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TThe he WWine ine PPressressVolume 48, Issue 11 ocws.org November 2024CALENDARpage 17FROM CAROLYNpage 2See DeFALCO, page 11MINI-TASTINGpage 6WINE WISDOMpage 12As we approach our 50th anniversary, the Orange County Wine Society has started a committee to pull together the history of the organization over the last ve decades. The committee has been researching, documenting and collecting historical information including a complete list of the board members since 1976, the various mega-tastings like the Wine Classic and Wine Extraordinaire, statistics on the years of the OC Fair Wine Competitions and The Courtyard, timelines and milestones of the organization and much more. To collect personal accounts of the organization, the committee started the Vintage Member Luncheons. These events have been both successful and incredibly fun. Our ultimate goal is to produce a history of the organization’s rst 50 years.Vintage Member LUNCHEONSA Walk Down Memory LaneCompiled by the 50th Anniversary CommitteeHank Bruce, Carolyn Christian, Linda Flemins & Jane Goodnight see LUNCHEON, page 14
t has been a great honor to serve as president of the Orange County Wine Society this past year and I am very thankful to be re-elected as president for another term to continue the work that I have started. We have a great board this year that I am very proud to lead: vice president Fran Gitsham; treasurer Fred Heinecke; and secretary Rich Skoczylas, along with six board members – Sue England, Linda Flemins, CL Keedy, John Lane and Daniel Vlahovic. Together we will bring OCWS forward with several goals to keep the organization resilient, vibrant and fun.With wine as our shared interest, we will continue to focus on what we share in common and work together to bring members along on their personal wine journey. Although we are an organization that focuses on wine education and enthusiasm, we do share the value that wine is a personal taste and there is a wine for everyone.As stewards of the organization, the board is focused on keeping the organization nancially successful. We continue to invest in our members and grow our agship events such as the OC Fair Competitions and The Courtyard at the OC Fair, while keeping the organization scally viable.GOALS FOR 2024-25One of our goals this year is to work on member retention, involvement and engagement with more volunteers to share the work that we do. Member feedback is important to us and you will be given the opportunity to share your thoughts with us.Recruiting new members will be a focus this year with community outreach at wine festivals and new opportunities like our recent community partnership with the Newport Beach Film Festival. We will be exploring new events such as wine trivia and nding new ways to share our love of wine with members.WINEMAKERS' GROUPThe Winemakers’ Group is one of my favorite parts of the organization. As the founders of our organization in 1976, they are a vital part of our group to which we owe much gratitude. If you have not tried some of the incredible wines that our Winemakers’ Group members make, you are missing out. And if you have ever wondered about making wine on your own, this group is a great resource and provides mentors to help you achieve that goal.SUPPORT OUR MISSIONAs members of OCWS, we are all ambassadors of the organization. I invite you to champion our organization to California wineries and discuss with them the many benets of our competition to market their wines to our members and the Southern California wine market.ANNIVERSARY PLANNINGLastly, as we draw closer to our 50th anniversary in 2026, I invite you to participate in our gathering of historical information and planning of anniversary events and keepsakes. We will be continuing with our Vintage Member Luncheons, moving forward in time by member join dates.LIST OF RESPONSIBILITIESI am very excited about the upcoming year and hope that you will join me in promoting the OCWS to prospective members and wineries. This year’s List of Responsibilities will be posted on our website and I invite you to review the list and contact the committee chairs if you are interested in 2 ocws.org November 20242024-25 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 ChristianIsee PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE, page 3John LaneDirectorJohn@ocws.org
