Superb pinots, Super Saturday, and a superior music tip

By Mark Fisher | Friday, July 30, 2010, 07:59 AM

Pinot Noirs rule this amazing tastings list that comes to Uncorked courtesy of a Dayton-based wine listserv: check out the Bruning’s, DLM Springboro and Jungle Jim’s special pinot tastings, all on Saturday. I had a chance on Wednesday to taste the four pinot noirs on Bruning’s tasting bar this Saturday, and all four were pure pinot pleasure. For a broader spectrum of wine pleasure all in one location, Arrow Wine’s Far Hills store is hosting a “Super Saturday” tomorrow — always a hit.

Now I know I’m not a music critic, but … if you’ve never seen Jim Volk perform live, head to Spinoza’s tonight (Friday, July 30) in the Mall at Fairfield Commons from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. (great selection of craft beers) and listen to this guy play. Here’s how Spinoza’s owner Glen Brailey describes Volk’s music:

If you haven’t experienced the guitar wizardry of Jim Volk, then you are in for a real treat when he returns to the Spinoza’s-Cincinnati Bell Wireless Stage on Friday, July 30th at 7:00 pm. Jim’s unique finger-style playing along with extensive vamping and looping creates an unforgettable tapestry of music that will have your jaw dropping in amazement! No cover.

Glen’s description is right on the money.

Between the wine and the entertainment, is this a great place to live or what?

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Bruning’s to host two special pinot noir tastings

By Mark Fisher | Tuesday, July 27, 2010, 07:48 AM

I received the following email from Dan Craven of Bruning’s wine store in Beavercreek:

I wanted to drop you a line to see if you might have any interest in a special edition of our weekly tastings coming up. We think it’s going to be really great, and feel that it deserves a little extra attention.

The tastings will be during our normal days and times on Wednesday, July 28th from 5-8 and Saturday, July 31 from 3-6. The gist of this one will be a comparison between Burgundy and New World pinot. The New World wines will be one each of what I consider to be the top three AVA’s in the US for pinot production: Santa. Rita Hills, the Sonoma Coast, and the Willamette Valley.

The wines will be special: a 1er Cru Volnay from Joseph Voillot (the ‘Les Champans’ bottling from 2007), the Sta. Rita Hills bottling from Brewer-Clifton, a Sonoma wine from Scherrer, and the Yamhill Cuvee from Willamette’s Domaine Serene. With wines of this quality, it will be a great opportunity to see how these different regions stack up against a top example from the original home of pinot. I’m hopeful that all the pinot-philes (and I know they’re out there!) in the area will be excited to come and join us.

So, pinot-philes, there you have it — Bruning’s is the place to be Wednesday night or Saturday afternoon — or both!

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Temecula: Southern California’s undiscovered wine country is a hidden gem

By Mark Fisher | Sunday, July 25, 2010, 02:15 PM

View from the Falkner Winery tasting patio in Temecula, CA

Temecula may well be the most enjoyable California wine country you’ve never heard of.

And even if you HAVE heard of the small wine-producing region tucked into in southern California 70 miles north of San Diego and 90 miles east of Los Angeles, there’s a strong likelihood you haven’t visited. But you should.

My most recent visits to California have included stops in other less-favored wine-producing regions (well, less favored than the Napa-and-Sonoma juggernaut) such as Lodi, and Paso Robles and Santa Barbara. Temecula has its own quirks and idiosyncrasies, but my Temecula visit in early July was every bit as satisfying, and in some ways moreso.

Don’t let Temecula’s southern latitude fool you. Sure, it gets plenty hot here on summer days, but the Pacific Ocean is the west coast’s giant air conditioner, and a break in the mountains to the west funnels cool ocean air into Temecula’s vineyards (and into town, as I quickly learned) every day starting at about 4 p.m. The cool blasts allow Temecula’s vineyards to flourish.

And make no mistake, there are some excellent wines produced here, and of all stripes — whites, reds and dessert wines. Sauvignon blanc is a strength among the whites, as are Rhone varietals such as Roussanne and Viognier. While cabernet sauvignon and merlot do well, some of the most interesting reds come from Rhone and Italian varietals such as syrah, grenache and sangiovese.

Not that those of us back East would know about these great wines, mind you. None of the three dozen or so wineries in Temecula is large enough to put wines into full, national distribution, and even the region’s biggest and most ambitious producers don’t have distributors yet in markets such as Ohio, although some do ship wines here.

