Categories
Recipes

Chefs of the Evening

Egyptian Barley Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Chef was Mary Dee Kienstra using a recipe by Once Upon a Chef, Jenn Segal

Inspired by the flavors of Egypt, this gorgeous barley salad is adorned with feta, scallions, pistachios, raisins and pomegranate seeds.

Servings: 6 to 8

Ingredients

  • 1½ cups pearl barley (do not substitute hulled barley or hull-less barley)
  • Salt and pepper
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
  • 2½ tablespoons pomegranate molasses (see note)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro (parsley may be substituted)
  • ½ cup golden raisins
  • ½ cup unsalted shelled pistachios or walnuts, chopped coarse
  • 4 oz feta cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes
  • ½ cup scallions, green parts only, thinly sliced (you’ll need 4 to 6 scallions)
  • ½ cup pomegranate seeds (substituted with dried cranberries because pomegranate seeds were not in season)
  • Instructions
  • Bring 4 quarts water to boil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add barley and 1 tablespoon salt, return to boil, and cook until tender, about 45 minutes, or according to package instructions. Drain barley, spread onto rimmed baking sheet, and let cool completely, about 15 minutes.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon, cumin, and ¼ teaspoon salt.
  • Add the barley, cilantro, raisins, and pistachios (or walnuts) and gently toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread barley salad evenly on serving platter and arrange feta, scallions, and pomegranate seeds in separate diagonal rows on top. Drizzle with extra oil and serve.
Categories
Education Wine Education Wine Wisdom

Roll Out the Barrel

The transportation of wine became an opportunity looking for an answer once wine consumption moved beyond the vineyard and winery locations. The evolution of transporting wine started with using animal skins which often leaked and allowed the wine to oxidize and spoil. Terracotta amphorae quickly became the animal skin replacement and solved many problems. In fact, amphorae were so effective that recently found ship wreaks and uncovered tombs contain amphorae 1000’s of years old that still contain remnants of wine. However, the weight of the amphora filled with wine, which took two people to carry, and its shape with the pointed bottom, which made standing an amphora upright difficult, lead winemakers to look for another solution. Enter the barrel.

Categories
History

A History of the Board of Directors

The 50-year history of the Orange County Wine Society cannot be told without acknowledging the women and men who have served on its Board of Directors. The board has always been the heart and soul of the OCWS—the ultimate volunteers, dedicating their time and talents to keep the organization thriving. In this overview, I’d like to share some of the remarkable people who have led us over the decades and the incredible commitment reflected in their years of service.

The very first board was made up of just five members: Bill Lawson (President), Bill Owen (Vice President), Brant Horton (Treasurer), Kathi Horton (Secretary) and Boardmember Jerry Mead—yes, that Jerry Mead! By 1977, the board expanded to include Jim Graver (President), Brant Horton (Vice President), Judy Collins (Treasurer), and Kathi Horton (Secretary), along with members Bill Owen and Jerry Mead. From 1978 to 1984, the board grew to seven members, and in 1984 it expanded again to nine—a number that remains in place more than 40 years later.

Today, board members are elected to three-year terms and may serve two consecutive terms before stepping aside for at least one year. Some return after a break, while others retire from service. In the past 49 years, 91 people have served on the OCWS Board, collectively contributing 423 years of leadership. About 70% of board members have been men and 30% women. Eight married couples and one parent-child pair have also served on the board, though not usually at the same time.

Among those who have given the most years are Rich Skoczylas who holds the record with 15 years of service, followed closely by myself at 14. Four others—Charley Owen, Dennis Esslinger, Jim Beard and John Goodnight—each dedicated 12 years, while Fran Gitsham and Bob Prill have both served 10.

The presidency is one of the most demanding roles, requiring countless hours each week. Only one individual, Dennis Esslinger, has served four years as president. Three others—Jim Beard, Fran Gitsham and John Goodnight—each held the office for three years. Twelve people have served two years and 13 have completed a single year.

The role of vice president has often been a stepping-stone to the presidency. Of the 28 vice presidents in our history, Charley Owen served the longest at five years, followed by Larry Graham at four and Kevin Coy, Barbara Perez and Bill Redding at three. Eight served two years and the rest held the office for one.

Treasurers have been fewer in number—just 21 of them over five decades. John Goodnight stands out with nine years of service, followed by Mel Jay with seven, Tim Morgan with five and Fran Gitsham with four. Others served shorter terms of one or two years.

The secretary role, though quieter, is essential for maintaining the organization’s records. I was surprised to discover I’ve served the longest—eight of my 14 board years were spent as secretary. Founding member Kathi Horton follows with six years, while Rich Skoczylas served five and George Cravens four.

