Winter Spring 2016

IN THIS ISSUE: NAPA & SONOMA: A BRIEF HISTORY JEAN-CHARLES BOISSET: SUPREME KNIGHT EXTRAORDINAIRE FICB INTERNATIONAL REPORT

49 TH FICB CONGRESS UPDATE

DANS CE NUMÉRO: NAPA & SONOMA : UNE HISTOIRE BRÈVE JEAN-CHARLES BOISSET : CHEVALIER SUPRÊME EXTRAORDINAIRE RAPPORT INTERNATIONAL DE LA FICB MISE À JOUR DU 49 EME CONGRÈS INTERNATIONAL DE LA FICB Winter/Spring 2016

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Table of Contents Chapters San Francisco........................................4 Lodi......................................................7 Finland .................................................8 Gulf Coast ............................................18

National Headquarters

Austin...................................................22

3343 Industrial Drive, Suite 2, Santa Rosa, CA 95403 Phone: 707.579.3781 Fax: 707.579.3996 www.kov.org

Lake Tahoe............................................24

Directors

Tennessee..............................................32

Robert C. “Buddy” Hagner, Jr., Chairman Donald D. Bade, Kenneth A. Haapala, Norman Harris, Richard Martella, Terrance K. McCleerey, Pasquale “Pat” Pingitore, John Tudor, Tom Webb

Monterey .............................................20

Orange County.....................................34 Mississippi ............................................38

Grand Officers

Los Angeles ..........................................42

Houston ...............................................50

Robert C. “Buddy” Hagner, Jr., Grand Commander Kenneth A. Haapala, Grand Vice Commander Donald D. Bade, Grand Treasurer John Tudor, Grand Administrative Officer

Arizona..................................................53

Grand Council

Feature Articles

Robert C. “Buddy” Hagner, Jr., Grand Commander Kenneth A. Haapala, Grand Vice Commander

Chancellery ..........................................45

Napa & Sonoma: A Brief History ......10

by Nan McCreary

Donald D. Bade, Grand Treasurer John Tudor, Grand Administrative Officer Norman Harris, Master Commander Emeritus, Jackson Chapter

Jean-Charles Boisset: Supreme Knight Extraordinaire .....................................28

by Nan McCreary

FICB International Report..................40

by Pat Pingitore

49th FICB Congress Update...............46

by Pat Pingitore

In Every Issue Members In the News...........................48 Application ..........................................27

Pasquale “Pat” Pingitore, International Emissary Michael D. Doukas, Grand Commander Emeritus Terrance K. McCleerey, Grand Commander Emeritus

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Carol L. Bade, Executive Director

Provosts Provost General, Northeastern United States Dave Barber da 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

Accessories ............................................54

Arbor Magazine

Directory ..............................................55

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://www.kov.org. Unsolicited articles and pictures are welcome and will be considered for publication by the Editorial Review Board. Items, if mailed, cannot be returned. Comments and materials should be sent to arbor@kov.org. Members of the Knights of the Vine receive a free subscription. Subscriptions by nonmembers are $20.00 per year.

Copyright ©2016 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, The Brotherhood of the Knights of the Vine, Inc.

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The Arbor

From the

Le mot du

Commander’s Desk Grand Commander It is a historic year for our Brotherhood! Friendships across our Chapters have been strengthened. Members from various chapters are in contact and participating in events held by other chapters enhancing their membership benefits and building strong friendships.

And now, we are preparing to welcome Brotherhoods from around the world to Napa and Sonoma as we host the 49th FICB International Congress. When it opens Wednesday, June 8, we are fortunate to have Mumm Napa as a sponsor, which is a great transition since our last event in Rheims (France) for the 2014 Congress was in the Mumm caves and a truly magical occasion.

Our National Meeting will be held on the morning of June 8 at the Hyatt Hotel in Santa Rosa, California with a lunch following and delegates will have the opportunity to sign up to attend the Welcome Dinner that evening, which also serves as the first event of the Congress. Details for these events are available through the National Office at kovoffice@kov.org.

This issue of The Arbor will be special in that you will find several articles translated to French so that we can share them with our international guests. One of the articles is a great piece by Nan McCreary “Napa and Sonoma: A Brief History,” which gives interesting facts and may surprise many to see the international influences on the development of the wine community in the area.

I am thankful for a strong committee chaired by Pat Pingitore, San Francisco Master Commander and our International Emissary to the FICB, where he also serves as a vice president on their Board. Under Pat’s leadership and with strong committee support, I am certain that our guests will have a first-class experience.

In the pages that follow, as you read the FICB update and the Chapter reports, I believe you will enjoy learning of the many and varied activities taking place. It has been a pleasure to be able to travel across this great land to attend many of these events and connect with our members. I encourage you to participate at the highest level possible to get the most of your membership, learn more about the wines we are all so passionate about and enjoy the fellowship of other Knights and Gentle Ladies.

C’est une année historique pour notre confrérie ! Les relations amicales entre nos chapitres ont été renforcées.

Les membres de différents chapitres sont en contact et, en participant à des manifestations organisées par d’autres chapitres, tirent mieux parti de leur l’adhésion tout en construisant de solides amitiés.

Et maintenant, nous nous préparons à accueillir des confréries du monde entier à Napa et Sonoma en organisant le 49ème Congrès International de la F.I.C.B. Lors de son ouverture, le mercredi 8 juin, nous aurons la chance d’avoir Mumm Napa comme sponsor, ce qui fera un lien idéal avec notre dernier dîner de gala à Reims (France) pour le Congrès de 2014 dans les caves de Mumm, une occasion vraiment magique.

Notre assemblée nationale se tiendra dans la matinée du 8 juin à l’hôtel Hyatt à Santa Rosa, Californie et l’après midi et les délégués au congrès international pourront s’inscrire pour participer au dîner de bienvenue du soir, qui sera également la première manifestation du Congrès. Les détails pour ces événements sont disponibles à kov-office@kov.org.

Ce numéro de ARBOR est spécial car vous y trouverez plusieurs articles traduits en Français afin que nous puissions les partager avec nos invités internationaux. Signalons en particulier l’article de McCreary Nan « Napa et Sonoma: un bref historique, » qui donne des faits intéressants et décrit les influences internationales sur le développement de la communauté viticole dans cette région.

Je suis reconnaissant à notre solide Comité d’organisation présidé par Pat Pingitore, Master Commander de notre chapitre de San Francisco, notre émissaire International et représentant pour la F.I.C.B. dont il est vice-président Sous la direction de Pat et avec le soutien du Comité, je suis certain que nos invités auront une expérience de première classe.

Dans les pages qui suivent, à travers les informations sur la F.I.C.B. et les comptes-rendus de nos chapitres, je pense que vous apprécierez les activités nombreuses et variées qui se déroulent. Ce fut un grand plaisir pour moi de pouvoir voyager à travers ce grand pays pour assister à plusieurs de ces événements et communiquer avec nos membres. Je vous encourage à participer pleinement pour tirer le maximum de votre adhésion, en savoir plus sur les vins qui sont notre passion et apprécier la compagnie des autres chevaliers et gentes dames.

per vitem! ad vitam!

Robert C. “Buddy” Hagner, Jr., Grand Commander Winter/Spring 2016

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Class of 2015 with Master Commander Pat Pingitore, Gina Gallo, Ned Trippe, Lewis Phillips, David Rock, Polly Brenneman, Gordon White, & Peter Zimmerman

A BUSY 6 MONTHS FOR THE

Buddy Hagner & Jean-Charles Boisset

SAN FRANCISCO CHAPTER

San Francisco

& OUR NEIGHBORING SISTER CHAPTERS INDEED!

By Pat Pingitore

It all began one warm Sunday afternoon with a luncheon hosted by the ever gracious Gentle Lady Giselle McKellar in the lovely garden of her Atherton, California home. A Spanish themed luncheon was prepared by SF Chapter’s favorite chef, John Meidinger. The luncheon was paired with some surprisingly and economically priced wines that included Spanish Garnacha of Tres Picos which was fruity and well balanced, a silky, rich Tempranillo of Alta and a crisp Albariño from Baixis, Paso Senorens. Lady Giselle made sure to have fresh cut flowers on the table as we enjoyed the plated servings.

In November we were treated to a spectacular gala evening for our Fall Assemblage, held in conjunction with the Chancellery Chapter at another of Jean-Charles Boisset’s Northern California properties - Raymond Vineyards in St. Helena.

The evening began with an Induction ceremony in the Gardens of Raymond Vineyards that included the formal elevation by Grand Commander Buddy Hagner of

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Chik Brenneman as Master Commander of the Chancellery Chapter. Buddy then elevated San Francisco Chapter Knight, and Oregon Wine Brotherhood member Ken Hick, to the rank of Master Commander of the newly forming Washington State Chapter.

The San Francisco Chapter was pleased to induct several new members into our ranks. They included: Ann Thomas as Gentle Lady, Ned Trippe of Stag’s Leap Cellars, David Rock, Gordon White and, a surprised Peter Zimmerman, as Knights of the San Francisco Chapter.

Peter then introduced Gina Gallo, in a very personal and heart warming manner. Peter grew up in Modesto and was a childhood friend of Gina’s grandmother and aunt. Gina was inducted as a Supreme Lady, becoming the third generation of Gallos to be inducted as Supreme members of our order. A true privilege and honor for our chapter and all of KOV! continued pg. 6

The Arbor

The Glorious Crystal Cellar at Raymond Vineyards

Monique Mallein, Jean Jacques Vitrac, Roswitha Vitrac, Jean-Claude Mallein & Linda Pingitore

Cup Bearer Linda Pingitore & David Rock

Gina Gallo & Jean Charles Boisset

Paul Peyrat & Marian Kirby

Peter Zimmerman & Meg Scrofani continued >>>

Winter/Spring 2016

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SAN FRANCISCO CHAPTER CONT’D FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Gentle Lady Mckellar with Chef John Meidinger and assistant

The best was yet to come! Our members and guests were led to the Red Lounge for appetizers and the tasting of excellent Raymond wines before being escorted into the Crystal Cellars to behold our spectacular, sparkling dining table that must have been at least 60 feet long! It was set among the fermentation tanks, decorated with mirrors and baccarat chandeliers. A truly jaw dropping sight!

The dinner, prepared by Jean-Charles and Gina’s personal chef Michel Cornu, was stupendous and the wines from both Raymond and Gallo portfolios, chosen personally by Jean-Charles & Gina, were incomparable.

Janis Wild, Kathleen Hayes, Gentle Lady Giselle & Mark Randol

Following dinner we danced to the rock sounds of the Bohemian Highway Band until late into the night.

As the guests reluctantly left, many said that this was one of the best and most impressive events they had ever attended.

To cap off the year, Knight and Gentle Lady Scooter and Andi Blacklock hosted our holiday celebration in their lovely home in Noe Valley in San Francisco for the third year in a row. To commemorate this special evening, Knights Dick Katz, Scooter Blacklock and Master Commander Pat Pingitore dug into their cellars for some special vintage bottles of wine from both the “ new” and “old” world” that included, from France, a ’62 Margaux, ’64 Rothschild, ’70 Chateau Montrose, and, from California, a number of bottles including a ’74 Mondavi & Clos du Val, ’75 Mayacamas, and a ’78 BV Private Reserve. These wines were surprisingly well preserved, but the best of the best was a new world wine - ’75 Mayacamas. In addition, our newly published author Dick Katz, discussed his new book and read some selected passages for the gathering.

Once again, Chef John Meidinger provided us with an array of hearty appetizers to make the evening truly festive and special. As is fitting for a Holiday Season gathering, three lucky participants took home decorative wine themed gift baskets, made by our own Gentle Lady and Master Cup Bearer, Linda Pingitore.

Dori Bonn, of the French Heritage Society & Fran Randol

Heather Browning, Andi Pingitore-Blacklock & Michelle Balog

Hostess Gislle McKellar with Roswitha & Jean Jacques Vitrac

Oh, and did I mention that our hostess, Gentle Lady Andi was 8 months pregnant at the time and still was the consummate hostess! They were blessed with a beautiful baby girl - Olivia Rose, born on January14th! A new Gentle Lady in waiting!

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The Arbor

Annual Harvest Moon Homage In a repeat of 2014’s successful event, Lodi Knights of the Vine once again joined forces with the Lodi Amateur Vintner’s Association (LAVA) for their 2nd Annual Harvest Moon Homage held at Viaggio Winery & Estate.

While the evening was intended to be enjoyed outdoors on the beautiful grounds of the winery, Mother Nature had other plans as the temperatures soared well over 100 degrees. Thank Heavens for the flexibility of Viaggio’s gracious owners and our hosts, Master Knight Larry and Master Lady Teri Lawrence, who choreographed a smooth move into their cool and welcoming Ball Room.

Knights and Gentle Ladies arriving early for the event were all too happy to help make the quick transition to air conditioned quarters!

