Dear Members,

We are looking for board member candidates for our upcoming election at the end of January.  We have 3 board directors running for reelection and one open director position.

Being a board member gives you more input into the direction of Lamorinda Wine Growers.  We meet once a month and cover a variety of issues including: finances, membership, proposed regulations, events, promotion of LWGA/AVA and much more.

If you’re interested in becoming a board member, please contact me before the general meeting on January 28th.

Best,
Bill Scanlin
President, Lamorinda Wine Growers Association
e: bscanlin@gmail.com   c: 925.200.7676

Dear Members,

We were not able to have a holiday party this year but are looking at an AVA anniversary celebration that may include a wine competition in the first quarter of next year.  We’ll have more discussion on that at our General Membership Meeting on January 28th.

Wishing you a joyous holiday season with peace and cheer in the New Year!

Bill Scanlin, President, Lamorinda Wine Growers Association

Dear Members,

The Moraga Police Officer’s Association and the US Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program are joining forces in 2017 to help bring joy to children in the Bay Area during this holiday season.  The mission of the US Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program is to collect new, unwrapped toys and distribute those toys to less fortunate children in the community in which the campaign was conducted.  The objectives for the Toys for Tots are to help less fortunate children throughout the United States experience the joy of Christmas; to play an active role in the development of one of our nation’s most valuable resources – our children; to unite all members of local communities in a common cause each year during the annual toy collection and distribution campaign.; and to contribute to better communities in the future.

The Moraga Peace Officers association is having a Toys for Tots drive and has requested our help in providing wine for the event at the Hacienda de las Flores on Friday, December 8th at 6pm.

If you are willing to donate commercial or non-commercial wine to this event, you can drop it off at the Hacienda main building (living room/kitchen area) after 3pm on Friday, December 8th or contact Will Davis at (925) 786-2085 for coordinating another time for drop-off or pickup.

You are also welcome to join the event and they would be happy to accept new, unwrapped toys or monetary donations.

Monetary donations can also be made to: Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, Moraga Police Officers Association, 329 Rheem Blvd, Moraga, CA 94556.

Happy Holidays!

I understand that the inventory of these bottles is already gone. 

They apparently have several pallets of these bottles.

515 Independent Rd, Oakland
510-834-2535

They apparently have several pallets of these bottles.

515 Independent Rd, Oakland
510-834-2535

Thank you for any support of this project.

Kathe Nelson

Dear Members,

We hope to see you at our quarterly membership meeting that will be held at the Oak Springs Pool Clubhouse, 39 Spring Road, Orinda on Sunday October 29th at 3pm.

Please bring a bottle of wine and appetizer to share.

If you haven’t paid your 2017-2018 dues, please bring your checkbook.

We will be sharing harvest experiences and talking about the results of an upcoming member survey.

We hope to see you at the meeting!

Best,

Bill Scanlin

President, Lamorinda Wine Growers Association

Dear Members,

We hope to see you at our quarterly membership meeting that will be held at the Oak Springs Pool Clubhouse, 39 Spring Road, Orinda on Sunday October 29th at 3pm.

Please bring a bottle of wine and appetizer to share.

If you haven’t paid your 2017-2018 dues, please bring your checkbook.

We will be sharing harvest experiences and talking about the results of an upcoming member survey.

We hope to see you at the meeting!

Best,

Bill Scanlin

President, Lamorinda Wine Growers Association

Dear Members,

Our next General Membership Meeting is scheduled for Sunday, October 29th at 3pm.

The membership enjoys going to another members home for meetings and seeing their operation.

If you’re willing to host the October meeting, please reach out to me by the end of September.

Thanks,

Bill Scanlin, President LWGA

email: bscanlin@gmail.com     cell: 925.200.7676

As you may know, Tom Powers has sold his vineyards to Kevin Balestrieri.  A Upick operation will be held at the Balestrieri Family Farm vineyards at 8:00 AM on Saturday, September 16, 2017.  The available grapes include:  small amounts (a few hundred pounds each) of merlot, chardonnay, and cabernet sauvignon, and several tons each of pinot gris, viognier, and syrah.

Those wishing to pick high quality grapes, should meet at the Alhambra Valley Winery at 6140 Alhambra Valley Road, Martinez, CA at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 16, 2017.  There is a wide parking area in front of the winery.  The winery is about one quarter mile east of where Bear Valley Road and Pereira Road intersect with Alhambra Valley Road.  Note that Alhambra Valley Road/Pinole Valley Road is closed between Castro Ranch Road and Bear Valley Road.  If you are coming from the East Bay, the shortest route is San Pablo Dam Road to Bear Valley Road.

Look for Bonneau Dickson, Czar of the Contra Costa Wine Group, in a white Subaru Station Wagon.  Bonneau’s cell phone number is 510 910 3420, but cell phone reception in this area is spotty at best for services other than Sprint.

Please be on time.  If you are late and I am not at the winery, go to the intersection of Alhambra Valley Road and Pereira Road, turn north (right if coming from 6140).  The entrance to the vineyard is on the right about 200 yards from the intersection.

The vineyard previously belonged to Tom Powers, who wrote the book “Vineyard Simple”.  If you are interested in planting or tending a vineyard, copies of the book will be available for $20.

The price is 50 cents per pound, cash only.  Bring small denomination bills.

If you want to use my crusher/destemmer, you will have to come to my place at 2428 McGee Avenue, Berkeley, CA.  I will help you crush/destem and will even help you press and all this for free

If you think you want grapes, please reply by email to dickson.bonneau@gmail.com giving me your name, the varietal that you want, the approximate number of pounds that you want, and whether you would like to use the crusher/destemmer.  There is no obligation if you decide not to come but it helps my planning efforts if I have some approximate indication of what the demand will be.  Come anyway if you did not manage to let me know that you are coming.  Also let me know and come if you do not want any grapes but would just like the experience of picking grapes.

For anyone wanting a ton or more, we may be able to arrange to have it picked for you.  A deposit would be required.  The pickers usually are not available on Saturday and Sunday.

You can try to reach Bonneau at 510 910 3420 (Cell, but spotty at the vineyard) or 510 845 8625 (Landline but only checked intermittently during the hubbub of wine processing)

Happy grape picking and wine making.

—

Bonneau Dickson, P.E.
2428 McGee Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94703

Tel.  510 845 8625
Cell  510 910 3420
Fax. 510 845 4606