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 […]
Ensure that your mailing address (OCWS website, My Profile) we have on file is correct to receive Courtyard information and fair credentials. A Responsible Beverage Server (RBS) Certification is required to sign up and work at The Courtyard. Please make sure your RBS certification is completed before sign-ups start so you can be confirmed for […]
INGREDIENTS
1 box Betty Crocker chocolate
fudge cake mix
1/4 cup water (warm to bloom chocolate
and Zin)
1/2 cup canola oil
3 eggs (room temperature)
3/4 cup Carol Shelton Black Magic Late
Harvest Zin
Frosting
2 cups powdered sugar
3 tsp. cocoa powder (I use Ghirardelli)
1 stick of butter (room temperature)
1/4 cup Carol Shelton Black Magic Late
Harvest Dessert Wine
INSTRUCTIONS
Some say the name was changed from Sauvignon Blanc to Fume Blanc because Fume Blanc was an easier name to pronounce. Others say vintners simply used the name they thought customers would like best and therefore would be more likely to buy. Still others say it was a stroke of marketing genius. They are referring to Robert Mondavi, a winemaker, winery owner and a name now synonymous with fine wine from Napa Valley. In the late 1960s Robert Mondavi perceived Sauvignon Blanc to be a bland, uninspiring varietal so he oaked it, in other words, he created a Sauvignon Blanc style that was oak-aged giving it a soft smoke and flint taste. This oak-age is typically obtained by using “neutral” or older blanc oak barrels that are also referred to as white American oak barrels which have been used multiple times, so they do not impart intense flavors of vanilla or toast.
To set his oak-aged Sauvignon Blanc apart, Robert Mondavi essentially rebranded his Sauvignon Blanc by naming it Fume Blanc. He borrowed Fume from Pouilly-Fume, in reference to Pouilly Fume from the Loire Valley. Fume means smoke in French, and “Blanc,” is the French word for white. The term Fumé Blanc, coined by Mondavi, completely changed the perception of Sauvignon Blanc in America and signaled a new, more serious style of Sauvignon Blanc. For decades the term Fume Blanc has been used by wineries in California and Washington to market Sauvignon Blanc and differentiate a style of wine made with oak ageing.
Because Robert Mondavi did not trademark the term Fume Blanc, others could use it and use it they did. For example, the Dry Creek winery calls their Sauvignon Blanc Fume Blanc, yet they do not oak-age their Sauvignon Blanc. Today, Sauvignon Blanc and Fume Blanc are considered synonymous. In addition, today fewer Sauvignon Blancs are labeled Fume Blanc due to changes in the market and marketing.
So, is there a difference between Sauvignon Blanc and Fume Blanc? Both are made from Sauvignon Blanc grapes, yet one answer is, it all comes down to the winemaker’s intention and style.
Sauvignon Blanc is used to produce some excellent white wines, ranging from the light and flinty wines of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume grown in the Loire Valley, to the pungent and grassy varietal wines of Australia and New Zealand, to the light smokey or tropical tastes from California.
Old World versus New World
In general, Sauvignon Blanc grown in Europe is referred to as Old World and Sauvignon Blanc grown in other countries such as the United States, New Zealand and Australia is referred to as New World.
Color – Old World Sauvignon Blanc has a pale yellow-green to straw yellow color while New World Sauvignon Blanc has a bit darker color.
Aroma – Old world Sauvignon Blanc has an aroma of subtle earthiness, mostly grassy herbaceous fruit of lime and tart apple. New world Sauvignon Blanc has a lush bold fruit character aroma of melon, pear and peach. Sometimes a whiff of the pungency of grapefruit or lime is detected.
Taste – Old World Sauvignon Blanc has a taste of tart, tangy, sour apple with a bit of subtle earthiness while New World Sauvignon Blanc (grown in a warmer climate) has a taste of richer, riper, peach and melon with a little streak of citrus pungency if grown in a slightly cooler climate.
