That is another win for the event, as SPUR ROAD is a brand new winery partner for Falltacular, too. They were referred by yet another relatively new winery, L’Envolee in Napa, who jumped aboard the event a few years back. You supporting them, and the wineries referring each other is how we keep the event strong, and ultimately money flowing into Laura’s House for their clients.
THANK YOU, Counselor.
I have a couple new attendees lined up for next year. They can become part of the future of this event. So much fun. Thanks for all you do to make this World a better place for our kids and grand-kids.
Brian, we need the new people to keep the event going into the future. We will make a push to recruit as we near the event next year and to the ticketing. This advocacy you already started is exactly what we need. The wine business needs this exposure, to have people stand in front of their wines, taste them, buy them. And Laura’s House gets the funding it needs from the vitality of the event. It all works.
THANK YOU for your support, Brian. You have truly taken on the event, as have so many others, and feel an ownership for it.
Auctions are posted on Commerce Corner, each lot separately
NICE! Everyone, here is your chance if you want it to help Laura’s House. A photo below is of the wines that are listed in these auction lots. These bottles need good homes, people who can both enjoy the generosity of the wineries in donating them to Falltacular, and as importantly, to buy them and see all of that funding go directly to Laura’s House.
Last year we raised over $2000 more in finding the leftover wine the good homes they deserve. Please bid, and thank you!
Everything in there is excellent.
Every year I read the recap and think - what a combination of great wine, great cause, and great people. I then commit to try and make it next year but the date doesn’t ever work.
I become an empty-nester in the Fall and if any of the Boston Berserker read this and want to be my wingperson, we can armtwist each other to make the trip next year!
Kyle, yes please do come out. I know it’s a long long ways and it’s certainly much easier to open a bottle of wine in Boston and enjoy that without having to fight with airplanes and rental cars and hotels and all those things that make wine drinking far far much more complicated.
There are a handful of folks that come every year that do just that, however, and they make the trip into something greater than just our Saturday event and so consider coming and see if you can build some other things around the trip that will bring you joy and have you meet others while you’re here. I can absolutely promise you that if you come to the Saturday event that we do that you’re gonna have a wonderful time and you’ll feel inspired by being here, no doubt whatsoever.
Interested! And I have a free place to stay in CdM! I’ve been itching to join the OC crew for a long time but have never figured out the planning/timing of doing it.
It warms my heart today to see so many happy and smiling faces. Thank you to all the photographers for posting the pics. Looking forward to reading further notes on the wines. I am glad it looks like it remained and continued to be a weekend of joy—may that ever continue!
Big hugs to all
Mike
@Blair_Ridley We have some active groups here who meet a lot, and then some one-off things too, all throughout the year. If you are here anytime during the year and want to get together with us, holler at me. Of course, too, if you want to be here for Falltacular, we will welcome you, Kyle and anyone from the forum here who wants to support it.
@Mike_Grammer Grams, yeah man, it was a great day. Not sure how many notes you will get as the note takers were very few. Maybe some broad impressions get posted but it’s you who primarily captures the notes so well every year.
While this thread still has some mojo, I want to just add a few things to encourage attendance for next year.
We start selling tickets to attend usually in December or January.
You buy a ticket to attend (price this past weekend was $125). We legally license the event, too.
We stage wine all over my house, and in the courtyard. You taste what you want. Around 100-125 different wines.
We conduct a silent auction in my garage. Mostly wine, all donated in advance by the wineries and guests.
It’s BYOF, plus my grill gets cracking, so you can eat all day.
We usually have Champagne and Craft Beer after 5PM when things start to slow down.
All proceeds go to my charity, Laura’s House.
We have had people attending for all 19 years, and yet some were here for the first time this past weekend. We love new people attending so if you want to do something charitable, help others, and at the same time, taste a lot of mostly CA wine (we need some Oregon and WA wines in next year), and meet a bunch of devoted wine people, this is a great event.
I also want to add that it is the cause and the atmosphere that keep me coming back year after year . . .
Margaret and her staff are true warriors, and what they are able to do with the money raised is incredible. This is one of the only tastings I do where we make a full stop for EVERYONE to head outside to hear Frank, Jill and Margaret and either a survivor or, in this case, the OC Sheriff, talk about domestic violence and how wide spread the issues are. It is one of the most powerful 15-30 minutes spent each and every year. And mementos of appreciation are given out to those who have attended 10, 15 and, next year, 20 years. I have received both my 10 and 15 year bottles and I proudly show these off in my tasting room.
Anbd this is one of the only times a year that I get to see, shake hands with and hug many who I interact with here on this board. It confirms the ‘sense of community’ I truly love about this board.
Now it does not suck that there are over 100 different wines to pour and that most bring some sort of food item - you will not go home hungry unless you are like me - someone who talks more than they eat :-)_
Another perk is the silent auction - there really are some special wines and other things auctioned off, and 100% of the proceeds go to Laura’s House.
It truly is a wonderful event, and as Frank mentioned, many make a weekend of it, too. If you’re on the fence, ask any of the Berserkers who come from out of town (@T_Melloni , @Brian_Tuite , @Mike_Grammer etc) about their experiences.
Cheers
I planned to arrive early and take a bunch of notes, but my son’s game got moved from 4:00 to 9:00 a.m. due to a thunderstorm forecast, plus then it went on super long. By the time I arrived, there was too much going on for me to get into serious notetaking mode. I didn’t really even try that many wines this year.
Hopefully next year.
Good morning everyone. Our 8 lots of leftover wines from the event remain up for auction over in Commerce Corner. The bidding will close this Sunday at 5PM Pacific. Please take a look at the lots and if you like what you see, bid. All of what sells, those moneys will go directly to Laura’s House. If you want to help, and get some wines at a good price, this is an opportunity.
Thank you all.
The auctions have closed, all 8 lots sold. A thank you goes out to the following winning bidders
@Cris_Whetstone
@Brian_Tuite
@JDutko
@M_s_e_w_h_o_y
@Paul_Hiyake
@Nate_Simon
@Dave_McIsaac
With their help, we collected another $1,495 for Laura’s House. Thank you to these folks, and to the various wineries who wines we re-purposed for this auction. Together, all of you made an additional difference!
Kudos once again to you @Frank_Murray_III , to Jill, to Margaret and to all of those who showed up and/or contributed to this fantastic event. Truly hopeful that it will continue - a great day, a great cause, and just so much fun hanging out with such fun folks.
Cheers
Added a bit to make it a nice round number. Much love to Jill and yourself.
Props to you, King. Hey, thanks for that and please tell your wife a big Hello from us, too. We miss her.
yay! Glad you enjoyed out Cab!
Always an honor to be part of this great event.
