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History
Enjoy some Tastes of History from the Friends of the Winemakers (FOW)
In the Mid 1970's, Brother Norbert Korte was busy with his life and his love of wine. Brother Korte was a merchandising expert for the Novitiate Winery in Los Gatos, which produced and sold wines, which were mostly sacramental, and used in many churches.
On a visit to a local farm, Brother Korte had a vision of a different use for a barn or other building, that could showcase the history of winemaking in Santa Clara County. The stalls could represent different aspects of winemaking. Bro Korte invited some friends to join him in this adventure, to form a group, which would eventually be called Friends of the Winemakers. Initial members included Trish Pichette, Bonnie Bamburg, Helen Catton, Bob and Marilyn Markham, and Danny Swanson.
The first Friends of the Winemakers Advisory Board was formed in 1975, for the purpose of preserving the art and history of winemaking in the Santa Clara Valley. An important part of their vision was to establish a museum to document this history.
The first order of business was to form a 501(C)(3) non profit organization, amd with Brother Korte providing leadership and hard work, Friends of the Winemakers (FOW) received their official non profit status as a California 501(C)(3)organization in 1976.
The museum continued to be a major goal, and FOW began to investigate the possibility of using Malaguerra Winery, built in 1869 as a possible site for a museum.
With the help of the Santa Clara County Historical Commission, and the hard work from Brother Korte and his wine aficionados, the Malaguerra Winery was eventually declared an historical site, and the building and surrounding lands were leased to FOW. The group of dedicated workers continued to work hard, but the project did not prove feasible, and the group is now exploring new ways to recognize this dream, as a major focus of the organization.
Through the years, FOW has continued to meet with major focus centered on social activities for the group. One of the early events that was very popular was a BYOB at Thomas Kruse Winery. Friends came with clean, corkable wine bottles, which they could either fill by themselves, or have them filled by the winery. Members left with their own FOW label. Visits to wineries, parties, dinners, and special trips like Sideways Tours continue to bring lots of fun, laughs, and of course wine.
One of Brother Korte's favorite quotes: "We don't taste... we drink" is a belief shared by many of our members.
Our membership name tag features a wine cork with 3 ribbons: Red for the history of winemaking, blue for the art of winemaking, gold for the golden hills of California, and the cork representing friendship. Board members wear their corks at a different angle.
Stay tuned for more "Tastes of FOW history".. Doris Harry, FOW Board Member
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