As the delicious affair wound down, so did the temperatures outside! However, the evening’s sunny moment came when John Tudor and Ken Levy presented a $1,800 check to John and Gail Kautz and the Kautz Foundation, in support of youth organizations 4H and the Future Farmers of America, (FFA).

Based on the success of the evening coupled with the previous year, you can be assured this will continue to be an annual event.

Lodi

Once again the LAVA members provided delicious samples of their vintages and the Knights and Ladies brought creative food pairings. Excellent Zinfandels paired perfectly with zesty ribs, delicate pasta bites and velvety chocolates. Viaggio’s Sauvignon Blanc, crafted by award winning winemaker Teri Lawrence, proved to be the perfect pairing for delicious ceviche prepared by Knight (and local Sheriff) Steve Moore. I believe all 120 people there were in agreement!

The event had a number of local sponsors including Master Commander John Tudor, Knight Tim Greenmyer of City Wide Towing; Levy Daniels and McGee; Knight Mark Lang of Vintage Reserve Garage. The nominal fee charged to the guests entitled them to sample food and wine, as well as a ticket to the Concourse D’Elegance held at Ironstone Winery, generously provided by Supreme Knight and Master Lady John and Gail Kautz.

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Article and photos by Olli Heikkil채

Finland

Grand Assemblage in Helsinki The Finland chapter of the Brotherhood of the Knights of the Vine enjoyed a magnificent Assemblage on September 5th at the Conference Room in the House of Book which is located at the seaside in Helsinki City Centre. The 16th anniversary ceremony of the Finland Chapter was planned and organized by a great team of six knights. The team chose the House of Book as a place of celebration due to its long history full of traditions. The House of Book is owned by the Association of the Bookmakers established in 1869. The House has witnessed many events during its long history and now has experienced also knights celebrating their annual assemblage.

When entering the House, the guests were served elegant white wine accompanied with accordion music played by a talented professional musician. The rest of the evening the same musician entertained us by playing piano.

We were honoured to have the new Ambassador of the United States of America, Mr. Charles Adams, Jr. and Mrs. Adams as our guests. Mr. Adams has been a keen wine connoisseur for several years. He invited us to join him in tasting US wines in the near future. He seems to be very talented at languages and he took us all by surprise by speaking some Finnish at our gala.

The highlight of the evening was the official and humorous knighting ceremony. The ceremony began with

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The Arbor

TIMO TURNS 60 The KOV Finland Chapter founder, MBA, PhD, Master Commander Emeritus Timo Jokinen celebrated his 60th birthday last year.

a change in the leadership. Commander Roope Raisamo declared Master Vice Commander Olli Heikkilä as the new Master Commander of the Finland Chapter. Master Commander Olli Heikkilä gave a speech thanking everyone and after that Roope Raisamo was appointed as the Master Commander Emeritus.

We appreciate him as an ambassador of the wine. His positive and energetic work has given new and raising possibilities to the wine culture in many countries and also helped many vineyards around the world to develop their business. Additionally, his tedious work as a wine judge in all of the remarkable wine competitions in the world is outstanding.

We wish all the best for Timo – keep going strong ahead!

Article by Olli Heikkilä, photo Heikki Koski

The new candidates for Knights were Vesa Manninen and Jukka Helin while Minna Hooli was the candidate for Gentle Lady. They were all successful on the challenging tests and were accepted to the Brotherhood of the Knights of the Vine.

After the official knighting ceremony, we raised our glasses of Champagne Thibaut-Schloesser in honor of the new knights and gentle lady and for the good future to all of us. Shortly afterward, the butlers began to serve us a delicious four course menu with well-matched wines.

And what a grand experience it was! First course consisted of three difference tapas: goat cheese – salad - raspberry vinegar, chili-prawn toast and salted raw beef-red onion compote with Champagne Thibaut-Schloesser.

After these spectacular tastes we were served shitake-broth with rye bread sticks and the Corinne et Jean Pierre Grossot Chablis La Part des Anges.

As a third course we enjoyed braised baby lamb with root vegetables and red wine sauce served with Agr Tolaini Al Passo IGT Toscana.

After the third course we had a short break with two speeches. Master Commander Emeritus Roope Raisamo read us a letter from Grand Commander Buddy Hagner who sent his greetings to all members and guests and congratulated Olli Heikkilä and Roope Raisamo for their new appointments. Roope Raisamo spoke also about the history and the present of the Brotherhood. Charles Adams, Jr. spoke to us very nicely and also shared his experiences about living in Finland.

After the fourth course, frozen panna cotta with La Gironda Moscato d’Asti, it was good time to move and stand up for singing some songs with the pianist. Coffee and cognac finalized this grand evening. At the conclusion of the evening, some participants continued celebrating at the Book Club which was situated one floor down.

Master Commander Olli Heikkilä gives the anniversary gift to Master Commander Emeritus Timo Jokinen at the Italian wine evening in Vinoteque wine cellar.

Article & photos

by Olli Heikkilä Winter/Spring 2016

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Napa & Sonoma: A Brief History

By Nan McCreary

Compared to thousands of years of Old World wine dominance, the celebrated appellations of Napa and Sonoma have vaulted into prominence practically overnight. And rather than being operated by monks, dukes or wealthy merchants, they were founded by immigrants, pioneers, entrepreneurs and remarkable visionaries who overcame seemingly insurmountable obstacles to make California Wine Country what it is today.

The first winegrowing pioneer in the region was General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo of the Mission San Francisco Solano in Sonoma. As head of military of the mission operations along Mexico’s northern borders, he was sent to the Mission in Sonoma in 1834, where he oversaw its vineyards. The General, who founded the town of Sonoma, dominated the viticulture scene there for many years, and was the first to grow grapes commercially in California.

Sonoma. With his enthusiasm and passionate conviction to grape growing, Haraszthy is often called the “father of California winemaking.” He introduced the first European vines to California, plus he dug extensive caves for cellaring, promoted hillside planting, and produced barrels from redwood to age his wine when oak was hard to find. Also, following the European custom, he did not irrigate. Today, Buena Vista is recognized as California’s first premier winery, and is owned by the family of the Brotherhood of the Knights of the Vine Supreme Knight Jean-Charles Boisset.

The birth of Napa Valley vineyards can be traced back to an adventurous frontiersman and fur trapper named George Yount, who planted the first vines on a 12,000acre Mexican land grant in the late 1830s. The property was called Rancho Caymus, a name chosen for a sub group of Mishewal-Wappo Indians, and that encompassed all of what is now known as Yountville, Oakville and Rutherford. Yount grew a variety called “Mission Grapes,” acquired from General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo of the Mission in Sonoma. Yount grew grapes for personal consumption.

In the 1850s, spurred by the California Gold Rush (1848-1855) and the completion of the transcontinental railroad, planting and wine production expanded in both Napa and Sonoma. In 1857, a Hungarian soldier, merchant and promoter named Agoston Haraszthy founded Buena Vista (“beautiful view”) Winery in

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The Arbor

Napa et Sonoma : Une Histoire Brève Par Nan McCreary

En comparaison des milliers d’années de domination viticole de l’ancien monde, les appellations célèbres de Napa et Sonoma ont surgi pratiquement du jour au lendemain. Et plutôt que d’être exploitées par des moines, des ducs ou de riches marchands, elles ont été fondées par des immigrés, des pionniers, des entrepreneurs et des visionnaires remarquables qui ont franchi des obstacles apparemment insurmontables pour faire du California Wine Country ce qu’il est aujourd’hui.

Le premier pionnier de la viticulture dans la région fut le Général Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo de la Mission San Francisco de Solano à Sonoma. En tant que chef des militaires de la mission le long de la frontière nord du Mexique, il fut envoyé à la Mission à Sonoma en 1834, où il a dirigé ses vignobles. Le général, qui a fondé la ville de Sonoma, y a dominé la scène de la viticulture pendant des années et fut le premier à cultiver commercialement la vigne en Californie.

La naissance des vignobles de Napa Valley remonte à un trappeur aventureux nommé George Yount, qui a planté les premières vignes sur une concession de terre mexicaine de 12,000 hectares à la fin des années 1830. La propriété s’appelait Rancho Caymus, un nom choisi pour un sous-groupe des Indiens Mishewal- Wappo et qui englobait tous ce qui est maintenant connu comme Yountville, Oakville et Rutherford.

Yount a cultivé une variété appelée “raisins de la Mission,” acquis du général Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo de la Mission à Sonoma. Yount cultivait la vigne pour sa consommation personnelle.

Dans les années 1850, stimulée par la ruée vers l’or en Californie (1848-1855) et l’achèvement du chemin de fer transcontinental, la vitiviniculture s’est développée à Napa et Sonoma. En 1857, un sol-

Winter/Spring 2016

dat hongrois, le marchand et le promoteur nommé Agoston Haraszthy fonde le domaine de Buena Vista (« belle vue »), basé à Sonoma. Avec son enthousiasme et son engagement passionné, Haraszthy est souvent appelé le « père de la viticulture en Californie ». Il a planté les premières vignes européennes en Californie, a creusé de vastes caves de garde, promu la culture en coteaux et fabriqué des tonneaux en séquoia pour vieillir son vin quand le chêne était difficile à trouver. En outre, suivant la tradition européenne, il n’irriguait pas. Aujourd’hui, Buena Vista est reconnu comme un grand cru éminent de Californie et appartient à la famille de Jean-Charles Boisset , chevalier suprême de la confrérie des Knights of the Vine of America.

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In 1857, on the heels of Buena Vista in Sonoma, Bavarian-born Jacob Gundlach purchased 400 acres in Sonoma and named it Rhinefarm. Later joined by Charles Bundschu from Mannheim Germany, J. Gundlach & Co. grew significantly during the next 30years, distributing wines from its San Francisco headquarters that spanned two city blocks. Today, the winery, known as Gundlach Bundschu, is California’s oldest continuously family-owned winery.

John Patchett, an immigrant and brew master from England, is credited with starting the first commercial vineyard and winery in the Napa Valley in 1857. Patchett hired a Prussian-born visionary and revolutionary, Charles Krug, as his winemaker.

Krug used a cider press to crush grapes rather than the Spanish method, where grapes were crushed by stomping on them in a wooden trough. Both Patchett and Krug were knowledgeable vintners, as both had worked for Agoston Haraszthy at Buena Vista.

In 1861, Charles Krug established his own winery near St. Helena.

Krug brought innovation to the young California wine industry.

Not only did he introduce the cider press, he carefully selected rootstocks, varietals and vineyard sites, all new concepts at the time. In 1868, he started planting European grapes, and was one of the first to label wines by varietal. In 1880 he expanded the winery to a capacity of 700,000 gallons to earn recognition as one of the grandest wineries of the time.

Krug’s success inspired other growers to cultivate wines.

By the late 1800s, there were nearly 150 vintners in Napa Valley and 120 wineries in Sonoma. Many still exist today, including Krug, Beringer, Schramsberg, Chateau Montelena, Far Niente and Inglenook in Napa as well as Buena Vista, Gundlach Bundschu, Korbel, and Simi in Sonoma.

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This tremendous expansion, however, soon came to an abrupt halt. In the late 1880s and 1890s, phylloxera ravaged the vineyards. The disease destroyed more than 80 percent of Napa Valley’s vines, and all but the largest corporate producers in Sonoma. Undaunted, vintners began replanting around the turn of the century.

The start of the 20th century was a time of growth in Napa and Sonoma. In 1904, young French native Georges de Latour — who would later become recognized as one of the true pioneers in the evolution of California wine — founded Beaulieu Vineyards, the longest, continually operating winery in Napa Valley.

Latour was well-known for selling phylloxera-resistant rootstocks to growers in California, and started his winery with a vision of creating worldclass Cabernet Sauvignon from the exceptional terroir of Rutherford.

At the same time, the number of wineries in Napa and Sonoma continued to grow; in Sonoma, for example, by 1920 there were 256 wineries, with 22,000 acres of vineyards in production.

The optimism that emerged after the phylloxera decimation was once again short-lived. The Volstead Act (Prohibition) was passed in 1920, banning the manufacture, sale or transportation of alcoholic beverages. This effectively killed the wine industry in America. Only a few wineries continued to operate by producing sacramental wine; Beaulieu Vineyards in Napa Valley was one of them.

With the repeal of Prohibition in 1933, Napa and Sonoma began their slow recovery. This recovery was stymied by the Great Depression of 1929-1939 and the outbreak of World War II. Many wineries had been abandoned after prohibition, and others had replanted vineyards with fruit and nut trees. In fact, only a handful of new wineries opened their doors between the end of Prohibition and the 1960s.

