Categories
Members Corner

President’s Message

September 2024 By Carolyn Christian

It is hard to believe that summer is officially coming to an end this month. As I close this year as president, I am reminded of what an amazing group of people we have in this organization. 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 volunteers who come together to put on such amazing events. For those who joined at the OC Fair, I welcome you to this organization that has been a part of my life since the OC Fair in 1986!

Website Upgrade

We have recently gone through a major website software update. A big thank you to Stacey and Wendy Taylor for their dedication to making this transition go smoothly and polishing up the look of the website.

The Courtyard

With the OC Fair behind us, we owe many thanks to Fred Heinecke, Fran Gitsham and all of those who helped make The Courtyard at the OC Fair happen. We broke records this year and had an incredibly successful fundraiser and membership event. 

Annual Business Meeting

For more details on our successes throughout the year, including the Courtyard, please attend the Annual Business Meeting Sept. 6 via Zoom. The OCWS board has found that this format works well for this annual review of the organization’s finances and activities.  Please note that we are adding a new event in October to replace the social aspect of past business meetings.

Board Elections

Each September, we have board elections to replace three outgoing board members.  Candidate statements are posted on our website, and you will have an opportunity to hear them speak at the Annual Business Meeting Sept. 6. Ballots will be emailed in September.  Now is a good time to log on to your account to confirm your email address.

Volunteer Recognition Reception

This Oct. 20, we will hold our first Volunteer Recognition Reception. Please note this is a date change from Sept. 29 to allow us to hold this event in The Courtyard and be able to present the new 2024-2025 Board of Directors. This event replaces the volunteer recognition portion of the Annual Business Meeting. In addition to enjoying appetizers and wine, we will recognize the volunteers who have dedicated so many hours to the organization. Invitations will be sent mid-September to those receiving awards.

Vintage Member Luncheons

We continue to move forward in time with our Vintage Member Luncheons as we prepare for our 50th Anniversary celebration in 2026. Invitations have been sent out through a join date of 2000. If you joined after 2000, look for your invitation in the future as we work through the list. Invitees are helping us gather stories and information about the organization we are compiling into a book.

Other Events

We have a host of other events for you to attend; Hocus Pocus Fall Social, Bubbles and Brunch at The Cannery, Winemakers’ Group Quarterly Meeting and OCWS Outing at Laguna Canyon Winery coming up.

Closing

To all of you who have contributed to this organization this year, I send my heartfelt thanks.  There are too many to mention here, but I look forward to recognizing you Oct. 20. To those who are new to the organization, thank you for joining us. I welcome you to this incredible organization that will bring you new friends and great memories on your wine journey.  Cheers to all!

Categories
Members Corner

OCWS Logo Apparel for Sale at Upcoming Events

Red Tee

Merchandise will be available for sale at the upcoming Fall Social event in October, as well as the New Member Mixer. Aprons and hats (four standard colors) are always available online as they are one size fits most.

But did you know the OCWS logo can be added to other apparel?

If you don’t see a style, size or color that I’m selling, a shirt from home can be an option. The logo looks great on a fleece
vest or denim jacket too! For custom apparel, there is a $15 embroidery fee. Bring your item to an event or drop off in
the OCWS office. Merchandise also will be available at the upcoming winemaker dinners, January through May.

—Courtney, Merchandise Maven

Categories
Members Corner

Chefs of the Evening

Pear Tart and Kumquat Cheesecake

Pear Tart

Ingredients

  • Crust
  • 1/2 cup butter or margarine
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/4 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 cup flour
  • Filling
  • 8 oz. cream cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla
  • 4 cups peeled pears, sliced thin
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds (This tops the torte beautifully, but I have omitted it often, and it’s still delicious.)
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Mix butter, sugar, vanilla, and flour.
  2. Press into bottom of a 10-inch-deep dish pie pan.
  3. Mix cream cheese, egg, sugar, and vanilla.
  4. Pour into pastry-lined pan.
  5. Toss together pear, sugar and cinnamon.
  6. Arrange over cream cheese mixture as desired.
  7. Sprinkle almonds on top.
  8. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes and 350 degrees for 25 more minutes. Allow to cool before removing from pan.