November 2024 ocws.org 3The 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 DirectorsJim BurkDamian ChristianAlice 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-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 2024 Wine Competition Results:WineCompetition.comparticipating. I appreciate the opportunity to share my vision and lead this organization that has been part of my life for over 38 years. As always, I welcome your input and feedback and hope you continue your participation in this incredible all-volunteer organization that brings us New Members CORNERPRESIDENT’S MESSAGE, from page 2together in the name of wine and wine education.As our tagline says: “Pairing Wine Education and Fun Since 1976!”Cheers to you all!Check out our list of responsibilities at OCWS.org/about-us/director-responsibilities/.Last month, we recognized our top volunteers at the NEW Volunteer Recognition Reception. Our hope is to make this an annual tradition. Pre-COVID, we recognized our volunteers at the annual business meeting in September. When we moved the annual meeting online, the OCWS Board recognized that this was a better format for the organization's nancial review. However, while the online format worked well for the business meeting portion, it was not the best format for recognizing volunteers. As such, we decided to hold an in-person event to celebrate our amazing volunteers who put in more than 23,000 hours between September 2023 and August 2024.The event featured appetizers from Newport Rib Company and wine from the OCWS Cellar. Volunteers were recognized at three levels (Gold, Silver and Bronze) based on the number of hours they volunteered. In addition to being invited to the Volunteer Recognition Reception, volunteers received printed certicates and an online coupon good toward a future OCWS event ($50, $25 and $10, respectively). The afternoon soiree ended with the most coveted OCWS award, the President’s Award, given to this year’s top volunteer or volunteers who have given amazing service to the organization, not only this year, but over many years. Thank you to the committee who made this year’s Volunteer Recognition Reception possible: Rochelle Randel, Don Mayer, Sue England and Carolyn Christian.Congratulations to all volunteer award winners. For those who were unable to attend the reception, your names will be posted on the OCWS website and you will see your online discount coupon in your account by Nov. 1.Please see the back page of this month's The Wine Press for a complete list of honored volunteers.—Carolyn Christian, OCWS PresidentVolunteers recognized at luncheonThe Orange County Wine So-ciety extends a warm welcome to its newest members! Membership for the following members was approved by the Board of Direc-tors at the October meeting: David and Linda Caples, Jonathan Cross and Rizelle Ancho, Russ Davis, Ida Merline, Sharon Squires, Julie Wilson and Sari Zee.As of Oct. 1, the OCWS has 997 members. For new members try-ing to log on to their account for the rst time, log on to our web-site, 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. There may only be one login/password per membership.—Rochelle Randel, OCWS Business Administrator
Winery Program4 ocws.org November 2024To inform our newer members, the Orange County Wine Society has a long-established program to promote the knowledge of winemaking, viticulture and wine appreciation. This program is done by conducting a series of wine tasting events monthly from January through May. We invite an award-winning winemaker to attend, where our members can meet, discuss and ask questions directly with the winemaker. If you visit a winery, there is a rare chance for you to speak with a winemaker. At our events, speaking with a winemaker is easy.At each of these monthly events, we have a light dinner, briey review upcoming OCWS events and a winemaker discusses his or her wines to be tasted at the event. In the past, our guests have asked questions about how the wines were made, how grapes were grown and other pertinent questions.The intention of these wine tastings is to have a break-even cost event. These are not prot-making events. We want to keep costs down and still provide a cost-effective way to educate our members to introduce them to different wines made from the best wine-producing regions in California by learning from the experts who produce them.We invite the winemakers to talk about their wines and answer your questions. This is a great benet that we provide our members with the opportunity to meet the winemakers. Consider that if you visit a winery, rarely can you hear and talk personally with the winemakers themselves. You can do that by participating in this program. Having these award-winning wineries gives our members the chance to taste their wines and learn if you enjoy a particular style. At the end of the evening, you can order the wines, usually at a discounted price. The wine will then be shipped directly to your home.Each tasting starts with a light dinner. You may select from several entrees that will be served at your table. With our large membership and limited attendance space, we encourage you to sign up early. Self-parking is included in the price.Sign-ups and event cancellations close the Sunday before the Friday tasting. Any cancellations after Sunday can only be refunded if there is a wait list.Be sure to wear your name badge to these events. Note that outside food is not permitted to be brought into the hotel.