The Arbor

En 1857, dans la foulée de Buena Vista à Sonoma, le Bavarois Jacob Gundlach achète 160 Ha à Sonoma qu’il baptise Rhinefarm. Rejoint plus tard par Charles Bundschu de Mannheim en Allemagne, J. Gundlach & Co. s’est développé considérablement pendant les 30 années suivantes, distribuant des vins à partir de son siège de San Francisco qui s’étendait sur deux blocs d’immeubles. Aujourd’hui, le domaine, connu sous le nom Gundlach Bundschu, est le plus ancien producteur resté dans une même famille en Californie.

John Patchett , un immigrant et maître brasseur d’Angleterre, est réputé être le premier vigneron et vinificateur commercial à Napa Valley en 1857. Patchett recrute comme maître de chais un leader révolutionnaire et visionnaire, le prussien Charles Krug,. Krug utilisait une presse à cidre pour écraser les raisins plutôt que la méthode espagnole, où les raisins sont écrasés par piétinement dans un bac en bois. Patchett et Krug étaient des vignerons avertis, car tous deux avaient travaillé pour Agoston Haraszthy à Buena Vista.

plus de 80% des vignes de la vallée de Napa et pratiquement tous les plus gros producteurs de Sonoma.

Nullement découragés, les vignerons replantèrent au tournant du siècle.

Le début du 20ème siècle fut une période de croissance de Napa et Sonoma. En 1904, le jeune Français Georges de Latour — qui sera plus tard reconnu comme l’un des véritables pionniers dans l’évolution du vin de la Californie — fonde Beaulieu Vineyards, le domaine le plus ancien exploité continûment dans la vallée de Napa. Latour est connu pour avoir vendu aux producteurs en Californie des porte-greffes résistant au phylloxéra et lancé son établissement vinicole avec l’objectif de créer un Cabernet Sauvignon de niveau mondial issus du terroir exceptionnel de Rutherford. Dans le même temps, le nombre des vignobles de Napa et Sonoma a continué de croître ; à Sonoma, par exemple, en 1920 il y avait 256 établissements vinicoles, avec 9 000 ha de vignes en production.

En 1861, Charles Krug créa son propre domaine vinicole près de Santa-Helena. Krug apportait de l’innovation pour la jeune industrie du vin de la Californie. Non seulement il introduisit la presse de cidre, mais encore il a soigneusement sélectionné les porte-greffes, les cépages et les sites pour les vignobles, ce qui était nouveau à l’époque. En 1868, il a commencé à planter des cépages européens et a été l’un des premiers à étiqueter les vins par cépage. En 1880, il a porté la capacité de sa cave à 26500 hl, étant ainsi reconnu comme l’une plus grandes caves de l’époque.

Le succès de Krug a incité d’autres producteurs à se lancer dans la vitiviniculture. A la fin des années 1800, il y avait près de 150 producteurs de vin dans la vallée de Napa et 120 vignobles à Sonoma. Beaucoup existent encore aujourd’hui, y compris Krug, Beringer, Schramsberg, Château Montelena, Far Niente et Cantou dans la vallée de Napa ainsi que Buena Vista, Gundlach Bundschu, Korbel et Simi à Sonoma.

Cette formidable expansion, connut cependant bientôt un arrêt brutal. Vers les années 1880 et 1890, le phylloxéra ravagea les vignobles. La maladie détruisit

Winter/Spring 2016

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Mission San Francisco Solano was the 21st, last and northern most mission in California. It was the only mission built in California after Mexico gained independence from Spain.

The convento may have been used as a winery.

During this time, however, some new pioneers emerged who would help propel Napa and Sonoma into the forefront of the industry as we know it today. Louis Martini, an Italian immigrant, was the first to open a winery in Napa Valley after Prohibition in 1933, and his innovations in grape growing and winemaking have been a trademark ever since. In 1938, Georges de Latour hired Russian émigré André Tchelischeff, who is often credited for originating the modern era of winemaking in California. Tchelischeff introduced several new techniques and procedures, such as aging wine in small French oak barrels, cold fermentation, vineyard frost prevention and malolactic fermentation. In 1939, John Daniel Jr. resurrected Inglenook and by the 1940s Inglenook’s wines were considered by many to be the best in the Valley.

Perhaps the greatest pioneer of this era was Robert Mondavi. In 1943, Robert’s father, Italian immigrant Cesare Mondavi, bought the Charles Krug Winery and enlisted his sons — Robert, Peter and Timothy — to help with the operation. In 1966, Robert left to start his own winery in Oakville with a vision to create Napa Valley wines that would rival the world’s finest. A great

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strategist and marketer, Mondavi was the first to aggressively promote wines varietally rather than generically, and he worked tirelessly to bring innovation and international recognition to the area.

At the same time, Sonoma was undergoing a revolution of its own. In 1953, Captain of Industry James Zellerbach founded Hanzell Vineyards, and began planting Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. At the time, the entire state of California had fewer than 200 acres planted to Chardonnay. In 1967, Joseph Swan bought a 13-acre farm in the Russian River and, at the urging of legendary enologist André Tchelistcheff, planted Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vines on his property. Swan was the first Pinot Noir producer in Sonoma to popularize making wine using Burgundian methods, including whole-cluster fermentation, manual punch downs and aging in French oak barrels. Today, Sonoma is known worldwide for its cool climate grapes like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

In the 1960s, a wine boom hit America, as people nationwide began discovering and appreciating wine. Between 1966 and 1972, U.S. wine consumption doubled, and

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L’optimisme qui prévalait après l’éradication du phylloxéra a été une fois de plus courte durée. Le Volstead Act (prohibition) a été adopté en 1920, interdisant la fabrication, la vente ou le transport de boissons alcoolisées.

Cela a effectivement tué l’industrie du vin en Amérique.

Seulement quelques vignobles ont continué à fonctionner pour la production de vin de messe ; le domaine de Beaulieu dans la vallée de Napa était un d’eux.

Avec l’abrogation de la Prohibition en 1933, Napa et Sonoma ont commencé leur lente reprise. Cette reprise a été freinée par la grande dépression de 1929-1939 et le déclenchement de la seconde guerre mondiale. De nombreux vignobles avaient été abandonnés après la prohibition, tandis que d’autres étaient replantés en arbres fruitiers ou noyers. En fait, seulement une poignée de nouveaux vignobles ont redémarré entre la fin de la Prohibition et les années 1960.

Pendant ce temps, de nouveaux pionniers ont émergé qui ont contribué à propulser de Napa et Sonoma à l’avant-garde de l’industrie tels que nous les connaissons aujourd’hui.

Louis Martini, un immigrant italien, fut le premier à ouvrir un domaine à Napa Valley après la prohibition, en 1933, et ses innovations dans la culture de la vigne et la vinification portent encore sa marque aujourd’hui. En 1938, Georges de Latour embauche un russe émigré, André Tchelischeff, qui est souvent reconnu comme le père de l’ère moderne de la viticulture en Californie. Tchelischeff introduisit plusieurs nouvelles techniques et procédures, telles que le vieillissement en fût de chêne français, la macération à froid, la protection pour le gel dans les vignobles et la fermentation malo-lactique. En 1939, John Daniel Jr. ressuscite Inglenook et dès les années 1940, les vins d’Inglenook sont considérés par beaucoup comme les meilleurs de la vallée.

et commerçant, Mondavi fut le premier à promouvoir activement les vins par cépage plutôt que par origine, et il a travaillé sans relâche pour apporter innovation et reconnaissance internationale à la région.

Dans le même temps, Sonoma était de son côté en pleine révolution. En 1953, le capitaine d’industrie James Zellerbach fonde Hanzell Vineyards qu’il plante en Chardonnay et Pinot Noir. À l’époque, l’ensemble de l’Etat de Californie avait moins de 80ha plantés de Chardonnay. En 1967, Joseph Swan achète une ferme de 5 ha dans la zone de Russian River et, à l’instigation de l’oenologue légendaire André Tchelistcheff, le plante en Pinot Noir et Chardonnay. Swan était le premier producteur de Pinot Noir de Sonoma à populariser la fabrication de vin à l’aide de la méthode bourguignonne, y compris la fermentation par grappes entières, le pigeage manuel et le vieillissement en fûts de chêne français. Aujourd’hui, Sonoma est reconnue mondialement pour ses raisins de climat froid comme le Chardonnay et Pinot Noir.

Dans les années 1960, la mode du vin frappe l’Amérique, et comme tous les autres pays ; les gens commencent à découvrir et apprécier le vin. Entre 1966 et 1972, la consommation de vin aux États-Unis double, et le tourisme dans la vallée de Napa et Sonoma s’en trouve dopé.

Au milieu des années 1970, il y a plus de 50 domaines en exploitation dans la vallée de Napa. Des producteurs soucieux de la qualité comme Caymus, Diamond Creek,

Robert Mondavi fut sans doute le plus grand pionnier de cette époque. En 1943, Cesare Mondavi, le père de Robert, immigrant italien, achète le domaine Charles Krug et fait appel à ses fils, Robert, Pierre et Timothy — pour aider à l’exploitation. En 1966, Robert le quitte pour démarrer son propre domaine à Oakville avec l’objectif de créer des vins de la Napa Valley qui puissent rivaliser avec les meilleurs du monde. Grand stratège

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By the time Napa and Sonoma moved into the 21st century, these wine-producing regions had clearly established a place for themselves on the world wine stage. With diverse soils, climate and topography — along with innovative and talented winemakers — it’s no wonder that these two areas have risen to prominence and international acclaim. In 2015, the Napa Valley Vintners listed over 525 wineries and 15 AVAs. Sonoma is home to more than 400 wineries and 17 AVAs. Growers today are optimistic, and have reason to be; many are experimenting with new grapes varieties, as well as innovative viticultural and winemaking practices. A top priority is sustainability, with many wineries committed to conserving resourcGRAPE CRUSHER STATUE es and adopting energy-efficient The 1986 work by artist Gino Miles is a 16-ft. tall operations in both the vineyard bronze sculpture on top and the winery. of a 10 ft. tall rock base

tourism in Napa Valley and Sonoma spiked. By the mid-1970s, there were again more than 50 wineries in operation in Napa Valley. Quality-conscious producers like Caymus, Diamond Creek, Joseph Phelps, Shafer and Stag’s Leap started vineyards, all planting Cabernet Sauvignons. In Sonoma, some of today’s top producers had put down roots too, including the Dutton family, Sterling family and Rodney Strong (Iron Horse).

By all accounts, it was the Paris Tasting of 1976 that truly put California wines on the map. In a competition that paired the best Chardonnays and Cabernet Sauvignons of California against the best wines of Bordeaux and Burgundy, top honors a landmark monument at went to Napa’s Chateau Vista Point in Napa Valley Napa and Sonoma, with more Montelena Chardonnay than 150 years of winemaking traand Stag’s Leap Cellars dition and innovation, may seem Cabernet Sauvignon. This single event triggered unprecedented growth in the area, like spring chickens in the international world of wineas the world took notice that California could produce making. Yes, they arrived late to the party, but they made a big impression. And that impression is still a “work in world-class wines. progress.” Stay tuned as there is much more to be added Between 1980 and 1990 the number of California win- to this “history” as the years unfold. eries tripled to about 900, as a new generation of entrepreneurs bought land and planted vineyards. In 1981 Napa was named as California’s first American Viticultural Area (AVA). This period also brought technological advances to the area, including stainless-steel fermenters and crusher-destemmers to automate and improve production. During the mid-1990s, trellising systems became more complex, and grape growers developed more sensitivity to terroir and planted accordingly. With improvements in viticulture and winemaking, “Cult Cabernets” emerged from Napa producers like Harlan Estate, Screaming Eagle and the Bryant Family, comBuena Vista Winery is located in Sonoma, California, United States. manding sky-high prices at auctions and restaurants.

It is the oldest commercial winery in California and was founded by Agoston Haraszthy in 1857

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Joseph Phelps, Shafer et Stag’s Leap lancent des vignobles, tous plantés en Cabernet Sauvignon. À Sonoma, certains des plus grands producteurs d’aujourd’hui s’implantent, tels la famille Dutton, la famille Sterling et Rodney Strong (Iron Horse).

De toute évidence, c’est le « jugement de Paris » de 1976 qui a mis vraiment les vins californiens sur la carte mondiale. Dans une compétition qui mit en présence les meilleurs Chardonnay et Cabernet Sauvignon de Californie comparés aux meilleurs vins de Bordeaux et de Bourgogne, les lauréats ont été Château Montelena en Chardonnay et Stag’s Leap Cellars en Cabernet Sauvignon. Cet événement extraordinaire déclenche un développement sans précédent dans la région, le monde ayant ainsi découvert qu’en Californie on pouvait produire des vins de tout premier niveau mondial.

