IN THIS ISSUE: WHEN HISTORY WAS MADE IN MONTEREY KOV FINLAND HELPS TO MAKE FICB HISTORY THE FIRST FICB INTERNATIONAL WINE TASTING AND RATING CHALLENGE FICB EXTENSION IN HELSINKI FINLAND A FEW WORDS ON THE TRELLIS ANNUAL MEETING IN LAKE TAHOE JOHN KAUTZ: GRAPE GROWING PIONEER Summer/Fall 2019
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Table of Contents Chapters Monterey .............................................6 Chancellery ..........................................10 San Francisco........................................12 Tennessee .............................................24 Gulf Coast ............................................26 North Carolina......................................29 Austin ..................................................30 Lodi .....................................................34 Mississippi ............................................38 Orange County ....................................40 Lake Tahoe ...........................................43 Los Angeles ..........................................48 Nation’s Capital ....................................50 Houston ...............................................52
Feature Articles When History Was Made in Monterey...............................4 by Renee Brincks
KOV Finland Helps to Make FICB History:The First FICB International Wine Tasting and Rating Challenge......15 by Cathie Sandstrom Smith
FICB Extension in Helsinki Finland..22 by Claire Cuccio
A Few Words on the Trellis .................37 by Cathie Sandstrom Smith
Annual Meeting in Lake Tahoe ..........46 by Carol Bade
John Kautz: Grape Growing Pioneer..56 by Nan McCreary
In Every Issue Members In the News...........................9 Application...........................................61 Accessories ............................................62 Directory ..............................................63
National Headquarters
3343 Industrial Drive, Suite 2, Santa Rosa, CA 95403 Phone: 707.579.3781 Fax: 707.579.3996 www.kov.org
Directors Robert C. “Buddy” Hagner, Jr., Chairman Donald D. Bade, Claire Cuccio, Kenneth A. Haapala, Ken Hick, Ken Levy, Terrance K. McCleerey, Pasquale “Pat” Pingitore, Tom Webb
Grand Officers Robert C. “Buddy” Hagner, Jr., Grand Commander Kenneth A. Haapala, Grand Vice Commander Donald D. Bade, Grand Treasurer Tom Webb, Grand Administrative Officer
Grand Council Robert C. “Buddy” Hagner, Jr., Grand Commander Kenneth A. Haapala, Grand Vice Commander Donald D. Bade, Grand Treasurer Tom Webb, Grand Administrative Officer • webbtom@bellsouth.net Pasquale “Pat” Pingitore, International Emissary Terrance K. McCleerey, Grand Commander Emeritus
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Carol L. Bade, Executive Director
Provosts Provost General, Northeastern United States Dave Barber d a ve . b a r b e r @ e a r t hli n k. n e t
Provost General, Southeastern United States Thomas Storey t b s@ e sm he . n e t
Provost General, Northwestern United States Peter Bosco b re d1 @ a t t . n e t
Provost General, Southwestern United States Lois Van Vooren lo i s. va n vo o re n @ g mai l .c o m
Arbor Magazine Dario & Debbie Lorenzana, Layout & Design Trish Hagner, Nan McCreary & Cathie S. Smith, Editorial Review Board
The Arbor is published twice yearly and is the official publication of the Brotherhood of the Knights of the Vine, a nonprofit, tax exempt fraternal organization. Mailing address for the National Headquarters: 3343 Industrial Dr., Suite 2, Santa Rosa, CA 95403, Phone: (707) 579-3781, Fax: (707) 579-3996, Internet: http://w w w.kov.org. Unsolicited articles and pictures are welcome and will be considered for publication by the Editorial Review B oa rd . Items, if mailed, cannot be returned. Comments and materia ls should be sent to arbor@kov.org. Members of the K nights of the Vine receive a free subscription. Subscriptions by nonmembers are $20.00 per year. Copyright ©2019‑ ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, The Brotherhood of the Knights of the Vine, Inc.
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From the
Commander’s Desk The first six months of 2019 were busy and, as you will see in the following pages of The Arbor, our chapters have held many great events. I hope you will take the time to explore the activities of all those chapters reporting in and learn some things from our feature articles! Many thanks to Commander Ernie Grossman and members of the Lake Tahoe Region Chapter who planned and executed that plan for our National Meeting held in the Truckee, California area from May 2 to May 5. Commanders from around the country gathered as did other delegates and members over great wines and great times in one of the most beautiful places on Earth. It was terrific to see members from different chapters getting to know each other and make plans to get together again in the future. Plans are already underway for next year’s national meeting which will be held in Sonoma County April 23-26, 2020. In the Tennessee and Austin Chapters, we have new commanders with Bob Bennett and J. Buckner Hightower, respectively. What an honor to be there to raise them to their new positions and thank Tom Webb and Jerry Gatlin for their leadership of those chapters over the prior years. While I didn’t make it to all of your Assemblages, I sure do try and was pleased to also make it to the Gulf Coast Assemblage held at the Beau Rivage Resort on the beautiful Gulf Coast. You all should make plans to attend next year! Our Finland Chapter made FICB history when it held the first Wine Tasting and Rating Challenge. You’ll learn all about it including the special opportunity we had to present the chapter charter to our newest chapter, the Korean Chapter, whose commander was with us in Finland. Kudos to Cathie Sandstrom Smith and Claire Cuccio for taking great notes and sharing those experiences in the pages here. Our Q & A this time is with Supreme Knight John Kautz of our Lodi Chapter by Nan McCreary that I’m sure you’ll enjoy. On the business side of things, our website has been revamped. Many thanks to Pat Pingitore for taking the lead on that project. We encourage you to check it out at www.KOV.org. Finally, we want to always plan for the future and that includes staying in touch with you! Our database was old and as we considered how best to address it, we received a generous offer from Jerry Gatlin to design a program that would perfectly fit our organization’s unique needs. It is now in use and we anticipate a version of that program will be offered to chapters to help with events and communications. Thanks, Jerry!
per vitem! ad vitam! Robert C. “Buddy” Hagner, Jr., Grand Commander
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When History was Made in Monterey by Renee Brincks
Editors Note: Sardine Factory founder Ted Balestreri is a Master Knight and Fred Dame is a Supreme Knight in our Monterey Peninsula Chapter. We thank the Sardine Factory for offering to share this bit of their history with The Arbor. Since Clint Eastwood downed a drink here in “Play Misty For Me,” his 1971 directorial debut, Monterey’s Sardine Factory Restaurant has welcomed countless actors and celebrities as guests. The iconic Cannery Row restaurant’s role in American wine history is a lesser-known tale. In 1987, the Sardine Factory hosted the results announcement for the first Court of Master Sommeliers examination ever held in the United States. The Court of Master Sommeliers sets the global standard for beverage service through a four-part certification that culminates with the Master Sommelier Diploma Examination. First held in the United Kingdom 50 years ago, the prestigious accreditation later came to the U.S. with help from Fred Dame, who spent 12 years as the Sardine Factory’s cellar master. Dame joined the Sardine Factory in 1972, when the Cannery Row mainstay was still an under-the-radar gem on the wrong side of the tracks. Canneries, abandoned since Monterey’s sardine-fishing
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heyday, surrounded the building, a former mess hall for packing-company shift workers. But, founders Ted Balestreri and Bert Cutino saw potential in the forgotten space. When they opened the Sardine Factory in 1968, against the advice of acquaintances who questioned the location, the business partners paved the way for a resurgence that transformed Cannery Row into one of California’s best-known tourism destinations. In a 2015 Tasting Panel Magazine conversation with the Sardine Factory founders, Dame shared memories from his early years at the restaurant. He also recalled a focus on three main priorities: unmatched customer service, remarkable cuisine and a spectacular wine list. “I remember four sommeliers on the floor here on a busy evening. Most spots didn’t even have one,” said Dame. “I distinctly recall the mission I was given to get the Grand Award. We managed to do it in just one year. It was always about the goal, the commitment and then the achievement.” Balestreri and Cutino eventually sent Dame to the United Kingdom for the Master Sommelier examination. At that time, all three exam elements were administered at once. In 1984, Dame
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became the first American to successfully pass all three parts in a single year. The feat earned him the prestigious Krug Cup of the British Guild of Sommeliers. Dame founded the American arm of the Court of Master Sommeliers two years later. America’s first Master Sommelier Diploma Exam took place in 1987, followed by a results announcement in the Sardine Factory’s glassdomed Conservatory. Close to 50 sommeliers from around the country were there to learn who had passed the exam, which at that time included all three parts at once. Only one sommelier passed all parts. The announcement of who passed and who failed brought tears to the eyes of the other exam takers. Subsequently, the Court of Master Sommeliers separated the exam into three separate exams, taken individually. In addition to expanding the Master Sommelier program across the United States, Dame elevated the Sardine Factory’s wine list. Today, the 250-seat restaurant has 16,000 bottles by 1,650 noteworthy producers. It has received Wine Spectator’s Grand Award for more than 20 years, earned the publication’s Best of Award of Excellence for more than a decade, and made the Distinguished Restaurants of North America (DiRoNA) honors list since 1993. http://sardinefactory.com/
MONTEREY BAY PRAWNS WITH ARTICHOKES AND ASPARAGUS 4 ea. 1 tbsp. 1 tsp. 16 ea. 2 oz. 1 tbsp. 2 tbsp. 2 cups 2 tbsp. 1 tbsp. 32 ea. 1 cup
Fresh Artichokes, medium Lemon Juice Salt and Pepper Large Prawns, head on (16-20 to a pound or larger) peeled and deveined Olive Oil Garlic, chopped fine Shallots, chopped fine Chardonnay wine Whole butter Each of fresh basil and parsley, chopped Asparagus tips Chicken Broth
1. Remove tough outside leaves of the artichoke then steam artichokes with lemon, salt, pepper and water. Cook until tender, approximately 30 minutes. Cool in cooking liquid. Remove leaves and reserve. 2. Scoop out the hairy choke and slice the artichoke bottoms. This portion can be prepared 24-hours in advance. 3. Poach asparagus tips in chicken broth until tender and set aside. 4. In a large skillet, sauté briefly the garlic and shallots in olive oil over medium-high heat. Add prawns and sauté a few seconds on each side. Add chardonnay and reduce liquid by one half. Remove prawns. Add the butter, sliced artichoke bottoms, asparagus tips, basil and parsley. Toss the prawns with the sauce, vegetables and herbs. (Serves 4) Recommended wine pairing: Chardonnay Recipe created by: Bert Cutino, CEC, AAC, HOF, World Certified Master Chef Cofounder/COO, The Sardine Factory Restaurant Monterey, CA 93940
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Big Sur
Forager’s Festival
Monterey
By Rich Kehoe
The Monterey chapter enjoys an embarrassment of riches in consideration of the beautiful venues in this region. We started 2019 with a chartered bus filled with 54 members, fortified with mimosas and cruising the scenic coastal Highway 1. Thirty minutes later we arrived at the historic Big Sur River Inn. Opened in 1934, this property is located on the Big Sur River nestled amongst the towering redwood trees. We joined in with the locals and enjoyed the Forager’s Festival, a fundraiser for the Big Sur Health Center. Over two dozen chefs and wineries competed for numerous awards judged by our chapter. Imagine the best restaurant you’ve ever been to and then ask them to prepare a tasting menu of 15 dishes paired with 40 wines. Served in a strolling environment under a redwood tree canopy, this meal was extraordinary.
The Best of Show and People’s Choice awards went to the Multiversity of Scotts Valley for a Kanpachi Crudo. The Most Imaginative award went to Chefs Tony Baker and Justin Robarge for a roasted rabbit consommé. McIntyre 2017 Chardonnay and Mesa Del Sol 2013 Sangiovese were awarded best white and red wines, respectively. This annual event is held on the Saturday of every Martin Luther King weekend and we invite all of KOV members to consider a visit to join us the next time around which is January 18, 2020. www.bigsurforagersfestival.org
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The Grand Assemblage Article by Rich Kehoe Photos by Cary Mrozowski
For our Grand Assemblage, we gathered at the Carmel Valley Ranch in late April. Chef Tim Woods, currently the region’s most exciting chef, impressed us with a menu with many ingredients sourced from the resort’s own olive groves, gardens, beehives, vineyards and herd of goats. Scheid Family Wines was honored with a Lifetime Achievement award for their leadership in the development of Monterey County as a wine region. Their support of the Knights of the Vine has spanned decades. Their Claret blend was the perfect accompaniment for the filet verses short ribs entrée. New member Knight James Schultze, from Windy Oaks Winery, provided a 2016 Santa Cruz Mountain, Estate Chardonnay from the “One Acre Vineyard”. This was nicely paired to a scallop risotto course. Supreme Knight Jack Galante brought in his port wine to serve with dessert. We were delighted to bring twelve new Knights and Gentle Ladies into our fold. Our enthronement and dinner was followed by enthusiastic dancing and a good time was had by all.
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MONTEREY CHAPTER CONT’D FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
Ahhhhhhh...May at Bistro Moulin! Sitting above Cannery Row’s Monterey Bay Aquarium is one of our local’s favorite restaurants; Bistro Moulin. This casual venue was the setting for a dinner hosted by KOV member Chef Didier Dutertre. Thirty members enjoyed French food paired with the wines of the Rhone Valley. KOV member Sommelier Colleen Manni delighted us with vivid descriptions of the wines. Oh’s and ah’s filled the room with the tender Rack of Lamb paired with 2015 Domaine Les Alexandrins Crozes-Mermitage as a highlight of the evening! Fully sated we tumbled out into the evening fog of May and anxiously look forward to the next time we will gather together.
