Ingredients 14 oz. sweetened shredded coconut 14 oz. condensed milk (Eagle brand preferred) 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract 2 extra large egg whites, room temperature 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
Directions PREHEAT oven to 325 degrees F.
COMBINE coconut, condensed milk and vanilla in a large bowl. WHIP egg whites in bowl of electric mixer until medium peaks. Carefully fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture.
DROP batter on baking pans lined with parchment paper using 1 3/4- diameter cookie scoop.
BAKE 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Yields 20-22 cookies.
Time is running out for home winemakers to enter your wines into this year’s OC Fair Home Wine Competition. Online entries must be submitted and all wines received by May 22.
Don’t miss this opportunity to compete for bragging rights with your fellow winemakers. Awards include Best of Show, Double Gold, Gold, Silver and Bronze. This year there is a new Best of Show category for rose wine. As in years past, other Best of Show categories include red, white, fruit and dessert wines.
This year’s judging takes place on Saturday, June 6 at the OC Fair and Event Center. Judging will be performed by panels of experienced winemakers and wine connoisseurs. Judges’ scoresheets and comments will be returned to you to help improve your winemaking skills.
Will one of your wines win the top prize? You’ll never know unless you enter. Enter your wines on the OCWS website or use this link https://OCWS.org/home-wine-competition/
Wines can be dropped off at the OCWS office during regular business hours, Monday through Friday. For questions about entering your wines, contact Event Chairman, Kevin Donnelly at kevindonnelly@ocws.org
2026 marked an exciting and successful year for the OCWS Wine Auction, highlighted by the addition of our first-ever Online Wine Auction, which expanded participation and created even more opportunities for members to engage, bid and win.
I am incredibly proud of this year’s auction committee and the many volunteers whose dedication and teamwork made both the Online and In-Person Auctions a tremendous success. From launch to final checkout, the events ran smoothly and reflected the strength and commitment of our OCWS community.
This year’s auction featured an impressive:
1,013 Silent Auction Lots(including 168 sold through the Online Auction)
101 Verbal (Live) Auction Lots
51 Wine & Food Experience Lots(including 14 sold through the Online Auction)
These numbers reflect the continued growth and enthusiasm surrounding this important OCWS fundraiser. While final revenue figures are still being confirmed, participation across both auction formats was outstanding.
Special Thanks to Our Donors
We extend our sincere appreciation to the generous donors who contributed to this year’s auction. We had an overwhelming response to our request for donations this year!
Wineries:
AXR Napa Valley Austin Hope Winery Clementine Carter Wines David Coffaro Winery DeFalco Family Wines & Foods Denner Vineyards Dragonette Cellars Dutcher Crossing Winery Emercy Wines Frisby Winery HALL Wines Jeff Runquist Wines
Lange Twins Family Winery
Larkmead Vineyards Michael David Winery Saint K Wines Silver Oak Stolpman Vineyards Tobin James Cellars Turley Wine Cellars Venge Vineyards WALT Wines Wine Guy & Wine Gal Family Winery Zotovich Vineyards
Members:
Carolyn & Damian Christian Ellen Flynn & Tony Wieczorek Greg Risling Kelly Haggard Laurie Kjar-Reiss & Roger Reiss Mike & Cathy MacKenzie Sue & Jim England
Dave & Tami Stancil Tricia Shelton & Chris Ouellette
Businesses:
Edgar Allen Poe Speakeasy Falling Bright Wine Merchants Hands On Wellness Center Hi-Time Wine Cellars Ortiz Fire Protection Shelton Fire Protection South Coast Repertory Yorba Linda Country Club
Recognizing Our Wine Auction Committee
Hundreds of volunteer hours go into producing our second-largest fundraiser of the year. I would like to recognize the incredible efforts of our committee—affectionately known as the “Wine Auction Warriors”—for their outstanding work:
Adrienne Amico – Verbal Auction
Dino Amico – Wine Ops – Security
Carolyn Christian – Event Chair, Facilities
Damian Christian – Wine Ops – Auction Floor, Workers
Kevin Coy – Advisor, Cataloguing
Sue England – Volunteers
Ellen Flynn – VIP Experience
Scott Green – Computers
Shannon Jestin – Check-in
John Kienstra – Computers/Data Entry
Laurie Kjar-Reiss – Check-in
Don Mayer – Wine Ops – Warehouse
Mary Ann Mayer- Verbal Auction, Checkout
Cathy Painter – Event Food and Wine
Lee Painter – Wine Ops – Verification
Rochelle Randel – Administration, Checkout
Bill Redding – Advisor, Cataloguing
Janet Riordan – VIP Experience, Checkout
Tricia Shelton – Special Winery Experience Auction
Daniel Vlahovic – Wine Ops – Verification
A special thank you to those who worked behind the scenes to prepare and execute the event. From cataloging and organizing thousands of bottles to coordinating logistics across both auction formats, your efforts were essential to our success.
