Claire Cuccio, Jerry Gatlin, Stephanie Harris, Richard Kehoe, Gordon MacKay, Jeff Price
Pasquale “Pat” Pingitore, Tom Webb
Grand Officers
Robert C. “Buddy” Hagner, Jr., Grand Commander
Gordon MacKay Grand Vice Commander
Claire Cuccio
Grand Treasurer
Tom Webb Grand Administrative Officer
Grand Council
Robert C. “Buddy” Hagner, Jr., buddy@rchagner.com
Gordon MacKay gmackay01@gmail.com
Claire Cuccio claire.cuccio@gmail.com
Tom Webb webbtom@bellsouth.net
Pasquale “Pat” Pingitore prpingitore@gmail.com
Janet Hamilton hamiltonjanet7373@gmail.com
Provosts
Dave Barber, Northeastern US | Provost General dave.barber@earthlink.net
Thomas Storey, Southeastern US | Provost General tbs@esmhe.net
Peter Bosco, Northwestern US | Provost General bred1@att.net
Lois Van Vooren, Southwestern US | Provost General lois.vanvooren@gmail.com
Trish Hagner | Executive Director kov-office@kov.org
Greetings!
We recently held our 2025 Annual Meeting and Delegates Gathering in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Our NC Chapter did a great job of hosting members and guests in that beautiful part of the country. We would invite all members to join us each year for this great get-together. Next year we will be hosted by our Lake Tahoe Region Chapter in Reno, Nevada April 10-13. Please mark your calendar and start making your plans to be there!
I’m happy to share that we have some new Chapter Commanders. In our Gulf Coast Chapter, we appreciate Jonathan Fleming for taking over this important leadership role and thank John Boothby for the job he did growing this to such a dynamic group. Our Nation’s Capital Chapter welcomed Bill Stefan as Ken Haapala stepped down after an amazing run as commander. Ken has also served our Order on the Board, on the Grand Council and as Grand Vice Commander. I’d like to extend my personal thanks for his many years of service to KOV and his support to Bill and his chapter in the future.
Our Austin Chapter celebrated its 25th anniversary with a Grand Assemblage honoring many of its founding members while growing its chapter with six new members. It was an amazing evening!
The “Friends of KOV” program continues to grow with the addition of Parable Wines in Napa Valley. These offers can be found in this issue and on our website under Membership & Benefits and we hope you will be taking full advantage of these great perks.
In the center of this issue, you will find our feature article about the FICB Wine Discovery Tour in Budapest written by our Grand Treasurer Claire Cuccio. What an amazing experience that was for a select group of travelers. These types of events are always top notch and jam packed! Because they are organized by the local brotherhoods, or sisterhood in this instance, they have connections to and knowledge of opportunities you would likely never know about or be able to access. Go! Take advantage of your membership and experience this wonderful world of wine!
Speaking of FICB … some exciting new opportunities have been announced! A private mass at Notre Dame, lunch cruise on the Seine and evening at the Wine Museum in Paris this September, a wine challenge in Japan in May 2026 and a Congress in Switzerland in 2027 are on the calendar. Our International Emissary Pat Pingitore gives you a full report in the following pages.
Don’t forget to check the KOV website for additional benefits and the calendar for invitations to events all across the country. You’ll find so many interesting and unique happenings, meet great people, experience amazing wines and make connections that will make life so much sweeter.
I’m about to hit the road and I sure hope to see you along the way.
Until then,
PER VITEM! AD VITAM!
Robert C. “Buddy” Hagner, Jr., Grand Commander
Gulf Coast
By George Mitchell
Bottle, Bites & Bowties
In September, we came together for Bottles, Bites & Bowties, graciously hosted by Jonathan and Barbara Fleming. The evening featured a fabulous lineup of wines, savory bites to satisfy every palate, and—true to the theme— bowties all around! It was charming, chic, and quintessentially Knights of the Vine.
Scroll through the photos and relive the memories— or see what you missed… and vow to make plans to join in the other fun plans of our great chapter.
A Hauntingly Good Time at
October brought one of our most beloved traditions— HalloWine—and this year’s celebration at The Jackson Pearl in the vibrant, artsy heart of Ocean Springs did not disappoint!
Members arrived decked out in their spookiest, silliest, and most spectacular Halloween costumes, turning the evening into a delightful parade of creativity and laughter. From classic ghouls to clever puns and over-the-top ensembles, the spirit of the season was alive and well—alongside some truly excellent wine, of course.
The Jackson Pearl’s unique atmosphere set the perfect backdrop for our annual fright-night fête. With glasses in hand and festive treats on every table, we mingled, admired each other’s costumes, and enjoyed the kind of camaraderie that makes this chapter
HalloWine continues to be a highlight of the year, and we’re already counting down the days ‘til the next one.
Cheers to good wine, great friends, and a hauntingly fun night!
If you weren’t there, you missed the most festive password-protected soirée of the season! The Knights of the Vine, Mississippi Gulf Coast Chapter, closed out 2024 with a sparkle and a swirl at The Magnolia Room—Gulfport’s swanky new speakeasy where, for one magical evening, the password was “Bordeaux.”
Holiday Cheer Behind a SECRET Door
Yes, we rented the whole place out for our private holiday shindig. The vibe was vintage elegance meets
modern merriment, and our members and guests certainly rose to the occasion. Dressed in their holiday best—velvet jackets, glittering dresses, tartan ties, and Santa-themed accessories—everyone brought the cheer (and the style!) as only our chapter can.
As you slipped through the hidden door into The Magnolia Room, the evening began with a tempting spread of artisanal delights. Charcuterie boards were overflowing, flatbreads were served hot and fresh, and dainty caprese bites added a festive pop of color. The crowd favorite? A decadently whipped brie paired with tangy goat cheese and a kiss of jalapeño honey—sweet, spicy, and utterly unforgettable.
To warm the evening even further, our signature cocktail was a red wine mulled cider, steeped with cozy spices and crowned with a fragrant sprig of rosemary. It was the perfect winter warmer for mingling and merrymaking.
The laughter flowed as freely as the wine, with toasts and cheer echoing throughout the night. New friendships were made, old stories were shared, and the spirit of the season wrapped around us like a warm holiday blanket.
From the twinkle of the lights to the sparkle in every eye, this was a night to remember. Cheers to all who joined us and helped make the evening so magical. Until next year—may your days be merry, your glasses full, and your passwords always lead to a good time!
Lake Tahoe Region
(BRAZILIAN SUMMER BARBECUE)
By Veronica Rollman Kaufman
Saturday, July 20, 2024, was a day of contrasts. Of course, the first question for North Lake Tahoe is…weather. And, yes, of course we had weather. Pouring rain approaching Truckee on Highway 80, pouring rain in downtown Truckee, but, thankfully, bright sunshine at Master Commander Ernie Grossman’s home and gardens. Before I share memories of the event, there are some details to add. First, this Scribe didn’t know she had cousins in Brazil, but she does and they just happened to decide to visit Northern California and Truckee at this perfect moment so joined us. Their attendance added an air of authenticity and they were somewhat surprised, but happy to report that the churrasco, prepared by Ernie’s Brazilian friends/chefs, Rodrigo and Vanessa, was the real thing! But while we were welcoming new family and friends, we were also mourning the absence of a truly dear friend and wife of our gracious host, Master Lady Margaret Lewicki.. As we enjoyed our time together in this beautiful place and Ernie’s well-known hospitality, we realized that it could well be the last time. It was, most certainly, a ying and yang occasion.
OK, now for the event. With the music of Mais Bossa, featuring Marcia Jacoma, vocalist, and Billy Larkin on the piano, we began our Churrasco enjoying appetizers of linguiça, cheese bread, corn fritters and chicken fritters accompanied by Alma Brut NV Sparkling wine made with Moscato and Trebbiano grapes. The main course was Picana…akin to barbeque top sirloin but actually a specific cut of beef not easily found, black beans and rice, vegetable salad and fruit salad accompanied by a 2021 Pinot Noir (Familia Salton Intenso). The dessert was a delicious cake with passion fruit butter accompanied by goiaba com queijo—just try to pronounce this! which is cheese with guava jelly. My Brazilian relatives assured me this was all authentic from the cheese bread to the goiaba com queijo. Many of you would probably be able to read much Portuguese if you know Spanish but forget about pronouncing it! Although with the Caipirinha (a truly potent drink not unlike Moonshine) which accompanied the dessert, one might be able to suddenly be completely fluent in Portuguese!
It was truly a special occasion. One which reminded us all of how important friends and family are and that sharing special times is the spice that makes life special.
DIM SUM
MAKING PARTY
By Stephanie Harris
On September 8, our chapter hosted its annual LOK (Ladies of the Knights) event. Historically, this event had been designated for the gentle ladies of our chapter, but over the years we found more and more knights wanted to attend. Getting back to our roots of this event, we hosted a truly educational class.
The event was held at Rice Box Kitchen which is adjacent to the Discovery Museum in beautiful downtown Reno. Our host was the self-taught cook, Perapol, founder of Gossip Kitchen in San Francisco. Rice Box Kitchen was born from his desire to bring a little San Francisco to Reno. Though his background is in interior design, cooking has always been a passion of his. Immigrating from Thailand to Wyoming, he has fond memories of a childhood spent in the kitchen helping his mother prepare meals. It was their bonding time, and from her he learned how to make everything from curry to tamales.