Sauvignon Blanc FUN FACTS:
There is no question that Robert Mondavi rooted Fume Blanc as a classic American white wine. With that in mind, don’t wait for International Sauvignon Blanc day in May, raise a glass now and celebrate not only a wondrous wine, but how with a vision, a winemaker changed the destiny of a grape varietal – wow if that doesn’t make you thirsty…
—Linda Flemins,
Wine Education Committee co-chair
The first Orange County Wine Society newsletter started with an April 1981 publication entitled Free Run. The inaugural issue (Volume 1, Number 1) stated the newsletter’s intention: ‘It is our intention that the Free Run will keep you aware of meetings, activities, goals and accomplishments of the Society.’
In this first publication there was also an article addressing how the name Free Run was chosen. The organization offered an opportunity for their membership to name their newsletter by conducting a contest. The explanation of the name selection was stated as, “We feel it represents one of our Society goals, the free flow of information about wine appreciation, winemaking and California wines.”
Although it was only one page, the first Free Run newsletter presented a brief history of the OCWS; an advertisement of an upcoming Home Winemakers Competition; the mention of a Heitz Cellars wine tasting lead by Joe and Alice Heitz; and coverage of a “Marriage of Food and Wine” gathering at Stox II restaurant presented by Mike Grgich, of Grgich Hills Winery. Finally, there was an offer to members to buy a vehicle license plate frame with the message, “Everything’s Fine With WINE” for just $7.50 plus $1.00 for shipping.
In the mid-1980s once again the membership was asked to name the OCWS newsletter. A contest was held to name the newsletter and the contest winner, Diane Block, was recognized in January 1989 for her prize-winning name, The Wine Press, which still exists today. It was about this time that John Goodnight, a 12-year OCWS board member (Past President and Treasurer for eight years) took over the newsletter publishing from Sharon Spaulding, Secretary on the Board. Prior to John taking over the newsletter, it was not printed consistently. John wanted to make sure that The Wine Press was printed once a month and that came to fruition. In addition, under John’s watch, graphics from The Wine Press won numerous OC Fair ribbons including the Blue Ribbon First Place and a Best of Show award for the Extraordinaire Program.
John reflected that preparing the newsletter was a monumental task. Articles would be prepared using a Word file then cut and pasted on to “paste-up boards.” The newsletter had four pages of double-sided content and they kept the newsletter to about 8 to 12 pages. John led the preparation of The Wine Press for 17 years – quite impressive.
John consistently included a joke page in the newsletter that was comprised of cartoons and light humor sourced from the web. One person complained to the board, so an article appeared on how a vote was taken resulting in a landslide for keeping the joke page.
A not-so-fun fact was how several times, since the cost of postage kept going up, membership dues had to increase to cover the cost of newsletter printing and postage.
The importance of the newsletter cannot be underestimated. Over the years, not only did The Wine Press keep members aware of meetings, activities, goals and accomplishments but it also assisted in encouraging membership renewal.
Finally, The Wine Press has served as an educational vehicle for sharing the wine knowledge of many members. Today, you can read The Wine Press online and in living color on the website, so take some time to enjoy.
Where Spring Meets the Vine
April has arrived and spring is in full swing. The vines are waking up, patios are filling up, and wine always seems to taste better in the fresh air. Capture your April wine moments—whether it’s a relaxed patio pour, a vineyard visit or a quiet glass at sunset. Wherever wine finds you this month, we want to see it.
Each month, the OCWS Photography Committee selects a Photo of the Month featured in the OCWS newsletter and showcased on our website. The winner also will receive a special bottle from the OCWS cellar!
THEME: Wine, Any Way You Pour It
SUBMIT TO: Photo@OCWS.org
RULES: OCWS.org, News, Photos
Wine, Friends & Memories
Feel free to snap some fun, candid moments and share them with us—we’d love to see the event through your lens! These photos are separate from the Photo of the Month Contest (no prizes), but they may be featured in our marketing or on social media. It’s a great way to share your perspective and capture the spirit of our OCWS community.
REMINDERS:
What’s it like for someone who is fortunate enough to blend his love of wine with an occupation of building custom wine cellars?
