Flag Salute & Invocation by Stowe Talbot

Visiting Rotarians: Ray George

Guests: None

New member induction:  Bob Moles introduced Skip Sailors, a retired faculty member at WWU (professor emeritus), former member of the big club but wants to rejoin Rotary to , loves fishing, skeet shooting, and picking stocks.  Curt Smith did the honors.

Student of the Month:  Harold Scott introduced our SOM, Hannah Truang, also Squalicum councellor Micheller Nilson, and Hannah's parents Mic & Phung Truong.  Michelle is student leader at Squalicum HS, cheerleader, and dedicated volunteer. She went to Assumption School, where she learned about volunteering and serving others.  Wants to go into medicine, and possibly practice medicine in her parents homeland of Vietnam. 

Announcements

  • Next fellowship event will be Wednesday night, Oct 24, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band at MBT, and dinner at Table restaurant at 5:30pm (pay for your own dinner).  Eddie will have you MBT ticket at the dinner - they are $45 each.
  • Grape & Gourmet preparations.  The event is coming up soon on be Sunday night Nov. 4th.  Please buy tickets from Mike Werner (this week buy from Lance, however).  Also see our Facebook site.  Tonja Myers still needs auction items. Henry Lee talked about the "pre-order" wine list which was handed out today, very discounted prices, fill out your order send to Harold Scott, the deadline is THIS FRIDAY.  There will be a wine store at the event (upstairs this year), also there will be a pre-order wine list (this will be an important part of the event for the wineries).  Chuck still needs a few more people to volunteer for the wine shop.
  • Programs: Bob Moles still needs a musical Christmas program if anyone has any contacts with the high school music programs.
 

Bucks in the Bay

  • Phil X Hageman missed last week, busy installing a Skybridge at Peoples' Bank!
  • John Templeton for birthday, couple weeks in Cabo, daughter put on amazing performance at Janzen Center last weekend, said SOM Hannah is applying to Notre Dame; 
  • Bob Tull acknowledged all our club members who have served on the Hospice board over the years;
  • Mark Turner was in Tuscon, AZ, and attended a Rotary club there;
  • Bill Boyd is now a private citizen, started new job last week!
  • Stephanie Sadler for a birthday, trip to NYC with Mimi and daughter;
  • Lance $ for home game of Bellingham Blazers!
  • Dean Fulton announced that Dunham Cellars 2010 Tech Ed Red and will benefit the Bellingham Technical College. It can be found here:
  • Tim Krell told story of local hockey referee, who is a part time Canada Air pilot, spotted the lost sailor near Austrlia while 
  • Terry Myers went to trip to Yakima;
  • Denise Bosman missed meetings, news from work, not getting any less busy, thanks to Eddie Hansen who hired her daughter;
  • Bob Becker $ for Foundation, a birthday, recent trip to La Quinta where he hopes to be spending more time;
  • Scotty with G&G announcement: We need wine pre-orders!

Sergeant at Arms by Frank Chmelik
Fines regarding the press debates, Chuck, Anna, Mimi, Tim Krell, John Templeton, Curt and Stan, Marilyn Olson, 

Program

Bob Moles introduced Dave Blair to talk about the wine industry.  Dave was born and raised in Bellingham, WWU, Haggen Foods, owner and CEO Bellingham Frozen Foods, 1997 joined Trillium in their ag division, continues today as majority owner of Dunham Cellars.  Dave is also been very active as community leader over the years, especially in education.

Phylloxera - an aphid native to N. America that almost wiped out European vineyards in 1850's. Had to learn to graft N american vines to European varietals.  1980's CA had similar outbreak.  WA mostly avoided that outbreak.

Global wine production - there has been a REDUCTION in global production over last 30 years. 

Germany is the largest importer but still importing less than previously.

Consumption is highest in Europe, the US is way behind Europe in terms of consumption.

There has been tremendous consolation in the industry, both locally and globally, to help with marketing and distribution costs.

WA state is a distant second to CA in the US production of wine. Over 700 in the state, 200 near Walla Walla.  60% of wine here is white!

St. Michelle biggest producer (6 million cases per year, including Columbiab Crest, Snoqualmie, Kirkland, and many others).

Dunham Cellars is 24th in size for WA State (20,000 cases per year).

Why Washington?  Right latitude, excellent growing degree days, vines go dormant during cold winter, terroir.

Dunham Cellars: Vintner Eric Dunham became interested in making wines in the mid 1990's, first apprenticed at Hogue Cellars, then L'Ecole 14, then '98 they went out on their own to make wine.  In 2000 they joined forces with Trillium (David Syre) buying into the winery.  First vintage was in 2000.  

Some instructions on how to taste wines.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Stowe Talbot