THE COMMANDER’S RECEPTION The Bennett Sculpture Gallery in the heart of Carmel by the Sea was the setting for The Commander’s Reception. Cadre member Chef Wendy Brodie prepared a tasty assortment of cheeses and roasted meats to accompany an assortment of wines cellared from numerous past events. Commander Rich Kehoe gave a State of the Vine address. The audience, surrounded by artwork, toasted the end of his interruption and returned to the enjoyment of the wine and food.
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MEMBERS IN THE NEWS By Forrest Preece
AUSTIN CHAPTER’S
DAVID PROCTOR A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTOR TO APOLLO 11 MISSION All this year’s media attention about the 50th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing is bringing back warm thoughts for David Proctor, a Knight in the Austin chapter. He was a key member of the IBM team attached to NASA that provided crucial computer programs for the mission. His areas of responsibility were programming the Lunar Descent Integrator, the Lunar Ascent Integrator and the Powered Flight Iterator. In other words, his work governed landing the module on the correct spot on the moon’s surface, then returning it to the command module, while controlling its orbit.
No doubt, David has a great deal of justifiable pride from his efforts on the lunar mission. He and his wife Judi also gain satisfaction from their collection of wine. He started his appreciation of wine after graduating from the University of Oklahoma, while beginning his career in California with an aerospace company. His favorite wines are from California, although he and Judi have acquired excellent bottles from France, Italy, Australia, New Zealand and South America. Before they downsized in 2012, he and Judi had a cellar of about 900 bottles. He favors reds and says that their favorite wines come from Jarvis. In 2016, they enjoyed attending the FICB event in Napa. While there, since they are members of the Jarvis Wine Club, they got to tour the winery. David and Judi are also avid University of Oklahoma Sooner fans and donors and they attend many of the school’s football games.
In July this year, David went to Houston to be reunited with four of his IBM colleagues from that era. They held a panel discussion which was recorded. He said that this meeting generated many memories of their hard work. “The panel brought back into focus the satisfaction we all felt after the Apollo 11 mission. In many ways it was the most satisfying effort of all our careers,” David said. After the moon landing mission, he worked with some of the team members on other important IBM projects.
MEMBERS IN
THE NEWS Summer/Fall 2019
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2019 Chancellery Chapter Assemblage The Chancellery Chapter had their Grand Assemblage on April 28th at the Granite Bay Country Club. Master Announcer Stan Oppegard introduced our Cadre, Master Commander Chik Brenneman, Master Vice Commander Suzanne Oppegard, Gentle Ladies Polly Brenneman and Debbie Fogarty, along with our special guests Master Commander of the Tahoe Chapter Ernest Grossman and Master Lady Margaret Lewicki. The processional began at 5pm EXACT! Hah! Three new members were inducted during the ceremony. Kate Rezny of Sacramento became a Gentle Lady while John Ford and Byron Pipkin were enthroned as Knights of our Order. John and Byron are residents of Spyglass Court in Auburn, California where many Chancellery and Tahoe Chapter members reside. I affectionately refer to this group as the “Spyglass Gang”. Our unrehearsed program received plenty of laughs and the candidates were all good sports. We look forward to their future participation in the chapter. We always like to have an educational twist to our events and this Assemblage was no exception. In the world of fantasy travel, we journeyed to the Loire Valley of France for our evening of wine, paired with each course. Master
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Left to right, Vice Commander Suzanne Oppegard, Charge d’Affairs Polly Brenneman, Incoming Gentle Lady Kate Rezney, Incoming Knights John Ford, Byron Pipkin, Master Commander Chik Brenneman
Commander Chik Brenneman described the wines for each flight and discussed why they were matched for each of the courses. We started the evening with Deligeroy Crémant de Loire Sparkling Wine and the Famile Bougrier Sauvignon Blanc, to complement strawberry bruschetta with goat cheese, bacon-wrapped beef bites and grilled chicken curry skewers. We were able to enjoy our first course on the balcony overlooking the golf course. The weather was perfect and, much to the delight of everyone, there were no mosquitos! For dinner, we enjoyed a pear, bacon and butter lettuce salad, which was paired with the Famile Bougrier Vouvray, which was a lovely example of an off dry Chenin Blanc. Our guests had a choice of three entrées; forest mushroom gnocchi, grilled Atlantic salmon, or a petite chateaux filet. Red wine was a must here, so we moved on to the Chinon region for the Le Pré Vaujour; a Cabernet Franc. We decided to take a short flight to
By Chik Brenneman
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Charles Kesmodel and Marilyn Baker
The Spyglass Gang - Byron & Lee Ford, Pat & Jim Leidigh, Mary & Dale Kuehne, Susan and Byron Pipkin
Portugal for dessert. We paired the chocolate decadence cake with Warre’s Ruby Port. We hope we enlightened the group with wines they may not have otherwise experienced on their own. A very enjoyable and educational evening for the group. The guests were sent away with a small jar of homemade Zinfandel Jelly prepared by the organizing committee. The Chapter extends a special thanks to Knight Jim Kaye for arranging the venue and to Gentle Lady Glenys Kaye for arranging the planning and catering. Special thanks also to the event’s organizing committee, Susan Hadler, Bunnie Day, Douglas and Monica Pope, Suzanne Oppegard, Debbie Fogarty and Polly Brenneman for all the extra support needed to put on an event like this.
Dallas & Merrilee Pennington
Jose & Liz Abad
Wendy & Rob Leist L to R: Cary Adams, Kate Rezney, Jim Kaye, Jim Leidigh, Carol Adams
Susann Hadler and Bunnie Day Suzanne & Stan Oppegard
Summer/Fall 2019
By Fran Benevidez
SF Assemblage in NAPA
San Francisco
All Articles by Fran Benevidez
It was a festive feast for the senses and twinkle toes as members, guests and friends gathered for the 2019 San Francisco Bay Area Chapter Grand Assemblage held in March at the Napa Valley Country Club.
Master Cellar Master Scooter Blacklock heralded in the evening by welcoming all in attendance, which included members of the Chancellery and Lodi Chapters. He then announced the Cadre as they filed into the beautifully decorated hall. Once assembled, the evening was called to order by Master Commander Pasquale “Pat” Pingitore who proclaimed, “Per Vitem! Ad Vitem!”
Gentle Lady Ann Brown with Isaac & Fran Benevidez
The first order of business was the formal elevation of Gentle Lady Fran Benavidez to Master Scribe, followed by the initiation of new Gentle Ladies Clarice Turner and Sharon Beckham. Next came Knighthood for new members Isaac Benavidez and Jeffrey Hildreth. Rich Czapleski, owner of Canard Vineyards, was inducted as Master Knight and returning member James Robison was elevated to Master Knight.
LtoR: Taryn & Jeffrey Hildreth with Gentle Lady Heather Browning
Master Knights Jim Robison and Rich Czapleski
Once the Enthronement Ceremony was complete, guests enjoyed a delicious and decadent meal prepared by Executive Chef Kellan Sanderlin, who expertly paired Czapleski’s Canard wines to accompany our most elegant dinner.
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Music for the evening was provided by Primitivo, the talented Lodi-based trio whose guitarist is Knight Bill Russell of our Lodi Chapter. The dance floor was full as happy Knights, Gentle Ladies and newfound friends enjoyed amazing wines paired with happy music all set against the backdrop of beautiful Napa Valley.
Comm. Pat with Rich ‘duck’ Czapleski of Canard Vineyards
AN AFTERNOON AT
We invite you to join us next year for a wonderful evening, at DeLoach Vineyards which we anticipate will be in conjunction with next year’s Annual KOV meeting to which all members are more than welcome, in fact, encouraged to attend!
MUSEUM & TASTING
There are many ways to enjoy the good life Napa Valley offers, but it would be hard to top the lovely summer afternoon that members and guests of the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter experienced on June 30 while touring and tasting with Supreme Knight Jean Charles Boisset at his latest tasting room, museum and event center, 1881 Napa. continued >>>
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SAN FRANCISCO CHAPTER CONT’D FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
Boisset recently purchased the historical Oakville property which includes the famed Oakville Grocery and Durant House, brought back to life in the grand 19th century style, not to mention the passionate opulence for which Jean Charles is widely known. The Durant House has been renamed 1881 Napa in honor of the founding year of the Oakville Grocery. The entire second floor is designated as a museum featuring a meticulousEnjoying the BarBQ picnic include Chancellery Chapter members Polly ly curated collection of photographs, household Brenneman, Pooch & Heidi Pucilowski (center) & Marianne Rittenhouse items and farming artifacts, to name just few. It is truly a must-see when visiting the Napa Valley. Upon arrival at the Durant House, guests were greeted with a refreshing 2018 Rose – Cotes de Provence, also known as JCB No.5. There was plenty of time to peruse the museum or shop next door at the charming Oakville Grocery while sipping! Once Jean Charles arrived, the atmosphere turned ebullient and lively as he shared memories from his boyhood, his unrivaled passion for preserving local history, his love for family and living the good life. As he spoke, the next wine was poured: JCB No. 3, a lovely Pinot Noir comprised of Burgundian and Russian River fruit.
Supreme Knight Jean Charles Boisset with Maureen & Ned Trippe
The Brennemans enjoying the museum at Napa 1881
He then introduced the next delicious wine selection, a blend of French and American varietals aptly named 6.6.44, in honor of D Day and the collaboration of France and the United States. Thus, it is also known as Franco-American Red Wine. Next came two distinctly Napa single vineyard selections: a 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon 1881 Napa Oakville and the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon 1881 Napa Diamond Mountain. As Boisset bid a fond adieu, guests sought shade and sustenance in the private patio area where a bountiful summer luncheon awaited, including oven baked pizzas, grilled tri-tip, burgers, salads and sweets. And more delicious JCB wine, of course. Now that’s living the good life! Isaac & Fran Benevidez with Dick Katz & Lynn Turner
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KOV Finland Helps to Make FICB History The first FICB International Wine Tasting and Rating Challenge
by Cathie Sandstrom Smith
The Knights of the Vine Finland hosted the first FICB International Wine Tasting and Rating Challenge during three beautiful, and unseasonably, warm and sunny days June 6 - 9. Brotherhoods from the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Hungary, Spain, Portugal, Korea and Hong Kong gathered at Haikko Manor and Spa in Porvoo, Finland, about thirty miles east of Helsinki. Our gracious hosts from KOV Finland who, among others, included Timo Jokinen, Arttu Kalli, Matti Malkamaki, Ilkka Eskola and Pentti Salin had seen to every detail so that they were always present assuring that everything would run smoothly.
A Champagne reception in the Manor’s great hall opened the Challenge where FICB President Alan Bryden impressed upon the assembled guests the importance of the event; that we were part of FICB history by our attendance at this first FICB Wine Tasting and Rating Challenge and he thanked KOV Finland’s Commander Emeritus and Chapter founder, Timo Jokinen, and Finland Master Commander Arttu Kalli for all of the work they had done to prepare for this historic event. After a toast,
Haikko Manor crowns a hill that faces the Baltic Sea. In front of it, a wide sweeping lawn slopes all the way down to Haikko Villa and a dock; along the way, several conversation areas with white benches and chairs, a gushing fountain, then a small pavilion can be enjoyed. The Hotel and Spa, where most of us stayed, was a short distance so that you felt like a time traveler leaving it to walk up to the Manor, built in 1913.
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we proceeded to dinner where guests found each place setting had four wine glasses in a row—two poured with white wines and two with red. Blind tasting the wines before food, we were instructed to judge the unknown wines on color, nose and taste, giving points for each category on cards which were collected as dinner began. It was the perfect way to introduce the wine challenge and engage everyone. Every lunch and dinner we shared afterward began with a similar tasting. It was interesting, fun, and a great idea to bring back to our chapters. To welcome us to Finland and add to the evening’s festivities, nine women filed into the dining room, one with a pitch pipe, and the music began—a toe-tapping richness of barbershop-style harmony and a wide variety of songs which was delightful. Part of the pleasure was watching how much fun they had singing for us. A traditional meal followed and guests were given a menu that identified the wines that we all just tasted
and judged blind so that we could know what we were enjoying. For our first meal together, some familiar varietals and some not so familiar including a Sartori Marani Bainco Veronese IGT from Negar, Italy made from Garganega grapes! The wines notes included some great descriptions that helped our understanding and appreciation of the wines. After dinner, attendees gathered on the veranda overlooking the lawn to the sea for a group picture followed by a special ceremony. KOV Grand Commander Buddy Hagner presented the Commander of the KOV Korean Chapter, Don Joon Kim with the Chapter Charter. While the chapter has been officially a part of our Brotherhood for two years, this was the first opportunity for this time-honored tradition to occur. The Champagne continued to flow as we toasted our newest chapter and wished them great success! Friday morning was the first of two days of the Wine Challenge, where connoisseurs and professionals (oenologists, sommeliers and wine makers) competed in blind tasting a variety of wines. On the first day, they were asked to judge white and sparkling wines. The judges were asked to score the wines based on varietal(s), country of origin, oaked or unoaked, and if it was a single varietal (mono) or a blend.