Entre 1980 et 1990 le nombre d’établissements vinicoles de Californie triple pour atteindre environ 900, car une nouvelle génération d’entrepreneurs a acheté des terres et planté des vignes. En 1981, Napa a été reconnue comme première zone viticole américaine (AVA) de Californie. Cette période a aussi apporté des avancées technologiques dans la région, telles que les fermenteurs en inox et les fouloirs-égrappoirs pour automatiser et améliorer la production. Durant les années 1990, les systèmes de palissage sont devenus plus complexes et les viticulteurs plus sensibles aux terroirs et à planter en conséquence. Avec des améliorations dans la viticulture

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et la vinification, des Cabernets « culte» ont émergé à Napa, comme Harlan Estate, Screaming Eagle et la Bryant Family, atteignant des prix exorbitants dans les ventes aux enchères et les restaurants.

Entretemps, Napa et Sonoma entraient dans le 21ème siècle, et ces régions viticoles s’étaient clairement fait un nom sur la scène mondiale du vin. Avec des sols, climat et topographie variés — ainsi que des vignerons innovants et talentueux — il n’est pas étonnant que ces deux régions aient progressé en prééminence et renommée internationales. En 2015, l’association des vignerons de la Napa Valley compte plus 525 établissements vinicoles et 15 AVAs. Sonoma a plus de 400 établissements vinicoles et 17 AVAs. Aujourd’hui, les producteurs sont optimistes et ont raison de l’être ; beaucoup expérimentent de nouvelles variétés de raisins, ainsi que des pratiques novatrices en matière de viticulture et de vinification.

Une priorité absolue est la durabilité, avec de nombreux domaines engagés à conserver les ressources et adoptant des modes d’exploitation plus économes en énergie dans les vignobles et dans les chais.

Napa et Sonoma, avec plus de 150 ans de tradition viticole et d’innovation, peuvent paraître comme des perdreaux de l’année dans le monde du vin. Oui, ils sont arrivés en retard à la fête, mais ils ont fait une forte impression! Et cette impression est encore en progrès.

Restez à l’écoute car il y a encore beaucoup à ajouter à cette « histoire » dans les années qui viennent.

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Partaking on the Porch Gulf Coast

an afternoon in BSL

On Saturday evening, September 26, 2015, several members of the Gulf Coast Chapter enjoyed a delightful respite from the heat of the day, by partaking of a few glasses of wine on Nikki Moon’s front porch, or veranda, as they used to say in the deep South. Nikki is the owner of, Bay Town Inn Bed & Breakfast, a boutique hotel in the quaint little artsy town known as Bay Saint Louis (BSL), Mississippi. Janice Hall, our Master Photographer met Nikki soon after she and husband Jim moved to BSL from California earlier in the year. Nikki’s home is located on the main street running through BSL, so she is privy to all the strollers, bikers and other modes of transportation used by locals as well as tourists.

Her hotel, the Bay Town Inn, is located directly behind the house and is used often by film crews and actors who want to remain anonymous while staying there.

Janice had asked Mr. Charles Gray, Director of Hancock County Historical Society, to speak on the subject of local lore and facts about The Bay and the surrounding area. He gave his talk while we dined on a wonderful meal at the North Beach Restaurant, which is located right next door to Nikki’s home. Mr. Gray was fascinating and entertaining and gave us a lot of information that most of us were not aware of. By the way, the Bay Marina is just across the street from Nikki’s home, so we could watch events going on there, as well, from the enclosed upstairs balcony of the restaurant where we dined.

On December 12th, we held our annual Holiday Party at the HOA Club House in Destiny Plantation, Biloxi, where both the Boothby’s and the Strickland’s reside. It turned out to be such a successful event that we have

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decided to hold it there from now on, or at least for this next year, and until someone comes up with something much better! The food and wine for the evening were brought by those attending and it was amazing not only in the grand assortment that was available, but that there was no duplication even when there was no organized coordination of the offerings. As we do each year, we asked everyone to bring dry and/or canned goods to give to a soup kitchen in Ocean Springs. Our members and guests were very generous and when Chapter Commander Morris Strickland delivered it, he needed quite a bit of help unloading it which the organization receiving the donation was very pleased to offer.

Our Officers and Cadre met for our annual planning meeting on Friday evening, January 22nd. In the Southern tradition, we’d like to invite you all to join us for our next Assemblage which will be held on April 23, 2016, again at the White House Hotel in Biloxi. Y’all come!

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Merrill Home

Ranch BBQ Monterey

By Susan Berteaux

Speeding eastbound along Highway 68 with Master of Flight, Hallie McGonigal at the wheel, we soon arrived at the Merrill Home Ranch in Salinas for the 4th annual BBQ and Stephen Pessagno Memorial Scholarship Fund event. It was a beautiful late summer day as we drove past the strawberry fields towards a sweeping view of Susan Merrill’s lovely property.

Being among the first guests to arrive, we made our way over to the wine table to view the variety of offerings. Included were Master of the Vineyards, Scott Scheid’s Ryder Rose, District 7 Pinot Noir, District 7 Chardonnay and Ranch 32 Chardonnay; and Master of Entonneurs, Supreme Knight, Jack Galante’s Ace High Malbec and Merlot and the Rancho Galante Red Blend. Master of Elevage, Reggie Hammond provided a Chardonnay and Pinot Noir to round out the group. All perfect pairings for the feast to come.

Well-known chef, Jerry Novara and his son, Jeremy were busy at the BBQ pit as we took in the smells of the tri tip (laced with beer) and the chicken grilling over the fire. The traditional ranch-style dinner included chili baked beans, fresh garlic bread, several types of salads and the much-anticipated strawberry shortcake. With strawberries picked that morning from Susan’s own fields, they were red throughout and as sweet as any you’ve ever tasted.

Best Dressed Cowgirl Master Emerita, Stephanie Lee

RIGHT This queen size quilt is part of the KOV raffle benefiting the Stephen Pessagno Memorial Scholarship Fund 20

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Jerry and Jeremy Novara BBQ Chefs

Members and guests continued to arrive and soon the well-attended event swelled to over 75 people. Dressed in their finest western outfits, the members went “all out,” vying for the Best Dressed Cowboy and Cowgirl awards. Master Emerita, Stephanie Lee won Best Dressed Cowgirl in her fabulous boots, turquoise jewelry and great hat. Vern Horton, Director of the California Salinas Rodeo, won Best Dressed Cowboy as he was the real thing sporting his fantastic Salinas Rodeo buckle.

Acknowledged and welcomed by the membership was our chapter’s new administrator/treasurer, Susan Berteaux and her husband John. Entertainment was provided by our own knight, Mike Marotta on accordion, Michelle Parravano on guitar, and Knight Rich Hughett leading the group in singing such favorites as “King of the Road” and Jimmy Buffet’s “Margaritaville,” to which everyone seemed to know the words.

Viticulture at Cal-Poly in San Louis Obispo. Depicted on this amazing quilt are wines from Monterey County including Pessagno, Figgie, Galante, Hammond, Manzoni, Otter Cove, Paraiso, Scheid, Talbott and many others. Also shown are various varietals farmed here in Monterey including Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Pinot Noir, Muscat and my favorite, Gewürztraminer.

The highlight of the event was the quilt, made by Sandy Bear, which was on display. The Queen-size quilt, approximately 88” X 99,”is part of the KOV raffle benefiting the Stephen Pessagno Memorial Scholarship Fund. All money raised from the raffle will be awarded to one or two students in the Department of Wine and

The raffle drawing was held at the KOV Pier Party on October 11, 2015. All those who bought raffle tickets for this quilt, a fantastic representation of our rich wine history, supported KOV’s efforts to help educate the next generation of wine vintners and that support is greatly appreciated!

Best Dressed Cowboy Vern Horton, Director of the California Salinas Rodeo, and wife, Joyce

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WINING &DINING

AUSTIN

IN

Austin

By Forrest Preece, Master Scribe • Photos by Leah Overstreet

On Tuesday, August 25, the Austin Chapter of the Knights of the Vine enjoyed the hospitality of Knight and Gentle Lady Eddie and Reneé Butler in their magnificent west Austin home. This summer party attracted a large crowd of wine lovers who were treated to some superb wines from the chapter cellar and delicious food.

Party hosts Reneé & Eddie Butler

This late August date meant that many chapter members were returning from summer travels and they were only too willing to trade stories about their sojourns. Master Commander Jerry Gatlin and his wife, Gentle Lady Susan, were much in evidence, presiding over the event and keeping conversations lively.

them took special attention with a razor blade to “come clean.” Then she challenged guests to rate them on index cards. After the event, she emailed the identities of the wines to guests who participated in the challenge.

A special, clever touch was added by hostess Renee’ Butler, who offered over 20 wines -- from highly-rated selections to one usually found in convenience stores -- in numbered bottles. Before the party, she had soaked off all the bottles’ labels and then affixed numbers on each one. Several of

Five selections rated 90+ were presented during the party. They included a NV Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut, Rated 91 by Wine Spectator. To add a summery touch to the wine lineup, there was a 2014 Miraval Cotes de Provence Rosé. According to tasting notes, it

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sported “a fresh and lively bouquet of wild strawberries, raspberries and white flowers to go with a supple, lightly textured, silky and seamless feel on the palate” and was rated 91 by Robert Parker.

Three other wines also gave harmonious accompaniment to the food selections: a 2010 Donum Chardonnay Carneros, rated 92 by Wine Enthusiast; a 2013 Belle Glos Clark & Telephone Pinot Noir Santa Maria Valley, rated 90 by Wine Spectator and a 2012 Donum Estate West Slope Pinot Noir Carneros, rated 95 by Wine Spectator.

As the party progressed, some guests wandered out to sit at tables in the Butlers’ back yard by the swimming pool and let the orange and violet Texas sunset provide a fitting background for the food, wine and camaraderie.

Buckner Hightower, Susan & Jerry Gatlin, Master Commander

The menu deliciously prepared by Chef Terry Nowell with Culinary Architecture.

Sicilian Grilled Salmon with Cucumber Dolcetto Dill Sauce Barbera Chicken Bridies with Canaiolo Cheese Sauce Beef Trebbiano Tenderloin Tips with Wild Umbria Mushroom Whiskey Sauce • Ciao Sardegna Patata Scones Piedmont Grilled Asparagus Mini Bolzano Cheese Biscuits Puglia Vegetable Assortment • Campania Chocolate Midnight Delights Calabria Caramel Toffee & Veneto Raspberry Bites

Jim Stone, Robyn Pesce, Monte Davis, Patti Stone

Bill Krumpack

Linda Ball, Marilyn Rabkin and Cindy Stone Deborah Peel, Janna & Steve Paulson

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BYIB (Bring Your ITALIAN Bottle)

Lake Tahoe

Headquartered in a rather isolated area, as the Tahoe Chapter is, makes it difficult to locate venues that will provide a unique wine and dine experience with a suitable value price point. Additionally, competing interests, such as the wedding industry, virtually preclude the availability of certain days in varying seasons. That, together with the sheer number of wine dinners at area restaurants, create obvious challenges when planning an event.

So we found that to be relevant, we have to be creative.

One way is to have some events at private homes where there is intimacy in the gatherings. So these opportunities, which are very often themed, can present a novel experience. It was in this setting that our Maitresse de Cuisine, Mai Nguyen, created such an event in her lovely new home at the Gray’s Crossing golf course “Una Serata d’Estate di Cucina Italiana”.

The evening was made affordable by asking the attendees to bring in Italian wines; one bottle of red per couple and one bottle of white per single. Offerings ranged from the Piedmont, Veneto, Tuscany, and Umbria to Calabria, Sicily, and even Sardinia. And Master Lady Mai provided a sumptuous buffet of Italian delicacies such as antipasti, garden fresh produce, meats and seafood.

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Holiday Luncheon Our December Holiday Luncheon this year competed with a major snow storm and amazingly the storm came in second. Members and guests piled in to the home of Gentle Lady Margaret and Master Commander Ernie Grossman to enjoy the grazing brunch with the favorite holiday foods such as potato latkes, bagels and lox, kugel, baked wild salmon, hams, salads galore, bourbon puffs, many other savory desserts and an array of drinks to please any palate. An extra special surprise that made the afternoon even more special was the presence of our Grand Commander Buddy Hagner and Gentle Lady Trish Hagner.

continued >>>

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LAKE TAHOE CHAPTER CONT’D FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Tahoe Assemblage As long as we are willing to accept Sunday time slots, a world of venues seems to open up for us. Once again we found a gem for our Assemblage, The Lodge at Tahoe Donner. It may have taken a shoehorn to provide space for the seventy-five of us plus the band and a dance floor, but that didn’t detract from the gay mood of the evening.

We welcomed Gentle Lady Tani Francoeur, Knighted Bob Crossland, Stuart Jed, and Mark Steingard to our order, and elevated our own Maitresse de Cuisine Mai Nguyen to Master Lady, an honor well deserved.

Ably assisting the Induction Ceremony were Master Commander Pat Pingitore, San Francisco, And Chik Brenneman, Master Commander, Chancellery.

The evening was orchestrated and fine-tuned by Charge d’Affaires, Master Lady Stephanie Andrysiak Harris who saw to it that we had a truly extraordinary international menu created by Master Chef Lew Orlady which was highlighted by perfectly matched wines.