—Rich Skoczylas, Winery Program CoordinatorAfter several years holding our Winery Program at the same location, we are moving to a new location starting with our 2025 program. We will be meeting at 6:30 p.m. Friday nights at the Hilton Hotel, 3050 Bristol St., Costa Mesa.This Hilton is the same hotel where we conduct the Commercial Wine Competition. This change became necessary because the former hotel we used raised prices over 70% due to ination. This price increase to our Winery Program was not reasonable to charge our members. We do have ination; but after reviewing several hotels in our area, we were able to nd the Hilton Hotel to give us a very reasonable offer.NEW LOCATIONWinemaker Dinners: Our Purpose2025 PROGRAMSave the Friday dates below and mark your calendars to attend. Look for information about each tasting in The Wine Press and sign up on the OCWS website. Sign-ups will be limited this year! Dates Winery Jan. 24, 2025 Bushong Vintage Company Feb. 7, 2025 Korbel Champagne Cellars March 14, 2025 MCV Wines April 25, 2025 Russian River Vineyards May 9, 2025 WildEye Wine
Winery ProgramNovember 2024 ocws.org 5To kick off the 2025 Winery Pro-gram, we proudly welcome Jason Bushong, proprietor and winemaker of Bushong Vintage Company in Paso Robles. Jason is a veteran judge of the Commercial Wine Competition and Featured Winery presenter at the OC Fair. Bushong Vintage Company has consistently been awarded Best of Class, Double Gold and Gold medals. Bushong Vintage Company was born from Jason’s lifelong passion for winemaking, which began as a teenager in Riverside after tasting a bottle of Santa Barbara County Chardonnay. He has now been craft-ing superior wines from the Central Coast region for over 20 years, with a focus on unique varietal bocks from vineyards that yield supreme, quality fruit. His style reects his winemaking philosophy that wine is the unique culmination of science, agriculture and art often resulting in crisp, bright whites and rich, bold reds.Jason’s passion for wine is only further enriched by his passion for music and art. His tasting room in downtown Paso Robles features an old Star Wars pinball machine and a large collection of vinyl records, which tasters are welcome to play. Jason’s passion for art is also reected in his outstanding label art.This evening starts with a light, sit-down plated dinner. The cost of the meal is $62 for members and $67 for guests. Each attendee must pick up a menu card with his or her name to show your server the entree you have selected.Dinner begins promptly at 6:30 p.m. when you check in to show the waitenot 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 with the hotel that you selected, the last day to sign up, change your en-trée, or cancel and receive a refund is noon Sunday, Jan. 19.—Rich Skoczylas, Winery Program CoordinatorBushong Vintage CompanyHilton Hotel3050 Bristol St.Costa Mesa, CA6:30 p.m.Friday, Jan. 24, 2024Sign-Up Deadline:Sunday, Jan. 19• Bronzed french breast of chick-en with roasted garlic pan gravy served with chef’s choice starch and vegetables• Grilled salmon with Pinot Grigio fennel sauce served with chef’s choice starch and vegetables• Vegetarian: broccoli rabe, roast-ed eggplant and portobello mush-room rolled in smoked tomato and grilled scallion puréeMENU VOLUNTEERVolunteers are needed for this event. If you are able to help, please indicate when you sign up. Opportunities include:• Help place agendas on tables• Help with check-in from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.• Help pour wine for the tastingSIGN 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. Arriving be-fore this time will make it easier for you to nd a seat. After dinner, we will have a short presentation about upcoming events. Be sure to pick up your meal ticket.
6 ocws.org November 2024EventsDecember Event: Holiday Wines6 to 9 p.m. • Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024 • Various Host SitesWith the holiday season fast approaching, there will be ample opportunities to enjoy wines that complement holiday meals. The December Mini-Tasting will feature a range of red wines that pair well with holiday feasts. The guests will rate the wines tasted blind in pairs and then discuss their ratings. Overall ratings from each site will be published in the wrap-up article.Please note that after many years coordinating this event, George Cravens has handed off the baton. If you are interested in hosting please contact Don Mayer at Don.Mayer0709@Gmail.com.If you’d like to request a specic host site or to carpool with another member, please add a comment on your sign-up. You may need to sign up and pay until hosts are selected. Reimbursement will be made for all host sites. 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 specic site request; however, your as-signed host site is also based on the order in which your sign-up is received in the OCWS ofce. 