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A panel of three—Professor Kathleen Burke of the United Kingdom, Master Knight Dave Barber of the United States and Giovanni Sordi from Italy—presided over the challenge, while Supreme Knight Timo Jokinen, internationally recognized for his wine and food expertise and who was instrumental in designing the process, evaluated the jury’s scores. Participants were identified by number only; not name. Their session over, by mid-morning we were on our way to the medieval town of Porvoo, founded as early as 1346, according to one source. We enjoyed a guided tour along the Old Town’s cobbled streets past old homes, shops and an open air market that led down to the river from the 14th century cathedral. Several blocks away was new Porvoo. Upon entering the new Town Hall, we were greeted by the Mayor and the Finland Chapter held an Enthronement ceremony in grand style with robes, caps and plumes bringing in three new Knights and one Gentle Lady. Other FICB members in attendance were also enthroned as members of the Finland Chapter; each receiving a certificate as Commander Arttu Kalli touched them with his sword to their shoulders. Other brotherhoods added to the
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pomp and ceremony by the wearing of their brotherhood’s robes including two knights from Madeira who captivated us with their small felt caps (like beanies) with a “stem” that curved up and forward at the top of the cap. We celebrated those who had been elevated in rank with Champagne then walked to an outdoor lunch along the river near the red ochre warehouses, a symbol of Porvoo for the past three hundred years. Our midday meal was a traditional Finnish lunch like what would have been prepared by fishermen. A highlight were the small crispy-fried fish, vermice. A member of the minnow family, they were a crunchy delight. Yes, even the bones. On our return to Haikko Manor, we were treated to a wine tasting in the wild—sampling wines other brotherhoods had brought to share. In the pavilion on the lawn past the fountain, we were introduced to wines from Korea and to the Finnish wines made from arctic berries like cloudberries and lingonberries.
green asparagus, nettle tartlets and clarified butter, organic Charolais roast beef, red wine sauce and spruce syrup, roasted root vegetables and a divine dessert of chocolate fondant with ice cream à la Maison. Being so far north and only two weeks before the summer solstice, twilight lasted hours and hours, with the sun setting about 10:30 p.m. and the sky still showing some light at midnight. This made conditions perfect for watching the landscape glide past as we made our way to back to our temporary home in Porvoo after dinner. Saturday our wine challenge competitors were hard at it before the Fishing Tournament began; this time scoring red wines. Meanwhile, about twenty intrepid knights and gentle ladies angled for the largest fish and the largest number of fish caught. They didn’t have far to travel.
Friday evening we ventured to Kiala Manor, built in 1796, for a spectacular dinner in the candlelit red-brick arched cellar. Before dinner, we were treated to a refreshing local beverage that had honey in the bottom of the glass and a sprig of spruce and a blueberry floating on top. For this second evening, we were feted with a beautiful and delicious dinner and, again, before dinner, rated the wines that would accompany this repast. Dinner included local salmon mousse on Archipelago bread,
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The lawn in front of the manor faces a brackish water fjord that opens onto the Gulf of Finland. With the wine challenge judging complete and the fishing tournament finished, we boarded the coaches again for lunch at another countryside farm. I admit it: I’m prejudiced. Stepping into the restaurant Kannonnokka & Vanha Navetta was like walking into a Alfred William Finch painting. I wanted to stay there. The restaurant was in a beautifully rendered conversion of what had been, as the man who welcomed us said, a “cow house.” He gestured to an adjoining smaller room, now the kitchen, and said, “And here were sheep.” Deep-set windows in thick white-washed walls let in plenty of daylight. We sat at two very long tables set with the aforementioned four wine glasses at each place for our blind tasting. The meal was traditional Finnish, served buffet style and featuring innovative combinations and included a menu of grilled white fish with orange fennel and pea puree, roasted beetroot and parmesan crème, then roasted carrots and turnips, followed by roasted celery and apple. Not to be outdone, next to be considered for addition to our plates were the artichokes and zucchini and the overcooked beef with beer sauce and snow peas (think “pot roast”) followed by the potato gratin with truffle. But wait! There’s more! Are you getting the sense that this was probably my favorite meal? Good. Because here was the finishing touch: a towering three-layer rich chocolate cake filled and frosted with vanilla crème and topped with stewed rhubarb. Oh, my. A person could hurt herself!
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(Nation’s Capital Chapter) won the Connoisseurs’ category, and the indomitable and irrepressible Master Lady (and fellow Arbor writer) Nan McCreary won in the Professional category; besting other professionals who all cheered her success and celebrated with her and with Joe as they received certificates and specially commissioned medals. Their delight and surprise was contagious!
After enjoying more than we probably needed after several days of wining and dining, the organizers announced the winners of the Competition which included our very own Gentle Lady Pat Alt of the Nation’s Capital Chapter who won for catching the largest fish while Portugal’s Jesus Dionisio won the prize for the most fish.
Also announced were the results of our blind tastings. The winemaker from Hungary was thrilled that her Dubicz Matrai Olarizling Barrique 2017 was the preferred white. Honors for the highest scored red wine went to Italy for their Castello di Meleto Chianti Classico DOCG 50th Anniversario Viticola 2016, Gaiole in Chianti Italy. There was great celebration followed by dancing to the strains of a delightful quartet and then the finale: a beautiful Port wine offered by the Portuguese brotherhood as a teaser for what awaits us in Portugal at the FICB International Congress in 2022. Sunday morning, the official end of the Challenge, opened with all enjoying a leisurely Champagne breakfast. For some of us it was a travel day; for others, the beginning of the continuation, which included a tour of
We returned to Haikko Manor with time to enjoy the spa or just relax before the Gala Dinner held just a short walk toward the water at Haikko Villa. The room was a sight to behold and the Knights and Ladies of the many FICB Brotherhoods who had gathered from far and wide were all dressed in their finery. Even though this was to be our last dinner of the Challenge, we began as all other lunches and dinners had for the past several days; by blindly scoring the four wines at our place. A luscious dinner followed that included a mosaic of squid and scallop with cold smoked pike, asparagus soup with breast of duck, Haikko Manor’s smoked fillet of beef “since 1966” with herb butter and pickles sauce, cheese with compote and finally, crème brulee with cloudberries (a local delicacy). After dinner came the highly anticipated climax at this very first FICB Wine Tasting and Rating Challenge; the announcement of winners of the competitions. While the jury thought they were rating the wines, turns out that, in fact, they were being judged on their discernment of the wines. For this historic event, the headline would be, “Americans Sweep Awards at FICB Wine Challenge” because that’s exactly what we did! KOV Knight Joe Alt
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Helsinki and a trip across the Gulf of Finland to Tallinn, a medieval city in Estonia. It’s hard to overstate the pleasure of these occasions, when wine brings people from all over the world together in beautiful and intimate settings that foster conversation during the sharing of food and wine. Finland is known as “The Land of The Thousand Lakes” as well as for its cordiality and natural beauty. And what will we remember? The extraordinary effort of organizing this historic event, the many demonstrations of friendship among the participants and hosts and, oh yes, ….. and then there were those birches…
Summer/Fall 2019
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FICB Extension in
Helsinki Finland By Claire Cuccio
Following our fabulous FICB Wine Challenge, a number of our members continued on with our FICB experience with the extension planned by KOV Finland. After a nice champagne breakfast on the first day, we left Porvoo and headed to Helsinki. First on the agenda was a city tour. Helsinki has a rich history, but is also very modern. We saw the state buildings, the icebreaker ships in the harbor, Lutheran cathedral (converted from Greek Orthodox), and the fortress (from afar). We stopped at Löyly for a cold beverage and snack, which offered three levels of seaside views. We then stopped at the music hall and central library which offers all citizens extra services like 3D printing and sewing machines. Last stop was the statue dedicated to composer Jean Sibelius. It was a beautiful day and we were looking forward to the evening activities. For dinner we ate at restaurant Juuri (which means good) and it was fabulous! We had three appetizers, called Sappas, before the main meal. First we enjoyed champagne and flat crackers, followed by wine from Germany’s Rheinland, a Pfalz 2017 Scheurbe with pickled herring and blue cheese cauliflower. Delish! The third course was another German wine from Baden-Wurttenberg, a 2017 Trollinger, paired with cucumbers and goat cheese and deep fried lamb with sour milk sauce. The main meal was a perfectly done Arctic Char with a French Sancerre.
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Dessert was to die for! Ice cream with puffed buckwheat and peanut butter topped with caramel and paired with an Austrian blend of Traminette and Chardonnay. A fabulous way to end the day with a walk through Helsinki back to the hotel. The next morning, we left Helsinki on the Megastar Ferry to Estonia. Our tour guide, Jonas from Iceland, gave us a wonderful tour of the old city. The Hungarian Wine Sisterhood found their Embassy and were excited to take some pictures. There were castles, cobblestones and cathedrals. We found our way into the main square where our guide treated us to the story of Old Thomas. As a young boy, he observed a crossbow competition which was organized in medieval times by German soldiers each spring. Only young men from Tallinn’s noble German families were allowed to compete. On that particular day, none of the participating knights were able to hit the target which was a stuffed parrot perched on a tall pole. Little Thomas, a poor Estonian boy, encouraged by his friends, stepped out from the crowd and took a shot. Everyone was amazed when he hit the target. Because of his low birth, however, Thomas was not permitted to receive the promised award. Instead he was rewarded with lifetime employment as a city guard where he guarded
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the square. He grew up to become a great hero, fighting valiantly in the Livonian War. He also gave candy to the children in the Town Square, according to local legend. When he died, the children constantly asked, “Where is Old Thomas?” which led to uncomfortable answers about the nature of death. Parents soon realized that the warrior on the top of the weathervane on top of the town hall tower favored “Old Thomas” and so began telling the children that Old Thomas was watching so they needed to behave which would result in a surprise of candy under their pillows. We had an early dinner in the Tallinn town square at the Olde Hausa, meaning guild. It was a medieval restaurant. We started the meal with some Estonian vodka with cranberry juice. The wines were a Cote du Rhône and a German Riesling. After some pickled appetizers, pate and smoked salmon, we were served amazing brown bread with oven baked cheese. The main course was elk meat, salmon and sausages made from elk, white boar, and bear. This was served with baked sauerkraut and turnips. The dessert was a delicate “yellow rose” pudding. FICB President Alan Bryden said it was the perfect setting for the FICB since many of our costumes and medals are from the medieval era. We returned that evening on the Megastar Ferry to Helsinki and each went our separate ways with fond memories of the good time provided by our KOV Finland friends.
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Feast of St. Vincent Tennessee
Assemblage The Tennessee Chapter held its annual Feast of St Vincent Assemblage in February at the Tournament Players Club at Southwind in Memphis. The evening celebrated the 40th Anniversary of the founding of the Tennessee Chapter and the induction of four new members. Another reason for celebration was the “passing of the sword” to new Master Commander Bob Bennett. Grand Commander Buddy Hagner, accompanied by Master Lady Trish Hagner, began the celebration by elevating Bob Bennett to Master Commander and presenting him with his red plume and the chapter’s sword. Our newly elevated Master Commander Emeritus, Tom Webb, was thanked for his ten years of leadership and his tireless work in rebuilding the Tennessee chapter after a period of inactivity. Master Commander Bennett then knighted our four new members, Gentle Ladies Candy Andrasik and Nan Gallina followed by Knights Frank Andrasik and Mark Ozemba. Entertaining biographies were shared by their respective sponsors. Beautifully decorated by Master of Hospitality Peggy Larkin, the tables were adorned with
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The new inductees: Mark Ozemba, Candy & Frank Andrasik, and Nan Gallina
By Beth Webb The Arbor
flower arrangements and strands of wire lights. Special guest of the evening was John Richardson, who presented the evening’s wines from Constellation Brands. Guests enjoyed Estancia Pinot Grigio with ceviche and a Franciscan Sauvignon Blanc with a tarragon chicken breast. A chimichurri rubbed pork eye of round was accompanied by Estancia Pinot Noir, but The Prisoner and accompanying beef tenderloin were the stars of the night as far as dinner was concerned. A trio of decadent desserts was enjoyed with Ruffino Prosecco. Our new members were royally welcomed and Tom Webb thanked all the members for their support and help in rebuilding the chapter. It was a night for celebration.
Robert Meyers and Frank Andrasik
Alyce & Tom Price, Bob Bennett and Sandy Barrios Tom Webb, Buddy Hagner, Bob Bennett, Mike Fink
The chapter gathered again on a Sunday afternoon in March at the home of Peggy Larkin for our annual business meeting. Following a social hour with plenty of delicious hors d’oeuvres and great wines brought by our members, Master Commander Bob Bennett led a discussion of planned and proposed events and asked for volunteers to host future gatherings. While many chapters are larger than ours, by design, our chapter size give us the ability for all of us to host or co-host an event in our home or outdoor space. Tom Webb was presented with a gift from the chapter for his years of service. Early June and the “real” beginning of summer in the south brought the chapter back together at the home of Bob and Gayle Bennett. The theme for the evening was an old fashioned cook-out with lamb burgers and grilled chicken. All of the dishes and wines brought by members and guests paired beautifully with the grilled meats, Mediterranean style. The evening was amazingly cool and pleasant as members and guests all lingered into the evening hours and drank plenty of wine. It was a perfect beginning to summer.
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Candy Andrasik, Beth Webb, Judy Fink, and Sheila Bentley
Looking Good: Ladies of the Knight!
