The GrapevineVol. 31 No. 1 • Spring 2018

By the Glass

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Idea Fair15

The Spotlight On

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Chapter and Club News

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Society Happenings

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Wine Fact: 949 million gallons = Total US Wine Consumption in 2016

Source: The Wine Institute

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Wow, how exciting it was to be back in the Bay after a nineteen-year hia-tus for our own special 30th anniversary. Equally exciting was the strong participation of fellow IWS members and a large CMAA participation.

Before getting in the substance of my article, I would like to recognize and thank my fellow Board of Managers for an incredible and exciting week filled with a ton of activities and what appeared to be a bottomless glass at every turn. Every year, the Board and volunteers forfeit their time to ensure a successful week and this one was no different. And of course, none of it would be possible without the contributions and support of the CMAA staff.

I would like to thank past Host, Jeff Martocci, CCM, for his dedication and commitment to our amazing society. Jeff and I spent countless hours, late nights, and early mornings over the past few years on all things wine and the process. Please raise a glass for Jeff and all past Hosts who pay it forward and do it for the love of wine and the International Wine Society.

Conference Wrap UpIn past few years, the Board was focused on gathering and analyzing metrics as a way to measure our progress and identify new opportunities. One metric of interest was the relationship of IWS Members versus con-ference attendees. Over the past 5 years, the IWS has averaged 44 percent of our total membership to attend World Conference.

The lucky few who attended Pre-Conference education could not say enough great things about the lineup of wineries, special invited speakers, and great cuisine. They didn’t let a little rain get in the way of getting their hands dirty and too many great wines to mention. I have heard early mentions of something involving brown liquid next year and welcome the change that connects with the local community in Nashville.

The Business Meeting presentation was incredible and what a breath of fresh air to sample something different then Pinot Noir for a change. Joel Peterson was a pioneer of his time and along with his son, Morgan Twain-Peterson, continues to steer the amazing and unique zinfandel grape in to the future. This year there were 40 wine programs submit-ted, 31 received recognition. Thank you to the committee, chaired by

Host Letter

Jason Asbra

2018 Board of Managers

Jason AsbraMenlo Circus Club Host

Paul Andrew Smith IIIConnecticut ChapterCellarmaster

Colin Mack-Allen, CCM, CCE Tavistock Country Club Kitchenmaster

Clive L. Smith, CCM Waynesborough Country Club Cellarer

Wendy Anglin, CCM The Old Club Kitchener

Jack Grehan Meadow ClubSecretary

Karl Habib, CCM Silver Spring Country Club Treasurer

Blaine A. Burgess, CCM, CCE Country Club of Little Rock Barrister

Nadine D. Rockwell, CCM Lauderdale Yacht ClubToastmaster

Jonathan D. Shear, CCM, CCEBayou Club of HoustonBoard Member Sponsorships

Matthew KurtasEdgeworth ClubBoard Member (Education)

Jeffrey G. Martocci, CCMWhippoorwill ClubImmediate Past Host

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Jonathan Shear, CCM, CCE, for evaluating these programs. It is a huge undertaking and we remain committed towards assisting clubs develop a wine program that suits their member’s needs.

One could not help but notice the number of empty chairs in the room for the Annual Business Meeting. Of our 270 members attending Conference, only 85 attended our Annual Business Meeting. While a little disappointing, we would like to focus on what can be done to increase participation in the Annual Meeting.

The Club Foundation Auction and IWS Reception was incredible and we give a huge thanks to Fisher Vineyards for the amazing juice. The wine was flowing and the paddles were busy as our auctioneers raised $16,375 to support the IWS and Club Foundation initiatives.

The Annual Wine Dinner at Lake Merced Golf Club was a smashing success as a sold-out crowd of 148 members and invited guests celebrated the 30th anniversary in style. While there were many changes to the format, the most notable was the reduction in wines (12 total) of which 7 were served at dinner. The live dinner auction raised $19,100 bringing the overall live auction proceeds to $35,475; one of the top grossing live auctions since 2000.