HORS D’ OEUVRES Grilled Lodge Spring Roll: Napa Slaw,Toasted Pumpkin Seeds, Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette with Chipotle Aioli Assorted Crostini: Wild Mushrooms with Fresh Herbs Tomato Caper and Basil Caramelized Onion and Tapenade Bisol Desiderio Jeio Prosecco Brut,Veneto, Italy

A CHANCE TO EXPERIENCE THE WINES, FOOD, & CULTURE OF BRAZIL, URUGUAY, ARGENTINA, AND CHILE Sail from Rio to Buenos Aires; deluxe land excursion from Buenos Aires to Santiago through the wine regions of both countries.

TENTATIVE DATES FEBRUARY 12-25, 2017 Interested?

FIRST COURSE Roasted Beet and Macintosh Apple Tart Apple Vanilla Compote, Goat Cheese, Candied Pecans, Micro Greens and Beet Vinaigrette Loosen Bros. Dr. L Riesling, Mosel, Germany 2014 SECOND COURSE Petite Filet with Port Wine Demi, Scalloped Potatoes, Seasonal Vegetable Chateau Gaby Canon-Fronsac, 2009 Gran Vin de Bordeaux

Master Lady Stephanie Andrysak Harris • Stephanie.andrysiak@gmail.com Master Commander Ernie Grossman • ernestgrossman@sbcglobal.net Coordinated by the Lake Tahoe Region Chapter

Ladies of the Knight reunion at Neiman Marcus, San Francisco; Lieba Ingber, Bea Axelrod, Margaret Lewicki, Adele McGee and Cassandra Grossman

DESSERT Warm Chocolate Souffle Cake Vahlrona Chocolate Sauce,Vanilla Bean Ice Cream OZV (Old Zin Vines) Sweet Solera Zin, Lodi, California

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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 $225 Initiation Fee to cover expenses relative to the Knighthood Enthronement Ceremony.

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 ________________ Winter/Spring 2016

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Jean-Charles Boisset: Supreme Knight Extraordinaire

By Nan McCreary

The Brotherhood of the Knights of the Vine Supreme Knight Jean-Charles Boisset is invigorating wine brotherhoods around the world with his passion for wine and food. Born into the world of wine in the Burgundy village of Vougeot, 500 meters from the famed vineyard, Clos Vougeot — the 12th century birthplace of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay — he is now president of Boisset Family Estates, one of the world’s leading family-owned wine companies, with wineries in Burgundy, Beaujolais, the Rhone Valley, the South of France, and expertise in French sparkling wine.

Because of his deep affection for the California wine culture, Boisset was inducted into the San Francisco Chapter of KOV as a Supreme Knight in 2014. He is also an active member of the French Brotherhoods, La Confrerie des Chevaliers du Tastevin, Commanderie de Bordeaux and the Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne, and the U.S. Chaine des Rotisseurs. Boisset is married to Gina Gallo, granddaughter of the late Julio Gallo, cofounder with brother Ernest of E. & J. Gallo, America’s largest wine producer by volume. The couple have twin daughters, age four and one-half.

In 2003, the Boisset Family expanded its footprint to California’s Russian River with the purchase of DeLoach Vineyards. This was followed by the 2009 acquisition of Raymond Vineyards, one of Napa Valley’s great estates, and the historic Buena Vista property in Sonoma 2011.

Boisset graciously agreed to talk with The Arbor about his family history, his enthusiasm for sharing his love of wine and food and the extraordinary measures he has taken to produce world-class wines and offer visitors the consummate wine tasting and touring experience.

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The ARBOR (TA): Thank you for taking the time to talk to the Arbor. And thank you, too, for graciously inviting us to visit Buena Vista Winer y and Raymond Vineyards during the FICB International Congress in June.

JEAN-CHARLES BOISSET (JCB): I am very much energized to be part of this amazing (FICB) Congress.

Thanks to the Brotherhood of the Knights of the Vine, as well as to all of the international confederations, the essence of food and the culture we love is well-propelled to bring people to the world of wine.

TA: Clearly, you are very enthusiastic about our Brotherhood and others in the world.

JCB: I was inducted into my first brotherhood, La Confrerie des Chevaliers du Tastevin, pretty much the day I turned 18, when I became “legal.” I am very bullish about brotherhoods in general because we see groups of people coming from all walks of life who actually adore wine country, adore wine and adore food and want to be together to have a great time, to socialize, to exchange great discussions on culture or politics or anything you could imagine, and use wine as a catalyst.

TA: What can we expect to experience when we visit Buena Vista and Raymond?

JCB: We are very much honored to have guests, and we take a lot of pride in building a whole area of experience for visitors so they will have an amazing time. We want them to enjoy vineyard tours, nature, the barrel rooms, the wine-making room and the wine blending room, simple tasting rooms, and the pleasure of having a great cheese plate on our decks and in the middle of the vineyard. We offer all of the experiences you can imagine.

TA: Specifically, tell us a little about each of the two wineries.

JCB: At Buena Vista (founded in 1857), you will take a deep dive into the California history of vineyards of America and the essence of who we are. At Raymond, you will visit a classic Napa Valley winery that has taken the world of the senses to the next level, beginning with Mother Nature and a deep understanding of organic and biodynamic farming, all the way to fun in the extreme that demonstrates our passion for life.

TA: We are very excited about visiting your wineries.

I know you have spent years restoring the properties — it’s obviously been a labor of love.

JCB: I’m thrilled. We really feel a winery is the place to bring people together. A winery is where you transform the unbelievable grape into wine and should be the place for people to congregate and really have a great sense of place, a great sense of identity, a great sense of who they are and a great celebration of their senses. Whether it’s Buena Vista, Raymond or DeLoach — or other wineries — these venues are places where people can really enjoy life at large.

continued >>>

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TA: You have another line of wines, JCB wines. Is this independent of your wineries in Napa and Sonoma?

JCB: Yes, these are wines I started as a love to the United States. My parents started a winery in 1961— a beautiful wine from the Cote d’Or— and I didn’t want to infringe on their Burgundy interests, so I created a line of two sparkling wines from Burgundy and a series of great Napa and Sonoma wines. I work with over 140 growers around the state — mostly in Napa and Sonoma — to create wines that transcend the sense of place and are all about celebrating style and time. These wines are stylized according to my palate — soft and elegant, and very specific to what I adore. I don’t like high-alcohol wines or wines that have too much ripeness, and JCB Wines reflect that. It is a small collection, and is available at our JCB Cellars Tasting Salon in Yountville and in the tasting lounge of the San Francisco Ritz-Carlton.

to enjoy. The Brotherhood of the Knights of the Vine and other brotherhoods and organizations have been critical to the birth and burgeoning of the wine world and, because of them, we are committed to crystalizing all of that energy around beautiful things that taste great.

TA: Please take us back to your early days in Burgundy.

JCB: I was very lucky to be born in the world of wine in Vougeot. I had not only the temptation of drinking wine, but also the task of making wine, because the living room of my parent’s house was actually the winery, and my playground was the vineyard. They (Jean-Claude and Claudine Boisset) started the winery in 1961then in 1964 they bought their first vineyard plot — Les Evocelles in Gevrey-Chambertin. My sister and I had the pleasure of growing up in the wine world in a very unique way, because since the 90s my family has been accumulating properties, and today we own over 2,000 acres of some of the finest vineyards in the world. Naturally a big piece of that is in Napa Valley and Sonoma.

TA: Why did you decide to expand into California?

TA: There has been a lot of press about your new gourmet shop in Yountville. This sounds like a great place to visit.

JCB: Yes, we just opened Atelier by JCB (next to JCB Cellars Tasting Salon) to bring a myriad of fine caviar, smoked salmon, olive oil, foie gras, cheeses and ham and other delicacies under one roof where you can find the best of the best. We are very bullish about it, because in the gourmet capital of the U.S., where you have the greatest concentration of restaurants per square foot, we’ve brought in an amazing destination for the world

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JCB: I’ve been engaging in the world of America since birth. My grandparents were members of the French Resistance during the war, and very thankful for the Americans. My family raised me to respect the American way of life and the American dream. When I first came here, I fell in love with the people, the landscape, the wine and the possibilities. I said to myself, “this is the place to be.” Burgundy has been making wine for thousands of years, and so has the South of France. I felt a calling to come here and build a certain vision of what I thought would be the ultimate, phenomenal fine wine from Sonoma and Napa, and this is what we are doing. Every single one of our people — whether in accounting, public relations, sales, the vineyards or the tasting rooms — works very hard, and this translates to our guests and to our consumers.

TA: I understand that you are very committed to the concept of sustainable agriculture. How have you integrated this concept into your vineyard practices?

JCB: We decided to buy a lot of land because we thought it was an essential part of controlling the grapes and making fantastic wine. We are growers and we farm as well, but most importantly, most of our vineyards

The Arbor

TA: What do you see in your future in California?

JCB: I feel like we’re just getting started. We plan to buy more wineries, and continue to build another dimension to the quality of the wine experience in Napa and Sonoma. We started from scratch 16 years ago and, thanks to our amazing team of people, we’ve built what we have today. Yes, we get rankings from the press, but I get goosebumps when I see our people really having fun at what they’re doing, whether it’s the gardener or the guy putting jewelry on the bottles or the people in the tasting room. Ultimately, success is energizing people and making them happy. This is really where we want to be and who we want to be.

are certified organic and biodynamic. With organic farming, we eliminate the use of synthetic herbicides and pesticides. With biodynamic farming, we use the solar and lunar rhythms of the earth to help determine activities in the vineyard and winery. We normally do organic, but we also do organic combined with biodynamic, which is extremely powerful, and why vegetables taste great and why our wines are better than average. We go to that additional step where we take into account the rhythm of Mother Nature. We listen to Her and do what She tells us to do. This is so critical in life: we can impose our rhythms, or we can work with the rhythms of Nature and follow those rhythms to create and produce wines of paramount quality. It’s a big commitment, but we believe in this lifestyle.

TA: Do you practice sustainability in your wineries too?

JCB: Yes, we are very sustainable in a lot of our practices.

We recycle glass, we recycle paper — all those things.

Our Raymond winery has one of the largest solar panel installations in Napa Valley today. The same is true for DeLoach in Russian River. We use gravity-fed fermentation to save energy, and we have charging stations at our wineries for guests who use electric cars.

We believe more than anything in Mother Nature and we owe Her our respect. We are here to lead the way for the next 1000 years, no matter what it costs. We are building the future.

Winter/Spring 2016

TA: What do you see in the future for the Brotherhood of the Knights of the Vine?

JCB: It’s very exciting that our brotherhoods are touching people in so many different ways and bringing people in all kinds of age groups together with a passion of just simply food and wine. As a family, we need to make a huge pledge in 2016 for all to expand all of that.

And I think we need to recognize people in KOV who very kindly give us their time for their love of wine and food. They don’t have to do what they’re doing. They’re doing it very nicely and generously and they’re really good at it. They help all of us.

TA: Jean-Charles, thank you so much for taking the time to talk with the Arbor. We are all looking forward to our visit in Napa.

JCB: You are most welcome. Thank you for giving me your time. We will see you in June.

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END OF SUMMER

Tennessee

IN SOMERVILLE AT

The Tennessee Chapter celebrated the end of the summer heat and the beginning of cool weather with a trip to De Terra Winery in Somerville, Tennessee. De Terra is a relatively new winery in west Tennessee, successfully growing Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Malbec grapes despite the fact that those grapes are not indigenous to our region. And, of course, no Southern winery is complete without a selection of Muscadine wines. Following wine sampling in the tasting room, we headed up the hill with our purchases to the outdoor stage for an evening concert. While enjoying De Terra wines and sampling the many hors d’oeuvres brought by members, we listened to the music of the Side Street Steppers, a unique band that played what they termed “vintage music,” an assortment of blues, jazz, country hokum, jug band, fiddle tunes and more! There was plenty of toe tapping, clapping and singing along, especially when the band serenaded Master of Ceremony Mike Fink on his birthday!

Outside The Box,” and bring a wine with a closure other than a cork. The most interesting closure was a ceramic swing top closure reminiscent of German beer. We enjoyed tasting the variety of flavored oils and balsamic vinegars while dining on the delicious food brought by members. Our Master of the Cork Robert Meyers led our wine education for the evening with a blind tasting comparing the different characteristics of Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel. Chapter Commander Tom Webb led a discussion on the impact that Millennials have on the wine industry, particularly in the aging and packaging of wine. All agreed that, no matter who is making or buying the wine, it is still wonderful!