—Recipe courtesy Mary Anne & Eberhard Neutz

Kumquat Cheesecake

Crust:

5 1/2 oz graham crackers

2 1/2 oz sugar

4 oz butter

Cheesecake:

1 lb cream cheese

8 oz mascarpone 

6 1/2 oz sugar

3 1/2 oz sour cream

4 eggs

3 oz heavy cream

8 oz slightly warmed kumquat marmalade

Ganache:

8 oz chocolate

6 oz heavy cream

candied kumquat slices

Mix the crumbed graham crackers with the sugar and warm butter until it forms a ball. Spray a 10” cake pan and put parchment paper circle in the bottom. Apply the crumbs firmly and evenly over the bottom. Pre-bake for 5 minutes at 325.

Mix the cream cheese, mascarpone and sugar with a paddle until completely smooth. Scrape sides often. Add sour cream and blend. Add the eggs one at a time, blending well between each egg. Add cream and marmalade and blend thoroughly.

Spray the sides of the cake pan and coat with sugar. Pour onto the prepared crust and place in a water bath. Bake in a 325 oven until set, about 1 1/4 hour. Check with a toothpick in the center until it is clean when removed.  When completely done, let cool completely and remove from the pan. Chill overnight. 

For the ganache, heat the cream in a saucepan almost to a simmer. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate. Cool slightly and pour over the cheesecake, allowing decorative drips down the side. Place the candied cumquats over the top.

—Recipe courtesy Jim Burk

Categories
Education Wine Education Wine Wisdom

Unusual Facts About Sparkling Wines/Champagne

Hopefully, for most of us the 2024 Orange County Fair (OC Fair) is now another fun memory in our minds – or is it a “bubbly” memory? A “bubbly” memory of explosions of OC Fair food tastes; wine pouring energetic co-workers; and fun, fair fantasies, I mean memories! The 2024 OC Fair is over – time to celebrate! Below are some fun filled facts about the celebratory drink of Sparkling/Champagne: 

1. What was the first commercially produced American sparkling wine made from 100 percent chardonnay grapes?

A. Korbel

B. Gloria Ferrer

C. Schramsberg

D. Scharffenberger

Answer:

C. Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs from Schramsberg Winery in Calistoga, California was first made in 1965 and the first commercially produced American sparkling wine made from 100 percent chardonnay grapes.

2. Because they tend to have a bit more body, which wine style generally goes well with main courses:

A. Roses

B. Bruts

C. Blanc de Blancs

Answer:  A. Roses

3.  True or False: There is no such thing as vintage champagne.

Answer:

False. Vintage Champagne is made from grapes from a single year harvest. Non-vintage Champagne is a blend of grapes from harvests from different years. 

4.  Approximately how many bubbles does a normal glass of Champagne have?

  1. 3 million
  2. 900,000
  3. 2 million
  4. 1 million

Answer:

D. Approximately 1 million. The one million figure comes from Gérard Liger-Belair, PhD, in the department of physics at the University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, in France – he used special high-speed cameras!

5.  The wire cage that holds a sparkling wine cork into the neck of the bottle is called a:

A. Birdcage

B. Stall

C. Helmet

D. Muzzle

Answer: D. Known in French as a muselet or muzzle, the wire cage that holds a Champagne or sparkling wine cork in place is very important in opening a bottle of bubbly safely. The muzzle should not be removed before the cork is eased out. Rather, the muzzle should be loosened (about six turns will loosen it), and then the wire removed with the cork at the same time.

6.  Which of the below sparkling wines is usually NOT made in the traditional method of second fermentation in the bottle?

A. Spanish Cava

B. Italian Lambrusco

C. South African Cap Classique

D. French Crémant

Answer: 

B. Lambrusco is usually what the Italians call frizzante (fizzy), not quite sparkling enough to be considered spumante (sparkling). Most is made by the Charmat method also known as the “Tank Method,” in large pressurized tanks. That said, just a few top Lambruscos are made by the Traditional method.

7. Which sparkling wine is not made in the Traditional Method or Method Champenoise?

A. Crémant d’Alsace

B. Prosecco

C. Cava

D. Franciacorta

Answer: B.