In addition to the officer roles, all board members contribute to the organization by chairing events and programs. As I conclude my term as president this year, I want to thank my fellow board members for their dedication—the current board alone represents 54 years of combined service. And to those who came before us, we owe deep gratitude for building and sustaining the OCWS for nearly half a century.

Categories
Members Corner

A Fond Fair-Well

What happens when you get more than 200 volunteers working nearly 1,500 shifts, pouring over 7,000 bottles of wine?

Another successful year at The Courtyard at the OC Fair!

Over the course of 23 days, the Orange County Wine Society educated fairgoers, featured wineries from across the state and welcomed new members.

The year-round efforts of The Courtyard Committee paid off in spades. Helmed by OCWS Board Member and Courtyard Chair Fred Heinecke, the committee comprised of nearly 20 dedicated members worked tirelessly to make the annual fair run a seamless affair.

While volunteers look forward to earning free vouchers to taste award-winning wines or a host of varietals, here is a different kind of taste worth savoring:

There were 41,644 transactions, 208 volunteers who worked 1,486 shifts. There were 7,505 tastings of award-winning wine, 11,405 varietals, 2,849 Champagne splits, 2,600 glasses of premium red and 3,751 glasses of premium red.

One hundred and thirty-seven bottles of red wine were sold, while there were 156 bottles of white wine sold.

Concert specials, you ask? There were 2,887. Nearly 2,000 glasses of house wine were poured and the Taste of Fair weighed in with 2,045.  And 47 cases of Govino glasses were sold.

The best-selling white wine was the 2024 Dry Creek Sauvignon Blanc at 53 cases and the performing red was the 2022 Eberle Cabernet Sauvignon at 44 cases.

Joining the OCWS ranks were 179 new members – 53 dual memberships and 73 single memberships.

Sixteen seminars were held and 10 of those were sold out. Even more promising is that most of the seminars were nearly comprised equally of curious fairgoers and OCWS members.

Over at the Featured Winery Program, Liz and Lloyd Corbett did another fantastic job of bringing 15 wineries to The Courtyard. If you didn’t get to visit the booth during the weekend, you missed out on some screaming deals.

Bella Grace Winery offered 30 percent off and a flat shipping fee. Sculpterra gave half off a case and only $25 shipping, while Macchia gave steep discounts on their entire selection of wines, with one OCWS member, who also is a Macchia club member, to exclaim that the deals at the OC Fair were better than the club discounts. Eberle offered a 20 percent cut to everyone and a 40 percent discount to military and police. Wine Guy and Wine Gal Winery offered a second case of wine free with a purchase of a case of wine for $450.

All that to say that the Featured Winery Program raked in $30,361, 31 percent higher than in 2024, with the proceeds going to the OCWS Scholarship Fund. And good news! Eberle, Sculpterra, Macchia, San Simeon and Bella Grace have already signed up to return in 2026.

Combined with the $16,586 collected in the donation jars and credit card tips, nearly $47,000 was raised for the Scholarship Fund – and that doesn’t even account for the counter sales, which will be revealed at the Annual Business Meeting.

To all those who helped at the fair, the OCWS board and The Courtyard Committee extend a heartfelt thanks and appreciation. For those who haven’t yet volunteered, there will be no better time to experience the fun and camaraderie the fair provides next year as the OCWS celebrates its 50th anniversary.

Categories
Members Corner

President’s Message

By Carolyn Christian

It has been an incredible year for the Orange County Wine Society. On Aug. 2, OCWS graced the front page of the OC Register. What a truly proud moment to receive such recognition from our local newspaper. The headline read, “Afficianados Take Their Wine Seriously,” and the story covered  many aspects of our organization including The Courtyard operations and Wine Seminars during the OC Fair, the Commercial Wine Competition, the OCWS Scholarship Fund and much more. While the article captured all the work we do, it was the photos that captured another aspect of our organization: all the joy we bring to people. Whether it is helping increase sales of the limited production and boutique wineries that enter our competition, to the students who benefit from our scholarships, to the general public who simply feel a sense of happiness when tasting the amazing California wines we serve.  What we do truly pairs wine education and fun and binds us together.

The Courtyard

The Courtyard has been one of many success stories this year. While the wine industry continues to see a decline in sales across the country, our numbers have increased. We owe many thanks to Fred Heinecke, Fran Gitsham and all of those who helped make the The Courtyard at the OC Fair happen. We had a record-breaking year, raising funds and recruiting members. A special shout out to Liz and Lloyd Corbett and their team for the amazing Featured Winery Program to support our Scholarship Fund and to Ed Reyes and Sara Yeoman and their team for the incredible wine seminars.

