The August Gold Medal Mini-tasting was held at 10 sites (members’ homes) across the county, with 165 people enjoying 10 wines that had each been awarded a Double Gold Medal paired with dishes prepared by the attendees. The wines were served in five blind flights of two wines each and the attendees judged each wine and voted for their favorites. Since there were eight different varietals in the line-up, the attendees also were asked to name the varietal for each wine (a brief description of the varietals was provided on the back of the scoresheet).

Since the Gold Medal Mini-Tasting always features a number of different varietals, all very highly rated, the overall scoring likely has more to do with personal taste and the food being paired than an actual comparison of the wines.

The featured wines started with two Grenache Noirs – Carol Shelton’s and an unusual white wine from Dubost called “White Heart.” The White Heart was 100% Grenache Noir, but had no color from the skins, making it look like a Grenache Blanc. Overall, the two Grenache wines tied for 7th place across the 10 sites.

The overall winner also was the highest-rated wine in this year’s Commercial Competition – the Runquist 2021 Charbono, which earned 98 points and Best of Class. The wine placed in the top four at eight of the 10 sites.

Second and third overall were a pair of Petite Sirahs. Second place went to the Macchia “Rebellious” and third place went to the Bushong “Unknown Pleasures.”  Fourth was the Reserve Old Vine Zinfandel from Hawley.

The four favorite wines across the seven host sites:

In addition, 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 Chris & Hank Bruce:

Kim & Steve Rizzuto – Blackberry Mousse Cheesecake

•  Host Carolyn & Damian Christian:

Mary Ann & Don Meyer – Berry Pavlova with Lemon Whipped Cream 

• Hosts Kim & Kristyn Grime:

Mark & Alison Godleski – Salmon

• Hosts Kathy Krieger & Lynda Edwards:

Linda Downey – Pork Tenderloin Crustini with Apricot Horseradish Chutney

• Hosts Rochelle Randel & Leslie Hodawanec:

Pam Oneida – Bacon-wrapped Feta Figs

 Hosts Greg & Cathy Risling:

          Janet Peal – Shrimp, Bean & Leek Stew

• Hosts: Rob & Germaine Romano

Kevin Donnelly – Lime Meringue Pie

•  Hosts: Craig & Ronna Rowe

Debbie Renne & Ed Reyes – Nectarine Tart

•  Hosts Frank & Pat Solis:

Denise Scandura – Chicken Pot Pie

• Hosts Dave & Barb White:

Tie – Dave Donated a bottle from his cellar rather than break the tie

Deb Webber – Portobello Penne

Brenda & Robert Scott – Eggplant Parmesan

Congratulations to all the winners!  A big thank you to the hosts!

—George Cravens, OCWS Director

The May Pinot Mini-Tasting was held at seven sites (members’ homes) across the county, with over 100 people enjoying 10 wines paired with dishes prepared by the attendees. The wines were served in five blind flights of two wines each and the attendees judged each wine and voted for their favorites.

The first flight was a pair of Pinot Blanc wines, one from Oregon and one from California. Pinot Blanc is not widely known but has been used as a white blending grape in France and Italy for many years. Pinot Noir is an unstable clone that occasionally produces white grapes (Pinot Blanc). The next four flights were all Pinot Noir, from different regions. Flight two featured a pair of Pinot Noir wines from Sta. Rita Hills.  The remaining three flights included Pinot Noirs from Oregon, Sonoma, Central California, Chile and France.

Pinot Noir is one of the wines where the “old world” style is noticeably different from the typical California style. The old-world style is typically less fruit-forward and more of a “food” wine.

The top four wines as rated by the attendees were an interesting mix, with one each from California, France, Oregon and Chile. The overall first place wine was in the top three at all seven sites, while the second place was in the top two spots at five of the sites. The wine from Chile finished fourth overall, but while it was chosen as the first, second or fourth place wine at three sites, two sites didn’t have a single guest place it in their top three.