Our members were met with Asian beers and White Lychee Sangria, provided by Vice Commander Stephanie Harris. Perapol, with his colorful and charismatic personality, led the group in dumpling making. There were three sessions consisting of vegetable, chicken and house secret pork combination. During each session a different style of dumpling was created. All the while Perapol was creating the same dumplings for us to eat and “gossiping” about the town, his roots and the history of dumplings. We then were treated to a “rice box” concoction of chicken rice and vegetables and cooked dumplings. Members helped themselves to more refreshments and the fun banter ensued.
Upon leaving the event, Perapol provided everyone with containers to take their “personally handmade” dumplings home to enjoy on their own or with friends. We all enjoyed the food, the beverages, the time together …. and the gossip!
The Assemblage
October 4, 2024
Picturesque Lodge at Tahoe Donner is always an exciting venue. Located in the outlying mountainous suburban area of the north Lake Tahoe Region it is a destination for visitors as well as being a local attraction. Why? One will always enjoy flawless dining and extraordinary wine.
And to prove the point, here is the unparalleled food and wine pairing we had at our October Assemblage.
The evening, of course, commenced with the ritual induction of our newest members allowing us to welcome Jerrold Zell, Dr. Helen Trop-Zell, Sylvia Romero, and Dr. Martha Russell to our chapter! Our enthronement ceremony was graciously assisted by two members of the Chancellery Chapter, Master Commander Chik Brenneman and Charge D’Affaires Polly Brenneman. This “crossover” is a great example of the breadth of our Order and allowed us to experience that our chapter is not just a local club; no, we are part of something much larger giving us so many opportunities!
HOLIDAY BRUNCH
By Veronica Rollman Kaufman
Happily, some traditions live on, maybe in a different place, a different form, but KOV members and guests of the Lake Tahoe chapter continue to enjoy each other’s company at this traditional ecumenical Holiday Brunch
ur Master Commander, Ernie Grossman, has joined so many of us in choosing to live near the Sierras; trading windshield wipers for snow shovels. And, so, our Vice Commander/Chargée d’Affaires, Stephanie Harris with her shining Knight, Pete Harris, co-hosted with Ernie, the 2024 Lake Tahoe KOV Holiday Brunch at Harris’ lovely new home in Reno. We were joined by many of those members who have stayed in Truckee and environs of North Lake Tahoe as well as Master Commander Chik Chargée d’affaires Polly Brenneman of the Chancellery Chapter in Sacramento.
It’s also a tradition to talk about the weather….but this year was a non-event. Sun, no wind, some of the tougher folk even took their overloaded plates outside onto the back patio of Stephanie and Pete’s home. The menu featured those delectables all of us look forward to every year: bagels and lox with the usual accompaniments and, ham! Lots of other goodies and desserts but the highlight for many is the artistry of Mai Nyguen and potato latkes with apple sauce and sour cream. Mmmm … always the best! The Harrises provided both white and red wine sangrias to accompany the yummies at brunch.
And so, the events of 2024 have, reluctantly, come to a close for this chapter. We are already looking forward to the 2025 adventures and invite all KOV members to come for a visit!
Monterey Peninsula
By Tom McGurn, Monterey Chapter Cadre
The search never ends to find the ideal spot to enjoy wine. The Monterey Chapter expanded its popular Friday Knight Flights events from traditional tasting rooms into artistic and musical venues.
After years of practicing therapy, Patricia Qualls began seeking a way to escape the clinical and analytical mindset. Her search led her to an intuitive painting class which would mark the beginning of her love affair with the freedom of artistic expression. Genuine curiosity and experimentation with color, movement and abstraction became an elixir that could not be resisted. She has a studio-gallery in Carmel Valley and a gallery in downtown Carmel. The Knights gathered there to experience Patricia’s work and the wines of Swirling Hawk , a small boutique winery located in the heart of Carmel Valley. Their Pinot Noir and Chardonnay combine exceptional fruit with clay loam soil characteristics to produce wines of extraordinary complexity and balance.
Another Friday night gathering was hosted at the Carmel gallery of plein air painter Lilli-Anne Price. She describes her work as “a balance of chaos and calm, rendered through a muted palette enriched with moments of saturation. My paintings capture nature at its most poignant moments infusing a sense of angst and eliminating any possibility of boredom.” The participants enjoyed the wines of Flywheel. It is a husband and wife run winery in Castroville in Monterey County. They produce wine not only from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes, but Grenache, Mourvédre and Syrah as well making Flywheel a unique player in an otherwise saturated local market.
Their website reports “no one is mad about a local saturation of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, but winemaker Scott Shapley and his wife, Laura Hoover, offer adventurous palates an avenue through red wine. Flywheel uses grapes exclusively from the Chalone appellation near Pinnacles National Park.”
The art of music was celebrated at a stunning space in downtown Monterey created by Wendi Kirby. “The beautiful architecture, light, and energy of this space mirrors the creative spirit that is my life’s work. As a pianist, composer, recording artist, and music educator, it is wonderful to have a space that inspires my work, and I love sharing it with my community.” Talbott wines were featured at the KOV event. Talbott has a long history in the Santa Lucia Highlands and on the Monterey Peninsula.
A delightfully warm afternoon in the foothills surrounding The Club at Pasadera was the venue for Pinots, Pinots and more Pinots. Geoff and Rebecca Arnold hosted a tasting class conducted by Cadre member and sommelier Colleen Manni-Dutertre. Twelve Pinots were blind tasted with Colleen encouraging evaluations of a dozen or so factors ranging from acidity levels, tannin structure, fruit character and floral notes. The tasters were also challenged to identify where the wine was from and an estimated price. Chief Didier Dutertre prepared food and cheese to complement the wine.
What better venue to enjoy wine, food and friends than the Stillwater Cove Pier overlooking the Pebble Beach Golf Links and the Pacific. It is a long tradition with the chapter and is one of the most anticipated events. The wine, an enjoyable variety from the chapter’s cellar, with barbecued tri-tip, salmon and cheeses ensured another spectacular event.
By Claire Cuccio
On 16 Nov 2024, KOV Nation’s Capital held their Thomas Jefferson Dinner at Maaza Twenty Nine in Gainesville, Virginia. It was wildly successful and sold out quickly. In addition to most of our members, we had a nice contingent from the North Carolina chapter attend as well as some new faces. The wines featured were from Aratás Vineyard Valley. Owner and winemaker, Stephanie Douglas flew out to Northern Virginia to co-host the event with Chef Emmanuel Reta. Aratás means “harvest of gold” in Hungarian and focuses primarily on Petit Sirah. Stephanie’s work includes wine education and developing programs which further the mission to shine a light on the historic significance of Petite Sirah’s epic journey. The ‘petite’ in the name refers to the size of its berries and not the vine. The small berries create a high skin to juice ratio which can produce a wine prevalent with tannin and acidic structure and notable for its proven age-ability.
Nation’s Capital DINNER 2024
Chef Emmanuel’s father is Ethiopian and his mother is from Southern Italy. His influences are Italy, France, Turkey, India and the Middle East. He sources 85% of his ingredients from local farmers – which is important for Thomas Jefferson Dinner traditions. We alternated presentations from Stephanie and Chef Emmanuel where Stephanie would discuss making the wine, the terroir and the vineyard and the Chef gave his inspiration for the paired dish.
We tasted a Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, both single vintage, a wonderful Rosé of Petit Sirah. The Aratás Veneration Red Blend, also a Petit Sirah was spectacular, as was the Napa Valley Petit Sirah and Shaker Ridge Ranch Petit Sirah. The food encompassed scallops, Maryland blue crab, an amazing chicken braciole with smoked cherries, veal and short ribs. The bourbon bread pudding with cream anglaise was the perfect ending for the evening. The food and the wine were spectacular. If you are visiting Napa, give Aratás a try and if you find yourself in NoVa, have a meal at Maaza Twenty Nine.
Visit to Rocklands Winery Low Intervention Wines
By Claire Cuccio
“We believe that good wine begins in the vineyard”
Greg Glenn, CEO, Rockland’s Farm Winery
The Nation’s Capital chapter crossed its northern border into Maryland to spend the day at Rockland’s Farm Winery. We were lucky enough to have Greg Glenn, Co-Founder, CEO, Education Director, Farm and Livestock Manager personally give us a tour. He discussed the challenges of growing grapes in the VA/MD region, mostly that the mid-Atlantic climate is very unpredictable and gives us a much shorter growing season as compared to other wine producing regions. In recent years, Glenn steered Rocklands to holistic agriculture and low intervention wine; meaning very little additives and minimal to no filtering. They do not use laboratory or purchased yeasts and instead they ferment naturally with the native yeasts in the winery and vineyard. Their wines are typically bottled unfiltered and they do not use herbicides. The goal is for the vines and soils to be healthy with a strong immune system.
