After months of preparation, the 48^th annual OC Fair Home Wine Competition is in the history books.  (See Kevin Donnelly’s accompanying competition “wrap up” article).

Now, my work starts for next year’s competition. No, I don’t mean the planning that goes into the actual event. I’m talking about the planning and work that will go into making the wine that, hopefully, I will enter into next year’s competition.

You see, I’ve been bitten by the winemaking bug. I know there are other OCWS winemakers who’ve been bitten too. The bug always bites me after the competition. I get the itch to make more wine. It doesn’t matter how much is in my cellar or if I have the space to make it. There’s just something about the competition that inspires me each year to make more.

I’m inspired this year by two of our OCWS winemakers who won Best of Show awards: Don Sowers who won Best of Show Red Wine for his 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon and Rochelle Randel who won Best of Show Fruit Wine for her 2024 Lemon Wine.

I’m always inspired by seeing so many wines from winemakers all over California. Maybe it’s something about tasting the fruit (pun intended) of all the hard work that went into each bottle. Maybe it’s the pride that winemakers, including myself, have for their wines. I’m humbled to think all those winemakers have put their trust in the Orange County Wine Society and our competition when they submit their wines for evaluation.

Maybe the latest Home Wine Competition will also inspire others to begin or continue their winemaking. There are lots of opportunities to make wine and this is the best time of year to start.

The grape harvest will be happening in a few months. The Winemakers Group annually sources a variety of high-quality grapes for our members. Look for more information on our grape purchase program in upcoming newsletters and in emails to our members.

Wine can be made from almost any kind of fruit too. Summer brings a bounty of backyard fruit which can make excellent wine. This is an easy and low-cost way to learn or hone winemaking skills.

Wine can be made from kits any time of year. John Lane from our Winemakers Group just conducted another kit winemaking class. Many of our OCWS winemakers started this way.  Excellent wine can be made from kits including Best of Show winners in past years.

No matter what kind of wine you make, The Winemakers Group can help. Our winemaking mentors will be happy to guide you through the process.

There are many opportunities to make wine.  No matter your experience level, now it’s time to start planning the wine that you’ll enter into next year’s OC Fair Home Wine Competition. Maybe you’ll be bitten by the winemaking bug too.

—Ed Reyes, ed@ocws.org