Top Bidders Recognition
We also recognize and thank our top bidders, whose enthusiasm and generosity helped drive the success of this year’s auction:
Will Holsinger & Lynelle Hustrulid
Kathy & William Schymick
Robert Maloney & Joey DeLeon
Nicole Tormey
Laurie Kjar-Reiss & Roger Reiss
Eberhard & Mary Anne Neutz
Kim & Steven Rizzuto
Mike & Cathy MacKenzie
Dorothy Pemberton
Louis & Shelley Cohen
Powered by Volunteers
The auction simply would not be possible without the support of our dedicated volunteers. From set up and check-in to verification and checkout, your time and effort ensured a seamless experience for all attendees. Your contribution truly makes a difference.
A Community Effort
This event remains a cornerstone of OCWS, supporting our educational programs, the OC Fair Commercial Wine Competition and our Scholarship Program. We are especially grateful to our members whose participation and enthusiasm continue to make this event so meaningful.
To everyone who attended, bid, volunteered and supported the auction—thank you. We hope you enjoy the incredible wines and experiences you secured, many at exceptional value.
We look forward to building on this momentum and seeing you again next year for another exciting auction!
Last October when I walked into the Dome des Invalides in Paris, France, to see Napolean Bonaparte’s tomb, the last thing I was expecting was to see the name of a hybrid grape adorning the poignant imagery of a French Army general’s tomb. The general was Marechal Foch and the hybrid grape has the same name (both pronounced “maresh-shall fosh”).
Who was Marechal Foch and why was be buried in the Dome des Invalides with Napolean Bonaparte?
He was one of Napolean’s favorite generals
He was Supreme Allied Commander in WWI
He was Napolean’s wife’s brother
He started the French Air corps in WWI
ANS: B – In March 1918, he was named Commander-in-Chief of the WWI Allied Armies. And of note he played a significant role in the First and Second Battle of the Marne in the Champagne region.
What year was known as the “blood year” in France’s Champagne region?
1914
1915
1916
1917
ANS: A – Also known as the “violent vintage.” Despite the fact that in 1914 harvesting occurred under shellfire and that the soil was stained from the many casualties, the 1914 vintage is thought to be one of the best and most age-worthy vintages of the 20th century. The Valley of the Marne was a major battlefield twice during WWI and an estimated 40% of Champagne’s vineyards were destroyed because of the intense fighting in the region.
But a hybrid grape and a distinguished WWI French general with the same name? How did that happen? A French viticulturist, Eugene Kuhlmann, in the early 20th century at the Oberlin Institute in Alsace, France made an inter-specific cross of Goldriesling with a Vitis riparia-Vitis rupestris cross. Although originally called Kuhlmann 188-2, the grape was brought to the USA and renamed Marechal Foch in 1942.
Wait, that is a lot of information: inter-specific cross, Goldriesling, Vitis riparia, Vitis rupestris. What does this all mean?
An inter-specific cross is a cross of grapes varieties from different species such as Vitis vinifera, the European wine grape with Vitis riparia which is an indigenous North American grape. This cross produces what is known as a hybrid grape variety. The other type of cross is an intra-specific cross that uses varieties of the same species, such as two Vitis vinifera varieties. Goldriesling is such an intra-specific cross of Riesling with an unidentified vinifera grape, created in 1893 at the Oberlin Institute. And yes, the grape and ensuing wine is still being produced today in Saxony, Germany and Austria in very small quantities.
Vitis raparia (aka riverbank grape) and Vitis rupestrius (aka sand grape) are indigenous to North America and provide disease resistance and hardy rootstock when crossed with Vitis vinifera grapes. Which of the following grape species are also indigenous to North America and often used in making hybrid grapes?
Vitis labrusca (aka fox grape)
Vitis rotundifolia (aka muscadine)
Vitis aestivalis (aka summer grape)
Vitis mustangensis (aka mustang grape)
ANS: All of the above
In addition to fungus disease resistance and hardy rootstock, why else have viticulturists around the world been using North American grapes to make hybrid varieties?