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Gulf Coast Gathers for
Annual Assemblage Gulf Coast
by Lynn Lofton
The April 6 Assemblage had a new venue, the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi. This outstanding MGM property sets the standard for quality and excellence in Mississippi. Members sipped cocktails before entering the elegant Azalea Ballroom that opens onto the pool area overlooking the peaceful waters of the Mississippi Sound and the Gulf of Mexico.
A rousing ceremony ushered in seven new members: Patrick Mason, Donna Krentel, Rod Krentel, Cathy Roe, Lisa Glavan, Wade Howk and Donna DePierne. They passed the tests as administered by Master Commander John Boothby, took the joyous oath and were made official by kneeling and receiving a tap on each shoulder.
We ate well and heartily! The menu began with an intermezzo of spicy tuna with cucumber-jalapeno relish, brioche braised rabbit turnovers and veal bone reduction Brussels sprouts paired with Washington State Sangiovese Rosé. The first course, Murder Point oysters, was paired with Sonoma’s Pedroncelli Sauvignon Blanc. That was followed with Bayou Le Batre blue crab and heirloom tomatoes with Laguna Chardonnay from the Russian River Valley.
“New Knight Patrick Mason was happy another new member Rod Krentel saved him from having to answer three questions about wine,” Boothby said.
Ferrari-Carano Cabernet Sauvignon from Alexander Valley was served with the third course, roasted tenderloin a la Paul Mercier and Maine lobster. The grand finale featured almond dacquoise with pineapple vanilla cremeux, red fruit coulis and chocolate abstract completed with Soter Pinot Noir from Oregon.
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Buddy & Trish Hagner with Morris & Lucy Strickland
Wade & Amy Howk
LtoR: Mark & Mary Spain, with Mary Sunderman
George Loukatos and Guest
Andrew & Teckie Hinkebein
LtoR: Donna & Rod Krentel with Todd & Nadiya Copeland
OPPOSITE PAGE TOP Back Row LtoR: Cadre members Rich Moss, Buddy Hagner, Arlene Wall, Suzy Moss, John Boothby, Joff Clarke, Lynn Lofton, Brooke Shoultz & Mike Sunderman. Front Row LtoR: Wade Howk, Patrick Mason, Lisa Glavin, Cathy Roe,Donna DePierne, Colby Krentel & Rod Krentel. OPPOSITE PAGE BOTTOM Dewey Mason, Susan Cain and Christy Payne.
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GULF COAST CHAPTER CONT’D FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
Our Gulf Coast members often take advantage of New Orleans being nearby. Such was the case for the second Kentucky Derby party in May. Men were dapper in spring colors and seersucker, but ladies stole the show with hats in many styles and colors. Several members got the party started early by motoring over in a stretch limo and others joined them in the Crescent City.
Members with Kentucky Derby host Patrick van Hoorebeek in New Orleans
Traditional Mint Juleps were the specialty of the day, along with wine and other spirits, as we gathered at the famous Carousel Bar in the historic Monteleone Hotel. A delightful lunch finished with New Orleans trademark bread pudding; all served Lynn Lofton and Lance Hopkins in the Criollo restaurant. Patrick’s Bar Vin was the scene for more imbibing and actually watching the Kentucky Derby. Host Patrick van Hoorebeek made sure everyone had a great time. The ambiance of this bar lends itself to relaxing — wood paneled walls displaying old school art, books and the host’s collection of antique marionettes from his native Belgium. And, as you might expect on this occasion, there was some wagering going on before the race began. New member Donna Krentel won the pot and Adrienne Boothby won the hat contest that was organized by our gracious host.
Nadia Copeland, Donna Krentel, Melody Wiltz and Adrienne Boothby
In March, members met for happy hour at the Rack House Bar in Gulfport to celebrate Mardi Gras and honor former krewe royalty among the membership. While a few even wore some of their finery, all had a rocking time. And while our KOV motto is “Per Vitem! Ad Vitam!” on this day, we were all shouting “Laissez les Bon Temps Rouler” !
LtoR:Todd Copeland, Lauren Timmons, Mike McKay, Rich Moss, John Boothby, Patrick Mason and Kenny Glavan
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Lauren Timmons, Michelle & Joff Clarke
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The HEAT is On!
By Jeff Price, Master Commander
The heat is on! As the hot and humid days of another North Carolina
summer have the state’s residents scrambling for
shade and air-conditioning, the gallant Knights
The revived North Carolina Chapter will hold its first Grand Assemblage since 2013 at The Angus Barn Restaurant (www. angusbarn.com) in Raleigh. This event will be held in the restaurant’s fabulous wine cellar on September 28. The Barn has been recognized as a Wine Spectator Grand Award recipient (their highest honor) every year since 1984. The Chapter will welcome four new Knights and Gentle Ladies and members and guests will enjoy an unbelievable wine dinner that only The Barn can present!
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In the coming months, the Chapter has plans to host additional wine tastings and other fun wine events. The heat may be on now but the Knights and Gentle Ladies in North Carolina know how to respond when asked, “Tell me can you feel it?”
North Carolina
and Gentle Ladies of North Carolina’s Chapter of the Brotherhood of the Knights of the Vine are, instead, scrambling for those cooling summer wines that refresh the body and restoreth the soul! In this regard, the Chapter has had help from the State’s winemakers as members have chosen to meet up at various wineries around the State in search of those cooling summer wines. The Chapter has also partnered with the North Carolina Fine Wines Society (www.ncfinewines.com) in a series of fantastic wine dinners featuring the very best of North Carolina wines. These wine dinners have been held at various locations across the State, beginning in June and continuing through October. North Carolina’s Knights and Gentle Ladies have shown up with their taste vins to enjoy these refreshing wines and sample some of the most fantastic cuisine east of the French Laundry!
The Chapter continues its support for education of future winemakers and improvement of the State’s growing $2 billion wine industry. The Chapter’s commitment to this noble goal will be on display this fall when the Chapter presents the annual Dr. Charles W. Averre, III scholarship award ($500.00) to a deserving student enrolled in one of the State’s viticulture/enology college programs. The Chapter also encourages members to attend wine seminars and other wine educational events held throughout the State and plans to, once again, serve as an educational sponsor for the upcoming Eighth Annual Southeastern United Grape and Wine Symposium to be held at North Carolina’s Surry Community College in November.
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Liz Morphis and her Violet Crown Revue entertained the Knights and Gentle Ladies
POST-HOLIDAYS
Austin
Thursday, January 24 was a brisk night in downtown Austin and a perfect setting for the Post-Holiday Party hosted by the Austin Chapter of Knights of the Vine. Master de Partis Rose Betty Williams outdid herself with excellent planning and Chateau Bellevue, a historic structure owned and preserved by the Austin Woman’s Club, was a romantic backdrop for the festivities. As the Knights and Gentle Ladies gathered in the stately party room, conversations turned to plans for the new year. It didn’t take long for the wine to start flowing. Then songs from Liz Morphis and the Violet Crown Revue wafted through the air, providing a nice backdrop for the conversations. (Thankfully, no members attempted guest performances!) Supreme Knight Ed Auler was overheard describing some of the magnificent new wines from Fall Creek Vineyards. Several prospective knights and gentle ladies were seen in the crowd as well; being greeted and making new friends. Meanwhile, shrimp and mushroom hors d’oeuvres were passed, whetting appetites for the main course.
PARTY
The wines chosen for the party were especially delicious and as the consumption increased, many toasts to good health and fortune were made. Soon, the buffet dinner was served, and the guests filled their plates with salad and perfectly cooked beef. Guests seated themselves and the conversations continued. At one point, Master Commander Jerry Gatlin took the stage to describe party plans for the rest of the year. All too soon it was time to say our goodbyes and guests filed out into the starry night. Everyone agreed that excellent wine and food made for a convivial way to begin what is sure to be a great new year.
Susan Gatlin and Chris Hightower
Marvin & Eva Womack
Gary & Alyson Baum, Jeff Rabkin and Cindy Wood Gerald Stone examines a wine being served
Eddie Butler speaks with Jim and Claudia Humphrey
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Austin’s Spring Party at
Historic Caswell House When you have a stellar team in place, hurdles are easy to overcome. (Well, maybe not easy, but they can be surmounted.) The spring party for the Knights of the Vine Austin Chapter had been slated for months to be held in a shiny new 39-story high-rise in the heart of downtown Austin. At the 11th hour, (actually, it was more like 11:55), the building’s management team called our Master Commander and told him that regrettably, they would not be able to provide the promised party space because of construction delays. That news sent the cadre into overdrive and after some serious searching, our Master de Partis Rose Betty Williams was able to find space for the party in the historic Caswell House, a beautifully restored two-story home in central Austin which is one of the finest places for a party in town. After sending out a notice about the change of venue to the party-goers, all was well and things went wonderfully at the event. It was a perfect night for a party; the weather was just crisp enough to be invigorating– and many party goers who live downtown were able to walk to the festivities. The Knights and Gentle Ladies roamed the historic structure, conversing and Gerald & Cindy Stone imbibing a fine selection of wines from the chapter’s cellar. After the food was served, many guests carried their plates upstairs to the second level where they were treated to romantic views of downtown Austin. It was a grand gathering and the chapter’s tradition of excellent wine and stellar food was upheld once more.
Dave & Judi Proctor with Rose Betty and Allan Williams
Eddie & Renee Butler with Bill Krumpack
Jo Carol Snowden, Marcy Melanson, Susan Gatlin and Kelley Lightfoot
All stories by Forrest Preece, Master Scribe/All photos by Charles Quinn Photography Summer/Fall 2019
continued >>>
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AUSTIN CHAPTER CONT’D FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
20 Anniversarry Assemblage Austin Chapter Hosts
th
The warm Texas weather prevailed outside as members of the Austin Chapter gathered for their 20th Annual Grand Assemblage Enthronement Dinner at the Four Seasons Hotel on May 15. The chapter’s Cadre was represented by Jerry Gatlin, Master Commander; Dr. Richard Coons, Master Vice Commander; Ed Auler, Master Commander Emeritus; Susan Auler, Master Gastronome; Chris Hightower, Cellar Master; J. Buckner Hightower, Master of Foreign Affairs; Bill Krumpack, Master Councilor; Forrest Preece, Master Scribe; and Rose Betty Williams, Master des Partis. Buddy Hagner, Grand Commander of Knights of the Vine, and Master Lady Trish Hagner, were also part of the ceremonies. Larry Peel, Master Commander Emeritus and Jan Burrow, Master Roving Ambassador, were mentioned from the podium but were not able to attend.
ing the way to the refrains of a grand march. Suddenly, the song changed to ZZ Top’s “Sharp Dressed Man” as the Cadre broke into a boogie and they made their way to the stage, delighting all in attendance.
It was a wonderful night for wine, food, friendship and celebrating. At the reception before the dinner, guests sipped champagne and enjoyed passed hors d’oeuvres, including some outstanding lobster rolls and deviled eggs with caviar.
Grand Commander Buddy Hagner then took the stage to formally elevate J. Buckner Hightower to the post of Master Commander. In his remarks after his elevation, Hightower acknowledged Commander Gatlin’s remarkable leadership and promised that he would continue on the same path. The Grand Commander then elevated Jerry Gatlin to Master Commander Emeritus as befitting his service to the chapter.
After dinner guests were seated, the Cadre made their formal entrance with Master Commander Gatlin lead-
This year’s Assemblage had a bittersweet tone as Master Commander Gatlin retired after five years of outstanding leadership and handed over command of the chapter to J. Buckner Hightower. Gatlin gave an inspirational speech and acknowledged how much it had meant to him to provide guidance of the chapter for the past half-decade. He pointed with pride to the exceptional cellar that the chapter has amassed, the chapter’s financial stability, and to the continuing influx of outstanding new Knights and Gentle Ladies. A rousing standing ovation followed his remarks.
ABOVE LEFT Grand Comm. Hagner, at podium, elevates Buckner Hightower (right) to Master Comm. of the Austin chapter. Former Master Comm. Jerry Gatlin (left) looks on. ABOVE RIGHT Master Comm. Jerry Gatlin addresses the Assemblage with (LtoR) Susan Auler, Chris Hightower and Buddy Hagner 32
During the induction ceremony, entailing the Tests of the Water and the Wine, ten Knights and Gentle Ladies were welcomed into the chapter. The roster of inductees included Jim and Marisa Bushee; Mike and Cassie Gambrell; Jim and Jo Green; Jim and Claudia Humphrey; and Dr. David Tobey and Dr. Michelle Berger. The five-course meal that followed displayed true care and craft by the Four Seasons and all the diners praised the food and the outstanding wine pairings. After the dinner, long-time Executive Chef Elmar Prambs entered the room to a rousing round of applause and talked about the menu. The night marked yet another outstanding event for the chapter.
The Four Seasons’ Executive Chef Elmar Prambs
Susan Auler, Andrew Heller and Ed Auler
David & Sylvia Jabour
Rose Betty Williams and Buckner Hightower wiating patiently for their pour of wine
Harvey Kronberg pouring Rick Lotspeich some delicious wine
Cindy & Gerald Stone with Jo & Jim Green
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LODI CHAPTER’S
“LESS-GRAND” ASSEMBLAGE By Ken Levy
On Saturday, the twenty-third of March, in the year of our Lord, two thousand and nineteen, over seventy brave knights and gentle ladies responded to the clarion call to attend the annual Less-Grande Assemblage of Knights of the Vine – Lodi Chapter. Charitable Knight, Mike Johnston, served as the chairperson and provided leadership par excellence. Most honorable Master Knights Bill Rogan and John Van Ruiten hosted the exquisite affair in the magniloquent barrel room of the esteemed Van Ruiten Family Winery. The fairest of fair ladies, Akaylia Sidener, attended to every detail with such grace allowing all to relax and partake of the joyful four-course dinner of delectable dishes catered by Papapavlo’s paired with delightful wines made by Van Ruiten’s exemplary winemaker, Knight John Giannini. To further the merriment, melodious melodies were strummed by Knight Bill Russell and nobleman Dave Holob.