Beth Webb, Susan & Jerry Edmonds,Tom Webb

We gathered again in November to celebrate the new location of Knight John and Sandy Barrios’ store, Bazaar, a crazy little food shop. Our theme was to “Think

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Mike Fink being serenaded on his birthday by the Side Street Steppers with Anna Alexander (seated)

Gayle Bennett and Debbie Meyers Robert Meyers and Tom Webb (on far left) leading our wine education Peggy Larkin, Marilyn and Bob Schubert,Tucker Larkin

Judy and Mike Fink, Mark and Sally Sherman, Sheila Bentley,Walter Elkin

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Sue Marucci being Knighted

Orange County

Assemblage Down in the Desert On November 20 and 21st the Orange County Chapter again traveled to Palm Desert, California, specifically, La Quinta, to enjoy a weekend of activities.

On Friday evening, members and guests were welcomed at the home of future Gentle Lady Linda Loomis and husband Jim for a casual dinner and merriment.

After the knighting, we had the pleasure of having Claude Butler, National Sales Manager of Van Ruiten Winery of Lodi introduce a variety of their award winning wines for our pleasure. He began with a Sparkling Cuvee wine, followed by a 2014 Sauvignon Blanc. He then presented three red wines; a 2013Cabernet Sauvignon, 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz blend and a 2011 Zinfandel.

We’d like to thank Master Knight Bill Rogan for his generosity in sharing the Van Ruiten wines and Claude for joining us in La Quinta.

The evening commenced with many appetizers and followed with a dinner of grilled beef tri-tip accompanied with scalloped potatoes, green beans, Chinese chicken salad, dinner rolls and pumpkin/apple pie and a few great ports. A huge variety of wines to share for the occasion were brought by our members.

After dinner things got a little wild as Sue Marucci brought her Karaoke machine and, needless to say, we had a loud and crazy night!

Hosts Jim & Linda Loomis

On Saturday, we journeyed to the estate of Knight Jeff and Sue Grether. The serene sunset backdrop of the San Jacinto Mountains provided the ambiance for the Orange County’s casual elevation of Knight Steve Bulkeley to Master Herald and the knighting of Sue Marucci to Gentle Lady. Sue is a true Gentle Lady as she passed the vine versus the stein test, as well as being able to distinguish between red and white wine.

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16TH ANNUAL RATE THE REDS On a glorious late evening overlooking Lake Mission Viejo, the Orange County Chapter held their 16th Annual Rate the Reds Blind Tasting at the beautiful home of Sue and Knight Jeff Grether. The Grether’s have hosted this event for years and it has become a tradition.

Hosts Sue & Jeff Grether

Shannon Moffatt, Kris McCrystal and Sue Grether

Stan Kirst, John Moreiko and Bill Moffatt

Members and guests were welcomed with a glass or two of a white wine along with variety of hors d’oeuvres prepared by Vice Commander Jon Greer and wife Mary, and Master of the Cellar Bill Losee and wife Barbara.

While enjoying the various foods and prior to commencing the blind tasting our Vice Commander Jon Greer educated the group on the history of wine.

As in the past, all wines were hidden in brown bags and each was numbered so no one could see the wine label.

Each guest was given a modified version of a scoring sheet devised by the University of California at Davis.

Judging was based on clarity, finish, acidity, fruit, tannins, color and overall perceived quality.

Jon Greer, Bill & Barb Losee with Tom McCrystal

At the end of the tasting, the sheets are picked up and tabulated to see how the wine scored. The identity of the wines was then revealed and information about their location prices was shared. A discussion then followed as members and guests enjoying their favorite with the foods presented.

This year was a departure as we mixed it up a bit with the following wines: Guardian 2010 Peak Shiraz • Finac Flichman 2010 Malbec Optima by Antinori 2010 Roja • Nepenthe 2008 Malbec Marques de Murrita Reserva 2008 Roja • Zolo Malbec 2010

The winner was the Zolo, which was the least expensive of all (Surprise!).

Rate the Reds is one of our most popular events and held at the perfect location. We truly thank Jeff and Sue Grether for again being our hosts continued >>>

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ORANGE COUNTY CHAPTER CONT’D FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Tom McCrystal with “True Willie”

Mission San Juan Capistrano

MUSIC UNDER THE STARS Mission San Juan Capistrano was founded as the seventh of nine missions established by Father Serra on November 1, 1776. It would become, ultimately, one of 21 California missions to be built and today it is still is very active in the community.

The Mission is well-known for the legendary annual migration of swallows that wing their way back to the most famous mission in California at the same time each year, traveling from Argentina.

In like manner, the Orange County Chapter of the Knights of the Vine return to the Mission each summer to enjoy a number of Tribute Band concerts that the Mission

sponsors, titled Music Under The Stars. Tickets for the season go on sale in February and are sold out in two days, thus we, as a group, have to act fast.

Our chapter purchases eight to 10 tables (tables of 10) for a number of concerts. Participants bring designated items for a sit-down dinner along with a variety of wines. We dine, dance and just enjoy the summer evening and concerts.

Concerts enjoyed this past summer were: “Cashed Out” (tribute to Johnny Cash), “True Willie” (Willie Nelson), “The Long Run” (The Eagles), and “The Fab Four: Ultimate Beatles”.

Orange County Members backstage with “True Willie”

The Arbor

Winners of “Best Appetizer” Barb Bonner, Bill Losee and Diana Bulkeley

Christmas

Gathering

Christmas is a time when most of us abandon our discipline commitment to diet and drink and indulge ourselves in the culinary delights served up by our members; recreating meals of such bounty that our waistlines must expand to consume even the smallest portions on our plate. This year was no different as we met at the home of Knight John and Dianne Artim to sample the many and varied creations of our members’ kitchens. The wines offered were diverse and wonderful.

Upon his departure, the fun began as members drew numbers to open wrapped and decorated wines. Gifts are selected in number order, but the next number up has the opportunity to “steal” a bottle from someone choosing before them. When that happens, that particular bottle is safe and cannot be stolen again! Everyone leaves with new wine and we continue to enjoy the season until the New Year’s bell tolls; then it’s off to the gym to sweat off those extra pounds but oh, wasn’t it worth it!

Hosts John & Dianne Artim

From appetizers to main course to dessert, we rejoiced at our good fortune and wisdom to be members of the Orange County Knights of the Vine. This year Santa Claus himself joined in our merriment tipping a glass or two before jumping on his sleigh. He and we had a jolly good time.

Bev Szallay

Winter/Spring 2016

Linda Loomis

Larry Sommers, Susan Seaver, Bev Szallay and Stan Kirst

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Kossa Rosa Lake House

Mississippi

By Sherry Story

4

October 3rd found 24 Knights, Gentle Ladies, and several guests congregated in the Kossa Rosa Lake House with hosts Tom & Connie Kossen assisted by Nicky and Diane Drake. Guests were first treated to various cheeses and vegetables paired with Chateau St. Michelle Brut from the Columbia Valley in Washington State and the Egelhoff Napa Valley Reisling. Master Commander Nathan McHardy welcomed everyone and introduced his nine guests who we especially welcome as potential new members. He and Master Lady Leslie McHardy described the wines to which the group was treated; they included Bishop Peak Chardonnay, Black Pine Pinot Noir, Charles and Charles .. a blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon and 32% Syrah, as well as those previously mentioned. During dinner, much conversation centered around which wine was best with the mouth-watering bar-b-que ribs (cooked for hours by Tom and Nicky) and served with Connie’s special beans and Diane’s delectable slaw. Everyone indulged in truffles for dessert.

In December we celebrated since “tis the season to be merry” and merry we were! Twenty-five Mississippi Knights and Gentle Ladies met at the Fairview Inn for a Holiday Gathering extraordinaire. All were greeted by Commander Nathan McHardy and shared in a glass of Roederer Estate Sparkling Wine. Other wines enjoyed during the evening were the Rayburn Chardonnay, Pine Ridge Pinot Noir, and Hess Single Vineyard Cabernet.

Our commander and his lovely lady exhibited their passion by perfectly pairing the wines with the food offerings some of which were sliced beef tenderloin nestled in yeast rolls, grilled quail breasts, an array of cheeses, fresh vegetables,

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP 1. Diane Drake and Ted Jackson 2. Sherry Storey, Diane Drake, Betty Jackson 3. Kenny Windham and Norman Harris 4. Gather & Carolyn Rowe

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and a crowd favorite shrimp and grits. No one could resist the delectable dessert table of strawberries dipped in dark chocolate, lemon squares and chocolate cupcakes.

Master Commander Emeritus, Norm Harris, took the floor and commended Commander McHardy’s leadership and asked members to encourage Nathan in his leadership role of the chapter going forward. Commander McHardy thanked everyone for coming and for the support they have offered, saying “Hopefully we will grow in numbers using friendship and fellowship as a core for our chapter.” Per Vitem! Ad Vitam!

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3

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP 1. Tom & Connie Kossen, Leslie & Nathan McHardy 2. Norman Harris, Mary & Gayle Smith 3. Perry Green and Pete Alman

In Memoriam Miriam D. Harris, the beloved wife, of Norman Harris, the Grand Commander Emeritus of the Mississippi Chapter of the Knights of the Vine, passed from this earth on Friday morning, January 15, 2016.

She was a treasure to her husband, family and all who knew her and we will miss her greatly.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Norman, Susan, Greg and the other members of the Harris family and countless friends.

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FICB International Congress ~ REPORT

By Pat Pingitore

The FICB held its annual meetings in Paris January 29 & 30, 2016. It was a busy and productive two days.

The following items may be of interest to the American Wine Brotherhoods whom I represent.

Alan Bryden presided over the meetings with his new Secretary General, Laurence Guillon, and Treasurer, Alain Huet. This new team has brought some efficiencies to the FICB Executive Board including better communication and maintenance of documents and accounting.

The President’s report noted the following: • Continued development of the FICB website and a request for updated information and photos from all participating Brotherhoods and a reciprocal link from their websites to that of the FICB. The enhanced visibility resulted in a 30 minute French TV show of a member of a Chateau Neuf du Pape Brotherhood which can be viewed/streamed on the TF1 network in France.

• Aggressive recruitment efforts by the President has resulted in the return of two former Brotherhoods and the addition of four new ones bringing the number of FICB members to 44 representing 20 countries.

The new Brotherhoods include: 1. La Jourade de St Emillion - a prominent Bordeaux Brotherhood 2. La Commanderie du Cotes de Rhone, another prestigious French Brotherhood 3. COCORICO – Domité de Coordination des Confréries D’ile de France - a brotherhood representing 40 historic central wineries 4. CEUCO -Conseil Européen des Confréries Enogastronomiques Returning to the fold are: 1. Lega Del Chianti 2. Ordine dei Cavalieri del Tartufo e dei Vini di Alba Because of lack of response and non payment of dues the following are removed: 1. Commanderie des Oenophiles du Canada 2. OEVE Serbia • Further efforts by the various Board VPs are seeking participation from additional Brotherhoods from Germany, Australia, Croatia, Romania and India! There is interest also from South America, but they have no Formal Brotherhoods at the current time.

• 2015 Financial Report showed a positive balance of 2368€ on revenues of 6942€ (budget 6600€) and expenses of 4574€ (budget 7336€). Reduction of expenses are mainly due to substantial savings in the renegotiation of the lease with the Musée du Vin and savings in accounting costs with the help of Paul Dalon, the new VP of N. France who is volunteering his auditing services.

It is of note that any member of an FICB Brotherhood may enjoy preferred prix fixe pricing for a 4 course meal at the Musée du Vin for 30€ and no corkage. The visit of the Musée remains free for members as well.

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• Alan Bryden has also obtained recognition of the FICB by the Maison des Association of the 16ieme arrondisement, around the corner from the Musée du Vin, that now provides free meeting rooms for anyone requiring them while in Paris. Work through Alan for such reservations.

• Honorary Diplomas: The Assembly proposed to provide an Honorary Diploma to Jean- Charles Boisset and Gina Gallo, Supreme Knight and Supreme Lady of the San Francisco Chapter.

These diplomas are meant for internationally renowned persons affiliated and supportive of our Brotherhood. These Diplomas will be bestowed during the Gala Dinner at Congress 2016 at Buena Vista Winery. Last year’s recipient was the famous consultant Michel Rolland.

FICB insignias: An epaulette or stole has been developed for wearing by various VPs of the FICB. They will be ready and distributed at the Congress during the opening ceremonies.

Guide for the development of new Brotherhoods: As mentioned regarding South American development, there are many instances where individuals or groups do not know how to establish themselves as a Brotherhood. The FICB will begin development of such a document with the help of various members of the Advisory Board. The KOV will provide them with a blue print developed many years ago to help get the process started.

Budget 2016: A budget was approved for this fiscal year which will see a windfall revenue stream of at least 8000€ in royalties from the KOV hosted Congress. The budget projects a positive outcome of 6000€ based on total revenues of 17400€ and expenses of 11400€. Additional expenses are being added for further website development and maintenance, and a travel budget for the president.

Additional Website development: The website will be expanded to increase the content, and create a mobile app version. An affiliation with Wine in Moderation is being explored to take advantage of additional networking and development opportunties.