Lower production costs and higher sustainability
Better adaptability to variable weather conditions
Increased grape health compounds – resveratrol
Provide predictable annual yields
ANS: All of the above
Marechal Foch, a red, cold-hardy grape that ripens early, is fungus disease resistant, has small berries and a teinturier (a red skin grape with red juice unlike most red grapes with colorless juice) is grown where in the North America?
Oregon
Ohio
Ontario, Canada
Montana
ANS: All of the above. I first tasted Marechal Foch at Wooden Shoe Vineyards in Woodburn, Oregon
Marechal Foch grapes can produce a deep color, highly tannic wine and therefore it is also made using carbonic maceration that will produce a lighter color, lower tannin, fruity wine. Carbonic maceration briefly is a vinification method that uses whole cluster fermentation in a sealed, stainless-steel tank with carbon dioxide. You most often hear of the carbonic maceration method being used in Beaujolais, France. However, carbonic maceration and semi-carbonic maceration is being used more often in more French wine regions such as, Burgundy, Southern Rhone and Languedoc-Rousillon, as well as, in the Eastern United States.
The use of hybrid grapes, with their many beneficial advantages for grape growers, is widespread in East Coast and Central states. These wine grapes have been bred for their disease resistance as well as their adaptability to a wide variety of temperatures, soils and rainfall. However, in California with its friendly vinifera grape growing conditions, hybrids are not often commercially grown. UC Davis viticulturists have developed numerous hybrids, many to combat Pierce’s disease or to address the higher temperatures of the state’s warmer areas. Examples of Pierce’s disease hybrids developed at UC Davis are: Paseante Noir, an intra-specific hybrid of 50% Zinfandel, 25% Petite Sirah and 12.5% Cabernet Sauvignon; and Caminante Blanc, an inter-specific hybrid of 97% v. vinifera (62.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12.5% Chardonnay and 12.5% Carignane), 1.5% v. arizonica and 1.5% v. rupestris.
Bonus: Where in California are these hybrid grapes and others being grown for wine making purposes?
Ojai (Venture County)
Sta. Rita Hills (Santa Barbara County)
Central Valley
Ranch Cucamonga (Riverside County)
ANS: All of the above
When you have a hybrid grape like Paseante Noir, that crosses three vitis vinifera grapes it’s like having a field blend in a single grape. How great is that? Nevertheless, the fascinating topic of California’s winemakers using hybrid grapes is a subject for another Wine Wisdom.
Marechal Foch’s tomb will be found in Paris. Marechal Foch wine you may find on California’s North Coast. But no matter what the history behind your wine is, as fascinating as it may be, it doesn’t need to be made with hybrid grapes or named after a WWI French General for you to sit back, open it, and enjoy it! Cheers!
These are all characteristics of the fictional character Clementine Carter, who was Doc Holiday’s one-time love interest in the iconic Western “My Darling Clementine.”
Those same attributes best describe Sonja Magdevski, who drew inspiration from that film for her winery bearing the same name in Los Alamos.
To say Magdevski has crammed many lifetimes into just one might be an understatement. Her family emigrated from the former Yugoslavia – now known as North Macedonia – and landed in Michigan where Magdevski learned the meaning of hard work and what it meant to run a business with her family owning two ice cream parlors and two dry cleaners.
She earned a political science degree from the University of Michigan, went to grad school at Michigan State University studying journalism and received a Fulbright scholarship.
While her lofty goal was to bring world peace, she took a pause and came to California and her life took an unexpected and fortunate direction.
She worked in a flower shop during what was initially a temporary stay in California as she was finishing her thesis and helped plant a small vineyard in Malibu, which helped lay the foundation of what was to come.
“We approached it from the ground up with no real expectations,” she said. “There was this garagiste group that shared ideas and how to best approach winemaking. It was really fun.”
Before too long, Magdevski found herself in the Santa Barbara region, more specifically in the charming Los Alamos hamlet where one of her friends lived. She also enrolled at nearby Allan Hancock College where she received a scholarship from the Orange County Wine Society that helped her budding interest in wine.
As Magdevski puts it, “I just kept saying yes. I was piecing together my existence, working in restaurants, writing and making wine. There was a spot available in town and I committed to open a tasting room. It was serendipitous.”