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:Sign-ups open Nov. 1. Due to the high attendance at our Mini-Tast-ings, we encourage you to sign up early as sites ll quickly. Once sign-ups ll up, call the OCWS ofce to be added to the waiting list. DEADLINE:The cut-off date for online sign-ups is Sunday, Nov. 30. After this date, contact the OCWS ofce to determine availability. Due to the advance purchase of wines, you may not receive a refund if you cancel after Nov. 30 (we will try to ll the spots from the waiting list).—Don Mayer, OCWS Mini-Tasting ChairMerchandise MESSAGEOCWS logo apparel for sale at upcoming eventsMerchandise will be available for sale at upcoming Orange County Wine Society events. Aprons and hats (four standard colors) are always available online as they are one size ts most. But did you know the OCWS logo can be added to other apparel? If you don’t see a style, size or color that I’m selling, a shirt from home can be an option. The logo looks great on a eece vest or denim jacket too! For custom apparel, there is a $15 embroidery fee. Bring your item to an event or drop it off in the OCWS ofce. Merchandise also will be available at upcoming Winemakers' Group dinners, January th rough May. —Courtney, Merchandise MavenMini-Tasting
EventsNovember 2024 ocws.org 7The OCWS funds scholarships for eight California colleges and universities, including the University of California Davis. UC Davis has a dedicated Department of Viticulture and Enology established in 1880 by the California Legislature to help the developing California wine industry. It's considered one of the top programs in the country. In 2011 UC Davis opened a facility for making wine, beer and processed foods with sustainability and the environment in mind. The campus hosts a four-acre vineyard next to the Robert Mondavi Institute. The department typically graduates about 20 undergraduate students in viticulture and enology per year. UC Davis also offers a Master of Science degree. The Viticulture & Enology Graduate Group (VENGG) provides opportunities where students can conduct research on current issues in the wine industry through independent research and internships. This program graduates ve to 10 students per year. The department also offer a Wine Executive Program that teaches the fundamentals of winemaking and management skills necessary to be successful in the challenging wine business world. —Damian Christian, Scholarship ChairOCWS Scholarship PROGRAMSpotlight: UC DavisJust a friendly reminder there is always time to donate to the OCWS Scholarship Fund for 2024. There are two ways to donate:Mail a Check — Make your check out to OCWS and mail it to the OCWS ofce at OCWS, P.O. Box 11059, Costa Mesa, CA 92627 Attn: Scholarship Fund. A donation letter will be sent to you.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. DONATE TODAY12Ingredients 2 Tbsp. olive oil¼ tsp. crushed red pepper akes3 cloves of garlic, minced1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half¼ cup vegetable broth (I used lemon wine3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (divided)½ cup fresh basil, chopped½ tsp. lemon zest½ tsp. salt1 tsp. sugar¼ tsp. fresh ground pepper1 1/2 lbs. fresh codInstructions For the sauce: HEAT olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat.ADD red pepper akes and garlic; sauté for 1 minute. ADD tomatoes and cook until soft and blistered (9-12 minutes).STIR in liquid and 1 Tbsp. lemon juice.SIMMER gently, then add basil and 2 Tbsp. lemon juice, zest, salt, sugar and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, set aside.For the cod:HEAT olive oil in another pan over medium heat. SEASON cod with salt and pepper.COOK until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. POUR the tomato basil sauce over the cod. WARM up for a minute and enjoy!—Recipe courtesy Rochelle RandelChef of the EVENINGMediterranean Cod with Blistered Tomatoes and Basil
8 ocws.org November 2024EventsHoliday Dinner DANCETime to dust off your dancing shoes, dawn those fancy clothes and invite your friends to sit at your table! The 2024 OCWS Holiday Dinner Dance will be held on Friday, Dec. 6 at the Avenue of the Arts Hotel near the Segerstrom Center in Costa Mesa. This year’s theme is “Wine Wonderland” and it promises to be a fun evening of friends, food, wine, music and dancing.The evening begins with a sparkling wine reception and passed hors d’oeuvres including brie bruschetta with cranberry chutney and butternut squash deviled eggs. The evening continues with an amazing four-course plated dinner in the ballroom. After dinner, the band begins to play. The night is lled with dancing, toasting to friends, a festive photo booth, and of course, wine from the OCWS Cellar (and you are welcome to bring a bottle to share as well). Other drinks will be available for purchase