed as Mirin. The rst kind of Mirin, also known as hon-mirin, was rst made in Japan in the 16th centuryThe words “grape juice” caught my attention as I read about Verjus. Then, because I read that Verjus is non-alco-holic, I thought about the CNN article I recently read about Dry January.Then, because of the cooking aspects of Verjus, memories of Mirin raced through my mind. So what do Verjus, Dry Janu-ary and Mirin have in common? Each is worthy of a little wine wisdom sharing.DRY JANUARYDATES BACK TO 1942VERJUSMIDDLE AGES—RENAISSANCEMIRINDATES BACK TO EDO ERAsee MIRIN, page 14

Photo of the MonthFebruary 2025 ocws.org 13The 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 committee will select a Photo of the Month for publication in the up-coming 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. 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 winemak-ing 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 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 insucient 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 OCWS photographersCANDLELIT DINNER IN THE CAVELongtime Orange County Wine Society member Liz Corbett gar-nered Photo of the Month honors for her shot of Eberle Winery’s cave the night of their “Christmas in the Caves” dinner party in Paso Robles. The annual Black Tie Dinner is a highly anticipated toast to the season.36

14 ocws.org February 2025dramatically. It was not nearly as good as I remembered and wondered how it had won a medal at all. So, I set it aside with the intent of tasting it again in a few months. Conversely, I made four cases of a 2020 Dolcetto which I thought was, at best, mediocre. I stored most of it way, way back in my cellar and literally forgot about it until I opened a bottle about a year ago. It was fantastic. It’s my new favorite wine right now.So, I nally have the real-world experience of seeing (tasting) how wine changes as it ages. I don’t know why it happens. I’m not a chemist and can’t explain it. I’m sure someone using specialized analytical instruments can take chemical measurements, do a detailed wine analysis and explain it. But to me, that wouldn’t be fun.Part of the fun of winemaking to me is just experiencing how the wine changes and accepting that it will change over time. Part of the fun is rediscovering a wine that had been stored away for a year or two. Part of the fun is tasting where a wine is in its “life cycle” and enjoying it for what it is at that moment in time.So, the next time you open a bottle, think about the fact that it has changed over time and you’re enjoying it at a certain phase in its life cycle. You’re literally tasting a snapshot of where it is at that moment in its life cycle.Cheers!—Ed Reyes, ed@OCWS.org WINEMAKERS, from page 11Renewals Required to Volunteer at OC FairThis year, OCWS members who received their Responsible Beverage Server certication in 2022 to volunteer at The Courtyard during the OC Fair will need to be recertied if they wish to participate for this year's fair. You will receive an email from ABC (Alcohol Beverage Control) informing you that your certication is about to expire, and you will have 60 days to renew it.The recertication process is identical to obtaining your initial certication—taking the course and passing the ABC test. Once you receive the email, please notify Sue England at ocwssue@gmail.com that you received your renewal notice and are ready to take the course.If you haven't volunteered at The Courtyard before and would like to participate, please email OCWS director Sue England at Sue@OCWS.org for further instructions.RBS Certicationand was considered a luxury. Hon-mirin translates to “true” mirin. Coming in at 14% alcohol, this type of Mirin has the highest alcohol content and is usually aged for at least six months. It tends to be the most expensive because of the labor involved in producing it, but also is recognized as having the cleanest avor. The second is shio mirin (literally: salt mirin), which contains a minimum of 1.5% salt.The third is shin mirin which includes mirin-like seasonings that are Mirin substitutes. Shin-mirin (literally: new mirin) are blends of sweeter syrups, avorings such as koji extracts, and avor. Shin-mirin contains less than 1% alcohol. All in all, Mirin, is a versatile ingredient, will add a rich depth of avor to your dishes, and enhances umami. It will denitely be a useful addition to your cooking pantry. —Linda Flemins,Wine Education CommitteeMIRIN, from page 12experience, and it was one of the highlights of the trip. We then returned to the winemaking facility where they prepared a delicious lunch accompanied by several of the college’s wines. After lunch, we presented a Best of Class Award to Dr. Koch and winery manager Kelsie Norris for their 2022 Pinot Noir Rosé. Some of the students who participated in making the wine also were present.In the afternoon, we attended a class on viticulture where Dr. Koch reviewed different winemaking techniques and had the students identify particular steps to achieve their winemaking goals. Each OCWS member in attendance also talked to the class about the various aspects of OCWS from competitions to scholarships. Our presentations were well received with several students asking pertinent questions. After the class, the students returned to the winemaking facility to continue their work and we returned to the winery to purchase some of their wines. It was a very enjoyable and educational experience, and we look forward to having additional winery visits in the future. TOUR, from page 1

2025UPCOMINGEVENTSFebruary 2025 ocws.org 15February 23BUBBLES ’N’ BRUNCHCitrus City Grille / OrangeFebruary 7WINERY PROGRAM / KORBEL CHAMPAGNE WINERY / Hilton Hotel / Costa MesaMarch 14WINERY PROGRAM / MCV WINESHilton Hotel / Costa MesaFebruary 18VARIETAL HOURS / FRUIT WINEVia ZoomApril 25WINERY PROGRAM / RUSSIAN RIVER VINEYARDS / Hilton Hotel / Costa MesaFebruary 4VARIETAL HOURS / FAVORITE CABERNETVia ZoomMay 9WINERY PROGRAM / WILDEYE WINERYHilton Hotel / Costa MesaMarch 4VARIETAL HOURS / WINE CLUB WINEVia ZoomMay 3SPRING SOCIAL OC Fair & Event Center / Costa MesaMarch 1MINI-TASTING: FRENCH VS. ITALIAN WINESVarious LocationsApril 19OCWS WINE AUCTIONOC Fair & Event Center / Costa MesaMarch 22WINEMAKERS MEETING & POTLUCKLocation TBA