While only a few took advantage of the Lyft credit, this change helped stem a long history of event subsidies and shore up our fiscal responsibility. A decision has not been made to continue this method in Nashville and will be evaluated annually. Thank you to those who shared their opinions via the member survey.

Last but not least is the silent auction, something I held near and dear to my heart for the past five years. This year was a recording breaking year in every way. In total, there 1,453 wines donated from 18 of 43 chapters with a retail value of almost $104,000. If only we could see half of those who failed to contribute any wines, imagine how high this number could rise! I encourage all of you to ask your local chapter manager if you were one with a goose egg.

Congratulations to the Silent Auction Chairs, Colin Mack-Allen, CCM, CCE, and Blaine Burgess, CCM, CCE, for all their efforts on the auction which raised a staggering $95,000 for the IWS and Club Foundation. Also worth noting is Paul Frintrup, Sarah Kuhl, CCM, and Kirk Philippou, CCM, who donated countless hours this year to help make the auction happen.

Looking Towards the FutureIn San Francisco, the Board reviewed the results of the survey completed by our members last fall. The Board was excited to participate in a strategic session lead by CMAA’s very own Corinne Grimaldi.

The survey was distributed in early October and completed by 367 CMAA members. The Board continues to review the results, and my next article will highlight some of the results.

In an effort to gather feedback and enhance communication, Chapter Representatives will be invited to participate in two board sessions during the year. These calls will be used as means of communicating new initiatives and gathering feedback from the membership abroad.

So as I wrap up my first article and raise my glass to recognize our past achievements and success, I am eager to see what the future holds and could not be more excited to work with my fellow colleagues and the CMAA National Board of Directors.

Salute,

Jason Asbra

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Questions? Contact Us!

CMAA International Wine Society 1733 King Street • Alexandria, VA 22314 • 703-739-9500

wine_soc@cmaa.orgcmaa.org/winesociety

facebook.com/groups/cmaawinesociety

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Members of the Greater Cleveland Chapter experienced Napa Valley for the first time. Visiting two wine makers and wineries.

Our first stop was Keenen. While at Keenen, we observed the bottling of a Spring Rose, and toured the processing and storage/cellaring area. Next, we walked through the Mail Box vineyard, and discussed the solar power array that is providing one more step in the sustainability of the winery.

We enjoyed this fabulous location on top of Spring Mountain tasting remarkable wines and the fellowship of Robert Keenan while experiencing a tasty Mexican-inspired lunch that paired incredibly well with his Spring Mountain Reserve Cabernet (and his other wines). I really liked the reserve.

We had spent three quality hours at Keenan and did not want to leave such an incredible location but sadly we said our goodbyes with the promise of returning someday.

Our next stop was in the heart of the Napa Valley, Laird Family Estate.

Ken Laird While at Laird, we toured the sizable processing area, toured the winery, traveled to the Money Road vineyard with legendary Ken Laird and his daughter Rebecca

Laird. Ken shared his story of success and how they have built the family business from one vineyard to nearly 50 independent vineyards and how they have created relationships with many of the other established names in the valley that source 90 percent of the grapes they grow. As we walked the Money Road Vineyard, we learned about grafting, growing, pruning, maintaining, and staffing works for the vineyards. When we returned, Rebecca Laird treated us to a tasting of six of their seven wines and then they treated us to memorable pairing/dinner experience.

Attendees for this once in a lifetime day experience were:

Kal A. Darres, CCM, The Kahkwa Club, Erie, PA

Doug Foote, The Beechmont Country Club, Cleveland, OH

Jamie Cordova, Mentor Harbor Yacht Club, Mentor-on-Lake, OH

Kimberly Viola, Elyria Country Club, Elyria, OH

Randy and Rebecca Owoc, Mayfield Sand Ridge Club, South Euclid, OH

Luke Taylor of Tradermen Distributors, located in Stow, OH, a Chapter Preferred Vendor and Chapter Supporter, served as our tour host. Special thanks to our private coach driver and tour guide that shared with us many interesting facts during our trip!

