OCWS

By Greg Risling

Every summer, the Orange County Wine Society does what it has always done best: invites fairgoers to try a wide selection of wine at The Courtyard.

This year’s edition resonates a little more as OCWS celebrates its 50^th anniversary. Over those past five decades, the organization has welcomed wine enthusiasts who believe that great wine is not merely a luxury but a language. No setting has given that language a louder, more joyful stage than The Courtyard at the Orange County Fair — a beloved annual tradition that the OCWS has proudly hosted, curated, and championed.

There’s a little something for everyone interested in a wine experience at The Courtyard. Whether it’s sampling an award-winning vintage from the most recent OC Fair Commercial Wine Competition, trying  different varietals from a visiting winery via the Featured Winery Program or attending a volunteer-run seminar about how wine interacts with different dishes, the monthlong fair run is a good time for anyone to enjoy an array of wines from across California all in one place.

That goes the same for the dozens of OCWS volunteers who graciously give their time and effort to make The Courtyard hum morning, noon and night. For those who are volunteering for the first time, there are plenty of grizzled veterans who will make the shift much easier and enjoyable. And for everyone’s hard work, those highly prized drink tickets which gets members a full pour, split or tasting of award-winning wines is well worth the work.

The numbers, by now, are staggering. Thousands of bottles poured. Tens of thousands of fairgoers introduced, perhaps for the very first time, to the idea that wine is not intimidating but inviting.

Ask any of the volunteers who work the fair and they will tell you the same thing – OCWS isn’t just an organization, it’s a community. Sure, there’s good wine to be shared, but it’s also about educating the public and enjoying one another’s company that makes volunteering at the fair such a rewarding experience.

Your adventure awaits, so come on down to the fair, have a glass and make some memories.

By Fred Heinecke

There’s only 17 days until the Orange County Fair begins and the 50th annual Courtyard at the OC Fair is the event everyone is anticipating.

The cellar has been stocked to the top. Signups began weeks ago and all the volunteers have marked their calendars, checked their RBS status and planned for a summer of wine and fun. This year, “Your Adventure Awaits,” begins Friday July 17 and runs through Sunday, August 16, with Mondays and Tuesdays dark.

Schedulers Rich Skoczylas and Sue England have been hard at work to get all the volunteers their five required shifts. During the second week of July, Leslie Hodowanec and the set-up crew will transform the currently plain walls into The Courtyard, that familiar wine bar the fairgoers love to see.

The Courtyard continues to be the largest fundraiser of the year for the Orange County Wine Society. The Featured Winery Program (put together by Liz and Lloyd Corbett) is the single largest fundraiser for the OCWS Scholarship Fund. This year’s lineup is again fantastic with many medal-winning wines. Be sure to stop by and have a taste.

The very popular Saturday and Sunday Wine Seminars (coordinated by Sara Yeoman and Ed Reyes) are set to begin on July 25 and run through August 16. Tickets will be available when the fair opens at The Courtyard office, but be fast, they often sell out.

Training for servers, cashiers, stewards and managers will be in early July. The dates and times will be sent to volunteers via email. As always, there will be opportunities to add shifts throughout the run of the fair. If you are interested in training for a new position, contact Rich Skoczylas and plan on attending the appropriate training session.

We have exciting new happenings this year with new point-of-sale touch screen registers, wine by the bottle at the Chris Cunningham Express Bar and some new-look decorations honoring our 50^th anniversary. Volunteers will once again receive two drink tickets a shift that can each be exchanged for a glass of varietal wine or two tastes of some fantastic award-winning wines. The fair credentials allow volunteers access to the fair every day, including sold out dates.

See you at the fair!

It is almost unfathomable that the OCWS created and has been hosting the OC Fair Commercial Wine Competition for 50 years. The just recently held 2026 competition was executed, as has come to be the norm, with exceptional professionalism. The attention to details was evident in every aspect of the competition, which created top-notch experience for judges and volunteers alike.

With over 2,500 wines entered, equating to the handling of upwards of 13,000 bottles or more, the magnitude of the tasks required to coordinate a successful competition is no small feat. The logistics and efficient coordination of every detail is overseen by a committee of 20 dedicated volunteers who, no sooner does one competition end, are already working on the next year’s competition and, although working on the next to come, planning is at least four years out with contracts already executed for the venue where the competition is held.

