The CLASSIC Results

The last time I co-chaired a big wine event, Pour Into Haiti with Roman Weiser and David Schutz, I counted on these two very capable men to harness the winery help while I could focus on being the social networking butterfly.   With the Circle of Hope (COH) taking over the Betty Ferguson Foundation’s Vine 2 Wine…I was able to attract the big gun behind the former SCV Wine Classic, Jeff Jacobson, to persuade and secure the wineries.  Enter the inaugural Vine 2 Wine CLASSIC.

The event committee, headed by expert event planner Shawneen Rubay and COH Executive Director Ray Tippet, included Judy Penman, Cheryl Gray, Steve Cravitz, Nicole Weir, wine chair Jeff Jacobson, with Janice Murray and myself as the event co-chairs.

This was far beyond my realm.  Several meetings whizzed by. Fast forward to the morning of the event and my husband Eddie and I found ourselves picking up dozens of cases of wine from Jeff’s house and helping him unload at the event site.  It was dizzying working alongside the volunteers all morning.  When it was lunch time – Jeff had arranged for all of the volunteers to have lunch – he gave the wine pourers a quick pep talk and…we were off.

Eddie, planning on working the sparkling table we were assigned to together, was left with about six other women instead…as I was the official “greeter” that thanked all of the guests for supporting COH.  (A note on our table: John Carter, the owner of BarParts.com, gave me a gold-plated Champagne opener to use.  Remove the cage, clamp the serrated edges on the cork, turn the bottle, and voilà, it worked like a charm!)

Once inside guests could look at original art, have some lunch, listen to music, bid on silent auction items, partake in a “wine pull”, enjoy the Beer Garden of Hope or…taste wine.  At one point our local radio-personality Janice Murray called me up to the microphone.  She said to tell people some kind of wine hint, my mind when blank, I think I stammered, “Stay away from my library wine tables, that’s all for me” in my usual charming way.

This is what guests found on their own:

CLASSIC surprises

We keep some secrets from the general public which included the wine yoke, a fabric necklace with several sturdy grips for a wine glass because, as I told guests as they entered, “Circle of Hope cares….and wants you to be comfortable and hands-free for the tasting today.”

The “Library” wine donators weren’t made public before the event as well as exactly what rare wines may be available.

And, since we had to move from a few tents to a few tents plus three pavilions, two were named after Betty Ferguson Foundation Founders Judy Cox and Marjanne Priest and one was named for the Circle of Hope Founder, Colleen Shaffer.

CLASSIC Quotes

When Jeff asked me to go to all of the tents to thank the volunteers and the winery representatives for coming out to support the event, I took the time to also check in with guests to ask what their favorite wine of the day was.  And though I mentioned their favorite exact “descriptor” in this week’s Eve’s Wine 101 YouTube (link) …I’m not putting that in print.  (Suffice to say, the volunteers, winery representatives and guests all had a great experience and we’re already looking forward to next year’s event.)

Elizabeth Hopp: 2000 Talley Pinot Noir.

Cathy Martin: 2006 Silver Oak Magnum at the Circle of Hope table.

Rose Chegwin by way of Kathy Crone: Les Deux Chats and Pulchella.  (Our local winemakers!)

Leah Granen: The Martinelli table.

Marlee Lauffer: 1999 William Selyem Pinot Noir served at Jeff Jacobson’s library wine table.

Diane Ghilardi: Pulchella and Morello Pinot Noir (Nick Morello, you may remember, was the first manager at Valencia Wine Co., made wines at Leona Valley, and now, I can attest, makes an outstanding Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.)

Amanda Bahnmaier: Clos La Chance 08 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon and Pulchella.

Kelly Abbott: The dry Italian sparkling wine and Pulchella.

Dr. Andrew Friend: 06 Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon at the Jacobson library table.

Janice Murray: Rotari Burt and Rose.

Michael Parks: Leona Valley Malbec.

John Geraci: Morello Pinot Noir and Les Deux Chats Zinfandel.

Sheryl Geraci: Morello Chardonnay.

Dr. Rex Baumgartner: 06 Stage Leap Cabernet Sauvignon

Ramon Rebel: A Chateauneuf-du-Pape from the French Wine Table.

And a nice, non x-rated quote from Steve-looking-sharp-Chegwin: “It’s like the Vine 2 Wine and The Classic Merged!”  Ding!  Ding!  Ding!

CLASSIC sightings

Clyde and Colleen Shaffer, Judy Cox, Marjanne Priest, Moe, Linda and Alex Hafizi, Laine Hedwell and Marlee Lauffer, Judy Penman, Michele Buttleman, Jim Walker, Bob Keller, Cheryl Gray, Ray, Janey and Jason Tippet, Geoffrey and Shawneen Rubay, Amanda Bahnmaier, Don and Cheryl Dellepiane, John and Sheryl Geraci, Steve and Cathy Martin, Mike and Pam Ripling, Ken and Patrice Rifkind, Sharyn Buncick, Shaun and Ivy Pierson, Sharon Lindquist and all of her lovely Wine-y Women, Oriana John, Bruce and Tamara Brown, Darrin and Cathy Craig, Steve and Rose Chegwin, Yvonne Matute and her daughter, Christina Scott Haselbusch, Ron Horton, Rich Soto and Jane Bettencourt-Soto, Larry Barbro, Lois Bauccio, Kathy Crone, Dan and Janine Jones, Bob and Susie Majesky, Patrick, Barbara and Brittney Raach, Terry Bucknall, Maria Strmsek, Michael Parks, Diana Vose, John and Tera McHugh, Maureen McKaughan, Leah Granen, Jenifer Costin, Kelly Anderson Phen, Linda Woolf, Judith Cassis, Dr. Rex Baumgartner, Ramon Rebel, Shelley Hann, Mary Reuschel, Bob and Susie Majesky, Kevin Kistler, Dr. Andrew Friend, Liz Seipel, Ron Horton and the two very nice undercover “Matrix-Looking” policemen.

