OCWS
Imagine walking into a room of over 100 people and not knowing a single person. It sounds a little daunting! That is currently what happens when a new member attends his or her first Wine Society event. What if that new member knew at least one or two other people in the room? Does that […]
Had it not been for a small band of like-minded, wine-loving people, the Orange County Wine Society would not be hosting the 49th annual OC Fair competitions today. In 1976, 16 people, out of their love of wine and interest in winemaking, began meeting the first Friday of each month in the back room of Brant’s Wine Rack, a wine and beer supply shop in Orange, where the store’s owner advised the group on winemaking. Soon, with friends wanting to sample the wines, the wine drinkers began to outnumber the winemakers. From there, the Orange County Wine Society was born and the dream of wine competitions became a reality.
Jerry Mead, who went on to become a renowned wine writer and Brant Horton helped establish the first commercial wine competition. The OC Fair wholeheartedly embraced the idea and provided the OCWS with a 10’ table during the then-one week run of the fair.
The Commercial Wine Competition had a whopping 83 individual wines entered comprised of three varietals which, to the best of our knowledge, were mostly Chenin Blanc and Gamay Beaujolais, with the third varietal still a now long-forgotten mystery to this day.
No one could have imagined that the creation of a small wine competition would evolve into the largest California-only wine competition in the world today, with over 90 winery principals and professional winemakers blind judging over 2,600 wines a year.
The competition has been comprised of more than 176 varietals, the number of which continues to increase year after year, with 14 new ones added already just this year alone.
One can only imagine what the founding members of the OCWS would think of the evolution of the organization and competitions to this day and think of what their amazement and pride in the reality of their visions almost 50 years ago would now be, all for the love of wine!
–Fran Gitsham, OC Fair Commercial Wine Competition Chair
By Carolyn Christian
One of the greatest parts of leading this organization is working with so many individuals who are passionate about wine and about our organization. Like me, they have a long tradition of being fascinated by wine and choosing to donate their time. My introduction to OCWS was perhaps not the most typical path. At 16 years old, I worked my first summer job at the OC Fair selling programs in the parking lot. I had never heard of the OCWS and had no idea that Orange County was such a large wine consumer market. When I attended Cal State Fresno, I had my first formal introduction to enology, and unbeknownst to me, my friends in the enology program received scholarships from OCWS. It was 1984 and the fourth year of the OCWS Scholarship Program. When I returned to Orange County, I visited the OC Fair and was thrilled to learn of the existence of OCWS and the opportunity to continue my wine education. At only 21 years old, I was the youngest member at that time.
Over the years, I have seen so many changes in the wine industry – from the exponential increase of small family-owned and boutique wineries, to the development of large corporate wine portfolios. And today, micro-wineries and limited production wineries appear to be all the rage. OCWS has grown too; when I first joined, the organization had a few hundred members. Since the 1990s, we have remained steady at several times that amount. For more details on the growth of OCWS, I refer you to Linda Flemin’s history of the OCWS Membership in this issue.
OCWS has expanded not only with its membership, but with its activities as well. Our flagship event, the OC Fair Commercial Wine Competition, has grown from a few varietals in the 1970s to over 100 varietal categories today, with each year bringing us new and unusual varietals. Fran Gitsham currently leads the competition committee which relies on hundreds of volunteers for over nine months of the year. It appears that this year will see an increase in wine entries. You can learn more about the trajectory of the commercial competition in Fran’s article in this issue.
A look at OCWS would not be complete without mention of the Winemakers’ Group, which started the organization back in 1976. Today there are over 240 enthusiastic home winemakers in the group, with more being mentored each year. As hosts of the OC Fair Home Wine Competition, the Winemakers’ Group is also poised to beat last year’s entry numbers.
What we do as an organization would not be possible without our incredible partnership with the OC Fair. We are truly honored to be entrusted with the organizing of both competitions on behalf of the fair. And we are grateful to call the OC Fair and Event Center our home.
If you have not already worked at our famous Wine Courtyard during the OC Fair, I hope you have signed up this year. Working at the fair is a great experience that shouldn’t be missed! It is a great way to share your wine knowledge with the public and taste one of the new varietals entered into the competition.