Prosecco is made by the Martinotti, Charmat, or tank method. In this method, the second fermentation (which creates the bubbles) takes place in a large tank. By contrast, in the traditional (Champagne) method, the second fermentation takes place inside each individual bottle. This is one of the reasons Prosecco is relatively inexpensive, while Champagne is relatively expensive.

8.  Most of us know that the bubbles in a sparkling wine or champagne come from a second fermentation process. There are different methods to achieve this second fermentation process. In the Traditional/Classico/Method Champenoise methods a “Liqueur de Tirage” or dosage is inserted inside the bottle. This “Liqueur de Tirage” can be comprised of:

A.  A wine-base and sugar (cane) liquid

B.  A wine-base, sugar (cane), yeasts (indigenous or selected), and the addition of minerals.

C.  A wine-base, sugar (cane), yeasts (indigenous or selected),

D.  All of the above

Answer:  D

9. What are the three main grapes that French Champagne regulations require to be used in making Champagne?

  1. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc
  2. Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir
  3. Chardonnay, Marsanne, Pinot Noir
  4. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier

Answer: 

D. Chardonnay (white), Pinot Noir (red), Pinot Meunier (red)

10. French Champagne regulations require at least 15 months of aging for Non-Vintage Champagnes including 12 months of lees aging before release, but Italian regulations require how many months of lees aging for their Franciacorta?

  1. 18
  2. 22
  3. 15

Answer:

A. Franciacorta must be aged 18 months, 24 months for Rose, 30 months for Millesimato (vintage) and 60 months for Riserva.

11. What region is the largest sparkling wine region in France?

A. The Loire Valley

B. The Rhône Valley

C. Champagne

D.  Provence

Answer:

C. Champagne

12. What region is the second largest sparkling wine region in France?

A. The Loire Valley

B. The Rhône Valley

C. Provence

D. Alsace

Answer: 

A. The Loire Valley. More sparkling wine is made in the Loire than in any other French region except Champagne.

13. This rustic method of making sparkling wine predates the Traditional Method and allows the wine to naturally re-ferment in the bottle causing wine to be carbonated but in more of a frizzante (fizzy) style. The wine is bottled before primary fermentation is finished, without the addition of secondary yeasts or sugars resulting in a cloudy, rustic bubbly that can sometimes smell pretty funky. This method is called:

  1. Pet-Nat
  2. Ancestral
  3. Petillant Naturel
  4. All of the above

Answer:

D. Pét-Nat is a contraction of the French term pétillant-naturel (natural sparkling). Pét-Nat sparklers can be white, rosé, or red and are usually stoppered with a crown cap (just like beer). Because of the way they are made, the sparklers have highly unpredictable flavors.

Next time you drink a glass of sparkling, think of it as what it really is, an explosion of bubbles – celebration bubbles! Cheers!

—Linda Flemins and CL Keedy, Wine Education Committee

Categories
Members Corner

Spotlight on California State University, Fresno

By Damian J. Christian

OCWS funds scholarships for eight California colleges and universities, including California State University, Fresno, which offers bachelor of science degrees in viticulture and enology. Fresno State has the largest commercial winery on a university campus in the United States with their on-campus estate vineyards, crush facility, barrel and bottling rooms. Fresno State has approximately 150 viticulture and enology students per year and many make wine from grapes grown on campus and also from donated grapes from all over the state. Additionally, Fresno State offers a group of courses covering wine appreciation, beverage marketing and salesmanship under their Hospitality Management degree at  Collins College. Fresno State students are very appreciative of the OCWS support, as many of them work several jobs to make financial ends meet during their studies.

Next month we will be highlighting another one of the colleges/universities supported by the OCWS scholarship fund. Just a friendly reminder there is always time to donate to the OCWS Scholarship Fund for 2024.  There are two ways to donate:

  1. Mail a check – Make your check out to OCWS 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.

Categories
Courtyard Featured Member

Master of the Cellar

If you have been in the Orange County Wine Society for some time, you are probably aware of the various positions needed to make the organization run smoothly. But none may be as important – or as cool – as being the esteemed Cellarmaster.

For roughly the past 40 years, the Cellarmaster has been responsible for organizing the cellar and doling out wine gathered from the OC Fair Wine Competition to OCWS events.

The position, which is appointed by the sitting OCWS president, has been occupied by only a handful of the society’s more knowledgeable minds. The honor has been bestowed on Bill Redding, who has served in many roles, including president.