Chapter and Club News

The Greater Cleveland Chapter’s Post-Conference Napa Tour Randy Owoc, CCM

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Presenting the 2018 International Wine Society Board

Society Happenings

Host Jason AsbraMenlo Circus ClubAtherton, CA

CellarmasterPaul Andrew Smith IIIConnecticut ChapterNorwalk, CT

Kitchenmaster Colin Mack-Allen, CCM, CCE Tavistock Country Club Haddonfield, NJ

CellarerClive L. Smith, CCM Waynesborough Country Club Paoli, PA

KitchenerWendy Anglin, CCM The Old Club Harsens Island, MI

Secretary Jack GrehanMeadow ClubFairfax, CA

TreasurerKarl Habib, CCM Silver Spring Country Club Ridgefield, CT

BarristerBlaine A. Burgess, CCM, CCE Country Club of Little Rock Little Rock, AR

Toastmaster Nadine D. Rockwell, CCM Lauderdale Yacht ClubFt. Lauderdale, FL

Board Member (Sponsorships)Jonathan D. Shear, CCM, CCEBayou Club of HoustonHouston, TX

Board Member (Education)Matthew KurtasEdgeworth Club Sewickley, PA

Immediate Past Host Jeffrey G. Martocci, CCMWhippoorwill ClubArmonk, NY

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The CMAA International Wine Society is pleased to announce the 2017-2018 winner of the Warren L. Arseneaux Honorary Scholarship is Christina DeGennaro, Dining Room Manager at Manasquan River Golf Club in Brielle, NJ. The International Wine Society established this scholarship to honor Warren L. Arseneaux, CCM, who was instrumental to the founding of the Wine Society, a Past President of CMAA and who dedicated years of service to CMAA and the International Wine Society. The scholarship provides tuition for a CMAA International Wine Society member, who has a passion and love for wine and is interested in continuing his or her professional development, to attend the BMI Wine and Food Experience or other education opportunity as approved by the IWS Board of Managers. Again, congratulations to Christina DeGennaro!

Thank You for Your Support of the Annual Wine Auction

On behalf of the 2018 Wine Auction Chairman, Colin Mack-Allen, CCM, CCE and Co-Chairs, Blaine Burgess, CCM, CCE, and Paul Frintrup, thank you for your donations, assistance and contributions to the 2018 Wine Society and Club Foundation Silent and Live Auctions held in conjunction with the 91st World Conference on Club Management and Club Business Expo in San Francisco, CA. This year’s auctions raised more than $95,000 for the Wine Society and Club Foundation.

The 2018 Per Capita Bucky winners are Arkansas (small), Central Pennsylvania (medium) and Georgia (large) and the Wholesale Value Bucky winners are Arkansas (small),

Cleveland (medium), and Georgia (large) for winning the Overall Bucky for donating $29,814 worth of wine. The Georgia Chapter was also presented the Per Capita Bucky for donating $240 worth of wine per chapter member. A big congratulations goes to the Georgia Chapter!

Blaine Burgess, CCM, CCE will chair the 2019 auction in Nashville, TN, with two additional chairmen (TBD), and will work hard to match if not surpass this amount next year. Please support your local chapter’s donation in 2019 to compete for the coveted Bucky Awards, as we cannot continue to be successful without the generosity of CMAA’s International Wine Society members.

Arseneaux Scholarship Awarded to Christina DeGennaro

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The objective of the Wine Program Awards is to annually recognize the best club wine programs and to laud CMAA member-managed clubs that establish and maintain fine wine programs for their membership. The awards are meant to be a hallmark of quality and assurance of an eminent wine program. A club that receives recognition should leverage its accomplishment when marketing the club’s food and beverage program to its membership.

Awards are given in the categories of Merit and Distinction. On the 100 point scale, an Award of Merit is achieved when a club scores between 80 and 89, and an Award of Distinction is achieved when a club scores a 90 or above.

Congratulations to the following award winners!