I do recall that back in the 1980s, Callaway Vineyards sold wines such as its fine “Calla-lees” non-oaked chardonnay (talk about ahead of its time!) on a broad scale, including Ohio, But a decade ago, Pierce’s Disease decimated many of Callaway’s (and Temecula’s) vineyards, and Callaway went through multiple ownership changes. It’s now on the road to full recovery but sells wine only from the winery, but no winery has yet reached Callaway’s national footprint.

Temecula has a bit of a schizophrenic nature, and the geekiest of wine geeks may want to stick to a return visit to Napa and all its trappings. Many of Temecula’s wineries depend on tourism to survive, so they market themselves aggressively as lifestyle destination spots, or as wedding sites, or both. A quiet visit to a tasting room might be shattered by a limo that pulls up carrying a cadre of Orange County women who are already half in the bag. It makes for fun people-watching ,although one’s laser-like focus on wine-tasting may blur a bit.

And some wineries give a nod to tourists by producing a handful of sweet wines, or by leaving just a touch of residual sugar in some of their wines. In my wine world, where German rieslings and demi-sec-style Vouvrays are greatly appreciated, that’s no crime. Some of these off-dry Temecula wines are quite good, still balanced with acidity and fun to sample — but those whose wine snobbery commands them to condemn any wine that has a hint of sweetness should be forewarned.

Still, Temecula’s winemaking corps still has its purists, those who put the focus squarely on wine (and on dry wines) and don’t apologize one bit for it. My first stop at Hart Family Winery introduced me to one of them — Joe Hart, one of Temecula’s wine pioneers — and to some of the best wines I sampled during the trip.

Hart was among the first wave of Temecula’s winery founders, and he is the last surviving member. He purchased property in 1973, planted grapevines in 1974, and built his winery in 1980.

“When we started, there were only three wineries out here,” Hart said. A former schoolteacher, Hart gained an appreciation for white wines while visiting Bavaria and for reds during a trip to Venice. And while Temecula “is neither Venice nor Bavaria, it is a great place to grow wine,” Hart said.

JOE HART

Learning his age — he’s 78 — is a bit of a shock, because Hart looks 15 years younger. He is soft-spoken but not shy to share an opinion. And he has a few to share.

“I’m not a fan of the direction of the direction we’re headed in Temecula,” Hart says. “I think some of us have lost our focus on wine, which is to our detriment.”

Some of his fellow winery owners “don’t care — for them, it’s not about the wine, it’s about the experience.”

As you might imagine, the Hart Family Winery tasting room is rather spartan, and the focus is, by golly, squarely on the wines. Highlights included a mouth-watering 2009 Hart Family Winery Sauvignon Blanc ($18); a fruity, balanced 2007 Sangiovese ($24), and a surprising and delicious 2005 Cabernet Franc ($25), true to its varietal with a mild herbal notes and fine length. And I suspect Hart is one of the few winemakers in the country (or the world) to blend grenache, tempranillo and syrah in a bright, drinkable ‘07 he calls “Three.”

The winery that put Temecula on the map two decades ago, Callaway Winery, is right next door to Hart. Callaway is a mere shadow of its former self, volume-wise: In the mid-1980s, the winery had 750 acres of vineyards and produced 500,000 cases a year, and now tends to 70 acres of grapes and makes less than 25,000 cases a year today. There are still plenty of choices, however: Callaway’s wine list in its spacious tasting room features more than two dozen bottlings.

SERVER BREANN MADDEN IN CALLAWAY WINERY’S TASTING ROOM

Callaway’s winemaker, Craig Larson, shows a deft touch with his 2008 Callaway Winemaker’s Reserve Quartet ($28), a blend of chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, semillon and viognier that is complex and shows just a touch of oak. And it’s easy to see why the 2009 Special Selection Rose of Sangiovese ($18) is dubbed by the winery “Darling of the Wine Competitions,” with its bright strawberry fruit, hint of sweetness and balancing acidity. Callaway also produces one of the best syrahs in the valley, the 2007 Winemaker’s Reserve Syrah ($38), with a peppery note and great length.

Phil Baily, proprietor of Baily Vineyard and Winery, worked as a management consultant in Los Angeles until the early 1980s, when his firm was sold. Baily and his wife Carol decided to “make a life change,” Baily said, and moved to Temecula with no intention of starting their own winery. But after befriending some of the valley’s winemaking families, Baily caught the wine bug, and his namesake winery opened in 1986. Today, Baily is both co-owner and winemaker; his wife Carol oversees a restaurant at the winery; and his son and daughter-in-law run two restaurants in Old Town Temecula, Baily’s Fine Dining and the Front Street Bar & Grill.

