Monterey

Monterey Monterey Charting an Charting an Abundantly Cautious Path Abundantly Cautious Path

to Celebrating Friends, Food & Wine to Celebrating Friends, Food & Wine By Tom McGurn, Monterey Chapter

The Monterey Chapter of the Knights of the Vine used what Master Commander Richard Kehoe calls a nimble display of event planning to continue enjoying friends, food and wine during the days of abundant caution that challenged everyone in the second half of 2021.

The Monterey Peninsula is blessed with pleasant weather throughout the year so a majority of events were held outdoors. Pebble Beach’s Pier at Stillwater Cove event attracted 85 mem‑ bers and guests for the an‑ nual Pier Party. Wines from two vintners were poured including Gary Lyons and Stacey Schrad‑ er of Mesa del Sol and De‑ nis Hoey of Odonata. Lil‑ li‑Anne Price, a noted lo‑ cal plein air artist, created a painting of the bay and Pebble Beach Golf Links which was auctioned to the participants. The pro‑ ceeds of her work and a silent auction enabled the chapter to continue its tradition of providing scholarship funds for the viticul‑ ture department at the University of California‑Davis.

Friday Night Flights has become another tradition for the Monterey Chapter. In the second half of the year we were hosted by Scratch in Carmel Valley, Windy Oaks in Carmel Valley and De Tierra in Carmel. Scratch’s winemaker, Sabrine Rodems, loves her ability to utilize four geologically distinct areas in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties to craft her wines. Dan McDonnal and Alix Lynn Bosch, owners of De Tierra, use the translation “of the land” as the cornerstone of their winery. It is in a section of the Salinas Valley that was often used by John Steinbeck in his writings. Dan is a recent member, having been inducted into the chapter at the November Assem‑ blage. The Schultze family, owners of Windy Oaks, were featured in the last edition of The Arbor. James Schultze, who manages the Carmel and Carmel Valley tasting rooms, is a member of our Chapter.

The social focus of the chapter shifted from the informal outdoors and Fri‑ day Knight Flights events to the formality of The Assemblage in Novem‑ ber. Two icons of the area’s wine culture were elevated to Supreme Knight.

Ted Balestreri, originally from Brooklyn, moved to the Monterey Peninsu‑ la in 1957, and over the years became a national figure in the restaurant and tourism industries. Ted is founding CEO and Chairman of the Cannery Row Company, Sardine Factory Restaurant, and Inns of Monterey – overseeing enterprises that attract more than 4 million visitors each year. His wine cellar at the Sardine Factory is consider as one of the best, if not the best, in the country.

Scheid Family Wines is celebrating its 50th anniver‑ sary in 2022. Founded by patriarch Al Scheid, it operated for its first 15 years as the Monterey Farming Corporation and sold all of its grapes to area wineries. Then it turned to using a grapes to glass approach. Al, children Scott

By Trish Hagner

Supreme Knight Scott Scheid with his father, Supreme Knight Al Scheid

and Heidi and longtime COO Kurt Golnick operate the company today. Scott, who received the Supreme Knight honor, joined the family business in 1986. Today Scheid vineyards stretch for 70‑miles and cover 4,500 acres in the Salinas Valley. The area offers many microclimates allowing Scheid Vineayards 39 varietals to be planted in the location that is best suited to expressing the highest quality for that grape. Scheid has tasting rooms at the winery and in downtown Carmel.

In addition to Dan McDonnal, the chapter welcomed Kurt Grasing, Thomas Hood, Tom McGurn, and Frank Williams as new Knights and Linda‑Lee Myers as our newest Gentle Lady. The Club at Pasadera’s chef Chris Moody presented a delicious amuse bouche and a three‑ course dinner. The meal was complimented by 2019 Scheid Gruner Veltliner, 2018 Scheid Sangiovese, 2016 Daou Reserve Cabernet and 2009 De Tierra Late Har‑ vest Riesling.

Master Commander Kehoe welcomed two special guests ‑ Buddy Hagner, National Grand Commander and Fred Dame, Supreme Knight and Master Sommelier. Five members were elevated to the Cadre. They are Richard Briscoe, Master of Argent Pour Le Vin; Colleen Dutertre, Master of Pairings; Kathy Panetta, Master of Complexi‑ ty; Ernie Scalberg, Master of Research and Young Seon Myong, Master of the Quill.

The year concluded with an elegant Holiday Party at Casa Abrego. Cadre member, Stephanie Lee, invited the KOV to join her at this private club; an historic adobe in Monterey built in 1834. Decked out in Holiday splendor this venue served as a backdrop for the sparkling wine selection of Cadre Sommelier Colleen Dutertre.

The Cadre will repeat its nimble display of event plan‑ ning in 2022 to conduct as many gatherings as appropri‑ ate with today’s conditions.

L-R New Cadre member, Ernie Scalberg with his wife Candy, New Cadre member Kathy Panetta with her husband Lou

Holiday Party at Casa Abrego L-R Christine Chin, our host, Cadre member Stephanie Lee, and Marilyn Gustafson

Rachael Kehoe visits with new Cadre member Rich Briscoe at Scratch Winery tasting room