Board Elections and Bylaw Changes

Each September, we have board elections to replace three outgoing board members and present any proposed bylaw changes to the membership for a vote. This year the terms are ending for Rich Skoczylas, Linda Flemins and John Lane. I would personally like to thank Rich, Linda and John for their years of service to the organization. Candidate statements are posted on our website, and you will have an opportunity to hear them speak at the Annual Business Meeting. Ballots will be emailed in September. Now is a good time to log on to your account to confirm your email address.

50th Anniversary

Next year marks our 50th anniversary as a nonprofit organization. We would appreciate your input and ask that you share your memories of the organization by going to OCWS.ws/50th and completing our survey. Look for more information next month on our 50th Anniversary Fund with your chance to donate to preserving the OCWS archives for the future and obtaining our 50th anniversary logo merchandise.

Closing

As I close this year as president of this remarkable organization, I am reminded of what an amazing group of people we have. Whatever our backgrounds or beliefs, we all share a common love of wine and the willingness to share our wine journey experiences with each other. It always astonishes me (and others) that this organization is made up of over 1,000 members who come together to put on such amazing events.  or those new to the organization because of the OC Fair, I welcome you to this organization and wish you all a wonderful wine journey. Cheers to all!

Categories
Members Corner

New Member Friend Program

Welcome to OCWS! We’re excited to have you as a member and want to ensure you feel supported and connected from the very start.

What Is the New Member Friend Program?

The New Member Friend Program is designed to help you get the most out of your OCWS experience. As a new member, you can be paired with a New Member Volunteer who will guide you through your first events, answer your questions and provide a friendly face to greet you.

How It Works

  • Are you interested in attending an event but unsure how to sign up, what to bring or how things work?
  • Do you have questions about your membership or upcoming activities?
  • Would you like someone to meet you at an event and help you get oriented?

If so, simply contact the OCWS office at office@ocws.org and let us know you’d like to participate. Please include your preferred form of communication (text, phone or email), and we’ll match you with a New Member Volunteer who will reach out to you directly.

Participation in the New Member Friend Program is completely optional.

Discover OCWS Events

To explore all OCWS events and sign up, visit our OCWS Events Page. Please log in to your account to view event details and register. If you have any trouble with your account, our website experts at the OCWS office are here to help—just email office@ocws.org or call (714) 708-1636.

We’re Here for You

Our goal is to welcome you and help you make the most of your OCWS membership. Don’t hesitate to reach out—we’re glad you’re here.

–Alice Polser, OCWS Membership Member Liaison

Categories
Members Corner

JOIN OCWS Wine Searchers Group

Members join the Wine Searcher Group on the OCWS Facebook page and accept the challenge to taste the 150 different varietals that were judged at this year’s OCWS Commercial Wine Competition.  Then share your experiences with your fellow Searchers! Get the list, available of the Facebook group page, and start exploring!

Categories
Members Corner

Scholarship Update

OCWS aims to reach $1 million in donations

Currently, the OCWS scholarship fund has awarded over $946,000 since 1981. We have a goal to reach the $1 million dollar mark for our 50th anniversary in 2026.  This is just a friendly reminder that the OCWS is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) and contributions to our scholarship fund are tax deductible.  (But please check with your tax expert). Don’t wait until the end of the year! It is a good time to make a donation to the OCWS Scholarship Fund.  There are several 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 Christian, Scholarship Chair

Categories
Education Wine Education Wine Wisdom

Wine Wisdom

Wine and Food Pairing

We have just completed a very successful Courtyard at the 2025 OC Fair that included more than a dozen wine seminars, many of which were structured to explain and illustrate the art of wine and food pairing. Our members leading the seminars paired wine with fair food, BBQ, snack food and cheese. Sparkling wine was paired with sweets and grapes with grains. The pairings all sounded like fun and it can’t be that difficult, matching wines with different foods, can it? Oh yes it can and congrats to our members who successfully developed and led the seminars, because wine and food pairing, something that has been going on for centuries, is not an easy task.

Given that from the beginning of time, food and wine were consumed together and there was probably no attention given to matching the food with the wine or the wine with the food. What local food and wine you had was what you consumed. But in essence this was pairing. One of the many approaches to food and wine pairing today is regional/geographic proximity of the items paired. An actual concerted effort to pair food and wine started in Europe when taverns and inns evolved into restaurants. The origin of the word restaurant comes from the French word, “restaurer,” which loosely translates to “provide food for.” It was during this development of restaurants, with the increased use of tableclothes, plates, knives, forks, spoons and glasses, that the basic concepts of drinking red wine with meat, white wine with fish and fowl and sweet wine with dessert were adopted. Pairing had begun.