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The evening began with a trio of passed appetizers which included sautĂŠed apples & triple cream brie baked in filo, hot baked artichoke on biscotti, and goat cheese and pecan-coated grapes. The flavors of these wonderful morsels were enhanced with the pairings of a 2017 Chardonnay and 2017 Rose both of which were fruit-forward, moderately acidic and bright. The second course included a classic caesar salad along with a 2017 Pinot Grigio that was graced with lingering herbal notes. The third course was a combination of pistachio crusted salmon and Angus sirloin. These hearty dishes were paired with a 2017 Reserve Double Barrel Chardonnay, well-balanced with hints of apple and pear, along with a 2015 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon that was food-friendly, showed off the luscious rich fruit, and had moderate tannins. The gastronomous adventure ended with a 2013 Reserve Late Harvest Zinfandel that was silky and had just enough sweetness to be married with a rich and velvety chocolate silk mousse cake. As magnificent as the food and wine were, the induction of eight new members was indeed the pinnacle of the evening. Master Orator Pat Patrick eloquently served as Master of Ceremonies while Master Commander Ken Levy knighted and welcomed the candidates into the Chapter. continued >>>
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LODI CHAPTER CONT’D FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
Second, because the owner is obviously passionate about their winery after everything they have invested in it … including blood, sweat and tears … they are going to do everything possible to make sure you are going to have a great time while there. It’s a great value at just $10 plus the food each guest brings plus guests have the opportunity to purchase wine at wine club prices! It’s fun, casual, and unpretentious which fits Lodi just fine.
THE GOODTIMES KEEP COMING IN LODI
There is no shortage of wine events around Lodi. In 2015, Wine Enthusiast Magazine named Lodi as the Wine Region of the Year. In 2018, Adam Mettler of Lodi was named Winemaker of the Year by that same publication. As word spreads about the Lodi wine region, more and more visitors are drawn to the area to taste the 100+ varietals being made into handcrafted wines from over 80 wineries. Competition for tasters is fierce and every weekend there are a myriad of wine-related events to enjoy. As a result, the Lodi Chapter of Knights of the Vine has worked hard to stand out in an increasingly large crowd and not be relegated as an also-ran in a world filled with wine clubs, concerts, and food events. Several years ago, in order to attract new members, we incorporated some fun events that can appeal to a wide audience in a wine saturated area … and what fun it continues to be! We put on the best wine tasting events in the entire area. Nothing comes close. We host low cost, potluck-style events where guests bring a favorite appetizer or dessert to a winery where the owner is a member of our chapter. After visiting over wine, appetizers and desserts for about 30 minutes, the Master Commander greets everyone then turns the microphone over to the winery owner. Through these events, we have found two consistencies. First, this format insures that members get to meet the winery owners because they are with us for the event.
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A few of the wineries we visited recently include one of our newest members, Hanford Ranch, and one of our oldest members, Harney Lane Winery. At Hanford Ranch, Knight Mike Johnston is the winemaker. Since Mike is the President of the Lodi Amateur Vintners Association (LAVA), we invited members from LAVA to join us. For that tasting, we managed to accommodate over 80 people into Hanford Ranch’s new tasting room. It was a wonderful time! One month later, Knight and Gentle Lady, Kyle and Jorja Lerner, opened the tasting and barrel rooms of Harney Lane Winery to our Chapter. In the barrel room, Kyle shared the history of the winery, its viticulture, and led us through a vertical tasting so we could compare a younger wine with an older wine made from the same vineyard. Afterwards, everyone hung out on the patio well into the warm summer evening. As word has gotten out that Knights of the Vine is working to promoting local wineries, several restaurants have expressed an interest in collaborating with our Chapter as a means to promote their own local venues. Next year, with a little bit of work and good fortune, we hope to have some additional food and wine pairing events to expand our friendships and waistlines! If you are ever in the area, we hope you will join in the good times!
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A Few Words on the Trellis
by Cathie Sandstrom Smith
Trellis—crucial for support of the vines — is derived from the Latin trilīx, meaning woven with three threads. And basically, that’s what a trellis is. “Trellis” refers to the actual stakes, wire and posts that provide support for the vines. Trellises are only a part of vine training, which includes pruning, removal of suckers, etc. Why train the vines? The simple answer is to keep the fruiting vines off the ground and to manage the canopy. While some vines can be free-standing, such as headpruned old-vine Zinfandels common in Dry Creek Valley, California, most benefit from some sort of structure. And that’s just the beginning. Trellising is very complex, and the system used depends on where the vines are grown, the soil, the climate, available moisture and even wind. The more factors you consider when planting your vines, the greater the possibility of a better crop. Some things you can’t control — like the weather—so trellising gives you an opportunity to concentrate on the things you can control. A grapevine’s natural tendency is to send out suckers that can take root where they touch the ground, making the vine vulnerable to soil-based pests and diseases such as Phylloxera. Also, the suckers steal water and nutrients from the mother plant, which reduces the quantity and quality of the fruit. Long untrained cordons (the vine’s branches that extend from the trunk) can also take root if they reach the ground. Trellises manage that risk by providing structure for the vines. Canopy management is just as critical. One, concentrating the fruit in a zone where it’s easy to reach (waist to chest high) enables more efficient use of labor in pruning, spraying and harvesting. And two, managing the canopy (all the foliage and the fruit)
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allows the grower to control the amount of light reaching the vineyard. This a Goldilocks equation: if the vine is vigorous, the canopy can be dense enough to over-shade the fruit. But, while you want to protect the fruit from too much sun, you don’t want to rob it of the sun it needs to ripen and develop sugars. It’s all about balancing sunlight for the best yield and quality. During the 1970s through the ‘80s, California vineyards were trained in the “California Sprawl” in an effort to expand the fruit zone and get higher yields. Today, vineyards aim for efficient production and better quality of fruit by selecting trellising systems that are site specific, considering elements such as soil type, rootstock and climate. This has resulted in a very wide range of trellis systems in use throughout California. In California, trellises used range from single to divided curtain systems and employ both horizontal and vertical canopy division. The basic differences are in the configuration of wires, the height and spacing of them and whether the cordons will lie along the top of the wire hanging down or at a lower level, twining up. Today, wood trellises have been replaced by metal for durability and long-term cost. With all the factors necessary to consider when selecting a trellis system, it’s impossible to provide a simple answer to what trellising works best where. I have to say my favorite type is the lyre trellis, which features a support shaped like a football goal with angled arms spread slightly; one at each end (or at specified distances). The wires remind me of harp strings. Hence the name, lyre. Which takes us back to the Latin root for trellis. Why is that my favorite? Because what I know is that with grapes, we can make wine, and with wine we can make beautiful music together. Not such a stretch at all for me.
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Mississippi
Grand The Mississippi KOV Chapter celebrated its Assemblage on February 9, 2019, at Koestler Prime Steakhouse in Ridgeland, Mississippi. The meal was beautifully prepared by Scott Koestler and his staff, with wines selected by Chapter Sommeliers. The menu included mini crab cakes with a vanilla/saffron cream corn, a pan roasted Atlantic halibut with horseradish beurre blanc and a prime filet. Wines enjoyed included Belstar Cuvee Rose Sparkling, La Crema Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, Boen Pinot Noir and Barolo Monchiero. A new member of the Cadre was announced, Master Lady Tiffany Bobbs, and five new inductees were duly initiated and welcomed into the membership.
ASSEMBLAGE All articles by Connie Kossen
LtoR: Tiffany Bobbs, Connie Kossen, Comm.Tom Kossen,Vice Comm. Kenny Windham, Susan Phillips and Sherry Storey
LtoR: Nicky Drake, Diane Drake ,Trish Windham and Kenny Windham
Standing: Dianne & Kurt Metzner, Seated: Curtis & Janet Whittington
L to R: Harry Stevens, Dana Guest, Comm.Tom Kossen,Kate Eidt, Sara-Fey Brown, John Fike and Vice Comm. Kenny Windham
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GOLDEN TRIANGLE WEEKEND In May, members from the Jackson, Mississippi area traveled to the Golden Triangle Area – Columbus, Starkville, and West Point – where six couples in our membership live. They were wonderful hosts and hostesses. The weekend began with a beautiful cocktail dinner at the home of Knight John Reece and his wife, Carolyne, at the Old Waverly Golf Club in West Point. Delicious food and exceptional wines were provided by the Golden Triangle members. On Saturday, we were welcomed into the Test Kitchen of the Culinary Arts Institute of Mississippi University for Women where we had an adventure of tasting and pairing, led by Alexei Harrison, Director and Assistant Professor of Culinary Arts. The group was welcomed by MUW President, Nora Miller. This is the only four-year Culinary Program in Mississippi Colleges and Universities. Wines were generously provided by Master Knight Ralph McLain.
Test Kitchen/Classroom at the Mississippi Universtiy for Women Culinary Arts Institute
LtoR: Carolyn Reece, Cathy Godwin, Ramona Green and Judy McLain
Saturday evening found us at Old Waverly Golf Club for a delicious dinner, planned by Provost General, Southeast Tom Storey and his wife, Master Counselor Sherry Storey. The dinner included a choice of seafood Florentine or marinated pork ribeye. It was hard to choose! Wines enjoyed included Cade Sauvignon Blanc, Elouan Pinot Noir and Elouan Rose. Thanks again to our great hosts for a delightful gathering in the Golden Triangle.
LtoR: Tom Storey, John Reece, Ralph McLain and Commander Emeritus Norman Harris Carolyn & John Reece
LtoR: Tom & Connie Kossen, Alexi Harrison and Director and Assistant Prof., Summer/Fall 2019MUW Culinary Institute Chuck Harrison
LtoR: Carolyn Reece, Tiffany Bobbs, Diane Drake, Nicky Drake and Nancy Smith
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New members and Cadre LtoR Dennis Beal, Randy Trebs, Jon Greer, David Gautschy, Bill Losee, Edy Gautschy, Tom McCrystal, Barbara Sell-Burris, Don Hill,Tom Barnett , John Moreiko, Dale Phillips, Steve Bulkeley
Orange County
Assemblage 2019 On the rainy evening of February 2, this year’s Assemblage of the Orange County Chapter of the Brotherhood of the Knights of the Vine was held at the beautiful and private Dove Canyon Country Club located in Dove Canyon, CA. courtesy of Knight Stan and Bev Kirst. It was quite amazing that the rain ceased upon arrival of all members and guests. The evening commenced with a welcoming reception featuring passed hors’oeuvres of mushroom crostini shrimp shooters with a vodka cocktail sauce & Mediterranean chicken skewers with tzatziki dipping sauce. Complimented by 2017 Benzinger Sauvignon Blanc, North Coast. Shortly thereafter the traditional ceremony began. With appropriate music, the six members of the cadre, proceeded into the ballroom assembling in front for the enthronement at which time each prospective member was to be tested on their worthiness to become a part of our illustrious Brotherhood. The induction commenced with David and Edy Gautschy who have been married for 55 years. They became Knight David and Gentle Lady Edy by acknowledging that God was a great benefactor in providing animals to prepare the soil for the harvesting of the grape. They also passed the difficult “Test of the Goblets”.
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They were followed by Mr. Thomas Barnett and Mr. Dale Phillips. Both successfully passed the “NOSE TEST”, meaning each could smell and see beyond their noses, thus becoming Knights in our order. Next to be invited and tested were Mr. Randell Trebs and Mr. Dennis Beal. These gentlemen were subjected to the ritualist test of the “Proofs of the Water and Proofs of the Wine”. After a little help, both passed and now are part of our brotherhood as Knights. We have always saved our ladies for last, out of respect, and the need to see a pretty face. Last but not least, Barbara Sell-Burris was summoned to present herself as a candidate worthy of this high honor. Barbara was blindfolded and tested as to her knowledge of wine by being subjected to the test of the “Fermented hops versus the Fermented grape”. Barbara had no problem and passed with flying colors thus becoming a Gentle Lady. After the formal induction of new members, a celebratory glass or two of the bubbly was served. All were then summoned to the Enthronement Dinner. The Orange County Chapter has not had a formal dinner in a number of years and all present believe this “formality” should start again.
By Bill Losee The Arbor
91st Annual Academy Awards
Orange County Style The 91st Academy Awards took place on February 28, 2019 at Hollywood’s Kodak Theatre. The Orange County Chapter and guests enjoyed this event in the beautiful home of Knight Steve and beautiful wife Diana Bulkeley in Cota De Caza, The Bulkeleys decorated their home in Academy Award formal. This was a BYOW and a dish to share with all. Ballots were handed out for all to pick their favorite in each of the categories. Things got very lively as the winners were announced. Knight Brett Tokarski won the coveted Chocolate Oscar. Thanks to the Bulkeley’s hospitality, it was obvious that everyone had a great evening.