CLASSIC thanks

So many local pals stepped up to volunteer!  Janice Murray, Sue Saffir, Steve and Amy Elzer, Jeff, Joan and Julie Jacobson, Eddie Bushman, Steve and Julie Cravitz, Dean Funk, Mary Bradway, Tom and Jenny Lukas, DiMaggio Washington, Les Hershberger and Mamie Wong, Roger and Gwen Gertz, Chef Tamra Levine, Claudia Sheridan, Danise Davis, Jami Kennedy, Doug Penman, Ralph Gray, Diane Ghilardi, Nicole Weir, Nick Morello, Steve and Megan Lemley, Nate Hasper, Wendy Ora Roberts, Lee Yoon, John Burton, Casey Boshae, Corey Jones, Mark Abraham, Randy Bartlett, Russ and Nancy Briley, Denise Cardamone, Priscilla Faubel, John Whitman, Jim Schaffert, Corey Ann Koontx Jones, Lisa Van Blarcom, Roman Weiser, Beth Heiserman, Greg Moss, Krystal Anderson, Heidi Brook-Meyers, Randy and Cherie Bartlett, Corey Jones, David Reynolds, Kelly Abbott, Kathy Rutherford, Gary Stein, Russ and Leslie Bretall, Scott and Susan Hand, Don Kelly, Steve and Julie Sturgeon, Jo Ann Vindigni, Don Kelly, Tim and Barb Heinzel, Patty Blazer, Darrell and Judy Gilbert, Lisa Valenti, Paul Vernier, Laura Romano, John Whitman, Bonnie Stauch, Mike and Sue Wynn, Mark and Pat Abraham, Don and Donna Heese, Sandy Brandon, Mike and Sue Wynn, Wayne and Rhonda Durand, Don and Joyce Woodmansee, Ken and Marilyn Euken, Friends of Kevin Byrne, Kevin Byrne, Saheer and Sabrina Ali, Heidi Wiss, Beth Greenwald, Don and Diane Scudamore.

I also asked Jeff Jacobson what he would like to add: “We want to especially thank all the wineries for trusting in our “great expectation” that the event would be attended by so many people that their attendance, as with the Wine Classic, would be worth their while, and to single out two very important people whose ongoing support was paramount in importance: John Burton of Southern Wine & Spirits of So. California, who recruited several wineries for the event, and Kevin Byrne of Wine Warehouse who not only recruited several wineries, but also ran the Beer Garden of Hope. Without the ongoing support of these amazing and generous people, as well as our friends who donated those incredible library wines from their own cellars, as well as the volunteers, we could not have had such an outstanding event, particularly on less than three months’ notice.”

CLASSIC food

Salt Creek Grille Catering, Cake Goodness, M & W Gourmet Foods, McClaren’s Shortbread, Toffee DeJour, Jersey Mike’s and Sam’s Specialty Sausages kept guests happy.  (Tickets weren’t needed for tastings, and the food was included in the overall ticket price.)

Classic music

Dave Ford & the Last Set, Kelly’s Lot and Stagg Street Band Rhythm Section.  Walking through the venue I happened upon a young woman, Brittney Westover, that sang between band sets.  Brittney works, and often performs, at the Roman Holiday Wine Lounge.  She brought me to tears when she sang from an opera for us today!

CLASSIC artists

Georgette Arison, Jaylene Armstrong, Janine Ayers, Lisa Barr, Donna Boydston, Evie Cook, Hector Fernandez, Laurie Finkelstein, Sandy Fisher, Zony Gordon, Olga Kaczmar, Cheri Marcovitch, Gerda Maxey, Jane Mick, Trae Mundt, Patty O’Hearn, Laurelle Quintero, Dale & Pat Thayer, David Veal, Lynn Wolverton-Parker, Leroy Ward and Ross Walhburg.

CLASSIC Sponsors

Canyon Country Magazine, Elite Magazine, HotSpot SCV, KHTS, Santa Clarita Valley Magazine, The Signal, THEsaurus FILMS, A1 Rentals, Andy Gump, Burrtec, Copper Eagle Security, KEI Management, KISS Storage, Mann Biomedical Park, Newhall Ice, Roman Holiday Wine Lounge, Santa Clarita Photographic Studio, Sheila Veloz Breast Imaging Center, SOS Productions, Southern Wine & Spirits of Southern California, International Wines and Wine Warehouse.

CLASSIC Beer in the Beer Garden of Hope

Anderson Valley Brewing Company, Lost Coast Brewery, Napa Smith Brewery and Mission Brewery, were manned by volunteers Doug Penman and Sam Senner.  A note on Sam: He flew in from Alaska to assist at the event!  He not only helped in the Beer Garden of Hope but also stepped in to make pulled pork with the many other tireless volunteers.

CLASSIC Plans

You’ll just have to stay tuned to find out the date and venue for next year.  But, before I give you a taste of the wines, just a thank you to everyone that made this event so successful.   From the volunteers to the guests and back around to the women with breast cancer we strive to help, take pride in knowing that you strengthened the circle of hope last Sunday. Learn more here: http://www.circleofhopeinc.org/v2/

The CLASSIC wines