The wines served were Gruner Veltliner orange wine; a Chardonnay-Petit Manseng-Sauvignon Blanc blend; Chambourcin whole cluster; Anjou Cabernet Franc-Cabernet Sauvignon; and Petit Verdots from different years. After much discussion with our members about grapes, wines and methods, Glenn went in the back and pulled out a Petit Verdot Pét-Nat for us –popular with the hipsters. This is a sparkling wine made in a very traditional (Glenn calls it ‘ancestral’) method. The winemaker does not induce a second fermentation in the bottle to create the bubbles. He bottles before the initial fermentation has ended and seals with a crown cap instead of a cork. He then treated us to the disgorgement process and served up the Pét-Nat as our final sample. Glenn gave the entire tour and sampling with his newborn baby on his chest – it is a family winery and he spoke fondly about his parent’s original vision and the way forward for Rocklands. It was truly a wonderful day in the mid-Atlantic region and nice catch up visit for the Nation’s Capital chapter.
Rocklands also operates a sustainable farm raising cattle, chickens, pigs, and lamb, which was its original charter. KOV members Marie-Pierre Pluvinage and Bruce Lister said “Rocklands was very important to our community and our family during the pandemic. You could count on their food to be fresh and available. It was a real blessing.”
North Carolina
BRING OUT THE KNIGHTS OF NORTH CAROLINA
By Jeff Price, Master Commander
The hot August nights of North Carolina proved enticing to the North Carolina Knights of the Vine who turned out in large numbers for the annual Medieval Dinner at Raleigh’s premier restaurant – The Angus Barn (www.angusbarn.com).
Dressed in period costumes and regalia, the Knights arrived at The Barn where they were widely greeted and admired by the restaurant’s other dinner guests. The Knights were escorted through the restaurant, posing for photographs with other dinner guests who expressed great admiration for our costumes, jewelry and weaponry.
Arriving at a grand staircase that descended into the restaurant’s 40,000 bottle wine cellar, the Knights made their way to Thad’s Room, one of two elegantly decorated dining rooms situated on either side of the wine cellar. Selected by Wine Spectator Magazine as one of the top five restaurant wine cellars in the world, The Barn has vigorously defended its position of honor for the past forty consecutive years! On this night, August 17, they were aided by the gallant Knights of the Vine! We, and our guests, were feted to a traditional medieval dinner prepared tableside by one of the restaurant’s top chefs and we were served by an expert culinary and wait staff who were also dressed in period costumes. The evening featured period music, sword battles and other festive events staged by the restaurant’s staff. As always, the evening proved to be a tremendously fun event for all!
We raise our TASTEVINS in a salute to Ms. Van Eure, the restaurant’s owner, who joined us during the evening and expressed her deep appreciation for our Chapter’s continuing patronage, and to the chef and culinary staff at The Barn, all of whom made us truly feel like Royal Knights of the Medieval era!
NORTH CAROLINA KOV Scholarship
The Knights of the North Carolina KOV Chapter are proud to honor another Knight – Mr. Zach Tilley, who was selected as the 2024 recipient of our Chapter’s Dr. Charles W. Averre Memorial Scholarship Award. Zach is a student at Surry Community College (https://surry. edu), one of the premier community colleges in our State and whose athletic nickname is “The Knights.” Zach is enrolled in SCC’s highly regarded viticulture and enology program and he was presented with this scholarship award during the 2024 Southeastern United Grape and Wine Symposium held November 7. This annual symposium (https:// ncviticulturecenter/surry.edu/symposium) offers informative and interesting sessions that appeal both to industry professionals and wine enthusiasts. The Symposium was created to address the needs of the Grape and Wine Industry and provides hands-on, technical educational programs and networking opportunities to grow the wine industry in the Southeast.
Congratulations to Zach Tilley, the 2024 NC KOV scholarship recipient! We are very confident he will make his mark in the wine world very soon! Our NC KOV Chapter is proud to be an educational sponsor of the Symposium and a strong supporter of the viticulture and enology program at SCC!
Throughout the hot August nights of summer and the cool autumn evenings that followed as the calendar turned from summer to fall, our chapter shared information with each other regarding wine dinners and wine tastings at local restaurants and wine shops. Our members gathered in smaller groups in these various locales around our State to enjoy exquisite dinners and fantastic wine tastings that both captured our imaginations and transported us to various food and wine regions around the world – all without having to leave North Carolina!
In what is quickly becoming an annual tradition for us, the Carolina Knights assembled en masse at Raffaldini Vineyards and Winery (www.raffaldini.com) on November 24 for that Winery’s annual Assemblaggio event. Held over several weekends during November (anyone interested can choose which class to attend), this annual event is both a wine blending and education class that is very informative and tremendously fun! Guests assemble to learn about the Estate’s wines and how they look, smell, taste and transport us all to Italy. Raffaldini is one of our State’s premier wineries and specializes in bold Italian wines. The Winery has received the nickname of “ Chianti in the Carolinas! ” Their wines have received many outstanding awards (e.g., Best Red, Best White, Best in Show, Best in Class, Double Gold etc.) in recent national and international wine competitions.
After this educational experience that is hugely fun and enlightening, participants gather in groups of four with two groups at each table. Each group is challenged to prepare a blended wine from the wines made available and then share their final blend with the other group at their table. The two groups decide which blend will represent that table and that blend is presented to the event’s sole judge – Mr. Jay Raffaldini. Jay tastes each table’s blend and makes inquiries to the participants as to the decision making that went into determining which wines to include in their final blend. Jay judges each table’s efforts and offers his opinion, which is usually demonstrated by consuming all the wine in his glass or dumping its contents down the drain. The competition is great fun, and the participants are congratulated for their effort to blend a marketable wine. This event serves to showcase that, wherever you find wine and fun, you’ll find the NC KOV!
Bee Friendly Farming
Scheid Family Wines (Salinas, CA) was recently in the news having received the “Bee Friendly Farming Certification” for their estate White Flower Vineyard, underscoring their commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship.
Supreme Knight Scott Scheid and his family have been dedicated to eco-friendly farming practices in their vineyards and this most recent certification further affirms their commitment to fostering pollinator habitats, reducing pesticide usage, and implementing cover crops that support vital bee populations.
This milestone is particularly exciting for their Grandeur brand, a collection of organic wines inspired by bees that epitomize the harmony between nature and winemaking. When the White Flower Vineyard was originally planted, they discovered a native bee colony living in an old Blue Oak tree. The decision was made to leave the bees untouched and build the vineyard around the tree, name the Grandeur brand after the majesty of the beautiful vineyard, and place a bee prominently on the front label.
“Achieving the Bee Friendly Farming Certification is another step in our sustainability journey,” said Heidi Scheid, Executive Vice President of Scheid Family Wines. “Pollinators play a crucial role in the health of our environment and, even though they may not be as visible as our 400’ tall wind turbine, they are very important to our ecosystem. Our Grandeur wines, which show each ingredient clearly listed on the label, are our way of honoring our native bee colony.”
International Emissary Report
By Pat Pingitore
The F.I.C.B. General Assembly was held on 8 February in Paris. It was attended by nearly 70 participants representing 36 member brotherhoods or federations of brotherhoods from 14 countries. Fortunately, I was able to attend this 60th Anniversary celebration
What follows is a summary of the important decisions taken by the Assembly. You may be surprised to know that there are now 56 brotherhoods from 24 countries. This is a tribute to Alan Bryden who became President in 2014 when there were only 36 brotherhoods.
I believe you are most interested in future International meetings. What follows is what is firmly established for the next 2 years.
September 13-14, 2025: A Brotherhood of the Ile de France (COCORIC) is hosting a weekend of activities that begins with a procession into the newly restored Notre Dame Cathedral of Paris. It is important to know that this is not an FICB-sponsored event; therefore, all communication must be made directly to the local Brotherhood via the email provided in the communique that was emailed to all KOV members by our national office. My wife, Linda, and I were able to get into the Cathedral while we were in Paris for the 2025 annual meeting and were awestruck by the beauty and grandeur of the restoration accomplished in such a relatively short period of time since its near destruction in 2019. Even the art work has been restored to its original colors and textures. Incredible experience!
May 18-22 with extension 5/22-5/25 2026: Wine discovery tour to Japan sponsored by F.I.C.B. and organized by the Knights of the Vine of Japan. Registration is now open and space is limited. If you have provided an email address to our national office, you should have received detailed information. You can also find the information on the F.I.C.B. website at www. winebrotherhoods.org. I’m sure you will agree that it will be a spectacular way to visit Japan and its wine growing regions as well as to savor the culinary delights and culture of Japan.
May/2027: 53rd International Congress of the F.I.C.B in Switzerland. The Swiss wine Brotherhoods and their Federation (17 active Brotherhoods) have proposed hosting the Congress. Final approval by the F.I.C.B. will occur at our meeting in February 2026 and registration would be expected to open shortly thereafter.
The Congress will be based in Lausanne and will cover the cantons of Vaud and neighboring winemaking cantons. (Actually 6 AVA’s ).
Other regions offering to host future Wine Discovery tours include ; Alsace France (a new brotherhood added this year), Azores, Portugal, Roussillon France and Provence France.
In business there was an Adoption of an action plan for 2025 that included:
1. The promotion of the activities of all member brotherhoods, (like the ILe de France’s efforts to invite others to their Notre Dame weekend)
2. Publishing an “ F.I.C.B. practical guide for the organization of wine tournaments“, which will complement the “‘F.I.C.B. guide to setting up and developing a wine brotherhood”
3. An F.I.C.B. guide to organizing blind grape varietals recognition competitions. This adapts well to the already established “ 5-language lexicon,” of some 300 terms relating to wine production and tasting, all of which are available online on the federation’s website.
