Over 130 members and guests attended the February 22 Pinot Noir Mini-Tasting at eight host sites. The blind tasting included five flights of two wines each.  Each of the wines were Pinot Noirs, eight from California, one from Oregon, and one from France. Seven of the ten wines finished in the top three at one or more sites. The top two wines were each in the top three at six of the eight sites, and were nearly tied overall. The three favorite wines across all eight host sites are listed below:

In addition, the attendees brought a delicious dish to share and then voted on a Chef of the Evening. The results of the Chef of the Evening at each host site are:

• Hosts Frances & George Cravens: Linda Downey – “Roast Pork with Cranberries”
• Host Robin McCormick: David Rutledge – “Grilled Salmon with Spice Rub”
• Hosts Betty Jo & Jay Newell: Linda McLean – “Chicken Provencal”
• Hosts Ebo & Mary Anne Neutz: Kevin Donnelly – “Glazed Ham”
• Hosts Frank & Pat Solis: Eric & Carmen Kaines – “Pork Tenderloin”
• Hosts Beverly Genis & Bob Topham: Kim & Sam Clark – “Lasagna”
• Hosts Marcia & James Vaughan: Cheryl Bell – “Chocolate Cake”
• Hosts Dave & Barbara White: Barbara White “Oven Braised Veal Stew with Black Peppers & Cherries”

Congratulations to all the winners, and a big thank you to the hosts!

– George Cravens, Director

The OCWS Board would like to host another New Member Mixer on Sunday, June 28. We are looking for a member that might be willing to host this event. It would be from 2 pm to 4 pm. The OCWS provides the wine, glasses, food, plates, flatware, and serving necessities. All you have to do is provide the location. We would anticipate attendance to be around 50  to 60 people, but it can be limited to whatever number you feel your home can accommodate.

If you have any interest, please contact me at 714.227.7284 or  at Brian@ocws.org.

– Brian McDonald, Director

The OCWS Chili Cook Off & BBQ was held on September 21 at The Courtyard under clear skies and comfortable fall temperatures. It was a sold out event with 28 teams competing in the Chili Cook Off and over 200 members and guests attending.  Everyone enjoyed the 28 amazing and unique homemade chilis, grilled foods prepared by the Cooks Caucus, and the wonderful music provided by the Three 2 Sevens band.

I would like to thank the 28 teams that entered the Chili competition for all their hard work, creative decorations, and amazing chili . . . simply chili-licious! Listed below are the competition winners by category and name of chili:

• Best Traditional Chili with beans—Rick & Linda Kerfott—“Rodrigo Cowboy Chili”
• Best Traditional Chili without beans—Diane Froot & Rebecca Frazier—“Un Named”
• Best Vegetarian Chili—Amiee & Steve Halligan—“Chewie’s 3 Chile Chili”
• Best Chili Using Wine—Jane Goodnight & Gail Hirstein—“Winerful Chili”
• Best Chili by a New Member—Ed & Linda Robb—“Ed’s Dragon Breath Chili”
• Best Table Presentation—Dean & Robyn Strom—“Kettle Chili”
• People’s Choice—Diane Froot & Rebecca Frazier—“Un Named”

I would like to especially thank the six students from the Orange Coast College Culinary Art Academy who agreed to be judges for the competition and helped make it such a success.

Of course, none of our events could take place without the hard work and support of our members who volunteered to help plan, coordinate the many details, and work the day of the event. To all of them who helped “make it happen,” a very sincere and heartfelt thank you!

– Terry McLean, Event Chair

It is with a heavy heart that we mourn the loss of Rich Veague, OCWS long-time member and home winemaker. Sadly, Rich passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on August 31 at the age of 78. Rich joined the OCWS in the early ‘90s and started Dark Side Winery with his partner, Bryan Skelly, in 2000. Together they consistently won medals in the OCWS Home Wine Competition, including Gold Medal and Double-Gold Medal designations in this year’s competition. Rich also served as a judge and Best of Show judge for many years in the OCWS Home Wine Competition.

Rich served in the Army at White Sands Missile Range in the early ‘60s before being stationed on the DMZ in South Korea. He had a very successful career in high tech that culminated with his retirement from Intel in 2002. He loved beach volleyball, cross-country skiing, golf, camping and hiking, music and attending Burning Man Festivals and UFO conferences. Rich is survived by his wife, Virginia, his brother and sister, and countless friends from around the world.

Rich’s special gift was that he made friends easily, using a self-deprecating and somewhat dry humor that will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

– Bryan Skelly

All OCWS events and activities outlined in The Wine Press specify how to participate and sign up for an event. Unless otherwise noted, please refrain from contacting the article editor directly.

General inquiries can be obtained by phoning the OCWS office at 714.708.1636 or by email to Office@ocws.org. Lynda Edwards (photo above) or Rochelle Randel, our office Administrators, can help you with any question you have or they will know who to contact to take care of you most efficiently.  For more detailed Wine Society information, log in to OCWS.org. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.

It is with great sadness that we mourn the passing of one of the OCWS’s long-time members, Robert Trout, who passed away on the evening of June 26, 2019 at age 88. Bob was many things for the OCWS: a Board Member, President, recipient of the President’s Award, and Commercial Wine Competition Committee member for many years, along with his wife, Marjorie. The Trouts helped develop the Label Competition, and Bob served as Assistant Chairman of Judges under Dennis Esslinger. Ultimately, due to his tremendous dedication and service, he was awarded the designation of President Emeritus. In recent years, many of us knew Bob to be an exceptional opener of the cans of olives to be served to the Commercial Wine Competition judges.

Bob came to the OCWS in what seemed like “eons” ago as a home winemaker. After learning on his own, as many of us have, it also took guidance to make good home wines. The OCWS gave him that guidance which began the road to the many years Bob and Marjorie had with the OCWS.

Bob used his design skills as a Professor of Industrial Technology at California State University at Long Beach to develop and create a special award featuring a very large actual grapevine for our Zinfandel Competition during the 25^th Anniversary Commercial Competition. Bob was highly respected by our judges due to his many years with the OCWS and his time working with the judges during the Commercial Wine Competition, including obtaining wines for the Judges Dinner.

An avid bicycle rider, Bob travelled the length of California stopping in many wine regions. Those who knew him well will miss his subtle sense of humor, his friendship, intellect, and love of fine wines which he was always willing to share with people he met along the way.

For Marjorie, his daughter Shannon and her husband, and his grandchildren, he will never truly be gone.

– The OCWS Board of Directors