PHIL BAILY

Red wines are a strength here, in part because Baily shows great patience in his cellar decisions. The reds generally age for 30 months in oak, are bottled, then are held in the winery for one additional year before release. The resulting wines are smooth, supple, and balanced. Highlights included a 2005 Baily Cabernet Franc ($26.95), packed with silky fruit with a touch of herbs (a barrel sample of the ‘07cab franc showed great promise, too); 2006 Baily Merlot ($19.95) that could reawaken your taste for this grape; and 2006 Baily Meritage ($42) that hasn’t been released yet but which also has a great future. To show his wines’ aging potential, Baily opened a bottle of 1998 Meritage that showed beautifully, fully mature and at its peak, with great length.

The Mount Palomar Winery is also one of Temecula’s pioneers, growing and producing wines since 1969. Its wines today are made by Craig Boyd, a Pittsburgh native whose great-grandparents lived in the Dayton area.

CRAIG BOYD

Boyd has a playful side that suits him well to some of the more obscure grape varieties he’s working with at Mount Palomar, which is one of very few wineries — Boyd knows of only one other in California — to produce a varietal Cortese, a white-wine grape from the Piedmont region of Italy. Boyd hopes to expand Mount Palomar’s cortese plantings and also add arneis and picpoul, two other European grapes that are not exactly household names in the U.S.

Both Mount Palomar’s Castelletto 2007 and 2008 vintages of Cortese ($24) are gorgeous, with effusive aromas of flowers, apples and minerals, with an intriguing hint of nutty bitterness in the finish. Another only slightly less obscure grape shows up again in one of the winery’s best reds: The 2005 Best of Vintage Charbono ($44), which boasts a touch of iodine and forest floor reminiscent of the fine Mourvedre produced in the Bandol region of France.

Two stunning dessert wines also stood out: Mount Palomar Limited Reserve Port ($38), made in a solera style from multiple vintages back to 1998, and Solera Cream Sherry ($29/500 ml), aged in bourbon barrels.

All wines are made without pretense: “I don’t make trophy wines,” Boyd says. “I take a lot of pride in making great table wines. I like to hear corks popping.”

Corks were popping aplenty during a late Thursday afternoon visit to Wilson Creek Winery & Vineyards, where the tasting bar was packed with customers showing why this opulent winery is one of Temecula’s top attractions.

WILSON CREEK WINERY

The wines here are made under the steady hand of Etienne Cowper, who used to drive through Temecula in the late 1960s after growing up in Orange County. Cowper earned a degree in agricultural chemistry, made wines in New Mexico, then came to the Temecula area to make wines for the aforementioned Mount Palomar.

He’s been at Wilson Creek for three years, and says plainly that his job is to “make sure we don’t lose the focus on wines.”

Wilson Creek’s signature wine is its Almond Champagne, fermented with almond oil. But Cowper shows pride in other fine offerings that include a textbook 2007 Estate Viognier ($18.95), a dry 2008 Estate Grenache Rose ($18.95) and a peppery, French-style 2007 Syrah ($32.95).

Some of Temecula’s best views and most striking architecture can be found at Falkner Winery and its restaurant, The Pinnacle. Both are owned by Ray and Loretta Falkner, who had successful careers elsewhere — Ray in the high-tech industry with IBM and Microsoft, Loretta in fashion retail for Macy’s and Montgomery-Ward — before buying the winery in 2000.

THE PINNACLE RESTAURANT AT FALKNER WINERY

Falkner markets itself aggressively as a wedding and banquet destination and produces a semi-sweet red wine (3 percent residual sugar) it calls “Luscious Lips,” a blend of syrah and sangiovese. Its lineup also includes a very fine 2009 sauvignon blanc ($18.95) and an exotic, honeysuckle-scented 2008 viognier ($24.95). Falkner also practices patience with its red wines, holding them for three years before release. Falkner’s 2006 Rock Creek Vineyard Syrah ($26.95) is smooth and beautifully balanced.

If one winery is poised to lift Temecula to greater prominence outside southern California, it is likely South Coast Winery, which in 2008 and 2009 won the “Golden State Winery of the Year” award from the California State Fair (it missed out on the 2010 award despite taking home a slew of medals from the fair’s wine competition). South Coast also operates a resort, spa and restaurant, but it clearly hasn’t skimped on its wine program.