Although led by a committee of 20, it is the dedication of the hundreds of volunteers throughout the year that results in a competition that is highly respected within the wine industry. The integrity of the cataloging and bagging processes, coupled with the integrity of the judging process and everything in between, are what continue to make the competition a benchmark for excellence.

Kudos to all whose hands had a part in yet another extraordinarily successful OC Fair Commercial Wine Competition. The success of the competition is a true testament to the vision, leadership and tireless efforts of all.

—Fran Gitsham, OC Fair CWC Chair

Many achievements are being celebrated as part of our organization’s 50^th anniversary and the OC Fair Commercial Wine Competition. The Label Competition is no exception. Since the end of the era of requiring actual wine labels with bottle entries, the Label Competition has had to rely almost exclusively on digital labels, or absent them, photos of labels.

Through the efforts of the label committee and cataloging group, this year’s candidates for the semi-final reached a new high with over 500 reviewable labels. The Label Committee narrows the entries and puts them in the appropriate category.  If the candidate does not have an actual or digital label a phone call requesting either one is made. The final selections are completed and display boards are prepared and voted on at the Commercial Wine Competition by both the judges and the stewards. One-hundred and eighty-one ballots were cast, another record.

Best of Show came from the Gold medal labels and this year it went to the Best Use of Color Category and to Wiens Family for their 2023 Crowded Red Wine Label. The gold medalists featured several new wineries such as Chateau Caroline, Bienvenue Vineyard, Inman Family and Tiny Vineyards. The standard bearers for Golds also returned such as J. Lohr, Herringer Vyds and Big Nose Winery.

Thanks to the Cataloguing Committee for their help and thanks to the Label Committee for all their time and effort.

Be sure to visit the Label Competition Display for all the winners at The Courtyard during the fair.

—Sam Puzzo and Carol Frank, OCWS Label Competition Co-Chairs

By 50^th Anniversary Committee

Ready to show your OCWS 50^th anniversary spirit at the OC Fair or future OCWS events?  We have 50^th anniversary SWAG available for purchase.  Wear a 50^th anniversary lapel pin or embroidered patch with your OCWS hat, shirt and/or apron.  Items can be preordered and will be available for pickup at the upcoming OC Fair meetings and Courtyard shifts.

Available SWAG:

Payments can be made with Cash, Check or Zelle (payment@OCWS.org).  To preorder your items, go to OCWS.ws/50thSWAG.

If you’ve ever attended an OCWS Spring or Fall event, or volunteered at the annual Home Wine Competition, you’ve experienced amazing culinary artistry and a group at its best.  The organization’s own Cook’s Caucus is an amazing blend of talent, creativity and friendship. The passion and dedication of this group shines through in every dish. Over the many years the group has been in existence, they’ve created not only delicious meals, but also lasting memories. 

The Cook’s Caucus proves that the best ingredient is teamwork and, although the hands have changed throughout the years, the group always reflects creativity, care and a love of bringing people together through food.  Each member of the group brings their own uniqueness, expertise and passion for food to the table.

Kudos to the Cook’s Caucus who continue to elevate any OCWS event at which they, like fine artists, perform.  Thanks go out to our current roster who just provided both breakfast and lunch for 180 people at the 2026 Home Wine Competition and will next be providing their offerings at the Fall Membership Event in October.

—Fran Gitsham, Vice President

July is here, summer is at its peak, and wine season is shining brighter than ever! From holiday celebrations and backyard BBQs to beach days, concerts, fireworks, and sunset evenings with friends, there are endless reasons to pour a glass and make the most of the season.

For this month’s photo contest, we want to see your favorite July wine moments! Whether you’re sharing a bottle with friends, enjoying a summer getaway, celebrating beneath the fireworks, or toasting the sunset, snap a photo and send it our way. Show us the moments that make wine and summer such a perfect match!

Each month, the OCWS Photography Committee selects a Photo of the Month to be featured in the OCWS newsletter and showcased on our website. The winner will also receive a special bottle from the OCWS cellar!

THEME: Sunshine, good company, and great wine.

SUBMIT TO: Photo@OCWS.org

RULES: OCWS.org, News, Photos

Here’s to the good times we share!

Feel free to capture and share some fun, candid moments from an event—we’d love to experience it through your eyes! These photos are separate from the Photo of the Month Contest (no prizes involved), but they may be featured in our marketing materials or on social media. It’s a wonderful way to share your perspective and highlight the spirit of the OCWS community.

REMINDERS:

• By submitting, you grant OCWS rights to use your photos for marketing.

