LWGA will be holding our annual election for the board of directors as of February 1, 2021. All members will receive an email with the ballot.
Please review the candidate’s statements below and vote for the board. Thanks you!
Bill English.
While I do not grow grapes, I have been an advocate for Lamorinda winegrowing and specialize in Lamorinda with my winemaking. I have sought to promote better wine growing and better wine making in the AVA. I served on the AVA committee headed by Dave Rey and two terms on the board.
LWGA’s stated mission is to provide on-going education and support for its members in the areas of vineyard maintenance and management, and winemaking; foster communication and the exchange of information among its members; encourage sustainable practices, resulting in the production of high quality grapes and wine in an environmentally-friendly and socially responsible fashion; promote the Lamorinda community and its status as a winegrowing region, enhancing the marketability of Lamorinda-grown grapes and Lamorinda-made wine; and cultivate a strong relationship with the local community.
I think we have done a pretty good job of some of this, however we have found that defining and implementing the part about providing on-going education and support for its members in the areas of vineyard maintenance and management, and winemaking has been more difficult than meets the eye. Over the past two years the board has sought to improve on these areas and, I think, has made some progress. We need to continue to recognize the heterogeneous nature of the group and the need to provide more in-depth support to those with interest in learning winegrowing best practices and winemaking practices without forcing technical details on those who don’t have the need or interest. With your support, the board would like to continue to find ways to meet all the needs and interests of our membership. We hope that this will not only support current members but attract new members and stimulate past members to rejoin who have interest in these areas.
I request your support to continue on the path we have stated.
David Hicks
One of my primary objectives for being on the board is to offer 17 years of grape growing and 14 years of winemaking experience and knowledge to our members to assist them in learning how to be successful growers of wine quality grapes and to learn and/or expand their skill in making award winning wine in their wineries. Beginning in 2003 I took every viticulture and enology extension course offered at Davis while concurrently planting my own vineyard and building my winery which is located at my second home in the Red Hills AVA on the shore of Clear Lake. I am also a 42 year resident of Lafayette.
Starting in 2010 began acquiring grapes from other Lake County growers. Have made 8 red varieties, 3 white varieties, Port, late harvest Sauturn, and Brandy. Have also made wonderful Chard from Moraga grapes from Jon Leutneker’s vineyard. I do all the vineyard tending and winemaking myself. Seek help from the Davis extension as needed to stay on top of issues and developments in the industry. Entered many wine comps, wining several Best of Show, numerous gold, and other awards.
How I might contribute to the Lamorinda AVA membership as a board member?
The AVA is passing into a new phase as a result of the founding members achieving the goal of getting the AVA established. A big task for which I’m sure all members are most appreciative. For the AVA to continue to prosper and grow, ideas need to be contributed and listened to from all who wish to put them forth. As a quasi outsider to the AVA I still have a lot to learn about where things are now and how the members and leadership sees things moving forward.
On a one to one basis I am willing to consult [for wine and food only] on winemaking to members that are growing their own grapes and making their own wine. Additionally I feel it’s important for all board members to consult among themselves and concurrently and consistently seek input from the general members regarding what the direction of the AVA should be. Amy took a survey a while back on many of these issues and I will need to become familiar with those results. Moving any organization from start up to steady state is no easy task. I have had experience doing this type of thing in my career in the Software Engineering Consulting business. There seems to be a lot to do regarding the future of the AVA and I’m willing to contribute my part.
Daniel Howsepian
As President of the LWGA in the last year, I have been presented with the unusual task of maintaining the interest level of our membership without the usual personal interaction we enjoy so much. It was so painful to cancel all of our usual meetings since March of 2020!
Together with the board, we have tried to provide an interesting agenda through Zoom meetings which were well attended and provided much in the way of interesting conversations and topics of interest.
We also managed to trim our expenses to allow for a reduction of the annual dues for this year.
I am very hopeful that we will all be able to gather once again in the way we have enjoyed in the past very soon!
I am very much interested in balancing the activities of the LWGA to meet the needs of all the members. We have members who do not grow grapes, some who are planning a new vineyard, some that make wine, and some that sell their wines. But we all like to socialize together and that to me is the primary thing. I will continue to provide educational venues for those who are interested, and try to educate our neighbors that we exist in the community.
Looking forward, this virus will be defeated, and we will get back to our social gatherings. We are already planning ahead to be prepared when this can happen!
