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President's Message

President’s Message

“Wine and friends are a great blend.” – Ernest Hemingway

 As we roll into March, I am reminded how truly lucky we are as an organization, built on and by volunteers and bound together by our love of wine (and food)! On the one hand, we enjoy wine with loved ones and friends, and on the other hand, we feel strongly about educating people about wine and supporting the California wine industry. They are but two sides of the same lucky coin for us. And this is what makes our organization so unique.

The OC Wine Society has so many types of events, from small gatherings at members’ homes or on Zoom, to larger events such as tastings at hotels, social functions at The Courtyard and wine auctions, to larger public events like the Wine Courtyard at the OC Fair. Each of these events provides us great opportunities to learn about wine, support our scholarship fund, drink and buy wines, and most importantly spend time together!

Volunteers are what make our organization work. It is not easy running an organization with over 1,000 members. And although I proudly lead this organization, I do not do it alone. Behind the scenes are groups of volunteers who keep things running smoothly, from our nine-member board of directors, to official committees that run events, to teams who help with year-round work. There are so many people to thank for their tireless commitment to our organization. Although I don’t have the space to name each and every person, as you read through the newsletter, you will see many of their names and images. You can also find the names of our top volunteers on our website. And next time you are at one of our events, please thank the volunteers you see there.

I invite all of you to volunteer for one or more of our upcoming events.  Doing so will help you get to know other members better, learn more about wine, and even rub elbows with some amazing winemakers.

Here’s a preview of what coming up in the next few months…

Winery Programs –  your chance to meet the winemaker or winery owner and enjoy dinner and a wine tasting at a local hotel – Double Bond Wine (March), San Pasqual Winery (April), San Simeon Wines (April).

Varietal Hours (Every other Monday evening through July) – educational and fun wine tastings via Zoom with informative topics, knowledgeable hosts, and a chance for everyone to share information on what they are drinking. This event goes on hiatus during the OC Fair.

Wine Auction (April) – a great event for a great cause, where you can purchase wine at a fraction of retail.  Tickets include wine and food throughout the event and a chance to bid on great California wines.  Volunteers are needed for this event as well.

Spring Social Event “Let The Good Times Roll” (April) – a celebratory member event with wine, food, music and dancing.

 Pinot Noir Mini-Tasting (April) – an exciting potluck event at members’ homes throughout the OC

 Winemakers’ Events – informative events to help hone your own winemaking skills – Wine Blending Seminar (April), and Kit Wine Class (May).

Bubbles ‘n’ Brunch at the OC Mining Company (May) – a Sunday brunch gathering where members share their favorite bubbly.

OC Fair Commercial and Home Wine Competitions (June) – Our flagship events that make the OCWS such a prestigious organization known throughout California! Please don’t miss your opportunity to volunteer for these amazing competitions!  You won’t regret it.  Preparations begin early for these events.  Watch for eblasts, newsletter announcements and postings on how to get involved!

 Wine Courtyard at the OC Fair (July & August) – Our other claim to fame running the Wine Courtyard for the entire length of the OC Fair with hundreds of volunteers! Make sure you get your RBS certification now and join us behind the counter at the Wine Courtyard!  Volunteering at the Wine Courtyard is one of the best perks of being a member of the OCWS! More information is in this newsletter.

Details for all the events mentioned above can be found in this newsletter and on our website at ocws.org (logon required).  Trouble logging on?  Please contact our office for assistance.

We look forward to seeing you at one of our future events!  Wishing you all the luck in the world this March!

Sláinte (Cheers)!

Carolyn Christian

“Luck is believing you’re lucky!” – Tennessee Williams

Categories
Commercial Competition Volunteer

Commercial Competition Volunteers

We are headed toward the 47th Commercial Competition this year and you should see the signups on our website in March, any day now. Boy this year has gone fast! We understand that these are changing times and conditions, please be flexible, and we can work together to make this another fun event. There are […]

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Categories
Recipes

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

Fall Off the Bone

Babyback BBQ Ribs

Ingredients

Rack of Babyback ribs

1 Tbsp. olive oil

Equal parts sea salt and

ground pepper

Sriracha BBQ sauce or one

with a kick

 Instructions

PREHEAT oven to 275 degrees.

