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Call for New Member Ambassadors
Imagine walking into a room of over 100 people and not knowing a single person. It sounds a little daunting! That is currently what happens when a new member attends his or her first Wine Society event. What if that new member knew at least one or two other people in the room? Does that…
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President’s Message
By Fred Heinecke There’s only 17 days until the Orange County Fair begins and the 50th annual Courtyard at the OC Fair is the event everyone is anticipating. The cellar has been stocked to the top. Signups began weeks ago and all the volunteers have marked their calendars, checked their RBS status and planned for…
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Another Competition in the History Books
It is almost unfathomable that the OCWS created and has been hosting the OC Fair Commercial Wine Competition for 50 years. The just recently held 2026 competition was executed, as has come to be the norm, with exceptional professionalism. The attention to details was evident in every aspect of the competition, which created top-notch experience…
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Wiens Family Wins Best of Show from the Best Use of Color Category
Many achievements are being celebrated as part of our organization’s 50th anniversary and the OC Fair Commercial Wine Competition. The Label Competition is no exception. Since the end of the era of requiring actual wine labels with bottle entries, the Label Competition has had to rely almost exclusively on digital labels, or absent them, photos…
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50th Anniversary SWAG
By 50th Anniversary Committee Ready to show your OCWS 50th anniversary spirit at the OC Fair or future OCWS events? We have 50th anniversary SWAG available for purchase. Wear a 50th anniversary lapel pin or embroidered patch with your OCWS hat, shirt and/or apron. Items can be preordered and will be available for pickup at…
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Cook’s Caucus Feeds the Masses
If you’ve ever attended an OCWS Spring or Fall event, or volunteered at the annual Home Wine Competition, you’ve experienced amazing culinary artistry and a group at its best. The organization’s own Cook’s Caucus is an amazing blend of talent, creativity and friendship. The passion and dedication of this group shines through in every dish.…
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Photo Contest & Event Memories
July is here, summer is at its peak, and wine season is shining brighter than ever! From holiday celebrations and backyard BBQs to beach days, concerts, fireworks, and sunset evenings with friends, there are endless reasons to pour a glass and make the most of the season. For this month’s photo contest, we want to…
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601 Home Wines Judged at Annual Competition
On June 6, the Orange County Wine Society hosted our 50th annual Home Wine Competition in the Courtyard and Huntington Beach building. I am happy and proud to say that it went off in a wonderfully successful manner, thanks to all our 80 stewards and support staff, 10 members from our Cook’s Caucus and 78…
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Wines Erupting With Flavor
I have recently read a number of articles about volcanic wines, wines made from grapes grown on the very diverse volcanic soil. And naturally since California has the most vineyards planted in volcanic soil in the U.S., volcanic wines are of interest. While Europe’s volcano activity dates back eight million years with some activity as…
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