at the hotel bar downstairs. The cost for the evening is $100 for members and $110 for non-member guests. The hotel is also offering a special room rate of 15% off the lowest rate available (use the link on the online article).We will be collecting unwrapped toys and gifts for children to support the Costa Mesa Fire Department’s “Spark of Love” drive that benets local children in need. Please consider bringing an unwrapped gift to donate to this worthy cause.As in the past, you will be able to reserve a table with your friends using the link provided on the OCWS website once you purchase your tickets.The deadline for sign-ups is 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 27. This event oen sells out and space is limited, so sign up today! Salad Course:Harvest Salad – mixed greens, apples, pecans, shaved fennel, smoked feta cheese and champagne vinaigrette dressingChoice of Entrée:Lemon Herb ChickenGrilled Skirt SteakVegetarian Option: Sauteed Oyster MushroomsSides with all Entrees:butternut squash puree, charred brussel sprouts with pomegranate sauceDessert:Apple Spice Cake – cranberries, cream cheese & pecansbread, wine, coffee & iced tea includedWINE WONDERLANDDecember 6, 2024DINNER MENUYou are cordially invited to attend OCWS's
Orange County Wine Society Varietal Hour have moved to Tuesdays!If you haven’t joined our Varietal Hours by now, here is your chance.First of all, they are FREE. Sure, you say, nothing is free and if it is then it’s not worth my time. Au contraire, my friends. What started as a way of gathering during the COVID quarantines 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.Add to that a different night of the week and no more missing Monday Night Football to attend.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:NO. 1 You will have fun. NO. 2 You might just learn some-thing OR you might teach us some- thing. NO. 3 You won’t regret spending that hour of your life with us. And you won’t even have to drive home.So picture this … Your own com-Varietal HOURNew Night: Now the Fun Happens on Tuesdays!fortable 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 members join the fun and meet people who enjoy wine.Each event has a theme, but we don’t “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, where we got them and more.Regardless of your knowledge of wine, Varietal Hours have something for everyone. Varietal Hours will be held every other Tuesday from 7 to 8 p.m.All you need is a computer (or phone) and internet connection. If you are new to Varietal Hour 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 no later than 10 p.m. the Mon-day 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 Hour Chair29OCTOBER12NOVEMBERTIME:7 p.m.VARIETAL:Spooky Wine or LabelHOSTS:Lee & Cathy PainterTIME:7 p.m.VARIETAL:Veteran-Owned Wines or WineriesHO ST:David Price26NOVEMBERTIME:7 p.m.VARIETAL:Wines Paired for ThanksgivingHO ST:Ed Reyes10DECEMBERTIME:7 p.m.VARIETAL:Wine for the HolidaysHO ST:Stuart Frick7JANUARYTIME:7 p.m.VARIETAL:Orange WineHO ST:CL KeedyEventsNovember 2024 ocws.org 9
10 ocws.org November 2024Home WinemakersGet into the holiday spirit and celebrate with the Winemakers Group at our 10th annual Holiday Party and Potluck, hosted by Kevin Donnelly. This year’s festivities will be 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 22 at the East Lake Village Association Clubhouse in Yorba Linda.The clubhouse is located on the community lake. The nearby area and lakeview homes are decorated for the season. At night the twinkling Christmas lights reecting off the water will surely put you in the holiday spirit.This is always a wonderful social event to celebrate the holiday season and enjoy the fruits (wine) of our labors. This event is open to the entire OCWS membership. All are welcome; you don’t have to be a winemaker to attend. Signups are now open on the OCWS website. For OCWS members, the cost is $18 per person to cover decorations and facility rental. A member may purchase a ticket for one non-member guest for $20.This is a potluck event. Please bring one dish per person or couple to serve between eight and 12 people, and one bottle of wine per person, either homemade or commercial. Dress is holiday casual. There is plenty of free parking in the clubhouse lot or on the street. Attendance is limited so sign up today. You don’t need to be a winemaker to attend. All OCWS members are welcome. This is always a wonderful social event, and we look forward to seeing you there.For more information, please contact Kevin Donnelly at kevindonnelly@ocws.org or (714) 457-7229.2024 Winemakers Group Holiday PartySAVE THE DATEThe annual Winemakers Group Holiday Party is 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 22, in Yorba Linda. The festive lights and decorations at this beautiful lakeside location will be sure to put you in the holiday spirit. Website signups are now open. Come join us!