There was also a motion approved to encourage a diversification of activities such as:
• wine tournaments (ex. Slovenia, Croatia)
• blind recognition competitions, (ex.Académie du Cep CH),
• music chorals (ex.Echansons de France, Ordre de la Channe),
• scholarships and charities (ex. Renaud Society, KOV America) ,
• diplomas Master of Wine (Cf. Oregon W.B.)
• auctions (ex. Knights of Alba)
SEVERAL NEW APPOINTMENTS WERE MADE TO THE FEDERATION’S BOARD
Alan Bryden is stepping down as President and Chairman after 10 years at the helm. He leaves behind quite a legacy, having guided the FICB to a 60% growth in membership, developed new Event styles (Wine Discovery, Wine Challenges etc.) as well as leaving the coffers with a healthy reserve keeping dues the same for 10 years.
His replacement, as of March 31, 2025, is Marc Lesk who had served as the Secretary General and was largely responsible for the current website enhancements among other things.
Vincent Carrière, a retired entrepreneur and wine lover, is to succeed Marc as General Secretary, and Alain Huet will continuing as Treasurer.
Two new Vice-Chairmen were elected:
• Julia Trustram-Eve, of the U.K. Wine Guild, is replacing Mike Hildesley, who hosted us for the UK Wine Congress in 2008
• Dominique Pairochon, of the new Confrérie des Fins Gousiers d’Anjou, is the new Vice-President for Northern France, replacing Paul Dalon
At the close of the General Assembly, the Federation’s Diploma of Honour was awarded to Mike Hildesley and Paul Dalon, as well as to Gregory Jones, a world-renowned American specialist in the relationship between viticulture and climate change in Oregon.
For those interested in Budgets:
2024 - Income €11616 - expenses €7838 =€4288 surplus.
There is a reserve of 45,516E!
2025 - Income €11600 - Expenses €9435 = €2165 surplus.
Annual dues stay the same (€150)!!!
Oh yes….there was a delicious lunch at the Musee du Vin after the GA, accompanied by wines of the world, since all attendees come with a bottle or two from their countries and that was followed by a classic French dinner in the historic Noces de Jeanette restaurant that dates back more than a century!!
Next Meeting February 7, 2026 - Everyone is welcome to attend!
San Francisco Bay Area
If music be the food of love, play on.
It had been 5 years since our Chapter enjoyed the beautiful setting and entertainment provided by a production of Shakespeare Under the Stars at Buena Vista Winery
A group of us gathered at reserved tables for this Shakespearian comedy, the Twelfth Night, interpreted by Kate Kennedy and her Avalon Players of Sonoma. As often happens, KOV is usually mentioned and/or welcomed, and props “borrowed” for the production. In this case, Linda Pingitore’s Tastevin was commandeered to be worn by the ornery Malvolio for the duration of the play. (See photos).
Staci Sheets of Buena Vista Winery graciously allowed us to prepurchase wine (at industry discounts), have them chilled where appropriate and set out at our tables. All we had to do, was show up, bring some food to go with our wines and sit back and enjoy the production “Under the Stars”, played out on the courtyard and around the fountain with a backdrop of the beautiful and historic wine cellar/barrel room built in 1864.
We must make this an annual event!!
Duke Orsino of
Ironically, we were there but a few days before the 10th anniversary of the Napa 6.0 earthquake of 2014, which, had it not been for the vision of Jean-Charles Boisset, this architectural relic would have been a pile of rubble. The restoration project finished literally one month before the August 24th quake.
Later in the year, a dozen or so of took advantage of an invite from the Napa Valley Country Club their annual Wine Stroll. We got to experience 13 winemakers (all NVCC club members), pouring 2-3 of their portfolio wines offered for purchase at 20-30% discounts. Among them were names like Chappallet, Domaine Chandon, Charles Krug and Alpha Omega.
All this was, of course, accompanied by a wonderful array of food stations which enhanced the tasting experience. Those of our members who were fortunate enough to attend were highly complementary of the event and the price.
To close out the year, we gathered at the home of Pat and Linda Pingitore for a Holiday Celebration that allowed us to review the variety of wines experienced throughout the year. Potluck appetizers supplied by attendees complimented a good old-fashioned Honey Baked Ham and Kansas City barbeque brisket. The cost was merely a voluntary contribution to our fundraising efforts for Moving Forward Towards Independence, a local not-for-profit that supports 40-50 neurodiverse adults and allows them to live as independently as they can! With the Chapters own contribution, we raised $1,350.00!!
Twas a heartwarming and fitting end to our year.
Hungary
by Claire Cuccio
From May 23-28, 2024, the Pannonia Wine Sisterhood hosted the 2024 FICB International Wine Tasting and Rating Challenge in Budapest, Eger and Tokaj, Hungary. There were about 40 participants from 7 nations (Hungary, France, Japan, Switzerland, Slovakia, Slovenia and the Day 1 began when Mrs. Ildiko Keményné Koncz, Grand Master, the Ladies of Pannonia, and FICB President Mr. Alan Bryden opened the ceremony at the Hotel Radisson Blu Beke on the Pest side of Budapest. KOV was well represented with ten members on this superb gastronomic wine and touristic program in this wonderfully welcoming country.
The event held two different challenges: a collective wine rating for wines contributed by the FICB countries specifically for the event and an individual blind tasting which took place in the morning to start the day. There were five collective wine rating opportunities throughout the event and two blind tastings. The Welcome Dinner took place at the Hotel Radisson Blue Beke where we wasted no time and blind-tasted our first five wines. Each guest was given an “Appreciation Card” which held the scoring guidelines for the wines rated 0-20. The scores were constructed by distinguishing Visual: 3 max; Nose: 5 max and Taste: 12 max. The cards were collected and the wine with the highest score at the end of the challenge in each category: white, rosé and red will be declared the winner and the “Preferred Wine of the FICB Challenge.” While scoring wines and enjoying the meal, we caught up with KOV and international friends, many of whom we saw last summer at the FICB Wine Congress in Portugal. The wines were very interesting paired with traditional Hungarian dishes and were strong candidates to open the event.
Day 2 of the Hungary FICB was fantastic. We started off with a city tour – the ladies called it a Rendezvous with Budapest. The tour started on the Pest side where history comes to life with the help of the Seven Chieftains at Hero Square. We then went up to the Buda Castle – a UNESCO World Heritage site to see the Mathias Church and the Fisherman’s Bastion from the outside. We learned that lions are the symbol of Budapest as evidenced by the big fellows guarding the Chain Bridge and the Castle. We had lunch at beautiful Restaurant Robinson overlooking the beautiful Varosliget’s Lake where we had the enthronement ceremony into the Pannonia Wine Sisterhood. Men were allowed to be “honorary” members. At night we had a terrific dinner cruise up and down the Danube. The weather was perfect for the cruise and it was great to see all the sights illuminated at night, most notably the former Royal Palace, the Castle area, Gellert Hill, Margaret Island, Palace of the Arts, National Theater, the Parliament and several beautiful bridges. We held two more scoring sessions at lunch and dinner to determine the “Preferred Wines of the FICB Challenge.”
On Day 3 we travelled to the town of Gödöllő to visit the Royal Palace. We met Queen Elizabeth (Sisi) and she told us about her life as Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary. She was quite the equestrian – there are many paintings of her on horseback throughout the palace. The palace itself is beautifully restored and a “not to miss” sight. The queen’s private chambers were decorated in violet, her favorite color. We then had lunch at the Restaurant Queen Elizabeth in walking distance to the palace, where we again scored wine for the competition. The dishes at the restaurant had garnishes of violet in honor of Queen Sisi. We returned to the hotel in Budapest for some free time and then the Gala Dinner, final scoring of the wines and the Awards Ceremony. The “Preferred Wines of the FICB Challenge” were: White: Noria 2023 –Pod Vinohradmi (Slovakia-Wine Brotherhoods of Ohrady); Rosé: Grand Annibals – SCEA Domaine des Annibals (France-Ordre Illustre des Chevaliers du Méduse) and Red: Villanyi Franc 2020 - Gere Winery (Hungary-Ladies of Pannonia). The winner of the Individual Challenge was Mr. Akihiko Sakama from Japan. The Ladies of Pannonia treated us to a fantastic time. Every event was meticulously planned, and the food and wine were fabulous.
Extension day 1: We left Budapest this enroute to Eger, a beautiful baroque city and home of Egri Bikavér wine- the Bull’s Blood. We toured the university, Eszterhazy College, and saw 18th century frescos in three different rooms. The library was incredible and some of us journeyed to the 9th floor to see the camera obscura or periscope that projects real time images of the town on to table. Notable landmarks observed from the top were a minaret from the Turkish rule during the 1500’s and many, many churches, including Hungary’s second largest Cathedral – Basilica of St. John the Apostle. The library also housed a letter from Mozart to his sister from 1787. We tasted wines from Academia, an Egri Chardonnay and an Egri Bikavér, produced from the university vineyards - which also has ties to UC Davis. The label says, “Pro Scientiis et Artibus,” which means “For the sciences and arts.”