Paso Robles Road Trip By Bill Losee, Master of the Cellar
In California, April means that Spring is in high gear. It also means that the Orange County Chapter of the Brotherhood of the Knights of The Vine is off on our, now annual, wine tasting road trip.
TIME TO MAKE PLANS! The Orange County Chapter held their 2019 Planning Party at the beautiful home of Knight Don & Gentle Lady Cyndi Hill in Mission Viejo. We had a great turnout of 50 eager participants to offer their thoughts as to what activities should be incorporated in 2019. Members brought a bottle or two of wine which was complimented by a catered dinner. Actually, the wine never stopped which proved to create a number of lively discussions. Vice Commander Jon Greer led this lively discussion and was assisted by Diane Artim who kept the raucous group focused. As always, we had more activities than time, but managed to get as many in as possible in the upcoming year. With fourteen events planned, 2019 will be a very busy year! continued >>>
This year our trip grew to include twenty travelers and our destination was the magnificent wine areas of Paso Robles, Templeton, Solvang, San Luis Obispo and Lompoc. Our goal for day one was to miss LA traffic, and get in at least a few tastings before settling in our perspective residences booked by our resident Airbnb expert, Dianne Artim. Our first stop was at Sanford Winery where we enjoyed tasting their Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. From there it was a short drive to Zaca Mesa Winery for a tasting and lunch. All enjoyed our first picnic with a few of Zaca Mesa’s special red blends at their inviting picnic grounds.
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ORANGE COUNTY CHAPTER CONT’D FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
Visiting Sculpterra Winery
Since our group was quite large this year, we needed to rent three houses in order to sleep everyone comfortably. The largest house provided enough room to seat all twenty of us and a world class kitchen large enough to prepare all the evening meals. Preparation was a team effort, with a number of Knights and Gentle ladies demonstrating their exceptional culinary talents. Each member brought not only their talents, but also bottles of wine purchased during our winery exploits. Our week was filled with great wines, good food, and, of course, wonderful fellowship with those who appreciate fine wine. Each member had their favorite winery, not only because of the wine, but also because of the staff. The most memorable times at a winery are when your host enjoys what they are doing and is knowledgeable about the wines they are pouring. There is an added plus when visiting a winery when one of our Knights is a member of that winery. The staff seems to really go out of their way to ensure that everyone enjoys their tasting experience. In the planning process we were sure to include picnic lunches at wineries. Each winery chosen had beautiful grounds to enjoy our food, wine and camaraderie. Our cave tour and lunch at Eberle Winery was particularly enjoyable since it included time to visit with Supreme Knight, Gary Eberle. Gary is one of the early producers of wine in the Paso Robles area and his signature wine, Cabernet Sauvignon, was particularly memorable.
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The wines of these areas always offer an enormous variety of flavors in both red and white varietals. A visit to these areas would not be complete without a visit to Sculpterra Winery. Yes, the wines were very good, but the winery grounds are unique to say the least. They have amazing metal and granite art work on the grounds. Other wineries that left us with a favorable impression were Rusack, Pear Valley, Epoch, Lone Madrone, Opolo, Halter Ranch, Vina Robles and one of our absolute favorites, Victor Hugo. Victor and his lovely wife Leslie were great hosts while pouring their delightful, award-winning wines. Between the winery grounds, the tasting rooms, the wines, and of course, the people, we had an adventurous, enjoyable and educational week. We are already looking forward to our 2020 road trip. Did I hear someone say Lodi or was that Napa?
The Arbor
LET’S DO IT AGAIN “Let’s do it again”, to paraphrase Bogey, was another wonderful evening at Truckee’s Moody’s Bistro on a busy Saturday night in March. A special thank you to J.J. and Chef Corey for managing to feed not only 80 enthusiastic KOV diners but at the same time, a full house for your restaurant!
A special thanks not only to Chef Corey Kelso for the great dinner, but also to Stephanie Harris for spearheading the planning. Same time next year???
Lake Tahoe
The first course consisted of a fresh ensemble of roasted beef carpaccio with feta, cucumber, pistachio, and arugula lightly dressed with goddess dressing and drizzled with a pear reduction. Del Rio Vineyard Estates (Oregon) Grenache Rose was the perfect accompaniment. What a lovely combination!
As if that were not enough! Our meal was topped off with a delicious Cream Spanish Sherry from Jerez that was just right for the chocolate cake served with raspberries, almond anglaise and topped with walnut dust.
Next, we were treated to a perfectly cooked dish of grilled Hawaiian swordfish topped with a Castelvetrano olive tapenade, served over black rice and garnished with a kale, radish and bell pepper salad. The Marlborough region of New Zealand was the source of the Cottesbrook 2018 Reserve Sauvignon Blanc. Many of us may not be overly fond of either Rose or Sauvignon Blanc, but this wine on this evening certainly served to change our minds. The third course featured braised short ribs served over heirloom potatoes, parsnip puree and black trumpet mushrooms. Chateau de Gages 2016 (70% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 15% Carignan) was the perfect pairing for this meaty but not too rich beef dish.
By Veronica Kauffman continued >>> Summer/Fall 2019
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LAKE TAHOE CHAPTER CONT’D FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
TAHOE HOSTS THE 2019 NATIONAL MEETING No one said it would be easy, but having gone to so many of these annual get togethers and having seen how well these meetings and supporting events came off, we had no hesitation in inviting the Officers and Membership for a weekend at “The Lake”. After the commitments were made it became immediately clear to us that a simple Friday night - Sunday morning sojourn would be totally inadequate. After all, we have one of the most popular destination sites in the nation; snowcapped mountains abounding in myriads of hiking and biking trails and ski slopes that are still open. With an invitation out to visit “Our Lake”, a topaz jewel just so inviting for boating and fishing and the famous Squaw Valley, home to the 1960 Winter Olympics, the planning began. To get even an opportunity to appreciate the magnificence of our area we thought a Thursday arrival and reception with a late Sunday or early Monday departure could be an attractive option.
the world-renowned Gallery Keoki, opened the gallery exclusively for us and provided hors d’oeuvres and bubbly and even presented the artist, Keoki, himself to visit with us. Friday was a day of exploration. The guests went sightseeing around the lake or to the gambling mecca, Reno, or to our very own winery, Truckee River Winery. A tour of historic downtown Truckee was arranged for early evening where merchants, led by our own Gentle Lady Stefanie Olivieri in her fashionable boutique, gave our members substantial discounts. Carpooling to the home of Master Lady Margaret Lewicki and Master Commander Ernie Grossman, we were treated to expertly catered BBQ. Saturday was devoted to the Annual Meeting of Delegates, which is open to all members, followed by exploring the local restaurant scene. The highlight of the dining scene came at dusk when a Cinco de Mayo menu
Being a small community, relationships are so valuable. The first step was complete when we secured the host hotel. Hampton Inn by Hilton graciously provided deep discounts for their rooms (which included breakfast) plus the necessary meeting room set up perfectly for our needs. To welcome the delegates and guests on Thursday evening Gentle Lady Lynn Gibson, partner in
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at the famed Lodge of Tahoe Donner was shared with our guests from across the country. A wine margarita was presented upon arrival and was soon followed by a theme-inspired meal of shrimp diablo (ceviche style), halibut Veracruz, carne asada, and a flan dessert along with wines from the Baja region of California. Sunday morning brunch at the home of Ernie and Margaret included lox, bagels, creamed cheese, smoked fish, fruit, cakes, and so much more. Our Charge d’Affaires Master Lady Stephanie Harris made the Bloody Marys that put brunch over the top. She could barely keep up with the demand! She deserves our special thanks for this and for all the planning and coordinating that went into hosting our many friends in KOV for this national event.
A VERY SPECIAL OCCASION INDEED The Michelin 2019 California guide lists 91 restaurants and, as one would expect, Los Angeles and San Francisco are the big winners. While there are a number of star performers in other environs, particularly the Wine Country and in Sacramento‌ and in nearby Las Vegas as everyone would expect, most would likely be surprised to learn that another in the west coast selections would be found in Reno! (And by the way, you might be surprised to know that Reno is actually further west than Los Angeles!) Executive Chef Jacob Burton at the Shore Room in the Renaissance Hotel offers a tasting menu and paired wines so unique that it is booked months in advance. Served on Friday and Saturday nights only and with just eight seats watching the kitchen, all courses are freshly prepared in front of you and served personally by Chef Burton. Certainly star quality to rival any Michelin restaurant! So, how fortunate we were to score sixteen seats for the weekend of June 7-8. The lucky beneficiaries are now clamoring for more. The menu explains it all.
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Annual Meeting In Lake Tahoe
By Carol Bade
Grand Commander Buddy Hagner gaveled our Annual Meeting to order Saturday morning, May 4, 2019, at Truckee, California next to world-famous Lake Tahoe. After welcoming our commanders, delegates, members and guests he emphasized that his first goal is to improve communications amongst our Brotherhood. Toward that end he Master Lady Trish Hagner have made it a point to visit as many chapters as possible each year, meet with their cadres to discuss various ideas for events, and listen to any concerns they may have. He announced that in addition to our Arbor Magazine, he is planning to continue with a newsletter called The Grapevine as information becomes available to keep members abreast of more current happenings. Grand Commander Hagner also reiterated the need for people to keep their email addresses up to date with the national office. Grand Treasurer Don Bade provided the delegates with a copy of our 2018 Year-end Financials as well as the First Quarter Financials ending March 31, 2019 via email prior to the meeting in order to give people time to digest the information. Don also announced that our previous liability insurance carrier was getting out of that segment of the insurance market, and that our KOV insurance agent had arranged for a new policy with Philadelphia Insurance to cover our members, chapters and events. Don also answered questions about our Directors and Officers Insurance and a discussion was held about increasing the amount of coverage. Don said he would check into the matter with our agent and he also
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announced that we have never had a claim in 54 years. Don then shared that he was concerned that the software that we are currently using to maintain our database is old and unreliable and that he wanted to make a recommendation that we invest in a new database. There was general agreement that that needed to be a priority and that the matter would be looked into. Grand Vice-Commander Ken Haapala gave a short report on the changes in both the local and national wine business during his 15 years as a Commander for Nation’s Capital chapter. International Emissary Pat Pingitore reported we had 28 members so far attending KOV Finland’s International Wine Challenge which is scheduled for June. He also announced attendance restrictions of 200 people in total for the 2020 FICB Wine Congress in Alba, Italy, due to smaller venue sizes and the fact that FICB President, Alan Bryden, has been so successful in recruiting additional Brotherhoods for the Federation. Pat announced the 2022 FICB Congress will be held in Portugal, and attendance will not be restricted. Grand Administrative Officer Tom Webb requested that the commanders make a brief report on their chapter. We then heard about the various events and plans for the upcoming year from the chapter’s delegates and gave those present an opportunity to ask questions of each other and exchange ideas.
The Arbor
One of the main duties of the delegates at the meeting is to elect three Directors. Grand Commander Buddy Hagner noted that Norman Harris was stepping down this year and commended him for his many years of service to our Brotherhood as a Director, Grand Council Member and Chapter Commander. Buddy Hagner and Ken Haapala stood for reelection. Buddy recommended Claire Cuccio for election to the Board and there being no opposition, all three were elected by acclamation. A discussion was held concerning a source for making our KOV cadre robes. Gulf Coast Commander John Boothby has a lead in Tennessee and Trish Hagner will follow up with that person; however, Mississippi Chapter Commander Tom Kossen wanted to hold off any vote until we checked with Nicky Drake who is a member of the Mississippi Chapter who may also have a source. It was also agreed to use a beret as an alternative hat to our 4-corner hat since we haven’t been able to get a replacement company to make new ones yet. Chris Bosco, our webmaster, then shared with everyone the beta version of our new national website. Response was overwhelming positive and Buddy told the commanders they would receive an email with a link to the beta site and asked them to submit their feedback for consideration before the site goes live. As the last announcement of the meeting, Buddy Hagner suggested that the 2020 Annual Meeting be held in Santa Rosa in the Spring of 2020 with coordination with the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter planning events for attendees. He thanked everyone for attending this year and adjourned the meeting at 12:22 P.M.
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Grand Assemblage at
Los Angeles
Oakmont Country Club
The Los Angeles Chapter returned to Oakmont Country Club in Glendale, California on February 9 for our 2019 Grand Assemblage. About forty members gathered to watch our caped, capped and plumed cadre conduct the ceremony where we inducted Knight Michael Richmond and Gentle Lady Sandy Witt into our chapter. Sandy joins her family—Randy and Bo, Trevor and Kyle—as members. Michael is in Clan Hamilton. We’re so happy to be welcoming new, young and vibrant members to our chapter.
The Oakmont Country Club’s chef seems to out-do himself each year. It’s always a delight to see what he and Vice Commander Janet Hamilton create. Our first course was bouillabaisse with garlic herb crouton, accompanied by a Chardonnay from Gary Ferrell, Russian River 2015. This amazing Chardonnay was the Wine Spectator’s Wine of the Year for 2015.
Immediately after the ceremony, we were treated to a video presentation from Oakmont Sommelier Sean Van Straatum on the Australian Sparkling Wine we were about to enjoy. At the end of it were several hilarious clips of how not to open a bottle of sparkling wine with your sword. Despite all the ways it could go wrong, in the dining room, when Sean asked for a volunteer to try it, the intrepid Deborah Ludford stepped right up. She made it look easy. One would have thought that’s how she had always opened bottles of Champagne. Our second “ceremony” was a wonderful opening to the dinner.
