North Carolina

from ARBOR Winter Spring 2020

San Francisco

NEW INDUCTEES Holly Tillis, Cathy Ward, Jim Ward and Kathleen Conn with the cadre NEW INDUCTEES Holly Tillis, Cathy Ward, Jim Ward and Kathleen Conn with the cadre

By Jeff Price, Master Commander By Jeff Price, Master Commander Rejuvenated in Raleigh

Lyndo & Lou Tippett Lyndo & Lou Tippett The rejuvenated North Carolina Chapter of the Brotherhood of the Knights of the Vine held its first Grand Assemblage since 2013 on Saturday, September 28, 2019 in the magnificent wine cellar of The Angus Barn Restaurant (www.angusbarn.com) in Raleigh. The Knights, Gentle Ladies and special guests were greeted by restaurant staff and escorted downstairs, through the the stunning wine cellar and into THAD’s room for a pre-Enthronement reception that featured tasty hors d’oeuvres that included ahi tuna on cucumber with a ginger soy glaze and truffle filet mignon meat ball po’ boy. The Angus Barn also provided their famous cheese, crackers and relish complimentary. There was an abundance of wonderful champagne to quench everyone’s thirst. The Knights and Gentle Ladies were served by an attentive wait staff that ensured no one had an empty wine glass or plate throughout the entire evening. The Chapter was delighted to welcome several special out-of-state guests who participated in the Assemblage including Grand Commander Buddy Hagner, Grand Vice Commander Ken Haapala, Provost General Dave Barber, Master Herald Walt Rachele and Master Lady Trish Hagner. An Enthronement ceremony followed the reception and Knight Jeff Price was formally elevated to the position of Master Commander by Grand Commander Buddy Hagner. Jeff then formally elevated Gentle Lady Lisa Tillis to the position of Master Scribe. The Enthronement proceeded with the knighting of new Gentle Ladies Kathleen Conn, Holly Tillis, Cathy Ward and new Knight Jim Ward. Our gracious venue provided complimentary champagne for this event. A delicious wine dinner in the beautifully decorated cellar with faux stained glass windows followed the Enthronement and the menu was one truly prepared for wine royalty! The Angus Barn’s white glove staff with their synchronized service was impressive to say the least! Their attention to detail and genuine friendly and very professional service included a detailed tour of the restaurant’s amazing wine cellar (the restaurant has earned Wine Spectator’s top award for over 35 consecutive years). In addition to hosting its first Grand Assemblage in six years, the North Carolina KOV Chapter has been active in other wine events around the State. During the summer our chapter members attended an assortment of amazing wine dinners hosted by the North Carolina Fine Wines Society, Inc. (www. ncfinewines.com). These dinners were held at the Pinehurst Resort, Barrington’s Restaurant in Charlotte and The Umstead Hotel & Spa in Cary and featured the best cuisine prepared by some of the best chefs in North Carolina and some of the greatest wines produced by the State’s master winemakers. The North Carolina KOV Chapter

Trish & Buddy Hagner, Denise Hill, Walt Rachele, Megan Dooner, Lisa Tillis and Jeff Price

Tom & Dawn Potter Tom & Dawn Potter

Jeff Price and Lisa Tillis Jeff Price and Lisa Tillis

is proud to be a sponsor for the North Carolina Fine Wines Society and we salute the tireless efforts of the Society’s Executive Director, Dan McLaughlin. Our two groups have a common purpose – to support and enjoy the best wines North Carolina has to offer!

The North Carolina KOV was an educational sponsor for the 8th Annual Southeastern United Grape and Wine Symposium held on Wednesday, November 6, 2019 at Surry Community College in Dobson, North Carolina. This was the second consecutive year our Chapter has participated in this event as an educational sponsor. The Chapter utilized the occasion to present its annual scholarship award and the 2019 “Dr. Charles W. Averre III Memorial Scholarship Award” was presented to Mr. Eric Younts, a student in the enology and viticulture program at SCC. We are proud to support the education of the next generation of winemakers!

As the Thanksgiving holiday approached, nine of our members attended an Assemblaggio, a wine blending class, at Raffaldini Vineyards (www.raffaldini.com) on Saturday, November 23. The class was hosted by Jay Raffaldini, the owner of the Winery that proudly boasts of being home to “Chianti in the Carolinas” and is also home to some of the nation’s most prestigious award winning wines. Jay took us on a journey of discovery about wines and how some grape varietals produce even better wine when they are blended with other grapes. This was an exciting, fun-filled class and the attendees were divided into teams and challenged to apply the lessons of the class by developing their own special blend. Jay acted as the sole judge, tasting each team’s blended wine and offering expert advice on how well (or not so well) the team did in applying their new knowledge to develop a wine one would want to drink. Every wine enthusiast has a lot to be thankful for and, as North Carolina’s Knights and Gentle Ladies prepared for their 2019 Thanksgiving holiday on this cool autumn day in the North Carolina mountains, we were enthusiastically appreciative of the opportunity to learn more about wine from one of our nation’s greatest wine champions!