The four favorite wines across the seven host sites:

Chef of the Evening

In addition, 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 Chris & Hank Bruce

Scott Lewis – Smoked Ribs

• Host Kim & Kristyn Grime

Cynthia Peterson – Turkey Southern Chile

• Hosts Virginia & Karl Kawai

Dino Amico – Venetian Mac & Cheese

• Hosts Betty Jo & Jay Newell

Irene Scott – Chicken Enchiladas

• Hosts: Wendy & Stacey Taylor

Janet Riordan – Chocolate Pistachio Tart

• Hosts Beverly Genis & Bob Topham

Shelly Cohen – Sweet & Sour Cranberry Cocktail Meatballs

• Hosts Dave & Barb White

Deb Webber – First Lady Dip

Congratulations to all the winners!  A big thank you to the hosts!

—George Cravens, OCWS Director

The March Rhone Wine Mini-Tasting was held at eight sites (members’ homes) across the county, with 125 people enjoying 10 Rhone-style wines paired with dishes prepared by the attendees. The wines were served in five blind flights of two wines each and the attendees judged each wine and voted for their favorites.

The featured wines started with two Rhone white blends – Carol Shelton’s Coquille Blanc and a French Rhone white blend. The Coquille Blanc came in 3rd overall and was the favorite wine at one site, second favorite at another and third favorite at three more sites. It is unusual for a white wine to be so well-liked since many of our members prefer red wines.

The next four flights were all reds, with three from California, three from the Rhone Valley in France, one from Australia, and one from Spain. The California wines did quite well overall, with one from Paso Robles being the overall favorite by a large margin (placing first at six of the eight sites, second at one, and fourth at the final site). The second place wine overall was in the top four selections at six of the eight sites. The three top wines also happened to be three of the least expensive (and one of the most expensive came in eighth, in spite of its 95 point rating by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate).

The four favorite wines across the seven host sites:

1st Place
2020 McPrice Myers
Rhone Red Blend
High on the Hog
Paso Robles, CA
$23.99
The 2020 High on the Hog has a deep ruby color and scents of tar, iron,
underbrush and cured meats with a core of red cherries and potpourri. The
medium-bodied palate is soft, supple
and alluring with a long, floral finish.
This is delicious and very easy to drink!
Best after 2023.
Blend: 48% Grenache, 26% Petite Sirah,
7% Syrah, 7% Zinfandel, 5% Mourvèdre,
5% Malbec and 2% Lagrein
Accolades: 93 RP (Wine Advocate)

2019 Christo
Marietta Cellars
Rhone Red Blend
North Coast, CA
$24.99
A blend of Syrah,
Grenache, Petite Sirah
and Viognier, the 2019 Christo has a
deep ruby-purple color and alluring
scents of blueberry jam and cassis with
accents of loamy earth, violet, coffee
beans and iron. The full-bodied palate
is powerful yet silky with seamless
acidity and gobs of pure violet perfume
on the long, layered finish. It’s easy to
drink now but offers a decade or more
of cellaring potential.
Accolades: 96 RP (Wine Advocate)

2021 Carol Shelton
Rhone Wine Blend
Coquille Blanc
Paso Robles, CA
$25.99
Enticing nose of spicy pears and
white peaches, almond paste/
marzipan, a touch of honeysuckle
perfume. Multi-dimensional
(many layers),
a hard-to-describe range of
aromatics, intriguing, almost
mysterious. In the mouth, it
is crisply dry yet creamy and
round and full-bodied with nice almond
paste on crisp-yet-juicy pear fruit.
Blend: 30% Grenache Blanc, 30%
Roussanne, 30% Viognier, 10%
Marsanne

4th Place
2021 John Duval
Plexus Red
Barossa, South Australia
$40
A classic Barossa blend crafted
from John Duval’s old vine Shiraz,
Grenache and Mourvèdre. Shiraz
provides rich, dark fruits and mid-palate
weight, whilst Grenache delivers
a bright flavor spectrum of red fruits
and spiced notes. Old vine Mourvèdre
is integral to the blend, ensuring
a good firm backbone
of savory tannin and a
long finish.
Blend: 45% Shiraz,
32% Grenache, 23%
Mourvèdre
Accolades: 96 RP (Wine
Advocate)