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Our second course was red beet risotto with gorgonzola cheese and Maple-glazed bacon, served with Merlot/ Cabernet Franc, La Croix Bellevue, Lalande-de-Pomerol 2014. Following this we enjoyed an entremets of blood orange sorbetto, delicately garnished with mint. A Cabernet Sauvignon/Petite Sirah, Secret Blend, Napa Valley 2015 was paired with our third course, medallions of veal Milanese with lemon sage demi glaze, Lyonnaise potatoes, Italian Misticanza and grilled jumbo asparagus. Our dessert was a light-as-air Meyer lemon soufflé crème anglaise, which was served with a homemade limoncello from Oakmont’s new sommelier, Sean Van Straatum. Sean made it from the lemons in his own backyard. Hard to get farm-to-table closer than that! We talked about it as we finished this spectacular meal with Furmin/Hárslevelű, Royal Tokaji “Late Harvest,” Hungary 2015. There was music and dancing to enjoy. Guitarist David Platt plays everything from Latin jazz to country to the whole American songbook to the Beatles. His varied offerings always summon couples to the floor.
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Nation’s Capital
31st Assemblage at the Hotel George The Nation’s Capital Chapter of the Knights of the Vine held their 31st Assemblage at the Hotel George – Bistro Bis, in the shadow of the United States Capitol Building in Washington, DC. Proprietors Chef Jeffrey and Sallie Buben were the perfect hosts and started the evening with a toast of champagne. The Assemblage was called to order by Master Heralder Walter Rachele. The cadre filed in led by Master Commander Ken Haapala, followed by all the guests. The first order of business was to elevate Secretary Claire Cuccio to the cadre. Claire’s new position is Master Personnalite’ Dynamique. She has rejuvenated the Nation’s Capital Chapter by updating the website and scheduling new events and ensuring the event information is disseminated to the entire organization. We then inducted six new Knights and Gentle Ladies into the organization. Ms. Susan Luckan was the principal among candidates and performed the rites of initiation on behalf of the class of 2019. Ms. Luckan also attended the FICB events in Macedonia and Finland so she is no stranger to the Knights of the Vine. In addition to Ms. Luckan, the new members are: Dawnlee (COL, US Army, Ret) and Jim Walton (MG, US Army, ret), Dr. Kelly Carter (COL, US Army, ret.), and Bill Stefan. A special shout out to inductee MAJ Tawnya Horton, US Army, for travelling all the way from Hawaii to join our fine organization. With the business and pleasantries out of the way, it was time to celebrate. Chef Edward Walker treated us to an appetizer course with a selection of hors d’oeuvres: rab-
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bit rillettes, foie gras torchon, and sea bass crudo. These were paired with a delightful Bertrand-Delespierre Premier Cru Brut 1990 and a refreshing 2018 Lobster Reef Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand. The next course was a filet of Norweigan Skrei cod with Beluga lentils served with a beautifully sculpted Domaine La Croix St. Laurent, Sancerre, 2017. Following that was an absolutely decadent Marget de Canard with Brussel sprouts and chestnuts, paired with two different wines; a 2017 Barrique Cellars Chardonnay from Anderson Valley and a 2016 WALT La Brisa from Sonoma. The next course was an equally impressive Rack of Lamb, also paired with two wines; a 2017 Cabernet Franc from Fifty-third Winery here in Virginia and a 2016 Grenache from Terrazas de Moncayo, Campo che Borja, Germany. The cheese course was Marne Vom Berge Kase from Howard, Pennsylvainia. It was paired with a soft ash ripened goat cheese with apricot mostarda and olive-rosemary crostini and balsamic glaze. To finish the evening, Chef Walker treated us to a smooth and delicious coconut mascarpone mousse with mango lime compote, vanilla genoise and pineapple coulis served with a 20 year Quinta Santa-Eufemia Porto. Both the food and wine were exceptional as was the venue location in the shadow of Capitol Hill. The gala was a huge success as we welcomed new members who appreciate the gastronomy and terroir of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
By Claire Cuccio The Arbor
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Houston
Our Houston Chapter started the year off strong with our Assemblage Weekend January 25-27. With a casual dinner on Friday at the home of Grand Commander and Master Lady Buddy and Trish Hagner, our “Flamenco Knights” Assemblage, featuring wines from Spain, began. Chef Ricardo Mena prepared paella while 71 friends visited and all agreed … thank goodness there is enough food for seconds! It was that good! Saturday saw the committee working with volunteers from the University of Houston’s Conrad Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management to set up the decorations and silent auction for our once a year fundraising and preparing for a fabulous Assemblage Enthronement and Gala Dinner. Among the 93 people in attendance were many friends from other chapters including Tennessee guests Commander and Gentle Lady Bob and Gayle Bennett and Knight and Gentle Lady Frank and Candy Andrasik; Nation’s Capital Chapter guests, Vice Commander and Gentle Lady Russ and Nancy Davis, Gentle Lady Claire Cuccio, Knight Richard Abelkis; Gulf Coast Chapter guests, Commander and Gentle Lady John and Adrienne Boothby, Vice Commander and Gentle Lady Rich and Suzy Moss and Gentle Lady Rose Mancini; Lake Tahoe Region Chapter
By Trish Hagner 52
guests, Commander Emeritus and Gentle Lady Roland and Bonnie Medel; and friends Master Knight and Gentle Lady Jim and Ruth Alexander and their daughter Jessica from the Oregon Wine Brotherhood. We added three Gentle Ladies, Barbie Hardy, Jennifer Harvey and Kimery McKaskle; two Knights, Paul Chan and Larry Keast; and Vince and Kathleen Friend with the Cordelina Wine Company as Master Knight and Master Lady. Music was by one of our favorite bands, Checkered Past. Our menu and wines were spectacular and you will see from the pictures that everyone had a great time. Sunday morning and we gathered to learn more from our wine representatives on not just the wines we had been enjoying, but trends in the industry as well. Following that, we got a report from Miguel Cabrera, Hilton College Director of Development and friend of KOV on activities at the College. His update included information about how our endowment was benefiting students and one of the scholarship recipients was with us to personally tell his story and express his thanks for our assistance. Talk about heartwarming! Plans are already well underway for our next Assemblage and we hope you will plan to join us in Houston January 24-26! For full information, visit www.KOVHouston.org.
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When love is in the area, the best cure is wine and roses! We had that, great food and wonderful fun together to celebrate Valentine’s Day when we gathered at Lucio’s BYOB. Everyone brought a bottle of their favorite wine to share and chose their meal from among several tasty options. As the evening came to an end for our 21 attendees, everyone agreed that we are all so fortunate for such great friends and great evening like this! Gentle Ladies Ginger Covington and Amy Lawch hosted our Ladies of the Knight for a bit of an Irish celebration on St. Patrick’s Day. Held at Amy’s house, the ladies enjoyed carefully selected wines with Irish roots. The wines included Concannon from California founded by Irish immigrant James Concannon, Owen Roe by winemaker David O’Reilly (originally from rural County Cavan, Ireland), Bunratty Mead (a traditional wine produced from an ancient Irish recipe of pure honey, fruit of the vine and natural herbs) and Ballyshannon Irish Wiskey. As the evening began to draw to an end it brought thoughts of the Irish saying “May your troubles be less, and your blessings be more. And nothing but happiness come through your door.” In a city the size of Houston and with the support of our members, we find other wine events that we can participate in from time to time without all the planning. Such was the case in March when a number of our members attended “A Taste of Europe” Wine Dinner at the Houston Petroleum Club. While the dinner and wine was outstanding, it’s really the view of the Houston skyline and beautiful lights from the floor to ceiling windows on the 35th floor that is the star! Ah Spring! On April 16, members and guests feasted on an array of salads and greeted the new season with DeSante wines. To everyone’s delight, David DeSante joined us for this casual event at the home of Buddy and Trish Hagner. We started with the 2017 “L’Atelier” which is a Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon blend. Next was the 2016 “Old Vine” Chardonnay and the 2014 “Proof ” White Blend that comes from an almost forgotten vineyard with a great story that produces very special wine. We finished with the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon from
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Oakville. With 34 in attendance, David DeSante (who many years ago received a scholarship at UC-Davis from KOV) was able to get around and visit with everyone. Each year our Brotherhood holds an Annual Meeting to take care of all the business that must be addressed and to elect officers. But it is so much more than just a meeting! Take this year, for example, hosted by the Lake Tahoe Region Chapter. We enjoyed lunches, dinners, tours, hikes … even some shopping with some hefty discounts! And the scenery is just too beautiful to describe. You can read all about those activities in the articles in this issue and it was especially fun to be able to share this with so many people from the Houston chapter who made the trip. Enjoying the Tahoe hospitality were Mark and Heidi Davis, Buddy and Trish Hagner, Dave and Jan Johnson, David Miller and Bruce and Janet Misamore. Next year’s Annual Meeting will be in Sonoma County April 23-26 and you can be sure it will be terrific. Put it on your calendar and start making your plans now.
personal! That evening 45 members and guests enjoyed a fajita buffet and wines by our friends and chapter members Supreme Knight and Supreme Lady Paul and Merrill Bonarrigo of Messina Hof Winery. Commander Buddy Hagner had mixed a batch of wineritas and they were a hit on this hot summer night. While all the Messina Hof wines were enjoyed, it seems the big hit of the evening was their Rosé. That list of wines included Sophia Marie Rosé, Artist Series “Serenity” White wine, Artist Series Sangiovese, Paulo Primitivo and the highly allocated Paulo Sagrantino. Thanks for sharing!
Shortly after returning to Houston from Lake Tahoe, our chapter took another road trip; this one to Galveston, Texas. Master Host Lee Slataper and his lady, Laura, welcomed us again to their beautiful home on Galveston Bay. Some came on Friday evening for an excellent dinner on the island at Rudy & Paco’s. As Saturday afternoon rolled around, it was a casual time for sure with everyone bringing wine and food to share. The chapter provided the entrée and, as always, there was more to eat that we can ever consume! The variety of wine shared was amazing. As all that was happening, some were taking boat rides while others were playing cornhole. Competition was tough, but after enough wine, we’re not sure anyone remembers who the champions were! We had obtained a block of rooms at a nearby hotel and many took advantage of that so we could continue the fellowship at Sunday brunch at the Galveston Country Club which was founded in 1898. Another chance to think on how very fortunate we are for so many wonderful opportunities to share together! To round out the first six months, we welcomed Austin Chapter Commander Emeritus Jerry Gatlin and Gentle Lady Susan Gatlin to our “Fajitas and Friends” get together. Held at the home of our chapter’s friend Coach Wade and Laurie Phillips, the centerpiece of the buffet dinner was the Super Bowl 50 Vince Lombardi Trophy. It’s not every day you get to see one of those up close and
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John Kautz
Grape Growing Pioneer
Brotherhood of Knights of the Vine Supreme Knight John Kautz and his wife, Master Lady Gail Kautz, are widely acclaimed as pioneers of grape growing in Lodi, CA and the Sierra Foothills. As chairman and vicechairman of Kautz Family Vineyards, respectively, they have created a wine portfolio that began with 100 acres of vineyards in 1968 and expanded to over 7100 acres today, making it one of the top four private family vineyards in California, and among the top 10 wine growers in the country. The Kautz Family Vineyards produce wines under 20 different brands, with distribution in the U.S. and 50 countries. John’s wine journey began on the family farm in Lodi, where his father successfully raised tomatoes, peppers, beans and other row crops. In 1952, John’s father died, and John took over operation of the farm’s 38 acres. Over the next decade, John increased the acreage and, as vice chairman of the California Tomato Growers Association, was at the forefront of advancing new techniques and programs in agriculture, including development of new tomato varieties that could be mechanically harvested. For his leadership roles in agriculture, John was named National Outstanding Young Farmer by the United States Junior Chamber (the Jaycees) in 1965, and Top Farm Manager U.S.A. by the Ford Foundation in 1969. In 1968, he decided to plant wine grapes, beginning with Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon. In the early 70s, he was the first to plant Chardonnay grapes in Lodi. The quintessential “gentleman farmer,” Kautz grew his business by selling grapes and bulk wines. He also made some of his own wine, which he exported to Japan. During this time, he continued to support agriculture by serving on many state and national
boards and commissions. As a member of the advisory board for the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, John visited every wine region in the world, accompanied by guides who were secretaries of agriculture in the countries visited. In 1974, he wrote a check to establish the California Winegrape Growers Association, a Sacramento-based association specifically focused on advocacy for all California grape growers. After many successful years of growing wine grapes and other fruits and vegetables, in 1992 the Kautz family built a winery and hospitality complex, Ironstone Vineyards, in Murphys, CA, located 50-plus miles from Lodi in the Sierra Foothills. Not only is the property the center of Ironstone’s multiple wine brands, it is also a “wine theme park,” with wine caves, a natural spring lake, a Culinary Exhibition Kitchen, a Conference Center, a historical mining museum, a 7000-seat amphitheater, and a jewelry shop that houses the world’s largest crystalline gold nugget, a 44-pound treasure found a few miles from the winery. In 1997, the Kautz Family brought their business “full circle” when they purchased Bear Creek Winery in Lodi, a cooperative they used in their early days of grape-growing and now renovated into a stateof-the art wine production facility. Besides being an international tourist destination and a producer of fine wines in the Lodi AVA, Ironstone is a major supplier of wine grapes to the California wine industry. For these achievements — and their dedication and commitment to agriculture—in 2012, the Kautz Family was named the Grower of the Year by the California Association of Winegrape Growers.