As we approach our golden anniversary in 2026, I would like to announce the 50th Anniversary Logo design contest for OCWS. Every five years, we celebrate a milestone, and this one is no exception. The winner will receive 2 tickets to a Winery Program of their choice in 2026. Please submit your print-ready design to history@ocws.org by August 18. Both a color and black and white version are appreciated. The winner will be announced at the Annual Business Meeting on September 12.
In preparation for our big anniversary in 2026, I also invite you to share your memories of the organization and your ideas on events and souvenirs to help us commemorate this major milestone. Use this link to share your ideas: ocws.ws/50th
If you had told my 16 year old self that I would be back working at the OC Fair over four decades later as the president of this amazing organization of volunteers who come together in the name of wine and education, I would have thought you were crazy. But here we are in one of the largest wine markets in the nation, promoting wine enthusiasm and supporting the educational institutions that will produce the next generation of winemakers. What an incredibly lucky path I have traveled to get here, and I thank all of you for this remarkable opportunity. Cheers to you all!
We had a terrific time at the Vines in Bloom Spring Social on May 10. The Silent Auction brought in $1,200 and the Wine Wall brought in $1,100 for the Scholarship Fund! We are so excited to be able to contribute to the scholarships through our socials.The crowd ate fabulous food prepared by the Cook’s […]
It is amazing to experience the entire OC Fair setting up around us the week before it starts and you can be a big part of it all too. The Courtyard has always been a special place for the OCWS. If you enjoy using power drills and stepladders and wearing clothes you don’t mind getting grubby, this crew is for you. When you walk in and look around, you can say you helped transform The Courtyard into one of the best venues at the OC Fair!
It will take our dedicated Courtyard volunteers several days to set up The Courtyard before the Fair starts, the only place that not only serves award-winning wines that we all enjoy but is the largest TWO sources of OCWS scholarship funds generated during the Fair. This is not the same as server shifts and RBS server training is not required to volunteer.
Dates for Set Up are each day from 9 a.m. to 3 pm on Tuesday, July 8, Wednesday July 9, and Thursday July 10, the week before the OC Fair starts. There may be another day added the week of the fair for last-minute adjustments. We will be moving and setting up express bars and hanging signs and decorations.
What gets set up must come down after the fair ends. The date to tear down The Courtyard is 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, Aug. 18, and Tuesday, Aug. 19.
Members can sign up for any or all five dates with me directly at Les@OCWS.org, and lunches and parking will be provided. Please contact me with any questions. Thank you again crew, for making The Courtyard the best place to Find Your Happy at the 2025 OC Fair!
Leslie “Les” Hodowanec, 2025 OC Fair Courtyard Set Up/Tear Down Coordinator
The 49th annual OC Fair Home Wine Competition will be held on Saturday, June 7, 2025 at the OC Fair and Event Center in Costa Mesa. This is one of the largest home wine competitions in California.
Organized and sponsored by the OCWS Winemakers Group, it is run entirely by volunteers from the OCWS. We need your help to make it a success.
The competition is a one-day event and runs from 7:30 a.m. to about 2 p.m. All volunteers will be treated to a hot breakfast and lunch, courtesy of the OCWS Cooks Caucus. You will also get the opportunity to taste many of the award-winning wines after the judging is complete. If you’ve never tasted homemade wines, you may be surprised at the quality and craftmanship of the award winners.
Volunteer positions include registration, stewards, data entry/scoring, food service, glass washing, and cleanup. There will be a brief orientation before the competition begins to familiarize everyone with their positions. No experience is needed and new volunteers will be paired with competition veterans. It’s a fun day and a great way to meet and mingle with your fellow OCWS members. Sign up today using the volunteer form on the OCWS website.
For questions about volunteering contact volunteer coordinator Cheryl Knapp at cknapp@jps.net.
For questions about the event contact Event Chairman, Kevin Donnelly, kevindonnelly@OCWS.org.
Cheers,
Ed Reyes
ed@ocws.org
This year, the Orange County Wine Society donated $49,507 in scholarships to the eight academic institutions listed below. This years’ donations raised the total amount of OCWS scholarships awarded since 1981 to over $946,000.