Magdevski ended up opening Casa Dumetz in 2011 that primarily focused on Pinot Noir from Santa Rita Hills. A couple years later, she moved down the street to a larger location and not only ran a tasting room but she opened a brewery next door affectionately named after her grandmother.
For some entrepreneurs, running a business can be downright frightening but for Magdevski she was emboldened by the challenge.
“Committing is total freedom,” she said. “You are more of the mindset of ‘how do I survive today?’ Everything can be hard but it’s about finding solutions and keeping true to yourself that helps keep a business like this open.”
So does it come as any surprise that a self-proclaimed fan of Westerns eventually became a Rhone Ranger?
The winery today as Clementine Carter explores the range of Rhone varietals from Santa Rita Hills and elsewhere in the region. She is encouraged and excited by the unique expression and distinction of varietals such as Grenache and Mourvedre. Her 2023 Grenache recently scored a 92 by Wine Spectator.
She also makes a GSM blend she dubbed “The Feminist Party,” which pays tribute to collaboration and radical inclusion.
“Wine is about discovery. If you don’t plant that plot you don’t know if it’s suitable for winemaking,” she said.
The winery produces about 2,000 cases a year and can be found in Texas, Florida, Washington, D.C., and even Hawaii.
Magdevski points to photos of family who immigrated from what is now known as North Macedonia.
Stepping into Magdevski’s tasting room, feels more like walking into someone’s home rather than a storefront. Family photos adorn a wall and mosaic tiles wrap around the room. As she notes in her vision statement: we “share our work in the most welcoming environment for all.”
She also takes it one step further by hosting a speaker series that brings people from all different walks of life to share their experiences. Magdevski also gives back through scholarships to college-bound seniors from Los Alamos where she provides financial support with the help of matching funds from a silent wine club donor for a total of $4,000. She also donates extensively to many Los Alamos and Santa Barbara-based organizations, such as the SBWomen Winemakers & Culinarians, an organization that fosters education, mentorship and collaboration in the culinary and wine industries.
Today, Magdevski is married to Greg Brewer of Brewer-Clifton fame for almost 10 years where they share a collaborative spirit in the business.
Magdevski is excited about what the future holds for Clementine Carter and she hopes more people encounter wines from Santa Rita Hills so they too can join in the excitement.
“Trying new things is not scary for me,” she said. “My risk tolerance is pretty high. I’m just getting started.”
There are big things going on for the 50th anniversary at The Courtyard. We are about three months away from the July 17opening day and I want to take this time to give some insight about The Courtyard and what goes into the preparations for our biggest fundraiser.
The Courtyard Committee has already started meeting to look at our set-up (Leslie Hodowanic and crew), wine offerings, changes to pricing, shifts and scheduling (Rich Skoczylas and Sue England), training for stewards and servers (Helga Hrowal and Maia Pehrson), cashier training (Cheryl Knapp), the fabulous Featured Winery Program (Liz and Lloyd Corbett) and the very popular wine seminars (Sara Yeoman and Ed Reyes). Carolyn Christian and the Marketing Committee make sure that The Courtyard is well publicized and gets maximum social media exposure from June to August.
The biggest change for 2026 will be the new point-of-sale cash registers. Cheryl Knapp researched the available POS computers and Toast was selected as our provider. These POS devices are used by many local restaurants. Cheryl is putting together a new training program and the registers will be in use for this month’s auction.
Behind the scenes year-round we have Fran Gitsham, as our Fair Liaison, working to solidify contractual obligations with the fair, along with assuring compliance with governmental, safety and health agencies. As you can see, The Courtyard is no little feat to accomplish, and it takes commitment from an amazing group of dedicated volunteers without whom we would not have the successful operation we do!
As I mentioned before, The Courtyard is by far our biggest fundraiser. In 2025, the sales for the 23-day fair were at a high since COVID; that income for the Orange County Wine Society affords us the opportunity to run the OC Fair wine competitions. In addition, the Featured Winery Program generated $21,596 for the OCWS Scholarship Program and the donation jars added $14,768.
We go through a lot of wine. Bill Redding orders wine during the run of the fair to augment the wines from the Commercial Competition. That includes the premium wines, Champagne splits, wines for the Express Bar and varietals that are running dry. To give a better picture of the magnitude of our total sales, that translates to over 26,000 glasses of wine, 20,000 tastes and 50 cases of Govino glasses.
Not only does The Courtyard help fund the OCWS for the year, it is a vehicle for the OCWS to meet its missions of scholarship (now totaling over $1,000,000), viticulture and wine appreciation. Each time a volunteer interacts with a fairgoer, we have the opportunity to share wine experience and knowledge. Spending time at the award tasting bar expands that opportunity tenfold.