By Nan McCreary
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The Arbor
Summer/Fall 2019
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THE ARBOR (TA): When you began farming, you primarily grew vegetables. Why did you switch to grapes?
Today, John and Gail Kautz have turned over the dayto-day operations of Kautz Family Vineyards to their four children, but both are still active in state and local organizations. John, who has been CFO of the California Travel and Tourism Commission since it started (in 1998), is a strong advocate for building tourism in the Lodi and the Sierra Foothills area. In his “spare time,” he visits estate sales to acquire items for the Ironstone Vineyards history museum. Gail chairs the non-profit Ironstone Concours Foundation, which she founded over 20 years ago to benefit youth and agriculture. Every year, the Foundation sponsors a fundraiser, the Ironstone Concours d’Elegance, an antique and car show considered one of the top classic car shows in the nation. Both are active members of the Lodi Chapter of the Brotherhood of the Knights of the Vine.
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JOHN KAUTZ (JK:) After I took over the family farm, I began to build a large operation in canning tomatoes, bell peppers and kidney beans. But then we decided to spread our wings and focus on permanent crops. We shifted to grapes as fast as we could afford to while vegetables carried the load. My first crop was a Zinfandel, which Lodi was noted for, and then I planted Cabernet Sauvignon. In 1973, I noticed that no one in Lodi was growing Chardonnay, so I planted 185 acres of that. We owned that market for 10 years and sold to Napa and Sonoma wineries. We were very proud of that. We grew some beautiful grapes and still do. TA: What is your grape growing philosophy? JK: Our objective is to produce very nice clean wines for customers with enough varieties to appeal to the tastes of different people. Everyone’s tastes are unique, so we have different brands to accommodate that. When we built our business at Ironstone, we set up a marketing organization so we could focus our brands on specific national and international markets. That plan worked very well for us and still does.
The Arbor
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TA: I understand that you are a strong advocate of sustainability. How do you practice this in your vineyards? JK: We were at the forefront of the sustainability movement. In 1969 I visited Israel, where drip irrigation was developed, and when I came back I started converting all of my fields to drip irrigation. We also hired an entomologist to help us breed and grow beneficial insects. For our efforts, we earned the first Integrated Pest Management Achievement Award from California. TA: John, you were inducted to the Lodi Chapter of KOV as a Supreme Knight in 1982. What has been your level of involvement? JK: I have been in KOV since the very beginning, when the Chancellery Chapter was formed in Sacramento in 1964. As that chapter grew, we’d invite them to summer picnics, then decided to start a Lodi Chapter. We now have nearly 100 members and we’re an active chapter with lots of food and wine-related events.
Summer/Fall 2019
TA: What do you see as the purpose of KOV? JK: KOV’s goal is to help promote wine and good habits everywhere in the world. More than anything, I think KOV is about friendship. We grew up in an era —– before television and computers — when life was heavily based on family. It was a completely different world. Right now we need to go back to those earlier family-type events. We had a Texas group up here recently, with a beautiful lunch and wine tasting, and I’m sure we will always be friends with those people. TA: You have received many, many awards. Which mean the most to you? JK: When I was young, I was an Eagle Scout with the Boy Scouts of America. As an adult, I received the Distinguished Eagle Award, one of the few in the country. That was really an honor. continued >>>
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HOUSTON CHAPTER CONT’D FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
TA: Looking back on your life, what is your proudest accomplishment? JK: Starting from ground zero to building an American Dream. TA: Now, looking forward, what do you see in your future. JK: I’m not out of ideas, I guarantee you. Gail always accuses me of writing ideas down on white tablecloths during dinner, because I’m always thinking (laughing). Right now, I’m shipping in almonds for diversity. And, I’ve strayed even further and started collecting rocks to display in the museum. I’ve bought a number of collections, and recently donated a 6,000-piece collection to Gail’s alma mater, University of the Pacific, for their science program. TA: Thank you for your time, and for all you have done for the wine industry. KOV is a better organization because of you and Gail.
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The Arbor
The Brotherhood of the knights of the vine
Membership
application
Individual APPLICAtion: Mr. / Mrs. / Ms. / Dr. First _______________________________ Last _____________________________________ Phone ______________________________________ Email ________________________________________________ Mailing Address ____________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ Occupation ________________________________________ Spouse’s Name __________________________________ Of what professional, scientific, fraternal or social organization are you a member? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________
special qualifications: List items of interest that reflect your support of the wines and vines of America (e.g. drink California wines) and any affiliations you may have with wine appreciation groups or gourmet societies in the world. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Signature of Applicant _______________________________________________________ Date _________________
Please include an initiation fee of $225, plus any local dues, if applicable. Your initiation fee may be tax deductible if you are a member of the trade. Does not include cost of Enthronement Dinner.
Make Check Payable to THE BROTHERHOOD OF THE KNIGHTS OF THE VINE Return your application and check to KOV National Office at 3343 Industrial Dr., Suite 2, Santa Rosa, CA 95403 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________
sponsoring knight or gentle lady:
First Name _______________________________________
Last ____________________________________________ Phone _________________________________ Email _____________________________________________________ Title in Order _____________________________________ Chapter _________________________________________ Recommendations of the Sponsoring Knight or Gentle Lady_____________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ Recommended Title in Order ________________________________________________________________________ Signature of Sponsoring Knight ________________________________________________ Date ________________ Summer/Fall 2019
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DISPLAY YOUR KNIGHTHOOD WITH PRIDE! order form Name _________________________ Address _______________________ City ___________________________ State ______ Zip ________________ Telephone _____________________ ficb medallion (not actual size)
This handsome medallion is from our FICB headquarters in Paris, France. We have a limited supply available for those members who have attended an FICB Wine Congress. Order #FICB
$75.00
shield with motto
maltese cross
(Shown 50% of actual size) This striking badge of honor should be worn at any Black Tie formal event. Finish is enameled gold, white, red and green. Gentlemen’s version includes ribbon. Order #MCR (with ribbon) $37.00 Order #MC (w/o ribbon) $25.00
medallion with wreath This classic cloisonné medallion with wreath is gold, red and green. It is available for those members with a rank of “Master” Knight/Lady and above. Gentleman’s version includes ribbon. Order #MWR (with ribbon) $47.00 Order #MW (w/o ribbon) $35.00
This cloisonné Shield with Motto is green and red with gold lettering and comes with a military clutch fastener. Order #SM $10.00
KOV Chapter ___________________ KOV Rank ______________________ Please send me the following items: Qty.
Item #
Price
Sub Total
Priority Shipping $6.95
Total $
Amount
Visa or MasterCard # ___________________________________ Exp:____________ 3 Digit Code ________ ~OR~ lapel pin (Shown actual size) This cloisonné pin is a miniature of the Knights of the Vine emblem. It has a gold background with pale green and red. It comes with a military clutch fastener. Order #LPP $7.00
Make check payable to:
blazer crest emblem
lapel rosette
(Shown actual size) This tiny, discrete symbol of your membership in the Brotherhood is made in France from our red and green ribbon. It is perfect for both men and women. People will ask you about it. Order #LPR $12.00
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(Shown 50% of actual size) This handsome emblem is embroidered with threads of gold, green and red. It comes with your choice of either a “clutch back” with 3 pins & clips or a magnetic bar for quick and easy mounting and removal. Order #BPEP (Clutch Back) $36.00 Order #BPEM (Magnetic Bar) $36.00
Knights of the Vine 3343 Industrial Drive, Suite 2 Santa Rosa, CA 95403-2060 Tel: (707) 579-3781 per vitem!
ad vitam!
You may order these items on the KOV website store
The Arbor
Active Chapters ARIZONA Arizona Chapter Commander John Kovacik 3955 No. Tucson Blvd. Tucson, AZ 85716 Phone: 520-318-1789 jkovacik@cox.net
Orange County Chapter Commander Thomas E. McCrystal 24001 Muirlands # 76 Lake Forest, CA 92630 Phone: 949-582-9253 Fax: 949-582-9036 cpg@cox.net
TEXAS Austin Chapter Commander J. Buckner Hightower P.O. Box 161733 Austin, TX 78716 Phone: 512-363-2279 Buckhightower@gmail.com
CALIFORNIA Chancellery Chapter Com. Charles “Chik” Brenneman 820 Fremont Way Sacramento, CA 95818 Phone: 916-441-3466 charlesbrenneman@gmail.com
San Francisco Bay Area Chapter Commander Pat R. Pingitore 1340 Crestmont Drive Angwin, CA 94508 Phone: 707-965-2868 prpingitore@gmail.com
Houston Chapter Commander Buddy Hagner 4448 W. 12th Street Houston, TX 77055 Phone: 713-819-9463 Fax: 713-432-9464 buddy@rchagner.com
Lake Tahoe Region Chapter Commander Ernest D. Grossman P.O. Box 3817 Truckee, CA 96160 Phone: 530-550-0570 Fax: 530-550-0575 ernestgrossman@sbcglobal.net Lodi Chapter Commander Kenneth Levy P.O. Box 506 Lodi, CA 95241-0506 Phone: 209-663-8834 levykenneth@gmail.com Los Angeles Chapter Commander James Hamilton 755 Lakefield Road, Suite A Westlake Village, CA 91361 Phone: 805-496-1304 (day) Fax: 805-494-3976 jbhamilton@sbcglobal.net Monterey Peninsula Chapter Commander Richard Kehoe P. O. Box 221664 Carmel, CA 93922 Phone: 831-277-9868 831-625-3338 kehoedc@sbcglobal.net
MISSISSIPPI Gulf Coast Chapter Commander John Boothby P.O. Box 7617 Gulfport, MS 39506 Phone 228-897-1995 228-897-1993 kovgulfcoast@gmail.com Jackson Chapter Commander Tom Kossen 6300 Hwy 22 Edwards, MS 39066 Phone: 601-852-5241 tom@kossarosa.com NORTH CAROLINA North Carolina Chapter Commander Jeff Price 9404 North Manor Dr Zebulon, NC 27597 Phone: 919-814-2453 919-696-6679 JeffreyHPrice0602@gmail.com TENNESSEE Tennessee Chapter Commander Bob Bennett 4562 Whisperwoods Drive Collierville, TN 38017 Phone: 901-861-4739 Cell: 954-557-7775 bobbennett@gmail.com
WASHINGTON, D.C. Nation’s Capital Chapter Commander Kenneth A. Haapala 9634 Boyett Court Fairfax, VA 22032 Phone: 703-978-6025 (day) 703-978-6230 (evening) Fax: 703-978-2258 ken@haapala.com WASHINGTON STATE Washington State Chapter Commander Ken Hick P. O. Box 16756 Portland, OR 97292 Phone: 503-680-4920 rnwi@comcast.net
International Chapters FINLAND Finland Chapter Commander Arttu Kalli eeedo inc Rautatienkatu 21 33100 Tampere, Finland arttu.kalli@eee.do KOREA Korea Chapter Commander Dr. Dong Joon Kim 107-1405 Taewang Leaders Apt. Man Chon Dong Susung Gu Taegu Metropolitan City South Korea djkim@ync.ac.krd
Join KOV on Facebook! or online @ www.kov.org The national Facebook page is a closed group and we invite you to join in at Brotherhood of the Knights of the Vine.You’ll find similar names with many chapters having their own page as well.
Summer/Fall 2019
Supreme Knights Bradley Alderson David G. Armanasco Ed Auler Warren W. Bogle, Jr Paul V. Bonarrigo James “Bo” Barrett David Berkley Jean-Charles Boisset George H. Carter Mark Chandler James E. Coleman Richard A. Cuneo Frederick Dame Dennis Devine Lucian W. Dressel Gordon R. Dutt, Ph.D. Gary Eberle Dick Erath Lester A. Fleming Joseph S. Franzia Jeryl R. Fry, Jr. Jack Galante Miljenko M. Grgich Robert P. Hartzell Gary B. Heck Timo Jokinen John H. Kautz Aram Kinosian John K. Ledbetter Lloyd G. Magee Orville T. Magoon George R. McEachern, Ph.D. John P. McClelland J. Douglas Meador R. Michael Mondavi Timothy J. Mondavi Justin Morris, Ph.D. Charles W. Nagel, Ph.D. John A. Parducci Larry Peel Robert Pellegrini Richard Peterson, Ph.D. Vincent E. Petrucci Jefferson Peyser Mathew J. Post G.M. “Pooch” Pucilowski George Radanovich Alfred G. Scheid Thomas B. Selfridge Allen Shoup Peter F. Sichel Raymond Skinner, Jr. Christopher D. Smith Howard E. Somers Richard H. Sommer Mike Thompson Alex Trebek Peter H. Ventura Richard P. Vine, Ph.D. Fay Wheeler Al Wiederkehr Warren P. Winiarski John H. Wright
Supreme Ladies Susan Auler Heidi Peterson Barrett Merrill Bonarrigo Gina Gallo Zelma R. Long Michaela K. Rodeno Jean R. Wente
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the brotherhood of the knights of the vine
National Headquarters 3343 Industrial Drive, Suite 2 Santa Rosa, CA 95403-2060 Tel: (707) 579-3781
Water separates the people of the world; wine unites them.
per vitem! ad vitam!
Through the vine, toward life!