By Greg Risling
Every summer, the Orange County Wine Society does what it has always done best: invites fairgoers to try a wide selection of wine at The Courtyard.
This year’s edition resonates a little more as OCWS celebrates its 50th anniversary. Over those past five decades, the organization has welcomed wine enthusiasts who believe that great wine is not merely a luxury but a language. No setting has given that language a louder, more joyful stage than The Courtyard at the Orange County Fair — a beloved annual tradition that the OCWS has proudly hosted, curated, and championed.
There’s a little something for everyone interested in a wine experience at The Courtyard. Whether it’s sampling an award-winning vintage from the most recent OC Fair Commercial Wine Competition, trying different varietals from a visiting winery via the Featured Winery Program or attending a volunteer-run seminar about how wine interacts with different dishes, the monthlong fair run is a good time for anyone to enjoy an array of wines from across California all in one place.
That goes the same for the dozens of OCWS volunteers who graciously give their time and effort to make The Courtyard hum morning, noon and night. For those who are volunteering for the first time, there are plenty of grizzled veterans who will make the shift much easier and enjoyable. And for everyone’s hard work, those highly prized drink tickets which gets members a full pour, split or tasting of award-winning wines is well worth the work.
The numbers, by now, are staggering. Thousands of bottles poured. Tens of thousands of fairgoers introduced, perhaps for the very first time, to the idea that wine is not intimidating but inviting.
Ask any of the volunteers who work the fair and they will tell you the same thing – OCWS isn’t just an organization, it’s a community. Sure, there’s good wine to be shared, but it’s also about educating the public and enjoying one another’s company that makes volunteering at the fair such a rewarding experience.
Your adventure awaits, so come on down to the fair, have a glass and make some memories.