The scholarship funds come from a variety of sources, including tips at The Courtyard, OCWS Wine Auction, the featured winery program, and judges’ stipend and member donation. The judges’ stipend donations from the 2024 OC Fair Commercial Wine Competition totaled $3,000, which was given to UC Davis in addition to the standard donation. In 2026, the judges’ stipend donations will go to Napa Valley College. We thank the judges and our members for their support and hard work that made this year’s scholarship funding possible.
We will be attending the scholarship award presentations for Orange Coast College, Napa Valley College, and Allan Hancock College. Look for photos of the awards ceremonies and our scholarship recipients in a future issue.
| University/College | Program | School Total |
| Allan Hancock College | Viticulture and Enology | $5,777 |
| Cal Poly Pomona | Agricultural Science | $5,725 |
| Cal Poly SLO | Wine and Viticulture | $6,225 |
| CSU Fresno | Viticulture and Enology | $5,725 |
| Orange Coast College | Culinary Arts | $5,825 |
| UC Davis | Viticulture and Enology | $8,750 |
| Napa Valley College | Viticulture & Winery Technology | $5,725 |
| CSU Sonoma/Cunningham | Wine Business | $5,755 |
| TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS | $49,507 | |
Just a friendly reminder that you can make a donation to the OCWS Scholarship Fund anytime. There are two ways to donate:
Volunteer Opportunity
After more than two decades of dedicated service as the official OCWS Photographer, Jim Burk has decided to retire from his role behind the lens. Jim has done an outstanding job documenting our events and members over the years, leaving us with a rich visual legacy. We are incredibly grateful for his commitment and are pleased to share that he has graciously offered to mentor his successor once identified.
Now, we’re looking for our next OCWS Photographer!
If you have photography experience and are interested in capturing the vibrant spirit of our events, we’d love to speak with you. This volunteer position plays a key role in preserving the memories and milestones of the OCWS.
Responsibilities:
Event Attendance & Benefits:
Complimentary Admission for Photographer +1 at:
Optional Attendance (Ticket Purchase Required):
If the primary photographer is unavailable for a comped event, a Photography Committee member may attend and shoot in their place.
We recognize that this role may be too much for one person alone, so we welcome those interested in covering specific events or sharing responsibilities.
Interested?
Please reach out to Carolyn Christian at carolyn@OCWS.org by June 30 to express your interest or to learn more.
Let’s raise a glass to Jim and find the next great visual storyteller for the OCWS!
A History of OCWS Membership
The history of the Orange County Wine Society membership began in July 1976 when, through the efforts of Brant Horton and 18 other founding members, the OCWS was formed. In May 1976 Brant decided that the OC Fair would be an ideal candidate for hosting a professional competition of California wines. He knew an organization of members was necessary to provide the time and talents necessary to accomplish this feat. Members were recruited to volunteer their time and efforts to successfully run the competition. The April 1986 Free Run publication stated, “The success of the first Commercial Wine Competition served as a catalyst for the growth of the OCWS.”
Membership in the 1980s
From 1981 to 1985 OCWS membership grew to a few hundred members. John Goodnight, Treasurer and Membership Chairperson in 1987 and 1988, estimates that there were about 350 members at that time. Membership information was stored on an Excel spreadsheet and the OCWS would use mail merge to do a mass mailing to collect dues in November and December. When the Board of Directors felt that year-end collection of dues was not fair to members who joined late in the calendar year, they changed the process so that membership renewal would occur on the anniversary of when the member joined.
It has always been true that most new members signed up during the fair. In the 80’s, typically 40 to 50 new members signed up. In the early days people could sign up for membership and members could sign up to participate in an event by filling out a coupon-like application that was part of The Wine Press newsletter and mail it in with a check to the OCWS office.
Since the cost of postage kept going up, membership dues had to increase to cover the cost of the newsletter mailings. The 1987 December Wine Press reported that the Board of Directors elected to increase the membership renewal fee from $20 a year to $30 a year with the additional $10 to go immediately into the Scholarship Fund. The Board stated, “Our goal is to be able to increase the amounts given to deserving students and to further promote the education and appreciation of California wines.”
