It is my sincere hope that everyone is staying safe, staying busy, and enjoying some great wines! Since our last issue of The Wine Press, a lot of seminars for our members have been developed, scheduled, and taken place. We hope you have enjoyed the offerings during July which have been produced by our members: […]

After COVID-19 made the outside world taboo, the OCWS adopted to interacting with members through computer screens. COVID has forced us to shift how we operate and interact in just a small window. During the month of July, we introduced the Summer Sundays Seminar series. Many members have expressed their interest in these web-based events […]

COVID-19 has sidelined us, to say the least. The virus made us hunker down and forced us to find creative ways to virtually stay social. Various virtual OCWS wine seminars have taken place and will continue throughout the year for members to sign up and enjoy from the comfort of their own homes. This being the […]

Over the last several months, the Membership Committee has posted an article in The Wine Press calling on members who have an interest in running for a OCWS Board seat to do so. The What. In recent articles, we have outlined the overall time commitment, possession of certain skills and experience, and seeking individuals who […]

Grapes that are made into wine are often referred to as “Vitis vinifera”.  But are all wine grapes Vitis vinifera?  Can wine be made from grapes that are not Vitis vinifera?  To understand what Vitis vinifera means, we should first understand the basics of Taxonomy, the science involved with the classification of organisms.  We can […]

· Most domesticated grapevines have both male and female reproductive structures and are self-pollinated by wind. [1] · The first U.S. AVA region was the Augusta AVA in Missouri. This AVA was federally approved on June 20, 1980, eight months before the Napa Valley AVA in California. [2] · During Prohibition, Alicante Bouschet was the most popular grape […]

As you may recall, due to the COVID-19 pandemic we had to cancel two excellent and highly anticipated events as part of our regular 2020 Winery Program. We will now be evolving into conducting the OCWS Winery Program virtually! We anticipate starting this program in the fall of this year. You will be able to […]

The OCWS has lost one of its most significant members, Dennis Esslinger, due to cancer and unrelated to the COVID pandemic. In 2017 during the Annual Business Meeting, Jim Beard, then President, awarded Dennis the highest award an OCWS President can bestow, the President Emeritus Award. Past President, Fran Gitsham, eloquently stated in 2017 that […]

Greetings everyone! The OCWS has been busy continuing the work of our organization. Our office staff, Lynda Edwards and Rochelle Randel, have been working remotely to answer emails and provide support to our Board of Directors, Event Chairs and wineries. If you need assistance, please send an email to Office@ocws.org. Working together, Charles English our […]

STYLE EXAMPLE TEMPERATURE Med/Full Bodied Oaked White Wine Chardonnay, Fume Blanc Lightly Chilled 50o – 55o F Light/Med Bodied White Wine Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Grigio, Viognier, Rosé Chilled 45o – 50o F Sweet Wines Muscat, White Zinfandel, Riesling (sweet), White Port, Late Harvest White Well Chilled 43o – 45o F Sparkling Wines Sparkling Wine, […]