Winter/Spring 2016

Congress 2016 Update: A report was given to update those present on the Congress in California. In summary, we have 223 registered for Congress and 117 for the Extension as of Jan 31st.

Participation from the International Community has been as expected with 63 persons from 11 countries (in addition to the US). All present were excited to renew acquaintances in June with their American friends.

Congress 2018: Macedonia then made a presentation on a proposed Congress based in Skopje, the capital, from May 31-June 3, 2018 with an extension to Ohrid Lake, June 4 and 5th. The Macedonians are eager to show their developing wine industry based on native and newly planted standard varietals. They promise a wonderful Congress in a sub Mediterranean climate!

Potential 2020: Potential bids from Alba in the Piemonte region of Italy, the recently added French Brotherhoods of Bordeaux and Cotes de Rhone as well as Hungary II. To end the weekend of meetings and to show their appreciation, Linda and I were presented with a large Cake decorated with an American Flag and presented to us by Alan Bryden and the Josse’s in front of a large American Flag draped on the wall of the Musée du Vin (a gift from the late Gene Patterson of the KOV Chancellery Chapter back in 2004. The FICB is very appreciative of the KOV’s willingness to take on Congress 2016 and wanted to wish us well. As a representative of the Brotherhood of the Knights of the Vine, I accepted their good wishes and promised them a great event!

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by Cathie Sandstrom

Los Angeles

Celebrating Bastille Day in Bel Air On July 12th we gathered at the home and garden of Mark and Shelly Scott, friends of Master Commander Jim Hamilton, to celebrate Bastille Day. Their berets made them easy to spot and got us immediately into the spirit of things. Our chef was our own Gentle Lady Claudine Marshall, who brought more than just a touch of France to Bel Air for us. Tables were set up along the patio and out into the garden. Appetizers, set out on tables under the trees, included Cognac and Port Chicken Liver Mousse with Baguettes, Cornichons and Pickled Pearl Onions, a selection of French cheeses, and a Platter of Assorted Saucissons (Assorted French Salami) with baguettes and butter. The setting sun made our glasses of Veuve Clicquot sparkle.

Members brought wines from their own cellars, so we got to sample a lot of different wines. Our first course was a plated salad of Mixed Organic Greens with Toasted Almonds, Raspberries and Goat Cheese. From her field kitchen, Chef Marshall offered a choice of entrĂŠes: Spring Veal Stew in a Light Cream Sauce with Baby Peas and Baby Carrots served over Basmati Rice; or Chicken Marengo in a White Wine Sauce with Turkey Bacon, Tomatoes and Mushrooms also served over Basmati Rice. Accompanying the entrees were Grilled Asparagus and a traditional Ratatouille of Eggplant, Zucchini, Bell Peppers, Tomatoes, Onions, Garlic, and Herbs from Provence. Lastly and at sunset, dessert! Only the most intrepid Frenchwoman would attempt Crepes Suzette, flamed and served outdoors. It was one of our best events. Claudine shared her recipe for Crepes Suzette Butter in the Summer/Fall issue of The Arbor. See more at www.2frenchchicks.com Vive la France!

Our Host Mark Scott with John Hamilton, Jr. Janet Hamilton, Master Commanders Emerti Neill Foster and Jim Berkeley

Peter & Liz Rich

The Witt brothers, Kyle and Trevor

Randy Witt, Janet Hamilton, Claudine Marshall and Michelle Corey

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Mary Lotz, Suzanne Bangert, and Hanne Rudolph

October in Ojai Time for a field trip as we met at the Ojai Valley Inn for Sunday luncheon, October 11th. Master Commander Emeritus Jim Berkeley and his Gentle Lady Mara Papatheodourou came from the East Coast to join us. Mara, who literally wrote the book on the Ojai Valley Inn (Moments in Time), gave us a taste of the history of the Inn, and the valley’s gentle hills with its citrus orchards and vineyards.

Those hills are what make the inn’s famous “pink moment” at sunset. At this point in Mara’s presentation, Knight Michael Rich, UCLA’s noted astronomer, explained it to us.

What I remember best about that is this delicious piece of language: the girdle of Venus. Many members stayed overnight just to experience the pink moment.

Zach Burnside,Tierney Hamilton and Master Commander Jim Hamilton

Luncheon was a delightful change. We gathered in the Garden Room for Crudités, served with Herbed Yogurt, Black Olive Tapenade and Roasted Eggplant Spread while we sipped Veuve Clicquot Champagne.

At table, we enjoyed an Ojai Caprese Salad of Marinated Heirloom Tomatoes, Basil Oil, Fresh Mozzarella and Balsamic Vinaigrette. A choice of two entrées included a delicious House-Spiced Flatiron Steak with Bourbon BBQ Sauce, Roasted Fingerling Potatoes, and Steamed Green beans; or a succulent Roasted Chicken Florentine, Baby Potatoes, Sautéed Spinach with Olive Oil and Meyer Lemon. Both the olive oil and the lemon were from the Ojai valley.

KOV LOS ANGELES VISITS THE NEIGHBORS

For dessert the Inn played its trump card: Ojai Double Lemon Tart with Vanilla Meringue Crunch and Garden Raspberries on a Puff of Whipped Cream. Throughout the meal two wines were poured, both from Ojai Vineyards: a Roll Ranch Viognier and a Santa Barbara Pinot Noir. We all wanted to stay in Ojai.

Michelle Corey, Bo Witt and Tina Cheng

In November, three of our members traveled to Napa for an Assemblage at Raymond Vineyards. Two chapters came together for a joint Assemblage.You’ll read their accounts of the event in this magazine. What Los Angeles can confirm is that there is no way to exaggerate how splendid the event was! From start to finish we were welcomed and entertained, delighted and amazed. The setting was extraordinary; the guests…it was like a State Dinner in a magic castle. We hope we’re invited back. A hearty thank you to our hosts, San Francisco and Chancellery chapters. continued >>>

Winter/Spring 2016

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LOS ANGELES CHAPTER CONT’D FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Janet Hamilton, Chef Codney and Master Commander Jim Hamilton

Dreaming of a

White Christmas Ah, the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills at the holidays! Who’d want to be anywhere else! Chef David Codney, celebrating the diversity of his staff, asked them to cook from their hearts, their homes and families. We could taste it in the first course and then throughout the dinner.

While we gathered, we enjoyed Dom Perignon Champagne, a gift of Master Commander Emeritus Neill Foster and Knight John Hamilton, Jr., and a selection of passed hors d’oeuvres that included Marinated Fig and Gorgonzola with Candied Pecan on Endive Leaf, Vegetable Spring Rolls with a Sweet Chili dipping sauce, and Jerk Chicken Skewers with Mango Housemade Sambal.

Our first course, a Tortilla Soup with Avocado and Cilantro Mousse, was served with a 2014 Granbazan, Etiqueta Ambar, Albariño Rias Baixas. The appetizer was Butternut Squash Ravioli with Brown Butter, Sage and Amaretto, which was complemented by a 2013 Pinot Bianco, DOC Collio, Schiopetto. Our entrée was Alaskan Cod, Corn and Dungeness Crab Hash, served with Sweet Onion Jus, paired with a 2012 Maison Dampt, Bougros, Chablis Grand Cru. The meal finished with a light Seasonal Fruit Tart served with a 2013 Moscato d’Asiti, Luigi Tacchino.

Tierney & Zach Burnside

Victorian carolers came to sing for us and there was dancing afterward and gifts, porcelain thermal tumblers from Lenox in a holiday design. The evening was a great way to open the Holiday season.

Oley Young

Guest Mark Scott and Gentle Lady Beverly Scott

THE LOS ANGELES CHAPTER ANNOUNCES ITS NEW WEBSITE Designed and built by graphic designer and video specialist Bonnie Valles and written by Cathie Sandstrom, the website is meant to introduce prospective members to Knights of the Vine and includes a password-protected Members Only section with a downloadable roster of members plus a photo gallery of past events. Come have a look at us and then come join us for an event in LA. We’d love to have more interaction with other chapters. For information on our upcoming events, email us at kov.losangeles15@gmail.com

COME PAY US A VISIT AT WWW.KOV-LA.ORG

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Changes for

CHANCELLERY

2016 is already shaping up to be busy and some of the events that are in the planning stages are a food and wine pairing at the home of Glenys and James Kay in Granite Bay and the second Derby Party celebrating the Kentucky Derby on May 7th at the California Exposition.

We are looking forward to projects that will also support our scholarship programs.

We at the Chancellery Chapter would love to have you attend our events so if your travels should bring you to our area, please let us know and come join the fun!

Grand Commander Buddy Hagner & New Chapter Commander Chik Brenneman

While all of that was happening, the chapter continued with great events for members and guests. In June, kicking off the summer, we gathered at the home of Pete and Judy Heringer for a casual garden party. Their lovely backyard was the perfect setting for members and their new Commander to get to know each other better.

Our next event was a luncheon at Mount Vernon Winery in Auburn, California. It was a very relaxing afternoon in the caves with a three-course lunch served with some of Mount Vernon’s finest wines.

November arrived and we celebrated with a Grand Assemblage at Raymond Vineyard in Napa Valley. The Chancellery Chapter joined with the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter for a spectacular evening. Grand Commander Buddy Hagner was present and officially raised Chik Brenneman to the position of Master Commander. Once Chik was officially recognized in his new role, it was his turn to bring in a new member to the chapter and so it was that Polly Brenneman became the chapter’s newest gentle lady. The dinner and celebration that followed will be long remembered as one of the best ever with its most gracious hosts, Supreme Knight Jean-Charles Boisset and Supreme Lady Gina Gallo.

Truly a magical night!

Winter/Spring 2016

New Gentle Lady Polly Brenneman

Suzanne & Stan Oppegard

Chancellery

2015 was a year of change for the Chancellery Chapter. Located primarily in the Sacramento area, but close enough to several other chapters and with their help during the transition, Charles ‘Chik’ Brenneman became the new Master Commander following Dick Martella. Special thanks must go to our chapter’s Vice Commander Suzanne Oppegard and the Master Commanders of the Lake Tahoe Region Chapter and San Francisco Bay Area Chapter, Ernie Grossman and Pat Pingitore, respectively, along with Chancellery Chapter members who were generous in giving their time and needed support during this transition period.

As the year was coming to a close, we had a cozy holiday gathering at the Brenneman home in Sacramento. Many chapter members and prospective members came to socialize with a glass of wine and potluck dishes to share. It sure did make the holidays merry.

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FICB CONGRESS IN

International is not only part of the title, it reflects the attendance to the 49th FICB Congress. As registration has closed, we can report the following facts: Registered for the Congress (June 8 – 12): 214 Registered for the Extension (June 12-14): 118 Attendance by Brotherhood or Country: Knights of the Vine (USA) 129 Oregon Wine Brotherhood (USA) 29 Switzerland 14 Hungary 10 France 9 United Kingdom 8 Macedonia 8 Japan 6 Finland (KOV) 5 Slovenia 2 The Netherlands 2 Austria 1 The Program was posted on our website in the Fall of 2015 and has changed very little. We have filled in the details and added wineries to visit for tastings and worked with sponsors who have been gracious and generous and who look forward to helping us welcome the world.

With the hard work of your organizing committee, the generosity of sponsors and the wonderful spirit of brotherhood and cooperation that has so many of our members now contributing to the success of the Congress as volunteers to help make the events run perfectly under the guidance and direction of our event coordinator, Destination Southwest, the result is expected to be among the best Congresses in FICB’s 52 year history.

Thank you doesn’t seem like enough, but it’s a start!

Please enjoy the Congress and Extension and support and thank all those wineries and generous sponsors who have helped make it possible ... and enjoyable!

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By Pat Pingitore

International n’est pas qu’une partie du titre de notre congrès: cela traduit bien la participation au 49ème Congrés FICB. Les inscriptions étant closes, nous pouvons donner les chiffres suivants : Inscrits au congrès (8 – 12 juin): Enregistrée pour la Inscrits pour l’extension par confrérie ou pays (12 – 14 juin) : Knights of the Vine of America (USA) Oregon Wine Brotherhood (USA) Suisse Hongrie France Royaume Uni Macédoine Japon Finlande (KOV) Slovénie Pays-Bas Autriche

214 118 129 29 14 10 9 8 8 6 5 2 2 1

Le programme a été publié sur notre site Web à l’automne 2015 et a très peu changé. Nous avons précisé les détails, ajouté des domaines pour les dégustations, mobilisé des sponsors qui ont été bienveillants et généreux et qui vont nous aider à bien accueillir le monde entier.

Le travail intensif de notre comité organisateur, la générosité des sponsors et le merveilleux esprit de fraternité et de coopération de nos membres qui contribuent à la réussite du Congrès en tant que bénévoles vont nous aider à réussir ce congrès sous la conduite et la direction du coordonateur, Destination South West, le résultat devrait être parmi les meilleurs Congrès du FICB en 52 ans d’existence.