The 1st Annual “Membership” Barbecue was held in August of 1987 at a cost of $10 for members and $11 for non-members. It was held at KiwanisLand, a three-acre private park in Garden Grove. It became a popular site for the Annual Membership Barbeque. The Wine Press stated, “This will give everyone an opportunity to meet the members (old and new), sip some wine, enjoy the food, and listen and dance to the band ‘Sweet Magnolia’.”
Membership in the 1990s
In the 1990s, OCWS membership grew to over 1,100 members. Dues were raised to $25 per single member and $35 for dual membership in 1991. OCWS identification cards were printed for the membership.
In the January 1999 Wine Press, a “Membership Update” written by Board Member Tim Morgon stated, “The power of ‘friendships’ is evident with about 20 or so of you members that ‘drafted’ or ‘volunteered’ 35 of your friends into joining the OCWS. I tip my wine glass to each one of you!” The article went on to report 582 memberships equating to 940 members.
In the March 1999 Wine Press the “Membership Update” reported, “During December and January, we attracted 38 new people to join our little wine club…The most popular reason people join, is still word of mouth.” In June 1999 OCWS membership grew to 990 members.
Membership in the 2000’s
From 2001 to 2005 OCWS celebrated its 25th anniversary and membership stabilized at about 1,100 members.
In October 2006, after reviewing the rising costs of doing business, the single membership cost was increased to $35, and dual membership was increased to $50. In February 2011 the OCWS held a Spring Membership Drive with the goal being to sign up 100 new members between February 1 and June 30, and the member who signed up the most new members would win two tickets to the Membership Barbecue and two tickets to the 2012 Wine Extraordinaire. Jim Graver won the contest and the two runners up, Kathy Krieger and Kris Julin, each won two bottles of wine.
On April 1, 2020, the Board of Directors was faced with the great challenge of operating in the COVID era. The Board of Directors chose to suspend membership renewal fees starting April 1, 2020, and as a result, the OCWS retained all its members. The Board continued to have social events virtually since we were under pandemic restrictions. After 12 months passed, membership renewals resumed and the herculean feat of our non-profit OCWS’s survival was realized! March, April and May 2021 membership remained steady at an average of 1,135 members.
Fast forward to our most recent OC Fair years 2022, 2023 and 2024, our new member recruitment results averaged out to 291 new members each OC Fair year. That’s a lot of “new member bell ringing” going on at the fair. Not too bad for a tax-exempt organization that has been around almost 50 years. Perhaps it’s because we’ve done a fantastic job of following our basic philosophy of not just promoting OCWS’s understanding and appreciation of wine, winemaking, and viticulture, but of having fun doing it! Cheers!
–Linda Flemins, 50th Anniversary Committee Member
You are watching Jeopardy and thinking about how easy it would be for you to win any wine category because not only do you love wine, but you drink a lot of it! Well, have you ever thought about wine aroma and where it comes from? We are going to get you ready to win the wine aroma category:
A Short Background:
Aromas in wine come from the grape, winemaking and aging. There are three categories of aroma: Primary, Secondary and Tertiary.
Primary aromas are derived from the grape and fermentation process and include fruit and floral aromas. Sometimes spices, herbs and other natural elements existing near the vineyard may have an impact on the aroma of the wine.
Secondary aromas are derived from winemaking techniques. Examples include malolactic conversion and lees stirring or aging. Also having an impact is maturation and the vessel used such as stainless steel, cement tank, neutral oak and new oak.
Tertiary aromas develop over time as the wine ages in the bottle. Tertiary aromas are indicative of more complex wines with notes of earthy, floral, and nutty notes. Examples of tertiary aromas include leather, dried fruits, petrol, honey and mushroom.
Home Winemakers by Ed Reyes
“Learning the ropes” is an old nautical term for someone learning how to handle ropes and rigging on a sailing ship. It’s an apt term for someone learning a new skill, like winemaking.
The newest OCWS winemaker, John Kienstra, sat down in his living room with his wife and two guests. They were all there to taste the results of his first batch of wine. After popping the cork and dutifully inspecting it, he poured four glasses.
John’s journey into winemaking wasn’t at the forefront when he and his wife, Mary Dee, joined the Orange County Wine Society in July 2023. Like most members, they joined the organization at The Courtyard at the OC Fair.