Lunch was at Fuzio, hosted by the Gal Timor winery in their cellar room. Tibor Gal, himself, hosted the lunch and tasting featuring his Egri Csillag (white) and Egri Bikavér (red) which we all bought! We then journeyed to Tokaj where we checked into our hotel, the Andrassy Manor and Spa in Tarcal before visiting the adjacent Wine Research Institute for an educational talk and tour on the wines of Tokaj. Our hosts were three lady winemakers: Sarolta (Tokaj), Stephanie (Bordeaux) and Judit (Slovakia). They all work together to produce amazing wines of Tokaj and we were fortunate to try one of these wines the three had collaborated on. Amazing! It was called “A Harom Gracia,” which means “the Three Graces.” The wine features a shadow of the three women and has their signatures on the label. The dinner was fabulous and featured regional treats with vegetarian options as the winemakers poured wine and circulated among the tables. Fabulous day!
Extension Day 2: We visited three wineries in the Tokaj region. In 1730, Tokaj was the very first in the world to ntroduce the system of appellation standards, 120 years before Bordeaux. Tokaj has a unique climate and its soil is mainly of volcanic origin with a high concentration of iron and limestone. The first winery was Oremus - Latin for “Let Us Pray.” The owners are Spanish and there is a long system of cellar labyrinths that are a World Heritage were once 10 separate cellars and are now connected for almost 4 kilometers. We could see the old entrances, partially buried now under the limestone. They are famous for sweeter wines and there were many medals among the bottles.
The second winery was Patricius. The CEO spoke about the 45-year blackout in wine production where they mass produced wines for the Soviets. He spoke of the challenges of losing two generations of winemakers’ skills during that time period. Their cellar is only 20 years old and they won Wine of the Year in 2017 for their Tokaji Aszú also known as the “King of the Wines” or “Wine of the Kings.”
The last winery was Chateau Dereszla where we had fancy food and more delicious wines. They have been open since 2021 ith a wide portfolio from dry Furmint, through semi-dry and semi-sweet wines, late harvest and “Szamorondni style” wines, which can be dry or sweet.
With some downtime at the hotel before dinner, we hiked up to the Áldó Krisztus Szobor - the Blessing Christ statue which you could see from the hotel pool. Not so easy a climb, but worth the panoramic view when we arrived at the top. The statue is 29 feet tall.
The final event was the Farewell Dinner at the hotel. Our host winemaker was Mr. István Sezpsy, Jr. and Sezpsy Winery won “Best Wine Producer of Europe 2022” in the Golden Vines Award Competition. This award is special because it is given to the world’s best wine producers, voted for by leading members of the global wine producing profession. Previously, there has never been a nominee from Hungary in the competition. Sezpsy Jr. spoke about his wines and winery and joined us for dinner. His family has been making wines since the late 16th century and he is very accomplished and a nice guy to boot. He said that pickled foods, a staple of Hungarian meals, go well with a highly acidic wine like the Szepsy Tokaji Furmint (2022). It was delicious with the marinated salmon and pickled vegetables of our first course.
As we headed back home, we left Hungary with new friends, great memories and many bottles of Hungarian wine. A special thank you to Pannonia Sisterhood Ambassador, Eva Makai, Pannonia Ladies, Lena Holecz and Krisztina Terlaky for putting together a terrific program. We met many proficient winemakers and some famous ones. We are happy so many people could take the time out of their busy schedules to visit with us and share a taste of their successful wines. We appreciate the graciousness of our hosts and their desire to share the very best of Hungary with us.
The second half of 2024 found our chapter returning to some of the type of events that have brought our members such pleasure in the past. Learning about wine, enjoying wine and carving time out of busy schedules to get together and do that is our only rule!
Every August we have our chapter’s Annual Meeting, but it is so much more than just a meeting to review our finances and elect our officers. Meeting in a wine warehouse during the hot Houston summer, our “summer chill” finds us having a meal and clearing out our chapter’s cellar of leftover wines from our events during the prior year. It’s a bit like visiting old friends … and what can be better than that! It is also when we present our annual gift to the Knights of the Vine Endowment set up at the University of Houston’s Conrad N. Hilton College of Global Hospitality Management. Our 2024 donation of $10,000 to this endowment brings the total to over $200,000, enabling students who need financial assistance to continue their studies in beverage management.
It’s surprising how many Houston area residents are unaware that our city’s namesake, General Sam Houston, lived and died just 65 miles north of Houston in Huntsville, Texas. So, in September we took a little road trip where we visited his two homes and the Sam Houston Memorial Museum and Republic of Texas Presidential Library (yes, General Sam served as our first and third president of the Republic of Texas and later represented Texas in the United States Senate). To set the mood for all we would see, we were greeted by a 67-foot tall statue of Sam Houston; the world’s tallest statue of an American hero which is on I-45 just before you arrive in Huntsville … not a Texas brag if it is fact!
Then we went to pay our respects at Oakwood Cemetery where General Sam is buried. There, in such a peaceful setting and enjoying the shade of centuries old trees, we spent time reflecting on our history and looking at many of the old headstones.
We had one more stop for the day … the Cafe Texan; Texas’ oldest café! It had recently been renovated and expanded to also include an eclectic collection artfully displayed, and our dinner, much to our delight, was set among the collection. While other diners were surely having a wonderful dinner on the café side, we were treated to multiple courses of delicious-ness and the finest service. Special thanks go out to Vance and Karen Howard for the preservation of this amazing location and their generosity to us.
Under a beautiful October evening sky, we returned to the Memorial Park Croquet Lawns! Perfectly manicured and ready to play, Knights Paul Chan and Lee Slataper, who are members of the Houston Croquet Association, reminded those of us who had experienced this game before and gave some pointers to those “first-timers” on the official rules of this game we thought we knew as youngsters! Everyone brought appetizers and wine to share. Laughter and hijinks were on full display and we most surely will repeat this easy gathering again!
In the category of repeat activities, 21 of our members enjoyed a November evening Cruise on Buffalo Bayou. With a captain and an historian onboard, our cruisers enjoyed viewing our city from a completely different angle. It was a round trip from Allen’s Landing (the location of the founding of our city by the Allen Brothers) to the Port of Houston. There was a lot to see and learn as they sipped on Calcu Rosé of Malbec (Colchagua), Derby Pinot Gris (SLO) and Monte Volpe Primo Rosso “Lot 15” (Mendocino).
Most of the cruisers then proceeded to Porta’Vino where other chapter members and guests were waiting to join them and hear all about it! Although Porta’Vino is a byow restaurant, their wine prices are extraordinary and many just ordered from their finely curated list. The restaurant’s owner, Bill Floyd, stopped by for a personal welcome and an invitation after dinner to a complimentary visit to the new “speakeasy” that he had opened just across the parking lot. From cruising, to wining and dining, to relaxing among friends, it was a swell evening overall!
Rounding out the year was our traditional Holiday Party hosted by Master Host Lee and Gentle Lady Laura Slataper. It was a full house on this chilly evening as we dined on cold boiled shrimp, dips, chicken Marsala, beef Wellington, Yukon mashed potatoes, penne Alfredo, sautéed mixed vegetables, and bread pudding. The food was perfectly complimented with wines from Dawn’s Dream Winery owned by Monterey Chapter’s Master Lady Dawn Galante. We toasted the year with her “Escolle” Chardonnay (SLH), Rosé of Pinot Noir (SLH), “Alyssa” Pinot Noir (SLH), “Nicole” Pinot Noir (Monterey), “Bel Sogno” Pinot Noir (Monterey), and “Eliza Jane” Sangiovese (Napa) all while enjoying the live music of Shannon Zamora. Ahh! It is, indeed, a wonderful life!
FROM CELLAR TO TABLE: Supreme Knight
Ted Balestreri & The Sardine Factory Earn DiRōNA ‘Gold’ for 2025
Established in 1968, The Sardine Factory, in Monterey, California, is known for its impeccable service, wonderful décor, extraordinary wine collection and amazing culinary offerings. Over the years The Sardine Factory has hosted celebrities, movie stars, sports legends, and public figures from all over the world and has received virtually every culinary, wine list and service award possible in the industry, including the Wine Spectator’s Grand Award and Restaurant Hospitality’s Best Wine List in America.
It can now add another award to its already impressive list: the 2025 Distinguished Restaurants of North America (DiRōNA) ‘Gold’ Award of Excellence. This prestigious honor places The Sardine Factory among an elite group of eighteen of the finest restaurants in North America.
Introduced in 2024, the DiRōNA ‘Gold’ Award of Excellence represents the pinnacle of achievement in fine dining, distinguishing restaurants that exceed the already stringent standards set by the DiRōNA Award of Excellence. Restaurants honored with this designation are selected for their outstanding menu, impeccable service, exceptional wine and cocktail programs, and superior dining ambiance.
The Sardine Factory has been a DiRōNA Award of Excellence recipient every year since 1993 and was one of the inaugural recipients of the ‘Gold’ Award in 2024. This distinction underscores the restaurant’s unwavering commitment to culinary excellence and world-class hospitality.