Wine and food pairing began in Europe with the epicenter being France. In fact, the historical relevance of the French structured meal matching food and wine is so important that in 2010 UNESCO added, “The gastronomical meal of the French – the art of the pairing of food with wine” to its Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage. It was during the 1920s and 1930s that the matching of culinary dishes with wine started to become a science, as well as an art. Numerous culinary, scientific, geographic and historical books were being written. Even though many of the pairings of the Middle Ages had some medicinal basis, the new “rules” for pairing were changing all of that.

But it really wasn’t until the 1980s that interest in food and wine pairing increased in the United States. Restaurants started to promote wine dinners, food magazines suggested pairings and wineries were making culinary suggestions on their wine bottle labels.

What, however, are the “rules” or proposed suggestions to pair food and wine? When you look for help to answer that question there is no shortage of expert advice.  Here is a non-exhaustive list of some suggestions that I found when looking into this subject:

Some of the above you will notice are still the pairing suggestions of old. But as is so often true, there is no stopping creativity even when trying to pair the right wine with the right food. New pairing suggestions have been developed using scientific/chemical analysis to build molecular flavor harmony. Krug Champagne has added specially composed music to the equation in an effort to create harmonious pairings. Specific bottles of Krug Champagne Grande Cuvee have a code that allows you to hear the paired music. And when all else fails check with Artificial Intelligence. The wine “paired” with prime ribs of beef – full bodied red with high tannin such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Malbec or a Bordeau blend; and for filet of sole cooked in butter, lemon and herbs – a light crisps white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio or a dry, unoaked Chardonnay like Chablis. Not bad pairings but even AI uses the old rules – red with meat and white with fish.

However, to paraphrase Tim Hanni, a Master of Wine, the diner’s taste preferences should be matched to the wine not the food. And I agree. I often say my favorite wine is the one in my glass. When it comes to wine and food pairing, experiencing as many different pairings as we could with the wine seminars is fun and educational and a good basis to build on. We can each choose a wine to pair with our meal.  Will it always be a perfect or even good pairing, perhaps not. But when you find a wine you like, open it, and if it pairs well, so much the better. Just enjoy it. Cheers!

–C.L. Keedy, Wine Education Committee

Categories
Featured Wineries

The French Connection

When Stephanie Burtin moved to Yorba Linda and eventually learned about the Orange County Wine Society, she knew she found a place where she could meet like-minded people.

Born in Lyon, France, Stephanie was a chemical engineer by trade but she moved to Orange County with the intention of starting her own business — something she had always dreamed of doing. Moving to the U.S. gave her the perfect chance to launch Osprey Boutique Travel, which brought together her two passions: wine and travel.

Tapping into her French roots, Stephanie specifically designs trips for those wanting to explore the various French wine regions. She takes pride in the curated experiences that clients seek, whether it’s visiting centuries-old castles in Loire Valley, enjoying a wellness journey in Provence or discovering hidden wineries in Burgundy. She is able to unlock the gems of each region to a traveler’s liking.

“It’s really geared to what people want,” she said. “It’s very customized and personalized to match a client’s preferences. People come to us because we are not doing business as usual.”

From an early age, Stephanie learned about the value of good food as she and others who grew up with her were immersed in agriculture. Eventually with the assistance of a sommelier, she was introduced to the nuanced world of wine and the importance of pairing food with a specific varietal.

When she decided to start her business four years ago, she said the way to separate her business and to really stand out was providing wine journeys that were truly authentic experiences. In that vein, she often travels to France herself and works with Michelin-star chefs or finds off-the-beaten-path wineries that don’t often open their doors to the public. 

Pairing food and wine “is the French way of life,” she said. “It’s social. It’s about community. It’s about understanding how wine from vineyards only five minutes away from each other can taste totally different.”

Just as OCWS seeks to educate those who join the organization, so does Stephanie who says clients come back to the United States with a greater appreciation of the French winemaking ways. Usually, the biggest takeaway is having people understand how vital the terrior – the environmental factors such as climate, soil and location – can influence the wine’s character.

“There are so many regions and you really never taste the same wine,” she said. “For us in France, wine is an agricultural product and there’s a diversity there.”

Stephanie has come to enjoy the array of wines in California. Her favorite is Petite Sirah, a grape that isn’t found in France, and she also enjoys Zinfandels. She said there’s never a bad time to open a bottle of California wine.

As she continues to bridge the path for Americans to visit her native country, Stephanie is grateful she’s able to share her heritage and appreciation of wine with others.

“It’s a product that comes from a fruit and you are able to create something really special,” said Stephanie, who gets the occasional goosebump when asked to describe her love of wine. “Wine is so diverse and has so many possibilities that can be enjoyable.”