Author: Wendy Taylor

This year, OCWS members
who received their Responsible
Beverage Server (RBS) certification in
2022 to volunteer at The Courtyard
during the OC Fair will need
to be recertified if they wish to
participate for this year’s fair.
You will receive an email
from ABC (Alcohol Beverage
Control) informing you that your
certification is about to expire, and
you will have 60 days to renew it.
The recertification process is
identical to obtaining your initial
certification—taking the course
and passing the ABC test. Once you
receive the email, please notify Sue
England at ocwssue@gmail.com that
you received your renewal notice
and are ready to take the course.
If you haven’t volunteered at
The Courtyard before and would
like to participate, please email
OCWS director Sue England
at Sue@OCWS.org for further
instructions.
RBS Certification

By Greg Risling

Take one look at Denae Prosser’s artwork and you can feel the warmth, exuberance and joy jumping off the canvas.

You might not be familiar with this budding artist but chances are you have seen her designs, most notably the Best of Show winner in the 2024 OC Fair Home Wine Label Competition.

“It was shocking,” Prosser said of earning the highest award.  “Sometimes you win stuff, but I was like ‘what?’ I was very happy to win.”

What makes the award even more special and heartfelt is Prosser is part of a unique program that provides vocational life skills to people with special needs. Based in Fallbrook, D’Vine Path gives adults living with disabilities the opportunity to handcraft meals, help make wine or design floral bouquets.

D’Vine Path, nestled on eight acres in Fallbrook, was named California’s Nonprofit of the Year in 2024. The organization was founded in 2019 by Executive Director Lenila Batali whose adult daughter has autism. Over the past six years, the program has aided dozens of students obtain specialized skills they need in the workplace. Nearly three-quarters of participants have found part-time or full-time employment.

“They are learning, growing and being empowered,” Batali said. “That is what they are doing every day and we have so much fun. As a parent, all you want is for them to be productive and to have friends and they are getting that here.”

Spend a couple of hours at the Fallbrook farm and winery and you are immersed and amazed by the creativity and work ethic. On this particular day, Prosser and her fellow classmates are busy with their latest portraits. Prosser said she likes a lot of color in her pieces and plays with the palette for inspiration.

The Best of Show-winning label is a vibrant sunset sinking into an ocean of rolling waves. In some of her other artwork, she likes to hide the face of Jesus or the cross somewhere for people to find. In another illustration, she has a couple in France with a poodle holding glasses of wine.

She also done comic books and has hopes of designing game boards. Students can turn their hobby into a profitable venture as half of the money raised through sales of their artwork goes back to them and the other half goes to D’Vine Path.

There are four paths for students: art, the farm and garden program, culinary arts and the trellis viticulture program.

Chris Miller, an enology specialist and former OCWS member, oversees the viticulture program. Miller has been

making wine for about 12 years and worked with the Batali family who has their own vineyards.

D’Vine’s has about 360 vines that makes six varietals, including Albarino, Barbera, Durif and Grenache. Students get equal time in the classroom and the vineyard to understand the intricacies of how wine is made. There is a great pride in taking part in the process – one student says, “when I assist in making wine, I feel essential.”

“You see how enthusiastic they are about learning the process,” Miller said. “They are very meticulous and they want to make the wine perfect. We work on building up their speed because with winemaking there are timelines to meet.”

Students also are prepped for being interviewed for jobs. One of D’Vine Path’s first students went on to work at Wilson Creek Winery and others have found jobs or internships at local wineries or restaurants.

Batali said she hopes one day that D’Vine can be a destination spot where visitors can enjoy handmade meals and wine infused with love and care. For now, much like the vines they tend, the organization is deeply rooted in helping individuals with disabilities be the best version of themselves as D’Vine continues to flourish and grow.

“The most rewarding part is seeing the students give tours – they have such pride,” she said. “Once you step onto the property, no one has a disability. We are all equal.”

by Carolyn Christian

Welcome to the start of what promises to be a great year for our organization. As we enter our 49^th year as an organization, we should be proud of the legacy we have established. From our humble beginnings starting with a group of home winemakers to a group that boasts over 1,000 wine enthusiasts (including our winemaker group), we have a truly resilient organization that has grown and remained stable over the past several decades.  

Wrapping Up 2024

            2024 has been a very busy year with the usual OCWS events and some new ones as well, including the Wine Defect Identification Workshop, Vintage Member Luncheons and Volunteer Recognition Reception. We had several amazing holiday events that ended 2024 on a high note. The annual Holiday Dinner Dance on December was followed by a Holiday Mini-Tasting at members’ homes on December 14. The holiday festivities wrapped up with the Winemakers’ Group Holiday Potluck at the Eastlake Village Community Center. Overall, we have had a very successful year.

Thank you to Event Leadership

I would personally like to thank the OCWS Board of Directors and other non-board members who have stepped up to chair events this past year. Please take a moment to review the Responsibilities List on our website to see who oversees our various events. These are the individuals who help keep this organization running smoothly.