“Receiving the DiRōNA ‘Gold’ Award of Excellence again in 2025 is an incredible honor for our team,” said Ted Balestreri, The Sardine Factory co-owner and CEO. “Our dedication to providing an extraordinary dining experience remains as strong as ever, and we are grateful for this acknowledgment of our commitment to quality and service.”
The Sardine Factory
Chancellery
On a sizzling hot July day, the family-owned Hill Top Oaks Winery of Loomis opened their cool tasting room for twenty-four Chancellery members, their partners and guests. The winery sits on a high, oak-covered knoll, with spectacular, rare views of the surrounding area. The grounds around the residence and buildings have been professionally landscaped and it is truly worth taking the time to visit. Hill Top Oaks began as a small, home wine making operation with Mark and Amy Davis as the driving force (Mark actually grew up on the property; originally a short-horn cattle ranch.) When Amy’s father, Ron, retired as the superintendent of schools in nearby Granite Bay, he became interested in joining the family wine making process and became the Hill Top Oaks winemaker, a natural transition for this formally trained science teacher. They converted the barn into a first-class tasting room. With seating for 24, their tasting room is wonderfully decorated with the accoutrements of the grape growing, wine-making business. This family welcomed us so warmly, so enthusiastically, and kept opening more and more of their labels to fully introduce us to the range of wonderful wines they produce.
Christopher Cellars Wine Tasting
A small contingent of the Chancellery Chapter braved the brutal Friday afternoon Sacramento area traffic to venture south to Elk Grove’s Christopher Cellars to enjoy tasting their wines and learn more about their operation. This was another one of those sizzling hot valley days, so we were welcomed into their temperature-controlled storage area where they had a private table just for us. Some of us wished we had brought a sweater! After a delightful presentation by their owner and winemaker, Chris Mora, we ventured out to the patio where a wonderful trio of musicians, a mom, dad and their son, were performing some great, familiar sing-alongs tunes. A nearby food truck made it easy to know what to do about dinner. This was a special day with special people. The Lodi KOV Chapter held an event at Christopher Cellars the following week - I think they brought sweaters and jackets!
On a beautiful October day our chapter had a BEYOND wonderful gathering at “Beyond the Fig Wine Merchants”, a wine specialty shop in Rocklin, California. Beyond the Fig is a family-run 5-star shop that opened in 2023 and is owned by the Lee family; Tyler, Grayson and Sonia Lee. Their emphasis is wine products from small farms and importers around the world. KOV members gathered together in the comfortable wine shop to enjoy our friendships along with an education centered around wine and food pairings. We arrived at the shop which was delightfully dressed in warm colors and decorations with fall accents of pumpkins and leaves. As we entered, we were given a glass of delectable Cremant. After being comfortably seated, our hosts began to introduce us to their wines. It was informative and enjoyable! After the delicious Cremant from France which was paired with a baked brie puff pastry with ginger and pear conserve, we all were given lessons in pairing several wines from France, Chile, Austria, Italy, Portugal and
California. The tastings continued with Sauvignon Blanc from Chile, Stadlmann Tagelsteiner Rotgipfler from Austria, Old-Vine Mission from California, a Sesti Monteleccio Sangiovese from Italy, and a Terre Nobili Cariglio from Italy. These were all paired with appetizers - cheeses, wafers, salami. Our tasting was concluded with a Ruby Reserva Port from Portugal paired with a delightful chocolate mousse! Thank you to our hosts and also to Gentle Ladies Paulette Schloetter and Glenys Kaye for their delicious appetizer and dessert.
If you are in the area, be sure to visit “Beyond the Fig” for a beyond the ordinary experience!! Not only do they have wines from around the world to purchase, they have wonderful, themed wine tastings and food pairings. There is another option; join their wine club to enjoy their wines from around the world! According to our host, “If you can drink two bottles in a month, and like discounts, then our Wine Club is for you!”
Annual Old Wine Party
Our Third Annual Old Wine Party was held on November 16th at the home of Glenys and Jim Kaye, with 43 attending which included friends from the Lodi and Lake Tahoe Region Chapters whom we were delighted to welcome! The day turned out very cool, so we had to huddle close to the outdoor fire and heaters and get cozy inside. We had three knowledgeable wine people available to discuss a few of the wines they had tasted: our Chancellery Commander Chik Brenneman, Chancellery Wine Director and Sommelier Sudsy Torbeck, and a guest Sommelier Tyler Lee, the owner of Beyond The Fig. Chik, Sudsy and Tyler evaluated a few of the wines and provided a short, but very interesting educational segment. Everyone enjoyed the opportunity to taste some old wines that, for the most part, had held up very well and were truly enjoyable on our palates. Sudsy researched wines to purchase for Thanksgiving dinners and prepared a handout that professionally categorized wines by type and price, from Basic to Mid-Range to Splurge. To round out such a wonderful event, we sampled a lovely assortment of foods brought by everyone attending. Good wine and good food – what could be better? Well, maybe the weather so next year’s event is scheduled for September 6th to be sure we can enjoy warm weather and accommodate more guests by taking full advantage of the outdoor area at the Kaye’s home. We hope you’ll save the date and start marking your plans to join us!
JULY: Glenys Kaye, Amy Davis, Sally Johnson, Bunnie Day, Dale Koehne, Mary Koehne, Paulette Schloetter, Ellen Gardner, Janice Joy, Terry Hsu, Ann Ricks, Joe Sanfilippo, Steve Gardner | SEPTEMBER: Cathy Brouwer, Debbie Fogarty, Steve & Claudia Siegel, Jim McCarthy, Joe Sanfilippo, Jim & Glenys Kaye | OCTOBER: Diana Woodward Hagle and Bunnie Day; Steve & Sally Johnson, Suzann Hadler, Polly Brenneman | NOVEMBER: Barbara Walker, Chuck Kelley, Steve Hunter; Tyler Lee, Sudsy Torbeck; Old World and New World wines
Holiday Party
We hosted our annual holiday gathering at the home of Commander Chik and Chargé d’Affaires Polly Brenneman in Sacramento. It was a grim weather forecast, but Bacchus had a conversation with Mother Nature to request some dry and sunny weather for the afternoon. Well, as it turned out, Mother Nature complied with the ‘no rain’ request but nixed the sun. I guess Bacchus had not shared enough wine!
The festivities began when Knights and their guests arrived with a bottle of wine to share. Guests brought appetizers or sweets, all made in the spirit of the season. Knights Doug and Polly McGilvrey arrived with their famous chili dip and its perfect accompaniment, Fritos, something of an expected tradition. There were three homemade soups by host Polly; chicken pozole verde, Portuguese style clam chowder, and Zuppa Toscana. Vice-Commander Steve Siegel brought a wonderful chili and cornbread dish to stave off the chill of the foggy afternoon.
We were excited to share the holiday traditions with so many in attendance including our friends from the Lodi Chapter and many of our ‘Spyglass Circle’ Gang in Auburn representing the Lake Tahoe Chapter who made the trek down the hill. Great people, stories and of course wine and food to celebrate the season! Here’s to 2025!
DECEMBER: Tradition!;
Steve Siegel, Gordon MacKay, Jim Liedigh, Chik Brenneman, Jim Menconi; Claudia Siegel, Susan Pipkin, Sharyl Menconi, Pat Leidigh, Polly McGilvray
Celebrating Harvest Month
On October 19, the Los Angeles Chapter gathered at Oakmont Country Club in Glendale for an introduction to the wines of Oso Libro Winery in Paso Robles for a wine pairing event. Vice Commander Janet Hamilton invited winemaker Michael Barreto to introduce his award-winning, artisanal estate wines from sustainably farmed vineyards. Deeply rooted in rugged, calcareous (limestone) hills exposed to sunshine and ocean breezes, Oso Libre’s vines consistently produce rich, complex fruit. Proud of the winery’s sustainability, Michael was informative, warm and friendly. We’d recommend him to other chapters in California. He welcomed us with a delightful 2023 Rosalinda – Rosé of Grenache and invited us to elegant tables arranged theatre-style for his presentation.
Vice Commander Janet Hamilton worked with the winemaker and Gail Connell, of Gourmet a Go Go, to create a series of wonderful pairings for us. The first of four wines we tasted was a 2021 Vino d’Oro Chardonnay paired with a canape of caramelized onion, apple and brie. The match was divine. Tasting two was a 2021Nativo – Estate Primitivo paired with crostini with ricotta, roasted tomato, and basil. This was followed by a 2017 Por Vida Reserve – Estate Blend paired with pork tenderloin on a risotto mushroom cake. Our fourth tasting was a LB Azucar – Port Style paired with a dark chocolate cupcake with cream cheese frosting.
There are other parts of this story that you need to hear. This comes under the When Life Gives You Lemons ategory: Oakmont had experienced a fire, and their kitchen was being renovated. No problem. Because of Vice Commander Janet Hamilton’s ongoing and well-tended relationship with them, they offered to let her bring her own caterer into the facility while it was “closed.” It gets better: they did the dishes! A tip of the cap to Michael and Oso Libro Winery, who extended our invitation to members of their Wine Club. As a result of his generosity, we inducted several Oso Libre Wine Club members into our chapter at our next Assemblage!