Honoring the 2017 Wine Program Awards

Awards of Distinction

Arizona Country Club Phoenix, AZ

Ballantyne Country Club Charlotte, NC

Bellerive Country Club St. Louis, MO

Carolina Country Club Raleigh, NC

The Club at Mediterra Naples, FL

Governors Club Chapel Hill, NC

Hamilton Harbor Yacht Club Naples, FL

Houston Country Club Houston, TX

Jonathan Club Los Angeles, CA

The Loxahatchee Club Jupiter, FL

Metropolitan Club - Washington Washington, DC

Paradise Valley Country Club Paradise Valley, AZ

River Oaks Country Club Houston, TX

Washington Athletic Club Seattle, WA

Awards of Merit

Baltusrol Golf Club Springfield, NJ

Bay Colony Golf Club Naples, FL

Charlotte Country Club Charlotte, NC

Cherokee Town & Country Club Atlanta, GA

Country Club of Darien Darien, CT

The Country Club Chestnut Hill, MA

Fiddlers Elbow Country Club Far Hills, NJ

Fircrest Golf Club Tacoma, WA

Los Altos Golf & Country Club Los Altos, CA

Naples Yacht Club Naples, FL

Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club Nichols Hills, OK

Quail Hollow Club Charlotte, NC

Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club Boca Raton, FL

Sailfish Club of Florida Palm Beach, FL

Sarasota Yacht Club Sarasota, FL

Sharon Heights Golf & Country Club Menlo Park, CA

Spring Brook Country Club Morristown, NJ

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The 2018 International Wine Society Dinner in San Francisco, CA.

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New Member Club Recruited By Vincent S. Baker, CCM The Country Club of Louisiana

Holly Bilotti Bay Head Yacht Club

Jeff Campione, CCM, CCE Oakwood Country Club Jack Slaughter, CCM, CCE

Harris Coble, CCM Glen Ridge Country Club

Karen Collazo Upper Montclair Country Club Ryan Brennan, CCM

James Creamer Bay Head Yacht Club Holly Bilotti

Eduardo C. Dimas Quaker Ridge Golf Club Shelby Lacombe, CCM

Darren Flanagan Discoveryland Company

Rickford Foo Upper Montclair Country Club Ryan Brennan, CCM

Clement Gelas Talisker Club

Passion Graham Highland Country Club

M. Kent Johnson, CCM Elkridge Club Tina Lutzi-Regler, CCM, CCE

Lauren Kaiser Cherokee Country Club Kris Garner

Richard LaRocca, CCM, CCE The Country Club of Orlando Pasquale J. LaRocca, CCM, CCE

Jon Anthony LaRocca Desert Mountain Nicholas LaRocca

Maria McGinity, CCM Royal Oaks Country Club

Jorge Munguia Quaker Ridge Golf Club Shelby Lacombe, CCM

Billy Panagiotopoulos Westchester Country Club Paul Brock

Dylan Petrick Baltimore Country Club Ryan Granruth, CCM

David Pinckney Cherokee Country Club Chris Almond, CCM, and Kris Garner

Michael Rushing Colonial Country Club

Christian Thon, CCM, CCE Seattle Tennis Club

The International Wine Society Would Like to Welcome Its Newest Members

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IWS Pre-Conference Workshop in CarnerosKarl Habib, CCM, Treasurer

The Spotlight On

This year’s IWS Pre-Conference Workshop was held on March 2 as part of the CMAA World Conference in San Francisco. Coordinated by Jack Grehan, 45 club managers were treated to tours and tastings of six premier Carneros vineyards and were provided the opportunity to meet many of the preeminent producers in the area.

Carneros is the only appellation located at the intersection of two major wine regions, the Napa and Sonoma Valleys. Established as a wine growing region over 150 years ago, Carneros became an official AVA (American Viticultural Area) in 1983 and is world renowned for its outstanding Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. With foggy mornings and cool afternoon bay breezes, Carneros has the naturally perfect conditions for these varietals.