 RINSE and dry the ribs.

REMOVE any membrane material.

 COAT top side of the ribs with olive oil.

SPRINKLE with equal parts salt and pepper.

WRAP and seal ribs in aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet.

 PLACE on center rack and back for 3 to 3.5 hours.

REMOVE and open the top of the foil.

SLATHER on the sauce and broil on center rack for 8 to 10 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling to a caramelized perfection.

 

Categories
Education Wine Education

Wine Wisdom – Montepulciano

Do you like Montepulciano? Are you talking about geography or wine?

If you are talking geography, the town of Montepulciano, located in the Tuscany region of Italy, makes beautiful Vino Nobile di Montepulciano wines (locally called Prugnolo Gentile) using Sangiovese grapes.

There are two basic qualities of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano wines. The higher quality is Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) requiring a minimum of 70% of Prugnolo Gentile Sangiovese grapes whose taste is often referred to as combining the elegance of Chianti Classico and the power of Brunello.

The lesser quality wine, but still delicious, is referred to as Rosso di Montepulciano DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata).  More on the four types of classification for Italian wines (DOCG, DOC etc.) to come in a future article.

If you are talking wine, then that’s Montepulciano D’Abruzzo made from the Montepulciano grape in Italy’s central, eastern region of Abruzzo. In central and southern Italy, Abruzzo is the most productive region after Tuscany. In Abruzzo a majority of the wines are produced by co-ops. Most wines in this area are unremarkable and therefore more affordable, however, you can believe that efforts are being made to change that!

Montepulciano, are you talking geography or wine? Confused? Don’t be, if you like the wine then enjoy it. Cheers!

Do you have a question on wine, submit it to us at office@ocws.org

– Linda Flemins, CL Keedy and the Wine Education Committee

Categories
Scholarship News Winery Industry

Napa Native

Scholarship Winners: Where Are They Now?

By Greg Risling

If you grew up in an area known for producing some of the finest wine in the world, are you pre-destined to work in that industry?

Being raised in the Napa Valley can definitely be a blessing for burgeoning oenophiles. For Gabriel Altamura, 35, he saw all the hard work that went into making a stellar wine time and again.

“I always was part of the workforce, growing up lower-to-middle income,” Altamura said. “To me, wine making is a testament to hard work. It forces you to be present in your environment.”

Altamura’s first passion was cooking. He was able to live and work in Melbourne as a chef for a year before returning back to the United States where he enrolled at Napa Valley College. While taking classes, he got his introduction into winemaking as a cellar worker at Laird Family Estate.

He then learned the trade and his interest grew while working part-time at Groth Vineyards & Winery. Imagine getting to walk among rows of Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay grapes – what some might say is an embarrassment of riches right at your fingertips.

“I felt a greater connection when I did my first harvest,” Altamura said. “You don’t need to be a super intelligent person to make wine. You just have to put in the hard work.”

Altamura eventually took courses at the University of California, Davis, one of the premier universities in the winemaking world. Taking classes at UC Davis afforded him the ability to be resourceful and answers to what seemed like complex questions were readily attainable.

It was at UC Davis where Altamura received a scholarship from the Orange County Wine Society. Getting the financial help alleviated the stress and allowed him to focus on his studies, he said.

“It was a really special moment for me and I will always be grateful,” Altamura said. “It’s nice to see people who you don’t know, rooting for you.”

In 2022, Altamura received his degree from UC Davis in enology and viticulture. Since then, he’s been busy working at JH Wine Consulting in the Bay Area. Founded by esteemed winemaker Jean Hoefliger of Alpha Omega fame, the company does a little bit of everything – managing vineyards, sourcing grapes for certain labels and helping build a brand.

Altamura’s days are definitely busy. He oversees five satellite locations, sampling and analyzing the grapes and controlling inventory to ensure JH customers get the best results. He said a year’s worth of experience at JH Wine Consulting feels like it would take three years somewhere else.