2025

In the coming year, we have many exciting events in store for our members. Our long-standing winery programs run from January to May and our Bubbles ‘n’ Brunch/Dine with Wine events are sprinkled throughout the year.

There are also several mini-tastings where members blind taste 10 wines at fellow members’ homes. We also hold new member mixers to greet those fledgling oenophiles.

At the OC Fairgrounds, there are an abundance of events, whether it’s the Spring and Fall socials, the Wine Auction and of course The Courtyard at the OC Fair, which runs from July 18 to August 17.

Our biggest flagship events are the OC Fair Commercial and Home Wine competitions that occur during late May and early-to-mid June.

There is plenty of other options that will suit your style from private tastings at local wineries to educational seminars.

All-Volunteer Organization

I cannot stress enough the importance of our volunteers. Please check out the amazing events being organized for our members’ benefit. Check the newsletter, website and weekly email reminders and sign-up early for our events, including our amazing volunteer opportunities, which you won’t find anywhere else! If you find an event is sold out, please contact our office to be placed on a waiting list. We often have cancellations allowing for those on the waiting list to attend.

In addition to our events, I encourage you to promote the OC Fair Commercial Wine Competition, which we have hosted over the last 49 years, to wineries throughout California. Take printed brochures, send them an email, and remind them that despite the news about the decline in wine sales, OCWS is alive and well, with over 1,000 members who purchase and consume wine on a regular basis.

I look forward to working with you all in 2025 to continue this organization’s amazing journey on our way to our 50th anniversary!

Cheers to you all!

The Holiday Dinner Dance has been an OCWS tradition for decades. It is one of the few events where our members can dress in semi-formal attire and enjoy a gourmet meal and outstanding wines. This year’s event was no exception. Nearly 90 OCWS members gathered at the Avenue of the Arts Hotel in Costa Mesa to enjoy a sparkling wine reception with passed appetizers followed by a sit-down dinner. 

Attendees brought unwrapped toys to support the Cosa Mesa Fire Department’s Spark of Love Toy Drive. Thank you to all who brought toys. A special thank you to members of the fire department who came to the event to pick up the toy donation for less fortunate children in Costa Mesa.

The event would not be complete without The Three 2 Sevens band, which played classic dance tunes from various eras. Attendees danced the night away. We look forward to continuing this OCWS tradition again in December 2025.

Carolyn Chritian, OCWS President

By Greg Risling

There is no question when New Year’s Eve rolls around, there is an abundance of festivities for you to choose.

But what you might not know is there are wineries across Southern California who host NYE events that cater not just to their wine club members. There are galas for the more refined wine drinker or even family-oriented gatherings.

You can find a good variety in Temecula, home to nearly 50 wineries. While thousands of people cram into Times Square to watch the big ball drop in New York City, Temecula attracts up to 4,000 people for its annual NYE Grape Drop.

For more than a decade, people have flocked to Old Town to see giant grapes descend from the bell tower at City Hall. There is typically live music, food vendors and activities for the kids. This year, there will be a drone show that will culminate with the Grape Drop to coincide with the East Coast midnight countdown.

“The New Year’s Eve Grape Drop is a family-friendly event that allows the community to celebrate the incoming new year with activities, live music and food,” said Tracy Tomines, a city spokesperson. “The city of Temecula is proud to have been nominated for USA Today’s favorite New Year’s Eve drop, as it brings attention to Southern California’s beautiful wine county.”

At nearby Wilson Creek Winery & Vineyards, they are not going to celebrate just once but twice on New Year’s Eve as a way to mark the winery’s 25^th anniversary. Starting at 6 p.m., guests can indulge in a four-course, wine-paired dinner ($220) in the Winemaker’s Loft. The East Coast Elegance event, a black-tie affair, will cover up until the clock strikes midnight back east.

And for those who can muster another couple of hours or just want to attend the West Coast Party Vibes event, there will be a dance party with a live DJ and a dessert and coffee bar ($100) that will be cranking until we celebrate 2025 here on the West Coast.

“A lot of wineries skip NYE events, but for us, it’s a night filled with joy, laughter and great wine under the stars,” said Wendy Holder, Wilson Creek’s vice president of marketing. “It’s an experience unlike any other—where you can toast to new beginnings in the heart of wine country, surrounded by friends old and new. It’s our way of making sure that the new year starts off with a little magic.”

Also hosting a grand event is Europa Village Wineries & Resort in Temecula. It’s a 007 soiree, celebrating James Bond and Casino Royale. Guests will be swept into the elegance, mystery and thrill of the aforementioned film. They can sip on signature cocktails, be treated to a three-course dinner, enjoy an array of casino games and strike the Bond pose in a glamorous photo booth. Tickets are $190 and the event runs 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Closer to home, McClain Cellars is hosting a black tie New Year’s Eve Gala at its exclusive Irvine Members Lounge. The event includes live music, dinner and the Laguna Beach winery’s finest wines to toast to new beginnings. The gala is 8 to 11:59 p.m. Sunday Dec. 31.