Dire merci n’est pas suffisant, mais c’est un début ! Nous vous invitons à apprécier le Congrès et son Extension, en remerciant les domaines et les généreux sponsors qui contribuent à le rendre possible... et agréable !

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SONOMA & NAPA VALLEY

the brotherhood of the knights of the vine

is honored to be the host of the 49th FICB International Congress and is grateful to its Sponsors for their kindnesses and generosity.

And the following wineries: • • • • • •

Harney Lane Winery Klinker BrickWinery Lange Estate Winery Lange Twins Winery m2 wines Macchia Wines

• • • • • •

Mettler Family Vineyards Oak Farm Vineyards St. Jorge Winery Toasted Toad Cellars Van Ruiten Family Winery Viaggio Winery

• • • • • •

Balletto Vineyards Cline Cellars Comstock Wines Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards Kenwood Vineyards Korbel Champagne Cellars

(As of publication deadline)

Winter/Spring 2016

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MEMBERS IN KOV AUTHOR RICHARD (DICK) L. KATZ

Dick Katz, a fellow KOV member and the Master Scribe of the San Francisco/Bay Area Chapter has been recently published by Pegasus books. Dick is a retired lawyer from the Bay Area. His novel was inspired by a real case he was involved with.

In his capacity as a lawyer, Dick was asked to help a family recover a stolen Holocaust painting. The case required much research. As part of his research he hired an art historian who assisted people in making claims to recover stolen Holocaust paintings. Through his research and dealing with the art historian he acquired unique knowledge regarding lost or stolen art.

In the end he determined he was not the right lawyer to pursue the case. But having done the research and been fascinated by it, he felt compelled to write Goya’s Ring and The Naked Maja Dancing. The novel is based in part on what he learned representing them.

The signature event took place at Karnzow Castle where the then owner was asked to hide stolen Holocaust art. Dick visited that Castle, met with the current owner and was given a private tour showing me where the art had been hidden. Dick also learned many things about the Castle that he incorporated into the novel.

SUPREME LADY GINA GALLO

On November 7, 2015, our Brotherhood was pleased to induct Gina Gallo as a Supreme Lady at the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter Assemblage held at Raymond Vineyards. Gina is the winemaker of the Gallo Signature Series, based in Sonoma. As the granddaughter of Julio Gallo, the wine business was definitely in her blood. She grew up as the farmer’s daughter on the outskirts of Modesto and recalls those Central Valley vineyards as both school and playground.

“You didn’t grow up Gallo and not work,” Gina says.

“The basic work ethic is very strong. By the time I was in grade school, I was used to tagging along behind my older brother in the vineyard right by the house. He was pruning, which was his job, and my job was to help. I thought my job was to bug my brother. But we were both learning, both preparing, even when we were just hacking around in the vines.” E & J Gallo is America’s largest winery and the second biggest wine company in the world. She and her husband, Jean-Charles Boisset, live in Yountville with their twin daughters.

MEMB Goya’s Ring that tells the tale of Alessandra Santana, a beautiful opera singing Spanish Art historian who risks her life to recover a priceless Goya masterpiece lost to the art world for 200 years and stolen by the Nazis. In her quest, she unexpectedly unlocks secrets of her own past as well as that of her client that ties them together. It also happens that Alessandra’s family owns a bodega in Spain where some of the most dramatic events occur. Although the novel has elements of Woman in Gold and The Monuments Men, it’s an action adventure story more on the lines Indiana Jones’ movies and The Da Vinci Code.

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THE NEWS PRESIDENT-ELECT PHILLIP LANGSDON, M.D

The Tennessee Chapter is proud to announce that Master Knight Phillip Langsdon, M.D., was recently installed as President-Elect of The Memphis Medical Society. Phillip will serve as President in 2017 and he joins Knight Tucker Larkin, M.D., of the Tennessee Chapter as a leader in this prestigious organization.

Tucker served as President of the Medical Society in 2013. Congratulations to both of our Knights!

CHARLES “CHIK” BRENNEMAN

Chik officially became the Master Commander of the Chancellery Chapter at the Assemblage held on November 7, 2015 following Richard Martella.

Chik has been in the wine industry for eighteen years.

He received his Master of Science degree in Enology from the University of California, Davis in 1999 and went on to be mentored by his now longtime friends, Ben Zeitman and Katie Quinn of the former Amador Foothill Winery in California’s Shenandoah Valley. In 2003, he joined the production team at Robert Mondavi

by Woodbridge in Lodi, California. Chik joined the teaching and research winery at UC Davis in 2006. Today he oversees all teaching and research projects and is responsible for maintaining the world quality and standards in teaching and research.

In addition, Chik is a contributing writer to Winemaker’s Magazine, a publication dedicated to helping home winemakers improve their wines. In November 2015 he colaunched Baker Family Wines.

As the new Master Commander, Chik’s goals for the Chapter are to expand the chapter’s events and focus on fulfilling the Brotherhood’s mission to promote our county’s wine industry and to educate our members to the benefits and enjoyment of drinking wine. He will be doing that on a larger scale when he presents a portion of the Academic Session at the 49th FICB International Congress on June 9, 2016.

BERS IN 49

HOUSTON Every July, our Board of Directors meets to review financials and take care of the chapter’s business. It’s important and has to be done in order for our members to be able to enjoy the events in style and without worry …. and then come every August, we have a “Members Only” Wine Dinner / Annual Meeting to review and report on the condition of the chapter and elect the leadership for the next term. We count on the strong support of volunteers who are willing to serve and we thank them for it. None of this is very sexy, but we share wine and fellowship and we find that we can have a good time even when hard at work...if you can call it that!

At our Annual “Members Only” Wine Dinner, which was held on August 8, members brought food to share and it was perfect with wine from our chapter’s cellar.

Desserts are always a big part of our gathering and this time it was the STAR attraction!

In October, we traveled south to the Galveston home of Knight Lee Slataper and his lady, Laura. The weather was perfect and the friends that came together enjoyed not only each other, but great wine as well. Surrounded

by Galveston Bay and with the wind blowing, it felt like we were a world away and for a few hours, we were!

The wine, the food … and the fun! Yes, we take having fun seriously too. But we didn’t stop there! Quite a few stayed over at a nearby hotel and met for brunch on Sunday morning at the Galveston Country Club. Just another day in paradise!

It was a cool November evening and Grand Commander Buddy and Gentle Lady Trish Hagner hosted the chapter at their home’s new outdoor pavilion and pool area. Food was planned and prepared by Gentle Ladies Gail Harrison and Trish Hagner to follow a Thanksgiving theme and paired with wines that we all would enjoy around this holiday. Forty-four members and guests attended and enjoyed the lovely weather and great friends. continued >>>

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Playing “cornhole” and it can get competitive!

Kolbe Curtice, Jim Curtice and Host Lee Slataper

Brian & Deana McElroy, Mike & Amy Lawch and Jim McCreary

Terry & Lawrence Estes

Arden “Chris” Christensen and Tom Feeney

Grand Commander Buddy Hagner with special guest, Bud Hagner

Jon Curra, Jim & Nan McCreary and Gail Harrison Raymond McKaskle is pleased with the selection of great foods everyone brought!

Winter/Spring 2016

continued >>>

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HOUSTON CHAPTER CONT’D FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

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HOUSTON

Holiday Party To complete a busy year, the Houston Chapter followed the tradition of its Holiday Party at the Houston home of Lee and Laura Slataper. As always, we were greeted by beautiful holiday decorations and countless poinsettias! It’s no surprise that this is one of the most popular events we have all year...And we’re already looking forward to 2016!

2

5

3

4

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP 1. Leigh Ann & Wolfgang Manz and Heidi & Tom Feeney 2. Hosts Laura & Lee Slataper 3. Sue Loberg, Richard Leofsky, Nan McCreary and Kathy Long 4. Jack & Mary Jane Roeder, Ginger Covington, Cheryl & Steve Kenny 5. Ginger Covington, Heidi Davis and Jan Johnson

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From Australia to Assmeblage

Chef Daniel Scordato provided a wonderful meal with explanations of each course and the wine with which it was paired. The Chapter is considering making Vivace our “base of operations” as Chef Daniel never disappoints and the meals and pairings are always extraordinary.

The evening was well attended by 18 guests and the unexpected appearance of the Farr’s cat Sasha who made a mad dash for the bathroom and surprised all the guests with her speed and shyness.

Gentle Lady Frieda Fail had recently published a novel, “Ace Deuce – National Security Is Not a Game,” and brought brochures about her work.

On Saturday, October 3, 2015, the Arizona Chapter met at Vivace Restaurant for their formal Fall Assemblage. We were pleased to induct four new members.

They included Gentle Ladies Frieda Fail, Leslie Eldenburg, Andrea Canchola, and Knight Andy Jensen. We had the great honor of having Buddy Hagner, Grand Commander of KOV for the United States and Finland attend and administer two elevations; John Kovacik to Master Commander and Suzanne Farr to Vice Commander. Heartfelt thanks were extended to Commander Bill Oates for his many years of service to the chapter.

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Arizona

On August 15, 2015, the Knights, Gentle Ladies, and prospective new members met at Clarence and Suzanne Farr’s lovely home for a tribute to Australian and New Zealand Wines. At 4:00, John Kovacik facilitated a blind tasting that included 17 distinct and interesting wines. At 5:00, a delicious dinner was served that included grilled salmon, seafood manicotti, pulled pork with Port wine gravy, a fabulous watermelon salad and a beautiful cake.

OD OF THE HO K R THE VINE E OF

order form

S HT IG N

BR OT H

DISPLAY YOUR KNIGHTHOOD WITH PRIDE! Name _________________________ This glass belongs to: _________________

Address _______________________ City ___________________________ State ______ Zip ________________

wine glass name tags

(not actual size) These custom designed Wine Glass Name Tags are perfect for parties and wine tastings. Simply write your name on them and you will know which glass is whose.

Order #WGNT-250 Tags

$20.00

shield with motto

Telephone _____________________ 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

(shown actual size) 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 $5.95

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 a “clutchback” with 3 pins/clips for quick and easy mounting and removal, or a magnetic back that clips into a pocket for those who don’t want to stick a pin through their fabric.

Order #BPES (Sew On) $34.00 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 at

w w w . k o v . o r g

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Supreme Knights

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 27245 Regio Mission Viejo, CA 92692 Phone: 949-582-9253 Fax: 949-582-9036 cpg@cox.net

TENNESSEE Tennessee Chapter Commander Tom Webb 277 College Street Collierville, TN 38017 Phone: 901-853-7781 webbtom@bellsouth.net

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

TEXAS Austin Chapter Commander Jerry Gatlin 3801 N Capital of TX Hwy STE E-240 Austin TX 78746-1482 Phone: 512 458-4714 office Fax: 512 458-1037 fax jerrygatlin@gmail.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 John Tudor P.O. Box 567 Woodbridge, CA 95258-0567 Cell: 209-601-4393 tudor@inreach.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 Terrance K. McCleerey 325 Cayuga Street Salinas, CA 93901 Phone: 831-422-2702 (day)

831-625-3211 (evening) Fax: 831-422-1397 tmmcleerey@redshift.com

MISSISSIPPI Gulf Coast Chapter Commander Morris G. Strickland 794 Destiny Plantation Blvd.

Biloxi, MS 39532 Phone: 228-872-6272 (day)

228-273-1517 (evening) Fax: 228-872-5939 mgstrickland@cableone.net Jackson Chapter Commander Nathan McHardy 1414 Brecon Drive Jackson, MS 39211 nmchardy@comcast.net

NORTH CAROLINA North Carolina Chapter Commander Ronald Newcomb 50 Canvasback Court Pittsboro, NC 27312 Phone: 919-533-3300 Fax: 919-533-3300 rnewcomb1@nc.rr.com

Houston Chapter Commander Buddy Hagner, Jr. 4448 W. 12th Street Houston, TX 77055 Phone: 713-819-9463 Fax: 713-432-9464 buddy@rchagner.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

International Chapters FINLAND Finland Chapter Commander Olli Heikkilä Vainamoisenkatu 7D 33540 Tampere Finland olli.kovfinland@gmail.com

Bradley Alderson David G. Armanasco Ed Auler Warren W. Bogle, Jr Paul V. Bonarrigo Robert L. Balzer 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 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. Gordon W. Murchie Charles W. Nagel, Ph.D. John A. Parducci 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 Margrit Biever Mondavi Michaela K. Rodeno Jean R. Wente

Winter/Spring 2016

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速

the brotherhood of the knights of the vine

National Headquarters 3343 Industrial Drive, Suite 2 Santa Rosa, CA 95403-2060 Tel: (707) 579-3781

The Brotherhood of the Knights of the Vine welcomes all attendees to the

49 FICB International Congress th

Sonoma ~ Napa, California, U.S.A. June 8 - 13, 2016

per vitem! ad vitam!

Through the vine, toward life!

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