Los Angeles
Counter-clockwise from top left: Bob Bennett and Beverly Scott with Michael Barrete, Oso Libre Winery’s winemaker | Ted & Debbie Ludford talk with Bill Andro | Susan Hunt, Mary Lotz and guest | Janet Hamilton, Lucy Zheng and Rosie Wageschiet | Wine Club guests with Beverly Scott and new LA member Tencia Mendoza-Cobian | John Hamilton, Jr. with Michael Barrete | Janet Hamilton and Jim Hamilton with Andy Ptashnik, now an LA Member!
Lodi JULY '24
AUGUST
Once again, to no one’s surprise, our regular meeting date in July on the second Thursday was a scorching hot day. Also once again, we gathered for a KOV Wine Club event at Heaven’s Gate Vineyard to enjoy the hospitality of owner, Knight, and Master Administrative Officer Mike Johnston and Catherine Johnston. We were prepared to endure the heat, but the reduced size of the crowd meant we could move the party indoors to enjoy the wonders of air conditioning. It turned out to be a Kitchen Wine Tasting! We enjoyed a variety of Mike’s fabulous wines, and chowed down on the appetizers that members brought to the event. A great beginning to our second half!
August in the Lodi Chapter has become a tradition for the “Grill and Swill Wine Social”, with attendees bringing a side dish and wine to share, and the Chapter providing the famous California specialty – grilled tri-tip. The big change this year was the location – as Master Commander Gordon and Knight Annette MacKay had recently sold Wine Crest (the site of many Lodi KOV events), we shifted to the fabulous “grove” at Glen Vineyards, home of Knight Phil Silver and Ann-Marie Koth. This is a truly beautiful location, with lots of shade from the trees in the grove and surrounded by vineyards planted with all sorts of Germanic varietals.
Yes, that’s right, we can grow these varietals – from Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Kerner to Dornfelder, Blaufrankisch and Zweigelt – in little old Lodi and produce some fantastic wines. The Chapter certainly enjoyed the great surroundings, the buffet table was stuffed with all kinds of great treats, and, of course, there was lots of wine.
In September we traveled all the way to Elk Grove (about 20 miles north of Lodi) for a tasting at Christoper Cellars. The winemaker, Chris Mora, is a rising star in the area and produces a number of small lot wines using traditional techniques, minimal intervention, and unique varietals (including some from Mokelumne Glen Vineyards!). He led us through a wonderful tasting of his primarily Italian based varietals, some that utilized carbonic maceration during fermentation in a process that Chris described as “ghetto carbonic”. Without getting into the gory details, suffice to say that he used the tools at his disposalmacro bins and plastic wrap - to produce the anaerobic carbonic effect of fresh fruitiness, and it was quite successful. We really enjoyed his wines and his energetic presentation, and after the tasting many of our group stayed for the Thursday night special offering – dinner for two and a bottle of wine for $50. Yes, $50! Total. What a great deal – we will be back.
In October we ventured to Fields Family Winery just outside of Lodi. Fields is known for their Rhone red varietals such as Syrah, Mourvedre and Cinsault, but also produce wonderful Vermentino and Grenache Blanc. Plus some really great Zinfandel! Winemaker Ryan Sherman, who is also a well know local realtor and general character, led us through a detailed tasting of Fields’ reds – possibly endangering his life as every moment he stayed made him a bit later for a planned family trip. Way to go Ryan, we appreciate your dedication! Anyway, it all worked out in the end, Ryan was able to leave to meet his commitments, and tasting room manager Michael continued to pour copious amounts of wine after Ryan left. We learned a lot, enjoyed the atmosphere in the barrel room, and bought lots of wine.
NOVEMBER
Thanksgiving was a new event for our Chapter – a Thanksgiving meal wine pairing event. Samples of the usual Thanksgiving fare – turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes (with bacon!), and cranberries. Paired with two Pinot Noirs – Wilson Family Winery and Grady Family Vineyards, Peltier Chardonnay, Seaglass Riesling, and Perlegos Zinfandel. The intent was to determine the best wine pairing with each dish, but everyone was having so much fun that there was a complete lack of attention to formalized voting. Oh well, maybe next year. Informal consensus was that the Grady Pinot went really well with the stuffing, as did the Perlegos Zin with the cranberries. The Chardonnay was just tasty overall, and probably went well with the potatoes but who can remember these details? Anyway, as you can tell from the spacey notes and the lack of photos, everyone had a great time!
DECEMBER
Holiday Party. Due to the sale of Wine Crest (see note above!) the event for 2024 was at the Commander’s new digs – a cute little house in Lodi, which was of course much smaller than Wine Crest but still has some great indoor and outdoor spaces. We had the usual assortment of great dishes provided by the members, and a bevy of wines. A great way to end another wonderful KOV year. On to 2025!
By Beth Webb
The Tennessee Chapter celebrated the end of a long hot summer with a fall Wine Dinner at Windyke Country Club. Delicious Duckhorn wines were the stars of the evening and the theme of dinner was totally “wild.” A wild mushroom bisque, warm duck salad, wild striped bass and a wild boar tenderloin were included in the multi course dinner, accompanied by five Duckhorn favorites—Decoy Brut Cuvee Sparkling, Decoy Rose, Decoy Sauvignon Blanc, Goldeneye Pinot Noir and Duckhorn Cabernet Sauvignon. It was a perfect evening to be together again and to welcome cooler weather in the deep south.
The chapter launched the holiday season with the annual Holiday Party at the home of Beth and Tom Webb. Members and guests contributed to an overflowing table of hors d’oeuvres and a bar loaded with great wines. What better way to start the holiday season than with good friends, good food and, of course, good wine!
Clockwise from top left: Bob Bennett and Cynthia Thompson | KOV Christmas in Tennessee | The Meyers and the Bennetts | Sportin’ the Santa hats | David, Sheila, Judy, and Debbie | Christmas group in kitchen
Austin Austin Chapter Hosts Fall Party in Posh New Event Space
By Forrest Preece, Master Scribe Photos by Charles Quinn Photography
As described on their website, Vuka North Loop is a new party space “located in a thriving, historic Central Austin neighborhood, [it] is a soulful space with high ceilings, 25-foot windows, beautiful greenery, nature-inspired art installations, and a covered patio that seamlessly fuses the indoors with the outdoors. The bright and airy space creates a fresh, contemporary backdrop for your event.”
The Austin chapter’s Maître de Partis Deborah Groves took this description to heart in her planning. After the delightful wine and food event held there on September 25th, everyone who attended gave her and the facility high marks.
With the kids back in school, visits with grandchildren over for the summer, vacations a part of history, and the University of Texas football team’s first year in the Southeastern Conference well underway, there were plenty of topics for conversation. The spectacular wines from the chapter cellar combined with bottles shared from members’ collections aided in making the talk and the laughter energetic. Food provided by Austin Catering brought rounds of compliments as well. Our menu for the evening included passed hor d’oeuvres as well as a buffet of other delicious offerings such as smoked brisket and pepper jack quesadillas, sauteed mushroom, rajas, and queso Oaxaca quesadillas with charred tomatillo crema, Mesquite grilled chicken diablos wrapped in applewood smoked bacon and stuffed with Monterey jack, watermelon-feta bites marinated in honey serrano vinaigrette, garnished with micro cilantro, Mexican street corn
deviled eggs, green chile mac n’ cheese served in mini mason jars before finishing with churro chocolate chunk blondies and mini tres leches parfaits, .
Chapter cellar wines shared were Vazart Coquart & Fils Blanc de Blanc Brut Reserve NV (Rated 92 – Wine Spectator), 2021
Jean-Michel Raffault Chinon Blanc (Rated 90pts — Anthony Gismond), 2017 Roccolo Grassi Valpolicella Superiore (Rated 94pts – Vinous, Eric Guido), and 2015 Crown Point Estate Selection (Rated 97 pts –Wine Enthusiast, Matt Kettman).
Master Commander Randy Goves and Maitre de Partis Deborah Groves announced the slate of events for the rest of 2024 and 2025, which brought on a round f applause and provided further buzz among the guests.
It was a fun time in Austin, on a clear and perfect night. Fine food, wine, and fellowship always make a recipe for a good party. And as things drew to a close, “Per vitem, ad vitam” was the spirited cry of the night!
Counter clockwise from top left: Gary and Alyson Baum and Leonard and Aileen Quam | David Jabour | Randy addresses the crowd with Deb | Vuka North Loop | Food buffet | Ron and Lynnda Carter Mullen and Skip and Biddie Porter | Rick Lotspeich | Travis Lightfoot, Dennis Jakubowicz, and Skip Porter | Connee and Kent Sullivan.
Opposite: Vuka North Loop, outside
Austin Chapter Holds November Party at Mozart’s on the Lake
Story by Forrest Preece, Master Scribe
Photos by W. Robert Jones
November 7th was a picture-perfect night for the Austin chapter’s Mozart’s. This local coffee shop and event space on the shore of Lake Austin has been delighting Austinites for more than 30 years. Mozart’s kitchen created the delicious food and Austin Catering provided the wine glasses and bartenders.
Fifty-two members and guests gathered to enjoy the evening. The party was held on the restaurant’s covered terrace just off the coffee shop, with a party room attached. As the sun set behind the verdant hills to the west, and a light breeze floated across the water, the setting provided a relaxing backdrop and sparked conversations. Many were especially lively, considering the results of the election two nights before the festivities.