Working with what Mother Nature Gives UsIn a typical year, the grape harvest is nished by now. To a winemaker, Halloween usually means all grapes have been crushed and are undergoing fermentation on their way to becoming a new vintage. Besides the chill in the fall air, there’s the excitement and anticipation of what this year’s vintage will ultimately be like.But this was not a typical year in the vineyard. Just like last year, the 2024 growing season got off to a late start due to a cooler-than-normal winter. We also didn’t get as much rain as last year. And the cooler spring and summer temperatures meant slow growth in the vineyard.All of this resulted in a slower and longer growing season, despite the early September heat spike. So, the grape harvest is a bit later than normal and our OCWS winemakers are still getting grapes.This year over two dozen of us from the Winemakers Group purchased Merlot, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache and Barbera from Dry Creek Valley. We’re also getting Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, Viognier and Chardonnay from Santa Barbara County. Some of us are getting Sagrantino and Primitivo from the Murietta area. While most of this has already arrived later than usual, we are patiently waiting for the last of it.Some of our winemakers will get one or two varietals. Some will get a relatively small quantity of grapes, 100 to 200 lbs., which will make around two to ve cases of nished wine. Some will get ve or six varietals. A few of our bigger producers are getting half a ton of grapes or more. I was on vacation from mid-September through early October. Not knowing when grapes would arrive, I couldn’t commit to getting any. Though I’m not making wine this fall, there’s still plenty in my cellar from previous vintages so I won’t be running out anytime soon.Whatever the quantity of grapes or number of varietals, all of us commercial and home winemakers will be working with what Mother Nature gives us. I’m guessing the 2024 vintage will be similar to 2023 when we also had cooler temperatures and a longer growing season. But each vintage is always different. In exactly what way I can’t say yet, but wine is never the same from year to year.I like to think Mother Nature is always challenging us to learn and grow as winemakers and wine afcionados. Yes, we will be getting Merlot, Viognier and varietals we may have worked with before. But this year’s weather will ultimately produce wines that will be different from those we’ve produced in the past.As winemakers, maybe we’ll learn different wine-making techniques so our nished wines taste the way we want. Maybe we’ll be forced to pivot and make wines in a different style than originally planned. Or we might produce the most fantastic vintage ever simply by doing as little as possible. Maybe we’ll learn that restraint can be the best way to process our wines.As wine afcionados, maybe the wines will turn out a bit different than we expect. The lesson might be to simply appreciate them for what they are. Maybe the wines will end up being better with food than by themselves, or vice versa, or better when paired with different foods than we would typically pair them with.That’s the excitement and anticipation of a new vintage. We don’t know what Mother Nature is giving us. We just learn to accept it and do the best we can, not knowing the ultimate outcome until we start pulling the corks sometime in the future.—Ed Reyes, ed@ocws.orgHome WinemakersNovember 2024 ocws.org 11
12 ocws.org November 20241In 1924, at South Africa’s University of Stellenbosch a viticulture professor crossed two French varietals, one more robust with one more difcult to grow, to create a unique grape that would thrive in South Africa’s climate. A) TrueB) FalseAnswer: A. True. Professor Abraham Perold performed an open-air hybridization in the vineyard and not in a controlled greenhouse.2Which two French grapes did Professor Perold cross?A) Pinot Noir and MerlotB) Pinot Noir and MalbecC) Pinot Noir and CinsautD) Pinot Noir and Gamay NoirAnswer: C. Pinot Noir with Cinsaut or Cinsault, a red grape that is heat tolerant and grown predominantly in the Rhone Valley, Languedoc, Roussillon and Provence regions of Southern France.3Cinsault is one of the 13 approved grapes allowed to be used to make Chateauneuf du Pape wine.A) TrueB) FalseAnswer: A. True. Cinsault is a minor blending grape along with predominately Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre for red wine in the Southern Rhone region. 4The grape, a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault, was named PINOTAGE. Why? A) Because Professor Perold wanted it to be a heritage grape of South AfricaB) Because an old South African name for Cinsaut was HermitageC) Because it took several stages to propagateD) Because they didn’t like the name HerminoirAnswer: B and D. When the Cinsault grape originally arrived from France in the 1850s it was misnamed as Hermitage. And yes, they discarded Herminoir!5Although Pinotage has failed to develop a signicant presence in planted acreage, how many countries currently have Pinotage in their vineyards other than South Africa?A) 2B) 4C) 6D) 8Answer: D. Eight very diverse countries are growing Pinotage: Brazil, Canada, Germany, Israel, New Zealand, Switzerland, U.S. (Arizona, California, Michigan, Oregon, Virginia and Washington) and Zimbabwe.6Every grape seems to have its day. On May 17 it’s Pinot Grigio Day; Aug. 18 is International Pinot Noir Day; and Dec. 16 is Pinot Meunier Day. Does Pinotage have a day?A) YesB) NoHow well do you know pinot?September’s Varietal Hour was all about Pinots. Well almost. Of course, the French grapes, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Pinot Meunier, as well as the Italian grape, Pinot Grigio, were all discussed. But what about the lesser-known or even obsolete Pinot-X grape names? What about a Pinot grape that was bred specically for one country or a Pinot grape that really wasn’t a Pinot grape? Test your knowledge as we go.TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGEWine Wisdom