Altamura knows the stereotypes that comes with the Napa tag. He is somewhat conflicted because while Napa is so alluring for wine enthusiasts, as a native is can be somewhat constricting.

“It’s like if you grew up in Bordeaux – it’s all you know,” he said. “You need to put out a good Napa cab or what else are you doing here?”

He hopes to one day to run his own operation. He believes that his generation – and the generations who follow – will have to deal with the challenges of climate change and how to best grow grapes under those conditions.

For now, Altamura is focused on producing exemplary wine that is served in restaurants and homes across California and abroad.

“There is no shortage of good wine,” he said. “I think one of the big challenges is how do you get noticed?”

Categories
Members Corner

President’s Message

Heart from pouring red wine in goblet isolated on white

By Carolyn Christian

We are off to an amazing start for 2024 with several stellar OCWS events in January, including an amazing Bubble ‘n’ Brunch at the Citrus City Grille and the Winery Program featuring Once and Future Wine Company and veteran winemaker Joel Peterson.

Both events sold out! We also hosted two fun and informative Varietal Hours featuring new wines for the new year and hard-to-pronounce varietals. Our quality wine programs are reflective of our 48 years of experience and our dedicated volunteers who make our events such great successes. It truly warms my heart to lead this amazing organization!

February Events

February is the month dedicated to LOVE and nothing says LOVE like wine! This month promises to be another great month for OCWS events that you will just LOVE – with a winery program from award-winning Bella Grace Vineyards and a mini-outing at the local DeFalco Family Wines.

We highly recommend calling the OCWS to be put on the waitlist for our events, as we do have cancellations and try to accommodate as many people as possible. Our next mini-tasting—Old World Europe vs. California wines—still has spots available, so sign up soon. And everyone is always welcome to participate in our Monday evening Varietal Hours via Zoom. February’s themes are Bordeaux and Women of Color wines.

 Future Events

We have dozens of upcoming events beyond February, but they do sell out, so please check the newsletter for information on future events and sign up on our website as early as possible!

Future events include more Winery Programs (through May), the Spring Social on April 6, the Wine Auction on April 20 and the next Bubbles ‘n’ Brunch on May 5.

For those who want to try their hand at making wine, the Winemakers’ Group provides education, equipment and guidance.

Details for all the events mentioned can be found in this newsletter and on our website at OCWS.org (logon required). Trouble logging on? Please contact our office for assistance.

Volunteer Opportunities

Our organization is more than just fun wine events. We are an all-volunteer organization that puts on incredible wine events! On behalf of the OCWS, I would like to thank everyone who contributes their time to the organization each year.

The number of volunteer opportunities with OCWS are endless! Consider volunteering at one of our events for set up, check in, pouring wine or clean up. We have dozens of volunteer opportunities for our larger events as well. The Wine Auction, OC Fair Commercial Competition, OC Fair Home Wine Competition and Wine Courtyard at the OC Fair have both active and sedentary positions. These events provide unique experiences to learn more about wine, meet OCWS members and winemakers and share in the organization’s success.

To volunteer for an event, please check the event articles posted online for instructions on how to volunteer or contact the event chair.

 Communications

It is important to stay informed of our upcoming events. We communicate with our membership through Constant Contact, the announcement of our monthly newsletter, weekly upcoming event reminders and emails on specific events. If you are not receiving these announcements, please check your spam folder or contact our office for assistance. While your logon to our website is only available using the primary member’s email, our eblasts are sent to both members and co-members, if we have emails for each on file. Please log on to your OCWS account to check your member and co-member emails listed in your profile.

We look forward to seeing you at one of our future events!  Happy Valentine’s Day to you all!

 

Categories
History Members Corner

OCWS History & Fun Facts

The OC Wine Society has been around since the mid-1970s and was founded by a group of home winemakers. Over the years, we have developed into one of the largest wine enthusiast groups in the nation. As we approach our 50th anniversary, the History Committee is gathering information to share about our organization’s history.