Short Bio:
–Raisin d’être Vineyard; (Est. 2012) 350 vines total; 275 Vines of Cabernet Sauvignon and 75 Vines of Merlot
–Brooklyn Technical H/S: Electrical Engineering: Pratt Institute; Electrical Engineering
–City College of NYC @ Queens; BA in Economics; RE Finance @ So Lake Tahoe CC
–Resident of Orinda since 1985 – 2011; Resident of Lafayette since 2011;
–Served as Secretary; then Treasurer, then President of the Orinda Park Pool; 1988-1994.;
–Working as NSP (National Ski Patrol) Ski Patroller @ Squaw Valley since 1998 ;
–Certified First Responder and an Outdoor Emergency Technician;
–Secretary of the Squaw NSP for two years;
–Squaw Valley Ski Patrol Testing & Training Coordinator for two years;
–Squaw Valley Ski Patrol Patrol Leader & Chair of Board of Directors for six years;
–Received National Appointment by NSP in 2011;
–Currently on Board of Directors of the Squaw Valley NSP;
–Currently on LWGA Board for the last four years
–Joined the LWGA in 2012 and have been very happy & proud to be a founding member of the Lamorinda AVA.
– Created an outline for the development and access of grape growing, winemaking, resource and educational opportunities for the membership to use and enjoy;
– Enthusiastically supporting the LWGA AVA brand through promotions; exposure; activities to educate, taste and to guide our members to elevate their wine growing and wine making outcomes to earn a higher level of success and recognition in the region;
– Providing a warm social interaction between all members of the organization, by providing a regular schedule of informative and social activities throughout the year.
I am enthusiastic about our vineyard, enjoy the wine making and socializing with the LWGA and all that it brings to our lives. I am interested in continuing my participation with LWGA Board and would like to see it grow in the future to a level it deserves.
Hope to have your continued support!
Thank you.
My name is Tom Morehouse. I have been a member of LWGA since it was formed and I am a founding member of the club. I have 200 vines consisting of Syrah, Mourvedre and Grenache producing a Rhone blend often called GSM. I manage the vineyard and produce my own wine, winning awards both in Contra costa county and at the Golden State wine Society. I gave wine tastings in Graduate school in Gilroy to pay for college. I have an MBA from San Jose State University. I lived in Europe for 6 years and studied European vineyard and wine making there while working for an American shipping company. I am a member of the Golden Gate Wine Club and a past board member of both LWGA and GGWS. I am now retired and have time to get more involved with our club. I was a member of the AVA committee with David Rey and helped with many of the tasks finally producing an AVA for us and the area. I am interested in getting the club more involved with the area we live in, educating our neighbors and helping to get our name and wines more well known to the community. There are various ways to accomplish this task and I will work hard to bring us into Lamorinda and the community. Recently I gave a talk at the Orinda Rotary club and we served our members wine to the delight of the club members and even sold some to the members. I was part of the tasting panel that we started so that members can see how their wine competes with other wine makers and try to improve their product. I would like to help members to improve their wines by education both in the vineyard and the wine making process. I hope that you will vote for me to be again on our board and will work hard to make LWGA more inclusive and more fun for the members. Please vote for me. Thank you.
Larry Thal
I am currently serving as LWGA Secretary. I have considerable board experience and look forward to continuing to serve the Lamorinda Winegrowers’ Association and its members, if elected to do so.
My wife, Esther, and I planted approximately 2,300 vines in 2010 and had our ninth harvest this past year. Our varietals consist of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc. Thal Vineyards, LLC is bonded with an O-2 license.
I am retired, having done so for the third time (United States Air Force, private practice of optometry and Clinical Professor and Assistant Dean University of California). Some of my other board experience includes serving as President of the California State Board of Optometry on five occasions and serving two years as President of the California Optometric Association. I recently completed two terms on the board of an independent private school in the East Bay, and for over 20 years I have served as president of two homeowners' associations.
I am a strong supporter of our AVA and the quality wines we produce. Esther and I are renovating a downtown Lafayette building as a winery and tasting room which we hope will actively promote local wine and offer a venue to introduce our wines to the public. It can also serve as a focal point for viticulture education and LWGA activity.
Leslie Ward
Education: B.S. Landscape Architecture & Environmental Design, California Polytechnic, SLO, CA. LEED Accredited Professional since 2004. Over 25 years of educating communities, construction building trades, and design teams on the benefits and savings of green/sustainable design and building practices.
Relationship to LWGA: One of the founding members of the LWGA (2005). Past posts with LWGA include President of the Board (2014); Board Member (2013 – 2018); Board Member of the Orinda Chamber of Commerce (2016 – 2019) and Liaison for the LWGA. Occasional Presenter to the local Rotary, Historical Society and Garden Clubs about the LWGA vineyards and history of winemaking and grape growing here; frequent donator of wine and wine tastings to local schools, hospitals and other charities and non-profits.
Personal: Our Construction firm, Sausal Corporation builds schools, fire stations and public buildings throughout NO. CA; our Son Josh just took over last year as President. Successful and thriving Los Arabis Vineyard Pinot Noir (1500 vines in Lafayette) planted in 1999 and commercially sold throughout Lamorinda