Now, with that said, I hope you are anxious to volunteer. April is the month to sign-up for shifts at The Courtyard, and Rich and Sue have an article with all the dates, times and volunteer information.
I look forward to seeing you at The Courtyard this summer.
Ensure that your mailing address (OCWS website, My Profile) we have on file is correct to receive Courtyard information and fair credentials. A Responsible Beverage Server (RBS) Certification is required to sign up and work at The Courtyard. Please make sure your RBS certification is completed before sign-ups start so you can be confirmed for […]
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1 box Betty Crocker chocolate fudge cake mix 1/4 cup water (warm to bloom chocolate and Zin) 1/2 cup canola oil 3 eggs (room temperature) 3/4 cup Carol Shelton Black Magic Late Harvest Zin Frosting 2 cups powdered sugar 3 tsp. cocoa powder (I use Ghirardelli) 1 stick of butter (room temperature) 1/4 cup Carol Shelton Black Magic Late Harvest Dessert Wine
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (for dark, non-stick pans) or 375 degrees for shiny metal pans). Add cupcake liners or grease bottom and sides of the cupcake pans.
Combine cake mix, water, oil, and eggs in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer on medium speed (or vigorously by hand) for 2 minutes.
Pour into pan and bake 14 to 19 minutes. Let cool. Frosting
Sift powdered sugar to remove lumps.
In the bowl of electric mixer, beat stick of butter, powdered sugar and cocoa powder until smooth.
Frost cupcakes and serve. —Recipe courtesy Donna Hisey
Some say the name was changed from Sauvignon Blanc to Fume Blanc because Fume Blanc was an easier name to pronounce. Others say vintners simply used the name they thought customers would like best and therefore would be more likely to buy. Still others say it was a stroke of marketing genius. They are referring to Robert Mondavi, a winemaker, winery owner and a name now synonymous with fine wine from Napa Valley. In the late 1960s Robert Mondavi perceived Sauvignon Blanc to be a bland, uninspiring varietal so he oaked it, in other words, he created a Sauvignon Blanc style that was oak-aged giving it a soft smoke and flint taste. This oak-age is typically obtained by using “neutral” or older blanc oak barrels that are also referred to as white American oak barrels which have been used multiple times, so they do not impart intense flavors of vanilla or toast.
To set his oak-aged Sauvignon Blanc apart, Robert Mondavi essentially rebranded his Sauvignon Blanc by naming it Fume Blanc. He borrowed Fume from Pouilly-Fume, in reference to Pouilly Fume from the Loire Valley. Fume means smoke in French, and “Blanc,” is the French word for white. The term Fumé Blanc, coined by Mondavi, completely changed the perception of Sauvignon Blanc in America and signaled a new, more serious style of Sauvignon Blanc. For decades the term Fume Blanc has been used by wineries in California and Washington to market Sauvignon Blanc and differentiate a style of wine made with oak ageing.
Because Robert Mondavi did not trademark the term Fume Blanc, others could use it and use it they did. For example, the Dry Creek winery calls their Sauvignon Blanc Fume Blanc, yet they do not oak-age their Sauvignon Blanc. Today, Sauvignon Blanc and Fume Blanc are considered synonymous. In addition, today fewer Sauvignon Blancs are labeled Fume Blanc due to changes in the market and marketing.
So, is there a difference between Sauvignon Blanc and Fume Blanc? Both are made from Sauvignon Blanc grapes, yet one answer is, it all comes down to the winemaker’s intention and style.
Sauvignon Blanc is used to produce some excellent white wines, ranging from the light and flinty wines of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume grown in the Loire Valley, to the pungent and grassy varietal wines of Australia and New Zealand, to the light smokey or tropical tastes from California.
Old World versus New World
In general, Sauvignon Blanc grown in Europe is referred to as Old World and Sauvignon Blanc grown in other countries such as the United States, New Zealand and Australia is referred to as New World.
Color – Old World Sauvignon Blanc has a pale yellow-green to straw yellow color while New World Sauvignon Blanc has a bit darker color.
Aroma – Old world Sauvignon Blanc has an aroma of subtle earthiness, mostly grassy herbaceous fruit of lime and tart apple. New world Sauvignon Blanc has a lush bold fruit character aroma of melon, pear and peach. Sometimes a whiff of the pungency of grapefruit or lime is detected.