They wanted to “expand their wine horizon” and thought the social aspect of the group would be fun. As John and Mary Dee began attending OCWS events, they heard about the Winemakers Group and how winemakers started the organization. John thought winemaking would be a unique way of learning about wine. Though not winemakers, they were impressed by the “warm welcome” they received at winemaker events. John’s interest was piqued and he was about to take the first steps on his winemaking journey.
He took a kit winemaking class, taught by OCWS winemaker, John Lane, in June 2024. A wine kit is a package containing concentrated grape juice, all the necessary ingredients, and instructions to make wine at home. Class participants got hands-on experience as they went through the process of making wine that day.
Participants also learned about the Winemakers Group mentor program where experienced winemakers offer help to new winemakers. Mentors are experienced in white, rose and red winemaking techniques. They can help those who want to make wine from fresh grapes, frozen grapes, fruit (other than grapes), or a kit.
John, the aspiring winemaker, asked Ed Reyes to be his mentor, partly because of Ed’s experience but also because they literally live around the block from each other. “You don’t have to live around the block from your mentor,” says Ed. “Most of the time, help is just a text or phone call away.”
Ed has helped a few other winemakers get started over the years. He describes mentoring as being part teacher and part coach. “I want to instruct and encourage new winemakers. I also want to pass along winemaking tricks that come from experience, things that someone wouldn’t normally pick up from a book or a class.”
After the kit class, John said he “could imagine himself doing it.” He looked at some winemaking videos on the OCWS website and gained more confidence. He was ready to jump in.
From the videos and the class, he knew he needed to order an assortment of winemaking equipment and tools to get started. He also ordered a “Cabernet Sauvignon style” wine kit from Amazon, which included everything he had seen in the kit class.
Before start day in late December, John had prepared a 10’ x 12’ area which was plenty of space to work in. He sanitized working surfaces and tools in advance so everything was ready to go when Ed arrived to supervise. After going over the kit instructions and double checking that everything was sanitized, it was time to begin.
John simply followed the instructions. He added the grape juice concentrate from the kit into a 7.5-gallon fermentation bucket. Then he added purified water to get to six gallons of liquid in the bucket. The oak packet was added next followed by the yeast to begin fermentation.
Starting the kit took less than two hours. John had some questions but Ed could see he already knew what to do. Sometimes a first-time winemaker just needs verification that he or she is on the right track.
A few days later John reported seeing bubbles on the top of the fermentation bucket, evidence of the yeast at work. Wine fermentation happens in an open container. When the yeast converts grape sugar to alcohol it produces CO2 bubbles which give off a wonderful fermentation smell. You really get the sense being in a winery. “You can even hear it,” said John. A few days later, the sugar level was zero. The yeast had done their job.
The next day, John racked the wine into a six-gallon carboy on his own. Racking is transferring the wine to another container to leave any sediment behind. He degassed the wine and added sulfite to protect the wine, sorbate to prevent fermentation from restarting, and fining agents to help clear particulate matter from the wine. These chemicals were all included in the wine kit. At this point the carboy was completely full and sealed with an air lock to keep oxygen out.
Two weeks later, in mid-January, John and Ed got together to taste the wine. They determined the wine was doing well. It was getting close to bottling time and January 28 was circled on the calendar as bottling day.
Ed arrived on that day with his bottle corker. John had prepared an area outside with tools, hoses, equipment, corks and bottles all sanitized and ready. This time Mary Dee was there to help. With three people it took less than an hour to fill and cork 26 bottles. Some extra wine remained in the carboy but it didn’t go to waste. It was the celebratory drink for a job well done by a first-time winemaker.
About six weeks later, John, Mary Dee, Ed and his wife, Debbie, got together to officially sample the wine and see if it was as good as remembered on bottling day. After sniffing and swirling the wine, everyone tasted it and pronounced it a success. It had been 12 weeks from start to tasting day.
John is already planning his next wine, maybe another red but Mary Dee likes whites. He may even try making wine from frozen grapes. “It would be nice to get some more experience before getting grapes in the fall.”
John is thinking about expanding too. He’s eyeing the extra space in his three-car garage for winemaking equipment. John says Mary Dee is OK with that.
A new winemaker has learned the ropes.