On a recent summer day, as dozens of volunteers worked feverishly to set up The Courtyard for the upcoming fair, Redding himself was busy preparing the cellar for the heavy foot traffic over the next few weeks.

Redding explained it was former OCWS President and Cellarmaster Charley Owen who built the cellar when The Courtyard was being transformed to its current state. Owen got all of the pallets donated that are in each cubby hole. He was meticulous about the cellar design.

Being Cellarmaster is equal parts about doing the small things like checking the cellar’s temperature and cleanliness but also some of the heavy lifting by providing certain types of wines for a host of events.

A major responsibility of the cellar master is to get the wines sorted into lots for the annual auction. This task takes about 10 working days and requires the help of 12 to 14 volunteers each year.

Redding, a former high school science teacher and administrator, said those skills he acquired in the education field have helped him while being Cellarmaster.

The position is part manager, part liaison, all the while keeping track of the wines going in and out of the cellar.

Redding pulled out a big white binder that tracks the order requests submitted for events where wine is being poured such as the Spring and Fall socials and the annual Wine Auction.

“Part of the job is deciding what wines each event gets,” Redding said. “My philosophy is that I give a mix of award-winning and non-award-winning wines that are representative of the Commercial Competition.”

The job also entails a strong knowledge of wine – which means Redding needs to whet his palette with different varietals. .

“For the last 20 years, I have been trying everything I can,” he said. “I don’t turn my nose down to anything.

Being Cellarmaster enhances the enjoyment and the value of wine. You are getting to learn a lot more. It’s like you aren’t reading grade-level books anymore – you are reading college-level books.”

Redding, who has served more than eight years in the role and is helped by Cellar Manager Kevin Coy and Assistant Cellarmaster George Cravens, suggests if anyone ever wants to assume the role that they have a good working knowledge of the Commercial Competition and how OCWS operates.

Redding, along with the other nine previous Cellarmasters, has his name adorned on a cork-lined wine glass rack tucked in the back of the cellar. He appreciates the opportunity afforded to him by being appointed Cellarmaster.

“It’s very fulfilling and has been a privilege,” Redding said. “You get paid with knowledge.”

Categories
President's Message

President’s Message

By Carolyn Christian

Summers in the OCWS mean one thing: the OC Fair is in full swing where hundreds of volunteers work tirelessly to host The Courtyard during the 23-day run.  August marks the midway point of this incredible undertaking. It is a time to reflect on the organization and the dedication of its current members and to look toward the future with the biggest recruitment time for our organization.

Wine Courtyard

A big thank you to Fred Heinecke, Fran Gitsham and all of those who help make The Courtyard at the OC Fair happen. A special shoutout to Les Hodowanec for overseeing the setup crew. If you are one of the hundreds of volunteers, we thank you in advance for your dedication to the organization. If you are not volunteering this year, we encourage you to support the organization and the wineries by purchasing wine and attending the many activities in the Courtyard.

Featured Winery Program

Several years ago, Liz and Lloyd Corbett developed the Featured Winery Program in The Courtyard. The program has grown in popularity and features award-winning wineries from the OC Fair Commercial Wine Competition on Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Proceeds from this program go directly to the OCWS Scholarship Fund. Much appreciation to the Corbetts and their team for hosting this program.

Wine Seminars

The Courtyard would not be complete without the seminars held each weekend of the fair at 1 and 3 p.m. As in past years, Sara Yeoman and Ed Reyes head a team of seminar presenters who present amazing food and wine pairings and expand attendees’ wine knowledge. They definitely deserve a round of applause!

Annual Business Meeting

The Annual Business Meeting will be held on Sept. 6 via Zoom. The OCWS board has found that this format works well for this annual review of the organization’s finances and activities. We are aware that many of you miss the days of the in-person Annual Business Meeting, and we are adding a new event in September to replace the social aspect of past business meetings.

Volunteer Recognition Reception

This September 29th, OCWS will be hosting its first Volunteer Recognition Reception. This event will replace the previous volunteer recognition portion of the Annual Business Meeting and will include food and wine to enjoy as we recognize our many volunteers who have dedicated so many hours throughout the year.  Invitations to those who will be receiving a volunteer award will be sent at the beginning of September.