The chapter’s Cellar Master Sean Curry and Master Commander Randy Groves decided that this would be an opportune time to do some selective cellar cleaning. Accordingly, limited quantities of some outstanding wines were offered, such as a 2015 Uccelliera Brunello, a 2016 Castigilion del Bosco Brunello, a 2018 Grgich Hills Cabernet, and a 2020 André Brunel CDP. Many partygoers brought along selections from their own cellars, which they generously shared.
KOV members know how to enjoy themselves and the fun-loving attendees at this party did just that. It was a
From left to right, top to bottom: Jim and Jo Green | Randy Groves, Gary and Linda Piefer, Bruce Bauman | Rose Betty Williams, Travis and Kelley Lightfoot, Allan Williams | Nancy Bauman, Gerald and Cindy Stone, Pam and Sean Curry | John and Sidney Jones | Dana and Dennis Jakubowicz, Curby Conoley, Jim McReynolds | Jo Carol Snowden and Allen Kemp, Susan Gatlin | Andrew Heller, Deborah Davis Groves, Eva Womack
Your membership has many benefits.
Friends of KOV
Check out these generous offers from wineries for discounts and complimentary tastings!
Bougetz Cellars
Experience exceptional wine from numerous AVAs in Napa Valley and Sonoma County.
Thomas Bougetz is the award-winning winemaker and founder of Bougetz Cellars. KOV members receive a 20% discount on wine purchases and complimentary tasting for 2 at their Tasting Gallery on Atlas Peak Road in Napa.
Enter KNIGHTS20 at checkout for the discount.
Smith Devereux
Free tour and tasting for up to 6 people at their Oak Knoll Cabernet Vineyards hosted by founder and vintner Ian Devereux. Contact Ian at ian@smithdevereux.com or 707-227-5226.
Online, receive a 20% discount when you use code KOV20 at www.smithdevereux.com
Maroon Wines
Founded by KOV members
Paul and Renee Maroon, these 100% Napa wines are available for our members to enjoy with a 25% discount.
Just enter KOV25 at checkout at www.maroonwines.com
Winery
Carmel-by-the-Sea
Dawn’s Dream Winery
Master Lady Dawn Galante had a dream of giving back, as it says on her website “Step into a world where passion meets purpose, where dreams intertwine with award-winning wines.” Her passion for helping women and children comes to fruition through Dawn’s Dream Winery. Share her dream and her wine! KOV members will receive a 10% discount on current vintages. Enter KOV10 at checkout at www.dawnsdreamwinery. com.
Eberle Winery
Award winning Paso Robles wines from Supreme Knight Gary Eberle. Now available to KOV members with a discount of 20% on all wines. Just visit www.eberlewinery.com and enter code KOV20 at check out.
Visitors to the winery will receive complimentary tours and tastings at the bar in the tasting room and on the deck with advance reservations. Walk ins are welcome.
Sign up with your email for additional offers.
Nalle Winery
Receive a 20% discount on all wine purchased at www.nallewinery.com with code KOV20
Parable Wines
Knight Fred Eppright and his sons Trey and Matt established Parable Wines in Napa Valley.
This venture marks the culmination of Trey’s longstanding dream, propelled by his unwavering dedication to crafting exceptional wines.
KOV members receive a 20% discount! Enter KOV2025 at check out. Or contact Trey for a tasting in Calistoga. www.parablewines.com
Boisset Collection
Boisset Collect is thrilled to extend an industry savings both online and at their California wineries including Raymond Vineyards, Elizabeth Spencer, DeLoach Vineyards, JCB Salons and Buena Vista Winery. To order wines, go to my.boissetcollection.com and use your special coupon code of KOV22. When visiting in person, be sure to mention you are a Knights of the Vine member to receive 20-30% savings. (Some exclusions will apply.)
Galante Vineyards
Supreme Knight Jack Galante is offering KOV members 10% off all current vintages. Enjoy the Galante wines from Carmel, California and the cowboy philosophy you’ll find on every bottle!
Use KOV10 at checkout at www.galantevineyards.com
Chappellet
Founded by legendary vintners Donn and Molly Chappellet in 1967, Chappelle’s mountain-grown Cabernet Sauvignons have been coveted by connoisseurs and collectors for more than half a century.
Recognized for their extraordinary power and complexity, and for their incomparable age-worthiness, Chappellet’s Cabernets are Napa Valley benchmarks and available to Knights of the Vine members at a special 15% savings using promo code KNIGHTS15 at checkout at www.chappellet.com
Klinker Brick
Generously offered by KOV member Steve Felten and his wife, Lori, Klinker Brick Winery in Lodi, California is offering a 25% discount on all wine purchased at www.klinkerbrickwinery.com with code KBKOV25
Mounts Family Winery
A family-owned and operated winery in the heart of Dry Creek Valley. A history of four generations of grape growers and winemakers, these estate wines will be wines you’ll want to share with your family and friends.
Visit www.mountswinery.com and receive a 20% discount on your order. Come visit us in person and receive a complimentary tasting for up to 6 people!
At check out, please use code KOV20
Friends of KOV
Welcomes Everyone!
Join us to enjoy wine, learn more about the people, places and stories that make it special and experience all of that with others who share the same passion! Travel opportunities within the United States and to some of the most wonderful places internationally are just a small part of the benefits of being a member!
Chapters are located across the United States.
If there isn’t one close to you,
Start a New Chapter!
For more information about KOV, click the QR code below or visit www.KOV.org
To apply for membership, visit the
Arizona
Arizona Chapter
Commander Emeritus
John Kovacik (Interim) 3955 N. Tucson Blvd. Tucson, AZ 85716
Phone: 520-318-1789 jkovacik@cox.net
California
Chancellery Chapter
Com. Charles “Chik” Brenneman 820 Fremont Way Sacramento, CA 95818
Phone: 916-441-3466 charlesbrenneman@gmail.com
Lake Tahoe Region Chapter
Commander Ernest D. Grossman P.O. Box 3817 Truckee, CA 96160
Phone: 530-550-0570 ernestgrossman@sbcglobal.net
Lodi Chapter
Commander Gordon MacKay P. O. Box 506 Lodi, CA 95241-0506
Phone: 209-663-9432 gmackay01@sbcglobal.net
Los Angeles Chapter
Commander James Hamilton 755 Lakefield Road, Suite A Westlake Village, CA 91361
Phone: 805-496-1304 jbhamilton@sbcglobal.net
Monterey Peninsula Chapter
Commander Richard Kehoe P.O. Box 221664 Carmel, CA 93922 Phone: 831-277-9868 kehoedc@sbcglobal.net
Supreme Knights
Bradley Alderson
David G. Armanasco
Susan Auler
Carol L. Bade
Ted Balestreri
Heidi Peterson Barrett
Warren W. Bogle, Jr.
Merrill Bonarrigo
Paul V. Bonarrigo
James “Bo” Barrett
David Barkley
Jean-Charles Boisset
George H. Carter
Mark Chandler
James E. Coleman
Directory
Orange County Chapter
Commander Thomas E. McCrystal 24001 Muirlands #76
Lake Forest, CA 92630
Phone: 949-500-2494 cpg@cox.net
San Francisco Bay Area Chapter
Commander Pat R. Pingitore 19 Aviara Court Napa, CA 94558
Phone: 707-965-2868 prpingitore@gmail.com
Mississippi
Gulf Coast Chapter
Commander Jonathan Fleming 738 Destiny Plantation Blvd
Biloxi, MS 39532
Phone: 703-229.3783
738Destiny@gmail.com
Jackson Chapter
Contact National Office P.O. Box 79314
Houston, TX 77279
Phone: 844-440-8463 kov-office@kov.org
North Carolina
North Carolina Chapter
Commander Jeff Price 9404 North Manor Drive Zebulon, NC 27597
Phone: 919-696-6679
jeffreyhprice0602@gmail.com
Tennessee
Tennessee Chapter
Commander Bob Bennett 4562 Whisperwoods Drive Collierville, TN 38017
Phone: 954-557-7775
bobbennett13@gmail.com
Richard A. Cuneo
Frederick Dame
Joanne DePuy
Dennis Devine
Lucian W. Dressel
Gordon R. Dutt, Ph.D.
Gary Eberle
Tom Eddy
Dick Erath
Joseph S. Franzia
Jeryl R. Fry, Jr.
Jack Galante
Gina Gallo
Gary B. Heck
Genevieve Janssens
Timo Jokinen
Gail Kautz
John H. Kautz
Aram Kinosian
John K. Ledbetter
Zelma R. Long
Lloyd G. Magee
George R. McEachern, Ph.D.
John P. McClelland
J. Douglas Meador
R. Michael Mondavi
Timothy J. Mondavi
Justin Morris, Ph.D.
Robert Pellegrini
Richard Peterson, Ph.D.
G.M. “Pooch” Pucilowski
George Radanovich
Michaela K. Rodeno
Scott Scheid
Texas
Austin Chapter
Commander Randy Groves
1036 Liberty Park Drive #16 Austin, TX 78746
Phone: 512-484-6803
randydgroves@aol.com
Houston Chapter
Commander Buddy Hagner 3 Briar Hill Drive Houston, TX 77042