The number of entries in the OC Fair Commercial Wine Competition has varied over the years. In the 1980s, we even had 16 wine coolers entered into the competition.

The committee is asking members to share their historical photos, event programs and fond memories. This month we would like to encourage long-time members to help us gather old paper issues of our newsletter, The Wine Press, from 1976 to 2005. You can either scan a good-quality copy of the newsletter or bring it to us to scan for you. Please contact us if you have any historical information to contribute.

–Carolyn Christian, Hank Bruce, Jane Goodnight, Linda Flemins, OCWS History Committee

Categories
Scholarship News

Spotlight on Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

 California State Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo has a wine and viticulture program in their College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences. This program is the largest in the nation and combines the study of cultivating wine grapes with the study of wines, winemaking and the wine business.

 The campus has a 14-acre vineyard for students to practice successful strategies needed to understand all aspects of winemaking in the fertile California coastal region. Students also learn about beverage compliance and understanding the many complex rules and regulations of the industry.

 Many of Cal Poly’s students have gone on to work as winery founders and owners, viticulturists, enologists, production assistants and cellar workers, as well as, many other areas of management and marketing associates.

 The OCWS support of the Cal Poly Program is greatly appreciated and in 2023 the OCWS contributed $5100 to their general scholarship fund in the wine and viticulture program.

 Each month we will be highlighting one of the colleges or universities supported by the OCWS scholarship fund.

Just a friendly reminder there is always time to make a donation to the OCWS Scholarship Fund for 2024. There are two ways to donate:

1.     Mail a check – Complete your check using the same instructions as above, and mail it to the OCWS office at OCWS  P.O. Box 11059  Costa Mesa, CA 92627  Attn: Scholarship Fund. A donation letter will be sent to you.

2.     Donate Online – Log on to your account at OCWS.org and go to the scholarship donation page: OCWS.org/product/scholarship-donations/. You can make your donation online and print a receipt for tax purposes at the same time.

 –Damian J. Christian, OCWS Scholarship Chair

Categories
Recipes

Chef of the Evening

During the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, OCWS member and self-proclaimed chef Denise Scandura got busy in her kitchen. She started a blog, titled it Dishes by Denise and aspired to post a recipe every day. Her Chicken Pot Pie was one of them. The dish also garnered Chef of the Evening honors at the Gold Medal Mini-Tasting last fall.

Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb. chicken breasts

3/4 stick of butter

7 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

3 cups chicken broth (left over from cooking chicken in the crock pot)

1/2 cup of heavy cream 12 oz. frozen vegetables (carrots, peas, corn and green beans)

Salt and pepper

Paprika

Egg

Premade pie crusts (2)

Instructions

ADD chicken breasts to slow cooker in a single layer. Cook on low 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours. Let cool then shred. Be sure to save the broth from the chicken.

PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees.

MELT butter in an oven-safe pan, then add the flour, stirring constantly until it becomes a roux. This takes a few minutes; wait until it becomes slightly brown.

SLOWLY add the warm broth and cook until the mixtures thickens, then add heavy cream (or half & half).’

HEAT vegetables in microwave on high 4-5 m

Categories
Education Wine Education Wine Wisdom

What does “% ABV” on my Wine’s label mean?

Winemakers are required by federal and state laws to list the alcohol level of a wine on the wine’s label. And “% ABV” stands for percentage alcohol by volume. Since wine labels get printed before final alcohol levels can be measured, California laws permit some leeway on the stated alcohol level.

 

If your wine’s label states 14% ABV or less, the allowed variance is 1.5%, and if the label states 14.1% ABV or higher, the allowed variance is 1%. So, a wine labeled 14% ABV can be as high as 15.5% or as low as 12.5% and a wine labeled 12.5% ABV can be as low as 11% and as high as 14%, while a wine labeled 14.1% ABV can be as high as 15.1% and as low as 13.1%.

 

Too much math? Nevermind. If you like the wine then enjoy it. Cheers!

 

Do you have a question on wine, submit it to us at office@ocws.org?

 

— Linda Flemins, CL Keedy, Wine Education Committee