• Only submit photos that are your own.

• Send your shots to photo@OCWS.org

Let’s raise a glass to the good times we share.

—Leslie Hodowanec, Arnie Gamboa, Hank Bruce and Sue England – Photo Committee

On June 6, the Orange County Wine Society hosted our 50^th annual Home Wine Competition in the Courtyard and Huntington Beach building. I am happy and proud to say that it went off in a wonderfully successful manner, thanks to all our 80 stewards and support staff, 10 members from our Cook’s Caucus  and 78 judges from across California, and as far away as Memphis Tennessee, and Puerto Rico!

Together, we evaluated 601 wines from 177 winemakers from across California, with the largest category red blends having 65 wines and Cabernet Sauvignon with 58 wines. We are happy to award 119 Double Gold Medals, 90 Gold Medals, 239 Silver Medals and 111 Bronze Medals.

I am hearing over and over from our judges, complimenting that the wines “just keep getting better and better every year.”  Best of Show awards went to Red Wine: Tom Bender (2024 Petite Sirah, White Wine), White Wine: Emiko Miyamoto (2025 Viognier, Rosé Wine), Rose Wine: Scott Carpenter (2025 Barbera Rosé), Fruit Wine: Ed Wall (2025 Dessert style Pomegranate), and Dessert Wine: Michael Ray Brown (2024 Late Harvest Concord Wine). 

Our Label Competition had 78 entries this year and Best of Show went to Jack Graham for his label on his 2025 Grenache Blush wine. We handed out 36 Gold Awards, 23 Silver Awards and 18 Bronze Awards for their beautiful wine labels.

You can view your Wine and Label results at HomeWineCompetition.com.

As for the operation of the Home Wine Competition, comments have been overwhelmingly positive, including:

I was judging today at the amateur competition and I was struck by how well organized the whole event was. From preparatory seminars and timely emails to the food offerings and the wine pouring and glassware cleaning and the score checking, all the amazing volunteers – everyone knew exactly what to do! This is probably the best organized wine comp I have attended. — Alan Atkinson

Thank you Alan!

Our amazing bragging rights are that we send out emails and post our scores on our website for all the winemakers in LESS THAN 24 HOURS after the end of judging, and our scoresheets and medals will be going out WITHIN TWO WEEKS!  (The three other large Home Wine Competitions serving our winemakers all take over 30 days!!! to get their results out, and longer to mail the medals). Congratulations to Stacey Taylor and Carolyn Christian for getting the scores out quickly and Lynda Edwards and John Kienstra for getting the scoresheets and medals out quickly.

Special kudos go to my HWC Committee: John Lane (Head of Judges), Ed Reyes and Cheryl Knapp (Head of Volunteers), Stacey Taylor (Database Manager), Wendy Taylor (Label Head Judge), Carolyn Christian (Marketing), Lynda Edwards and John Kienstra (Awards and Scoresheet Mailing), Teri Lane and Stephanie D’Jang (Scoring), Kim Guerin (BOS Head Steward), Jerry Guerin (Instructor for Judges’ Seminar), Fran Gitsham (OC Fair Liaison), and Lynda Edwards, Craig and Lisa Peterson (Cook’s Caucus). And special thanks go out to the OC Fair and Event Center for the FANTASTIC 50 YEARS OF SUPPORT of both of our competitions and being great partners with our organization.

I have been the Chair of this Competition for the past 13 years, and I send a sincere THANK YOU to all of our volunteers who contribute to make the OC Fair’s Home Wine Competition an AMAZING SUCCESS year after year after year!

—Kevin Donnelly, Chair, OC Fair Home Wine Competition

I have recently read a number of articles about volcanic wines, wines made from grapes grown on the very diverse volcanic soil. And naturally since California has the most vineyards planted in volcanic soil in the U.S., volcanic wines are of interest. While Europe’s volcano activity dates back eight million years with some activity as recent as 17,000 years ago, California’s volcanic activity started two million years ago with the most recent being 10,000 years ago. Nevertheless, volcanic soil, resulting from the pyroclastic lava, ash and igneous rock contains volcanic glass, minerals such as basalt and feldspar, and high amounts of iron, magnesium, calcium and potassium making it a highly fertile soil. However, the harsh climates and terrain often associated with volcanic soil locations coupled with the soil’s fertility provide ideal terroir of certain grapes. Here’s a little quiz to learn more.

—CL Keedy, Co-Chair Wine Education Committee