Hyde Vineyards – Our first stop was the famous Hyde Vineyards, known as the King of Carneros, with Larry Hyde first planting grapes in 1979. Hyde Vineyard grapes are sold to more than 30 wineries across California, including Ramey, Spottswood, Far Niente, Pahlmeyer, DuMol and Schramsberg. We had the opportunity to meet Larry & Berta Hyde, owners, and Alberto Rodriguez, winemaker, and taste some of their fantastic wines.

Schramsberg Vineyards – While at Hyde, we also met Hugh Davies, proprietor and winemaker of Schramsberg Vineyards, who poured some of his delicious 2008 J. Schram. Hugh is the youngest son of Jack and Jamie Davies, founders of the winery in 1965. Hugh provided

background about Schramsberg and also discussed the unique relationship that he has had with the Hyde family over the years.

Ram’s Gate Winery – Next stop was at the beautiful Ram’s Gate Winery. Ram’s Gate was founded in 2011

and their new facility has been open for less than two years. Ram’s Gate is known for their small lot Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and they strive to produce the finest wines possible. Jeffrey O’Neill,

owner, Jeff Gaffner, renowned winemaker and 30-year winemaking veteran, and Greg Miller, Estate Director, provided a tour and hosted an outstanding lunch and tasting.

Hudson Ranch – Following lunch, we headed to Hudson Ranch for a visit of their 200 acres of vineyards and tasting of their Chardonnay. Thirty years of meticulous winegrowing and winemaking experience goes into each bottle of Hudson Wine. Additionally, Hudson Vineyards’ premium grapes are sold to 27 wineries in Napa and Sonoma counties.

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Grgich Vineyards – Our fourth stop was at Grgich Vineyards, where Ivo Jeramiz, winemaker and nephew

of Mike Grgich, hosted everyone for an intriguing discussion and tasting in the vineyard. Spirits were not dampened in the least even though we were under a pop-up tent in cold and rainy

conditions. Grgich is paying tribute to Mike Grgich this year, celebrating his 95th birthday in 2018!

Starmont Winery & Vineyards – Following Grgich, winemaker Jeff Crawford hosted everyone for a tour

and tasting at the Starmont Winery. Jeff has been with Starmont since 2007 and has been their winemaker since 2014. The Starmont story began over 25 years ago, starting as an integral part of the

Merryvale brand. Starmont then acquired 50 acres of a portion of the Stanley Ranch Estate in 2005 and broke ground on a new state of the art “green” winery that same year. Starmont now produces Pinot Noir, Cabernet

Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Rose wines in addition to Chardonnay, their initial varietal.

Italics Winery – The final stop of the day was a tour and dinner in the caves at the magnificent Italics Winery. Italics is less than two years old, and Steve Reynolds, the

innovative winemaker and owner of Reynolds Family Wines, along with John Trant, Director of DTC Sales, were our hosts

for the evening. To say that the tour and dinner exceeded our expectations was an understatement as the entire evening was an over the top and amazing experience. From the quality of the wines, to the ambiance of the caves, and to the food pairings with each course, we all felt fortunate to be part of the tour.

After a truly memorable day of education and camaraderie, the bus departed and returned to the San Francisco at 10:30pm. We could not have had the good fortune of experiencing such an eventful day without the generosity and hospitality of our winery friends in Carneros. Please consider these wineries when building wine programs at your clubs as they will no doubt be avid supporters of your efforts. And of course, special thanks to Jack Grehan for having the creative vision to organize this event and for the countless hours he spent coordinating the myriad of logistics for this tour!

Hope to see everyone next year in Nashville!

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North Coast Wildfire Impact Study Signals Strong Recovery in Early Findings

By the Glass

The Wine Business Institute (WBI) at Sonoma State University (SSU) has released preliminary findings of its wildfire impact study of the North Coast wine industry, based on a survey of more than 200 vineyard and winery stakeholders across Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Solano, and Sonoma Counties, in addition to early analysis of available economic data. The study launched in October following inaccurate accounts of the extent of damage to the region’s wineries and vineyards from wildfires in the north San Francisco Bay Area.