November 2024 ocws.org 13 A. Yes. International Pinotage Day is Oct. 12. Hope you didn’t miss it this year! Now what about that obsolete Pinot grape? In the 1880s and 1890s red French grapes were being planted in California and used to make wines sold as “Burgundy.” Pinot’s many synonyms caused a great deal of confusion when it came to naming the grapes being used to make the wine.7Which of these names were used as Pinot Noir synonyms in California vineyards?A) Pinot FrancB) Pinot PernandC) Pinot NoirienD) Pinot St GeorgeE) All of the aboveAnswer: E. Although three of these grape names are for true Pinot Noir clones, one turned out later not to be a Pinot Noir clone. 8In 1997, it was determined through DNA testing that a California grape, believed to be a Pinot Noir clone was actually a grape from southwestern France, known as Negrette. In the same year the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (BATF) ruled that Negrette could no longer be called by what name? A) Pinot FranceB) Pinot PernandC) Pinot NoirienD) Pinot St GeorgeAnswer: D. The name Pinot St George was originally used because it was believed that the grape came from the Nuits-St-George region of Burgundy.9The Negrette grape, although very rare, is from the French region of Frontonnais near Toulouse. Its origin is not known and genetic studies have not been able to determine a source, but legend has it that it was brought to France from the Near East by the Knights Templar. A) TrueB) FalseC) PerhapsAnswer: C. Who knows? It’s a legend!10Negrette is rare not only in France but also California. But a few acres of Negrette can be found in which California county?A) San Luis ObispoB) MontereyC) San BenitoD) Santa CruzAnswer: C. The only two wineries I could nd that make a Negrette wine are both in San Benito County—Stirm Wine Co. and DeRose Winery.If it’s a Pinot cross, bred for a country or a Pinot that isn’t a Pinot, don’t get confused. No matter what it’s called, when you nd one you like just open it and enjoy! Cheers!—CL Keedy,Wine Education CommitteeTEST YOUR KNOWLEDGEWine Wisdom
14 ocws.org November 2024Feature• Charley Owen always had his video camera with him, but no one ever saw the videos, so there was a rumor they didn’t exist (thankfully the family donated the videos to the OCWS and we are preserving them for the future!).• Attendees who watched the videos marveled at the younger and thinner versions of themselves on the screen.• Wine glasses from previous events had various logo designs, many of them designed by OCWS members and artist Marjorie Trout, who passed away recently.• The OCWS Recipe Book was published in 1992 and it was not as popular at the OC Fair as hoped, so many were given away to members years later.• Members had fond memories of our competition judges and their antics, such as Kent Rosenblum and his endless supply of Sven and Ole jokes.• Attendees shared stories of the various winemakers who presented at the OCWS anniversary tastings, which have been held every ve years.• Attendees brought historical items for others to view: glasses, awards, award booklets (before WineCompetition.com was created), posters and more.• In the early days at the OC Fair (late 1970s), the OCWS was required to serve food with the wine tastings. Kathi Horton organized "The Yellow Submarine" to sell award-winning sandwiches and cheese plates. MEMORIES SHARED AT THE LUNCH TABLEThe luncheons feature various stations where longtime members can view old videos taken by our own Charley Owen, view and identify photos from early events, share their own stories with interviewers and contribute to idea boards for things like 50th anniversary events and keepsakes. All of this is designed to trigger memories of the early years.OCWS members who attended the Vintage Member Luncheons have had a great time sharing memories of bus trips to Temecula and Paso Robles and cruises to Mexico. Being together with other vintage members in this social setting has greatly facilitated our ability to gather information that is not documented elsewhere. Believe it or not, a few of our original members such as Jane Goodnight and Judy Brady are still active. And the memories that attendees shared made it seem like only yesterday.In addition to sharing memories, LUNCHEON, from page 1attendees are treated to a gourmet lunch and wine. Invitations are being sent out based on the member’s join date. The rst two luncheons included those who joined between 1976 and 2000. We are in the process of planning our third luncheon. If you are invited to a luncheon but unable to attend, you will be invited again until you are able to attend one. To allow all members to attend these luncheons, we are limiting members to attending only one luncheon. Watch your email for an invitation in the future as we include more recent members.
