The Commercial Wine Competition Committee has decided to move forward with the planning of the 2021 Commercial Wine Competition scheduled for June 5-6, 2021. We understand that this has been a challenging time in so many ways, and the coming months will likely bring more challenges our way. Be assured that we prioritize the safety of all of our members, and want you to know that concern for our volunteers is at the forefront. We will adhere to and follow all guidelines, rules and regulations as set forth by the national, state, or local government and health department.

Since we are in the early planning stages for the event, there will be many questions you may have – we only ask that you be flexible, as nothing has been etched in stone at this point in time. Preparation will be key to our success, as there are many logistical and operational aspects of the Competition that cannot wait until the 11^th hour.

The Commercial Wine Competition volunteer page on the ocws.org website will be open in March, and you will be able to sign up at that time – your assistance is vital to our success! This event offers many opportunities: meet the winemakers and winery principals, increase your wine knowledge, and enjoy getting to know your fellow OCWS members. We understand and acknowledge that no one’s plans are definite at this time.

There are many areas where volunteer help is needed: stewarding, glass washing and drying, and computer verification. Continuing with the efficiency of the event, computer input will also be assigned. A sign-up form is included on the website that identifies stewarding days, bagging nights, and other work parties with times and dates. As in the past, in order to qualify for stewarding, we need you to sign up for two additional work parties. We can offer bagging, and moving of wine to and from the Competition site, including sorting. We will also be assigning a ribbon mailing crew.

We definitely need your support in order to run a successful Competition. The good news is that we will hire help for heavy lifting. No training is necessary, as newer members will be teamed with Competition veterans.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call me at 562.822.3382 or email me at Strompharms@earthlink.net. We look forward to your participation in this very important OCWS event!

– Robyn Strom, Volunteer Coordinator
Commercial Wine Competition Committee