While the wildfires were unprecedented in Northern California, findings indicate that the actual impact on the North Coast wine industry was localized and limited. Labor and employment data across sectors shows a statistically insignificant decrease in the months of October and November consistent with historical averages. Indirect impacts of the wildfires were more widespread, including a short-term reduction in visitors to the region.

“The most significant impact on the North Coast wine industry was an immediate and temporary slow-down of visitors to the region. We believe this was driven by images and reports at the height of the disaster. Fortunately, the numbers show that this trend has

corrected and continues to improve. We also have early indications from the broader economy that our regional recovery will be strong. Going forward, our team of economists, industry executives, and scientists will apply these findings in a coordinated plan to ensure confidence among consumer, media, and trade organizations in the quality standards for the 2017 vintage,” Honore Comfort, Wine Business Executive in Residence said.

Key findings to date:

■■ 99.8 percent of vineyard acres (138,937 of 139,204) in the North Coast region are reported as unaffected by recent fires.

■■ 93 percent of wineries (950 of 1,025) are reported as unaffected by the fires in terms of structural damage or long-term impact.

■■ 99.5 percent of the total crop value was recovered (calculations based on 2016 crush report).

■■ 90 percent of affected wineries and grape growers reported that vineyards would not need to be replanted or replaced, and of those that do, most would be less than 10 acres.

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99.8 percent of vineyard acres

unaffected by recent fires.

93percent of wineries

unaffected by the fires.

99.5 percent of the total crop value

was recovered.

90 percent of affected wineries

would not need to be replanted or replaced.

71 percent of respondents reported

an immediate drop in tasting room traffic compared to the same period

last year.

62 percent of respondents reported a

drop in tasting room sales compared to this period last year.

50 percent of respondents reported

that visitors from the San Francisco Bay Area increased or remained

constant.

75 percent of respondents noted

online sales are equal to or higher than this period last year.

■■ 71 percent of survey respondents reported an immediate drop in tasting room traffic compared to the same period last year, although this trend started to recover in November.

■■ 62 percent of respondents reported a drop in tasting room sales compared to this period last year.

■■ 50 percent of respondents reported that visitors from the San Francisco Bay Area increased or remained constant, while visitation from outside California and the US was most affected.

■■ 75 percent of respondents noted online sales are equal to or higher than this period last year.

In the affected areas, vineyards often served as firebreaks that prevented the spread of fire, which is considered a primary cause for the limited damage. The reduction in visitor traffic and tasting room sales is thought to be the result of inaccurate national news reports and subsequent public misperception that a large portion of the wine region was damaged or closed due to wildfires. Beginning

in November, this trend reversed with visitor numbers returning to or exceeding prior year numbers for the same period. Other wine regions in the state reported a significant increase in visitor numbers during this period.

Based on historical data following natural disasters of this scale relative to the size of the region, local economies recover with no negative long-term effects. Early indicators contributing to a positive outlook for broader economic recovery include timely insurance payouts, an expedited process and reduced government fees for building approvals, and property tax reassessments. An anticipated construction boom is expected to drive growth in employment and related sectors. Additionally, over $15 million in charitable contributions have been made through a local credit union and other channels in support of those directly impacted by the fires.

For more information regarding the Wine Business Institute at Sonoma State University, please visit sonoma.edu/winebiz.

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Idea Fair: Wine in Your Club’s Spa

Idea Fair

With the explosion of club spas, it might be time to consider taking wine beyond your food and beverage outlets. Check out these great ideas from the spa and hotel industry!

According to a January 2018 article in The Drinks Business, “Vinotherapy — also written “Vinotherapie” — describes a beauty therapy process where the residue of

wine making (the pips and pulp) are rubbed into the skin. The pulp is said to have excellent exfoliating qualities and help reduce the problems associated with ageing.”

Wine Enthusiast profiled five top wine-inspired spa offerings including a Champagne Facial which included a bubbly toast, a luxurious Pinot Noir body polish and wrap with massage, or the antioxidant-filled Vineyard Bath soak.