Taste – Old World Sauvignon Blanc has a taste of tart, tangy, sour apple with a bit of subtle earthiness while New World Sauvignon Blanc (grown in a warmer climate) has a taste of richer, riper, peach and melon with a little streak of citrus pungency if grown in a slightly cooler climate.
Sauvignon Blanc FUN FACTS:
The first Friday in May is International Sauvignon Blanc Day (so don’t forget to celebrate with a glass!).
Sauvignon Blanc is one of Taylor Swift’s favorite wines. She enjoys it for its crispness.
One of the oldest Sauvignon Blanc plantings in the U.S. is at the Robert Mondavi Winery in their To Kalon Vineyard.
Sauvignon Blanc is one of the parents of Cabernet Sauvignon (the other is Cabernet Franc).
When a recipe calls for dry white wine, a good quality Sauvignon Blanc is an excellent choice due to its vibrant acidity. Its fresh and light herbal flavor works best for a range of dishes.
The name sauvignon comes from the French sauvage meaning wild which is how the vines will grow if unattended.
Sauvignon Blanc is the grape that focused world attention on New Zealand which produces green but light tropical fruit flavors.
Sauvignon Blanc originated in the Loire Valley in France. The name “sauvignon” is derived from two French words: sauvage (wild) and vigne (vine). In France, Sauvignon Blanc is a wild growing plant and the shape of its leaves are like those of wild grapevines.
There is no question that Robert Mondavi rooted Fume Blanc as a classic American white wine. With that in mind, don’t wait for International Sauvignon Blanc day in May, raise a glass now and celebrate not only a wondrous wine, but how with a vision, a winemaker changed the destiny of a grape varietal – wow if that doesn’t make you thirsty…
The first Orange County Wine Society newsletter started with an April 1981 publication entitled Free Run. The inaugural issue (Volume 1, Number 1) stated the newsletter’s intention: ‘It is our intention that the Free Run will keep you aware of meetings, activities, goals and accomplishments of the Society.’
In this first publication there was also an article addressing how the name Free Run was chosen. The organization offered an opportunity for their membership to name their newsletter by conducting a contest. The explanation of the name selection was stated as, “We feel it represents one of our Society goals, the free flow of information about wine appreciation, winemaking and California wines.”
Although it was only one page, the first Free Run newsletter presented a brief history of the OCWS; an advertisement of an upcoming Home Winemakers Competition; the mention of a Heitz Cellars wine tasting lead by Joe and Alice Heitz; and coverage of a “Marriage of Food and Wine” gathering at Stox II restaurant presented by Mike Grgich, of Grgich Hills Winery. Finally, there was an offer to members to buy a vehicle license plate frame with the message, “Everything’s Fine With WINE” for just $7.50 plus $1.00 for shipping.
In the mid-1980s once again the membership was asked to name the OCWS newsletter. A contest was held to name the newsletter and the contest winner, Diane Block, was recognized in January 1989 for her prize-winning name, The Wine Press, which still exists today. It was about this time that John Goodnight, a 12-year OCWS board member (Past President and Treasurer for eight years) took over the newsletter publishing from Sharon Spaulding, Secretary on the Board. Prior to John taking over the newsletter, it was not printed consistently. John wanted to make sure that The WinePress was printed once a month and that came to fruition. In addition, under John’s watch, graphics from TheWine Press won numerous OC Fair ribbons including the Blue Ribbon First Place and a Best of Show award for the Extraordinaire Program.
John reflected that preparing the newsletter was a monumental task. Articles would be prepared using a Word file then cut and pasted on to “paste-up boards.” The newsletter had four pages of double-sided content and they kept the newsletter to about 8 to 12 pages. John led the preparation of The Wine Press for 17 years – quite impressive.
John consistently included a joke page in the newsletter that was comprised of cartoons and light humor sourced from the web. One person complained to the board, so an article appeared on how a vote was taken resulting in a landslide for keeping the joke page.
A not-so-fun fact was how several times, since the cost of postage kept going up, membership dues had to increase to cover the cost of newsletter printing and postage.
The importance of the newsletter cannot be underestimated. Over the years, not only did TheWine Press keep members aware of meetings, activities, goals and accomplishments but it also assisted in encouraging membership renewal.
Finally, TheWine Press has served as an educational vehicle for sharing the wine knowledge of many members. Today, you can read The Wine Press online and in living color on the website, so take some time to enjoy.