Just ask Jason Scott who joined the Orange County Wine Society last summer.
The former medical sales representative and a DIY guy landed an opportunity to work in the wine industry when he was hired at Vintage Cellars, a company headquartered in San Diego, which builds luxury wine cellars in a variety of styles, spaces and applications.
Whether the design is traditional, contemporary or modern – or something more unique – the company, which just celebrated its 35th anniversary , works to bring a client’s vision to life.
“Basically we’re making a very large refrigerator and it has to work,” Scott said. “There are so many different options and it really comes down to aesthetics versus capacity.”
Scott, who grew up in Orange County, has been with the company for about five years and has seen a wide array of wine cellars across Southern California. The job is more of a hybrid of sales and design, while dealing with probably the most challenging part of the job – explaining the cost to customers.
“The biggest challenge is having them understand the cost,” he said. “It’s fitting the cellar to what they want and can afford. It’s that expectation and trying to match it to reality.”
Scott said the average cost of a cellar designed and built by his company is around $50,000, but added cellars can be built for less, depending on the space. And for those with no budget … the sky is the limit!
Scott recalls a cellar in Newport Coast that cost $500,000 and another in Rancho Santa Fe that had a 10-foot-high wine wall that was modern and had space for the owner’s magnum bottles. The company also works with wineries who need their own cellar space. Scott said Vintage Cellars is working with Paso-based Daou Family Estates, which has purchased land in southern Tuscany.
Frequently in the higher end homes, Scott says some of his customers don’t care as much about the wine but they know having a wine cellar will help boost a home’s eventual resell value. “It’s kind of expected for certain types of homes,” Scott said
By Fred Heinecke
The 50th annual Orange County Fair Commercial Wine Competition is fast approaching. This marquee event is put on by us, the Orange County Wine Society. The judging will be held May 30and 31 at the Costa Mesa Hilton. Many members volunteer for this huge event that will feature around 2,500 entries with about 100 wine professional judges in panels of five to taste the entries.
There are miles and miles of effort that goes into the logistics of this behemoth event. But the real magic is how all the entries show up in brown paper bags just in the right box and in the right order for the correct judging panel.
The footwork for this near impossible outcome is done by the cataloging crew, headed by Teri and John Lane with past crew chiefs Liz and Lloyd Corbett. The wineries enter their wines online and then ship the entries to the OCWS office. There is no fee to enter; the wineries only need to ship six bottles (yes, you counted right, that is 15,000 bottles of wine to deal with).
The cataloging crew labels each of the six bottles with the correct entry category and a letter A-F. This means, for example, they must know if the 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 5% Malbec goes in as a Cabernet Sauvignon varietal or as a Meritage (this may take a telephone call to the winemaker to confirm their desired category). After the wines are labeled, they are sent to a correctly numbered and lettered box for temporary storage. The A and B boxes are the boxes for the Commercial Wine Competition. The A boxes are for serving the tastes to the judges and the B boxes are transported to the hotel to be available if a bottle has a fault such as a bad cork. Each year we use a handful of the B bottles.
All the boxes are double checked to confirm all the bottles are in the correct box. With the help of the Commercial Competition computer program, the pouring orders are set up with varietals and residual sugar content and new box labels are printed.
During the week before the competition volunteer crews place the 2,500 or so bottles into the labeled paper bags and get them into their final box that is labeled with the panel number and the day it will be served. On Friday, the 5,000 A and B bottles are transported to the hotel and end up on the correct steward table.
If you want to have some fun, meet other members and interesting wine makers and be amazed how it all comes together, volunteer for the 50th annual Commercial Wine Competition.
The results from the Jan. 31 Mini Tasting are in, and it was a dominant night for South American reds. The competition was fierce among the 10 featured wines, but Domaine Bousquet Cabernet Sauvignon from Argentina emerged as the clear victor. Sweeping the board with the top vote in five of six host sites.
Our panel of expert judges were able to identify the crowd-pleasing profile that balanced Argentina’s signature ripeness with the structure of a classic Cabernet.