Photo of the Month November 2024 ocws.org 15DESERT SKIESOCWS member Tricia Shelton beautifully captured the Mojave Desert skyline with her shot “Wine and Sunset” taken at Lake Havasu, Arizona.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
Lisa AlfordApril AllisonRobbi AndersonLandy BanksRay BartlettMike BeaudetteDawn Bergan-IglesiasMichael BraharDave BrownLaura BrownCarmella BryanDee Ann CaplesMark CaplesDonna CarriggAnna ChristieTom ChristieLouis CohenShelley CohenArt CordtsMazzara CraigFrances CravensDiana DavideMark EggebrechtCarol EsslingerDean FisherMarcia FisherBJ FornadleyTina FornadleyClaude FusaroKathy FusaroEllen GaarArnie GamboaPaul GareldBeverly GenisAlison GodleskiMark GodleskiJulie GoodJohn GoodnightScott GreenJerry GuerinMaryetta HallRobert HallLorraine HammondsCindy HansenScott HarralDonna HiseyRodney JeuJames JohnsonLaurie JohnsonAdrienne KeedyMaryDee KienstraDoug KingLaurie Kjar-ReissMichael KovalKathy KriegerMazzara KristineMichael LevineRobin McCormickSue McDonaldJill MiotkeShana MooreBen NakataniJohn NationSteve NelsonTheresa NelsonCurt NiermanBill O’NeillAlison PainterMike PazJanet PealDorothy PembertonLinda PetersEd PetrosGlenn PolserDavid PriceRoger ReissWalter ReissDebbie ReynoldsJean RicoKim RizzutoSteven RizzutoBobbi ScottIrene ScottKen ScottRaul SernaTricia SheltonJoBeth SkaggsPat SolisBeth StarkCraig StarkDana TerryJody TheissenMark TheissenDarwin ThompsonJim VearrierMichael WebberElena YuasaAdrienne AmicoDino AmicoZach AndersonBirgit BeaudetteLeslie BrownPam CarterJudy ChapelAdrienne DavisRay DavisCharles EnglishKate EnglishSharon FinkleYale FinkleEllen FlynnGloria FranklinLisa GoetschWill HolsingerNeil HorowitzLynelle HustrulidMike IglesiasShelly JayneShannon JestinMichael JohnsonKarl KawaiCL KeedyJim KerinsAlicia LopezCathy MacKenzieMike MacKenzieDon MayerMary Ann MayerRachel McCallanMaia PehrsonCraig PetersonLisa PetersonCarolyn ReddingStephanie RichardsTerry RosePeter Schlundt-BodienJack ShepardLinda ShepardRobert SouleTom TippettBob TophamNicole TormeyGerard UnterreinerNancy UnterreinerSharone VearrierDeborah WebberBarbara WhiteDave WhiteTony WieczorekDave WiegandSara YeomanJolen ZeroskiChris BruceHank BruceJim BurkDamian ChristianLiz CorbettLloyd CorbettKevin CoyMaria CoyStephanie DjangKevin DonnellyLynda EdwardsWendy EldCarol FrankJane GoodnightLarry GrahamGreg HagadornKelly HaggardCheryl HeineckeLeslie HodowanecHelga HrowalVirginia KawaiJohn KienstraCheryl KnappKen KnappTheresa LaneKevin LiteJohn MolinaMary MulcaheyBetty Jo NewellJay NewellGeorge OttMarcy OttCathy PainterLee PainterDon PhillipsElee PhillipsAlice PolserBruce PowersLaurie PreusSam PuzzoRochelle RandelBill ReddingDebbie RenneEd ReyesJanet RiordanCathy RislingGreg RislingCraig RoweRonna RoweScott SayreDave StancilTami StancilDean StromRobyn StromStacey TaylorWendy TaylorDaniel VlahovicRichard WardCourtney Cathy & Lee PainterTHANK YOUBRONZE MEDAL VOLUNTEERSSILVER MEDAL VOLUNTEERSGOLD MEDAL VOLUNTEERSPRESIDENT’SAWARD
THANK YOU2024UPCOMINGEVENTSNovember 2024 ocws.org 17 December 22WINEMAKERS GROUP HOLIDAY POTLUCKYorba LindaNovember 3BUBBLES ’N’ BRUNCHThe Cannery Restaurant / Newport BeachNovember 12VARIETAL HOUR / VETERAN-OWNED WINE OR WINERIES / Via ZoomNovember 1OCWS OUTINGLaguna Canyon Winery / Laguna BeachDecember 6HOLIDAY DINNER DANCEAvenue of the Arts Hotel / Costa MesaNovember 26VARIETAL HOUR / WINE PAIRED FOR THANKSGIVING / Via ZoomDecember 14HOLIDAY WINES MINI-TASTINGVarious LocationsDecember 10VARIETAL HOUR / WINE FOR THE HOLIDAYSVia ZoomJanuary 7VARIETAL HOUR / ORANGE WINEVia ZoomJanuary 24WINERY PROGRAM / BUSHONG VINTAGE COMPANY / Hilton Hotel / Costa Mesa