In addition to tasting fabulous wines, the March Rhone Wine Mini-Tasting 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: Kathy Krieger & Lynda Edwards
Chef: Tamera Reddy—Chocolate Cassis Flourless Cake

Hosts: Kathy Nalty
Chef: Adrienne & Ray Davis—Pork Sliders

Hosts: Elee & Don Phillips
Chef: Beth & Craig Stark—Tri-Tip

Hosts: Greg & Cathy Risling
Chef: Magda El Zarki—Endive & Apple Salad

Hosts: Rob & Germaine Romano
Chef: Wendy & Stacey Taylor—Cassoulet

Hosts: Frank & Pat Solis
Chef: Jim Burk—Short Ribs Braised in Wine

Hosts: Beverly Genis & Bob Topham
Chef: Beverly Genis—Honey Baked Ham & Split Pea Soup

Hosts: Dave & Barb White
Chef: Deborah Webber—Balsamic Roasted Tomato & Mushroom Tartines

Congratulations to all the winners and a big thank you to
the Mini-Tasting hosts! Look for recipes at ocws.org.

—George Cravens, OCWS Director

The December mini-tasting featured a range of red wines intended to pair nicely with a wide range of comfort food. Each of the seven mini-tasting sites voted on a “Chef of the Evening,” and the winning dishes included meatloaf, short ribs, lasagna and pecan pie (recipe at left).
The three favorite wines across the seven host sites:

1st Place
2020 Austin Hope
Cabernet Sauvignon
Hope Family Wines
Paso Robles, CA
$49.95

Deep ruby in color, it expresses aromas of freshly picked black currants, ripe black cherries and blackberries, with subtle notes of violets, mocha, and dried spices. On the palate, it’s a big, powerful, modern-styled wine layered with heaps of juicy blackberry and cherry fruit, while nuances of cedar, clove, nutmeg and vanilla bean round out the long smooth finish It’s full-bodied and rich, balanced by fresh acidity and firm, polished tannins.
Accolades: 95 points, Wine Enthusiast. Named No. 7 in the Enthusiast Top 100 wines of 2020.

2nd Place
2021 Mischevious
Old Vine Zinfandel
Macchia
Lodi, CA
$28

This Mischievous blend uses multiple Old Vine Zinfandel vineyards that, when combined, produce the classic, fruit-forward characteristics that are the centerpiece of all great Lodi wines. Just a touch of Petite Sirah adds structure and increases its complexity. Aging in small oak barrels creates a soft vanilla finish making it a very food-friendly wine that can be enjoyed daily with everything from rich pasta to a juicy barbecued steak.
Accolades: 95 points, 2022 OCFair Best in Class.

3rd Place
2021 8 Years in the Desert
Zinfandel Blend
Orin Swift Cellars
Saint Helena, CA
$44.95

Deep maroon core with a ruby rim. It opens with aromas of wild blackberry, pepper, oatmeal raisin cookies, Sequoia forest floor, bay leaf and spices. The entry is broad and opulent with a mid-palate of brambly raspberry, black cherry, ripe blueberry and a hint of cacao.
Accolades: 91 points Robert Parker.

Winning Recipe

Eric Williamson’s delicious pecan pie recipe garnered first place at one of last month’s OCWS mini-tastings.
“This is the pecan pie that my grandmother has cooked as long as any of the family can remember (and we all love it),” says Williams, an OCWS member since 2018. “As she was getting older we asked, ‘Grandma, what’s your secret recipe?’”
Her response?
“Oh, it’s no secret, it’s on the back of the Karo syrup bottle!”

Pecan Pie
1 cup light corn syrup
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (16 oz.) pecans plus
1/4 cup for top of pie
1 9-inch deep dish pie crust
STIR the first 5 ingredients thoroughly using a spoon.
POUR into pie crust.
BAKE on center of oven for 60-70 minutes (until center reaches 200 degrees). Cool for 2 hours. Store pie in refrigerator.
SPRINKLE top of pie with finely chopped pecans.

Congratulations to all of the winners! A big thank you to the hosts. Please send your recipes to George Cravens at george@ocws.org for possible publication on the OCWS website.