Membership Special

This is a reminder that we have a great membership special that provides a $20/person credit for new memberships during the fair. This includes memberships purchased through the website through the end of August.  Maybe you have a friend or two who needs a gift membership. Now is the time to purchase it!

OC Fair Commercial Wine Competition

Although the competition is over, committee members are hard at work delivering medals to wineries who won the top awards of Best of Class and Double Gold Medals. You will see photos and posts on Facebook and Instagram throughout the next month or so as they make their way around the state.  Please like, share, and comment on the posts to show your support for the winning wineries.

Marketing and Social Media

The Marketing Committee and its Social Media team have stepped up their game this year, adding several new Social Media campaigns. In addition to the OC Fair and medal delivery posting from the past, you will also notice campaigns promoting wineries by county and other related posts. Please engage with the posts to help promote our award-winning wineries. Feel free to post your travels to wineries on your own social media pages and tag us @ocwinesociety and the wineries.  The wineries love to see our people out enjoying their wines!

Thank You All!

We are so lucky to have over 1,000 members who help run this organization and I am truly honored to serve as president. Please join me in thanking all the volunteers who make this organization what it is today. I hope to see you in August at the OC Fair so we can raise a glass to this amazing organization!  Cheers to you all!

Categories
Recipes

CHEF OF THE EVENING

Seafood Paella on the Grill

  • 1 lb. Kielbasa sausage
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 lb. jumbo shrimp (16 to 20 per pound), peeled and deveined
  • 1 lb. scallops
  • 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 7 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 3/4 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 (8-ounce) bottle clam juice
  • 2/3 cup dry sherry
  • Pinch saffron threads (optional)
  • 1 onion, chopped fine
  • 1/2 cup jarred roasted red peppers, chopped fine
  • 3 cups Spanish Bomba or Valencia rice
  • 1 lb. littleneck clams, scrubbed
  • 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
  • 6 – 8 whole shrimp with heads
  • 6 – 8 stalks asparagus, grilled
  • Lemon wedges

Preparation

Clean shrimp of any dark intestinal tract. Toss shrimp with 1 tablespoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon garlic, 1/4 teaspoon paprika, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in bowl until evenly coated. Set aside.

Repeat seasonings with scallops and set aside.

Grill asparagus and set aside.

For the whole shrimp, remove the legs and antennae.

In A Separate Saucepan

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add remaining garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until garlic sticks to bottom of saucepan and begins to brown, about 1 minute.

Add tomato paste and the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until dark brown bits form on bottom of saucepan, about 1 minute.

Add chicken broth, clam juice, sherry and saffron. Increase heat to high and bring to boil. Remove saucepan from heat and set aside.

For Gas Grill (or stovetop burner)

Place paella pan on grill (turning burners to medium-high) and add a tablespoon of oil. When hot, add Kielbasa and sauté to render some of the fat. Remove Kielbasa and set aside.

Add 1/4 cup oil, and when it starts to shimmer, add onion, red peppers and 1/2 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion begins to soften, 4 to 7 minutes.

Add rice (turning burners to medium) and stir until grains are well coated with oil.

Pour broth mixture over rice. Smooth rice into an even layer, making sure nothing sticks to sides of pan. Scatter Kielbasa around the pan.

When liquid reaches gentle simmer, place shrimp in center of pan in single layer.

Arrange clams in center of pan, evenly distributing with shrimp and pushing hinge sides of clams into rice slightly so they stand up.

Place whole shrimp decoratively in pan.

Cook covered, moving and rotating pan to maintain gentle simmer across entire surface of pan, until rice is almost cooked through, 12 to 18 minutes. (adjust heat to maintain simmer.)

Sprinkle peas and arrange asparagus evenly over paella, cover grill and cook until liquid is fully absorbed and rice on bottom of pan sizzles, 5 to 8 minutes.

Continue to cook, uncovered, checking bottom of pan frequently with metal spoon, until uniform golden-brown crust forms, 8 to 15 minutes longer. (Rotate and slide pan around grill as necessary to ensure even crust formation.)