Taking the second-place silver was another Argentine standout, the El Enemigo Cabernet Franc, which finished five of six sites identifying this wine as their second favorite. This result highlights the rising popularity of Argentine Cabernet Franc, known for its herbal complexity and elegant tannins.
Rounding out the podium in third place was the Nautilus Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand which was the highest rated white wine of the evening, narrowly edged out the Australian Filius Cabernet Sauvignon by just one point. The Nautilus, is praised for its bright acidity and “textural component,” providing a refreshing counterpoint to the heavier reds that led the pack.
Warranting a mention is the South African Chardonnay from Glenelly, which was the only wine other than the Domaine Bousquet to receive top honors at a host site.
As is typically the case with our group, each of the 10 wines were enjoyed and recognized across the six host sites. Despite the variety of regions represented—from the Uco Valley to Marlborough—the evening ultimately belonged to Argentina, which claimed the top two spots and reaffirmed its status as a powerhouse for bold, high-scoring varietals.
I hope everyone enjoyed our little trip around the world. While these wines featured grapes we know well, their unique terroir, altitude, and cultural history should have made them feel simultaneously familiar and entirely new.
—Don Mayer, OCWS Mini-Tasting Chair
Cherryl Baker
2 garlic cloves, halved
2 Tbsp butter
4-5 medium to large russet potatoes, peeled & sliced into ¼ inch slices
12 oz cheddar cheese, shredded (including 6 oz aged cheddar)
12 oz whole milk
12 oz heavy whipping cream
1/8 tsp nutmeg
Salt & ground pepper
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F
Use one garlic clove to rub over the bottom and sides of a 8 X 13 or 9 X 14 glass casserole dish then use 1 Tbsp of butter to grease the dish.
In a medium saucepan, lightly whip the milk, cream and nutmeg. Add the remaining garlic clove. Bring to a full boil, then remove from the heat and set aside.
Arrange potato slices in a single, slightly over-lapping layer, lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper, then add some of the cheese. Repeat until there are a total of three potato & cheese layers.
Pour the sauce through a large fine mesh strainer into the casserole dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and dot with the remaining butter. Lightly cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes uncovered until the top is nicely browned. Serves 9-12
March is here and we are getting ready for the series of sign-ups for The Courtyard. Volunteering to help is an exciting opportunity to meet members, learn about different wines and enjoy the OC Fair.
Cashiers will be able to sit throughout their shift. Stewards work involves standing to carry ice and/or move several bottles of wine up to a heavy case during their shift.
Signing up for the fair will be opened in several phases. All members are required to sign up for a minimum of four shifts. Selecting more shifts is recommended if you a shift you selected was full and closed. Other things to know:
1. RBS Certification is required before signing up for The Courtyard.
2. Manager sign-ups open April 1 at 8 a.m.
3. Cashier and Steward sign-ups open April 15 at 8 a.m.
4. Server sign-ups open May 1 at 8 a.m.
5. All Courtyard sign-ups close on the OCWS website May 31.
6. Shifts will be confirmed in late June or early July. We will do our best to assign members to their selected shifts; however, some members may be asked to work different shifts if needed.
We will have five daily shifts during the 23 days of The Courtyard, Wednesdays through Sundays, July 17 through Aug. 16. The sooner you sign up for your shifts, the greater the opportunity to get the shifts you want. The times of these shifts will be:
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
1 to 4 p.m.
4 to 8 p.m.
8 to 10:30 p.m. (Wed., Thurs., Sun.)
8 to 11:30 p.m. (Fri., Sat.)
Express Bar: 5 to 9 p.m.
Note: The Courtyard closes one hour before the fair closes.
In recent years, the OC Fair has limited daily attendance to a maximum number of guests. One of the benefits of volunteering at The Courtyard is guaranteed fair entry on your volunteer days—and even on days you just want to enjoy the fair—with parking included.
Courtyard Sign-Up Conditions:
—Rich Skoczylas, Courtyard Scheduler