The August Gold Medal Mini-Tasting featured five different varietals, two wines each. All ten wines were Double Gold winners in the 2022 Commercial Wine Competition. There were ten  host sites and 155 members and guests spread throughout the county.

The first flight was a Viognier and a Viognier/Grenache Blanc/Roussanne blend. The second was a pair of Barbaras, followed by a pair of Syrahs, two Zinfandels, and a pair of Cabernet Sauvignons. One of the Zinfandels (Macchia’s Mischevious) was awarded Best in Class.

This group tends to favor red wines, and each of the eight red wines were selected as a top three wine at one or more of the sites.

The four favorite wines across the ten host sites:

In addition, 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 Rob and Germaine Romano: Bill Forsch – Beef Brisket

Host Bob Topham and Beverly Genis: Mark Godleski – Salmon

Hosts Don and Elee Phillips: Carolyn & Damian Christian – Smoked Pork

Hosts Craig and Ronna Rowe:  Marybeth Ackerman – Mushroom Dip

Hosts Betty Jo and Jay Newell: Rod White – Asparagus Soup

Hosts Pam and Bill Oneida: Linda Crawford – Meatballs with Cranberry Sauce

Hosts Marcia and James Vaughan: Cathy Painter – Nanaimo (Coconut Bars)

Hosts Fred and Cheryl Heinecke: Cheryl Heinecke – Bananas Foster

Hosts Dave and Barb White: Donna Hisey – Pulled Pork Sliders

Hosts John Molina and Courtney: Ed and Kim Meier – Baked Ziti

Congratulations to all the winners!  A big Thank You to the Hosts! Please send your recipes to George Cravens at George@ocws.org for possible publication on the website.

– George Cravens, Mini-Tasting Event Chair

The March Mini-Tasting featured six Syrahs, three from California and one each from France, Australia, and Chile, along with four Petite Sirahs from California. There were seven host sites throughout the county.

The Macchia Rebellious Petite Sirah from Lodi, CA was the overwhelming favorite, placing First at four sites, Second at two, and Third at the final site. Second place was Bellante’s Watch Hill Vineyard Syrah from Santa Barbara County. Third was Chronic Cellars Suite Petite Petite Sirah from Paso Robles, Ca.

The four favorite wines across the seven host sites:

In addition, 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 Tina & B.J. Fornadley: Tina Fornadley – Asian Style Pulled Pork
• Hosts Julie Good: Julie Good – Ribs
• Hosts Pam & Bill Oneida: Alice Polser – BBQ Beans
• Hosts Greg & Cathy Risling: Elee & Don Phillips –  Pork Loin with Red Wine and Plum Sauce (with Poached Plums)
• Hosts Pat & Frank Solis: Jim Burk – Boeuf Bourguignon
• Hosts Beverly Genis & Bob Topham: Barbara Greenfield – Pork Loin
• Hosts Barb & Dave White: Kim & Sam Clark – Slow Cooker Pumpkin Pecan Pudding with Whisky Sauce

The detail scores by site will be posted on the OCWS website. Congratulations to all the winners! A big Thank You to the Hosts! Please send your recipes to George Cravens at George@ocws.org for possible publications the website.

– George Cravens, Director

It’s been quite a long time since we’ve been able to hold a Mini-Tasting, and the Gold Medal Mini-Tasting is traditionally the most popular one of the year. This year, since we’re still working towards opening up from the pandemic, we are planning to schedule the Gold Medal Mini-Tasting after the OC Fair. This will allow time to arrange for a larger number of host sites, each with a smaller guest list so that everyone will be comfortable and safe.

Tentatively, we are thinking about Saturday, September 11 (the week after Labor Day). We hope to be able to have as many sites as possible host the tasting outdoors, so smaller groups will make this easier to facilitate. If you are interested in hosting the mini-tasting, please contact George Cravens at George@ocws.org. We plan to have the details worked out in time for the July Newsletter, with sign-ups starting in August. Thank you for your patience. We are all looking forward to getting back together again. Cheers!

– George Cravens, Mini-Tasting Committee Chair