Remove pan from grill, cover with aluminum foil, and let stand for 10 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

Categories
Scholarship News

Support Future of Winemakers

Each year, the OCWS donates thousands of dollars to eight California educational institutions that have enology, viticulture, wine marketing and culinary arts programs. To date, we have donated over $828,000 over the last several decades.

Scholarship funds come from various sources. Since we are in the midst of the OC Fair, I wanted to highlight how our volunteer work in The Courtyard helps the scholarship fund. First, any tips received at The Courtyard counter go directly to the OCWS Scholarship Fund. Additionally, the proceeds from the Featured Winery Program also go to the Scholarship Fund.

The Featured Winery Program was started several years ago by Liz and Lloyd Corbett and has taken off over the past few years, with representatives from numerous award-winning wineries enthusiastically sharing their wines for this worthy cause. In 2023, the program brought in approximately $16,000 for the Scholarship Fund.

In addition to funds from The Courtyard at the OC Fair, we also accept individual donations for the scholarship fund. There is still time to donate to the OCWS Scholarship Fund for 2024, and there are two ways to donate:

Donate Today

  1. Mail a check – Make your check out to OCWS and mail it to the OCWS office at OCWS 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/ or click here. You can make your donation online and print a receipt for tax purposes at the same time.

— By Damian J. Christian

Categories
Education Wine Education Wine Wisdom

WINE WISDOM

“The Fault, Dear Brutus, is not in our stars…”

Although William Shakespeare is not known as an oenophile, he was more prophetic than he imagined in his somewhat famous line from Julius Caesar. Yes, the fault is not in our stars.

The fault can be in our wine as many learned last month during the excellent Fault Workshop put on by OCWS members Don and Mary Ann Mayer. However, the fault can also be in our terroir.

Two articles, one by Natasha Geiling in Smithsonian Magazine (August 2014) titled “Why Earthquakes Make Napa Wine Taste So Good,” and the other by Elin McCoy in Decanter China magazine (July 2017) titled “Seismic shifts: Wines on fault lines,” delve into the effects of our shifting California soils on the vineyards we visit and the wines we drink.

But shifting soils and quaking barrel rooms are not unique to our home state, and neither is planting vineyards and building wineries on fault lines. You can find this in Oregon, and farther afield the same is true in Eastern France, New Zealand, Australia and Italy.

Is there a perceived benefit that overrides the associated risks? Yes, it’s the soil’s diversity—soil composed of limestone, sedimentary rocks, volcanic rocks and pieces of ancient sea floor millions of years old that has resulted from the formation of fault zones and the faults’ subsequent activity.

This mixture of soils is believed to add to a wine’s aroma and taste complexity.  No scientific data corroborates this belief but some winemakers contend that some of the world’s best vineyards are planted near fault zones.

  1. Which California wine region, shaped by two monumental geological events, 40 million and 30 million years ago, has soil diversity of over 100 variations (equal to one half of the world’s soil orders)? These soil variations enable the growth of a wide diversity of grape varietals.
    1. Napa
    2. Mendocino
    3. Sonoma
  2. How many distinct American Viticultural Areas (AVA) each unique due to its soil and climate does Napa Valley have?
    1. 12
    2. 14
    3. 16
  3. In which Rhone Valley region did the Nimes fault push up limestone slabs, which are rare in the Rhone Valley, to high elevations making terraces where the best Grenache wines come from?
    1. Rasteau
    2. Vacqueyras
    3. Gigondas
  4. In which Southern Oregon AVA is the Abacela Winery’s The Fault Line Vineyard (named for the fault that runs through it)? This vineyard has rocks that are 20 million years old on one side of the fault and rocks that are over 200 million years old on the other side.
    1. Rogue Valley
    2. Umpqua Valley
    3. Applegate Valley
  5. What eastern French wine region lays between two major parallel faults and is crisscrossed by many smaller faults providing a broad soil diversity in a compact area, which may be the reason for the region’s 51 Grand Crus including the well-know Rangen de Thann Grand Cru Vineyard?
    1. Alsace
    2. Jura
    3. Savoie

So don’t get the shakes peering at fault lines, it’s not a tragedy. And remember, it’s no fault of your own if you just find a wine you like and enjoy it. Cheers!

— CL Keedy, Wine Education Committee

Scroll down for answers:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Answers
  1. a
  2. c
  3. c
  4. b
  5. a