Tasting room highlights included a bracing, refreshing 2007 Semillon ($18), an intriguing 2008 GVR ($20) blend of grenache blanc, viognier, and roussanne, and a fabulous 2006 Wild Horse Peak Syrah ($44), with ripe fruit married with black pepper.

Temecula is a wine region of many personalities, and at the moment, it’s using all of those personalities to create a satisfying whole. Wine lovers and wine novices alike can find plenty to enjoy in this easy-to-visit and underappreciated wine region.

For more information about Temecula wineries, go to this Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association web site.

Mark Fisher is wine writer and food and dining reporter for the Dayton Daily News.

Insider tips for visiting Temecula

— Fly in and out of Ontario Airport rather than Los Angeles or San Diego — much less crowded, far less traffic and fewer headaches.

— If you’re looking for quiet visits to the tasting rooms, visit early in the week, and avoid weekends. And go early in the day. Most tasting rooms close at 5 p.m., and those that stay open until 6 p.m. get a bit crazy during their last hour of business.

— Stay in or near “Oldtown” Temecula, which has enough restaurants, wine bars, gift shops and antique stores to keep everyone in the family happy. Options include the rustic Palomar Inn Historical Landmark Hotel (www.palomarintemecula.com, 951-676-6503), built in 1927, or if your tastes run to the modern, the nearby SpringHill Suites by Marriott (www.Marriott.com, 951-699-4477), which opened within the last year.

WHERE TO EAT

MERITAGE RESTAURANT AT CALLAWAY WINERY

— Meritage Restaurant at Callaway Vineyard & Winery (951-676-4001)

— The Edge Restaurant and Lounge in Old Town Temecula (95- 506-3343)

— Baily’s Fine Dining in Old Town Temecula (951-676-9567)

— Vail Ranch Steakhouse in Temecula (951-694-1475)

— Soro’s Mediterranean Grill in Old Town Temecula

All photos by Mark Fisher, except for the photo of Joe Hart, courtesy of Hart Family Winery.

A shorter version of this story was published in the Dayton Daily News on Friday, July 24, 2010.

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Hot days, cool wines: Dayton-area wine tastings

By Mark Fisher | Friday, July 23, 2010, 08:34 AM

I’m still fermenting the notes from my trip to Temecula — hope to have something posted here by Monday morning. And now I’m in Ann Arbor, which means I’ll be taking a looooooonng shower upon my return to wash off the Maize and Blue influences. So go forth and taste, guided by the steady hand of this amazing tastings list that is compiled by a relentless and altruistic Dayton-based wine listserv … cheers!

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It was a dark and steamy Thursday night, when suddenly a wine tasting broke out

By Mark Fisher | Thursday, July 22, 2010, 07:20 AM

The crack team at the Dayton-based wine listserv that compiles the wine tastings, dinners and special events that we publish here on Uncorked sent a sterling list out early in the day yesterday, on Wednesday, describing events last night and tonight, but your Uncorked author was asleep at the wheel (well, slaving away at his laptop, actually) and failed to post it in a timely manner. So here’s a list of fine, fun events happening tonight, along with a few that occurred last night … Enjoy!

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A Dog Days of July wine-tastings extravaganza

By Mark Fisher | Friday, July 16, 2010, 08:30 AM

In fact, loads of wine-tasting extravaganzas, all yours for nothing more than a click of the mouse, thanks to the Dayton-based wine listserv that compiles this amazing list and shares it with Uncorked, and to the wine shops, grocers and restaurants that host the events.

Among the many events that caught my eye: Juan and Nola Palomar of Veleta Wines are headed to Michael Anthony’s at The Inn in Versailles (937-526-3020) for a 6:30 p.m. event on Friday, July 23. Juan’s wines from his native Spain have always impressed me for their quality and value, so this event should be even more worthwhile than usual.

Also, check out the Jay’s tasting next Thursday (July 22) of the Champagnes of Duval-Leroy, paired with oysters, shrimp, crab and three kinds of caviar. Once again I ask, is there a better place to be for a wine lover than Dayton, Ohio, even during the dog days of summer? Read on before you answer …

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All pinots tonight at Jay’s, plus four more fine choices at other venues

By Mark Fisher | Wednesday, July 14, 2010, 02:54 PM

Five — count ‘em, FIVE — great wine events to choose from tonight (Wednesday, July 14) to choose from, plus more to come in this “special edition” wine-tastings list that comes to Uncorked by way of the Dayton-based wine listserv that compiles it:

Jay’s Kitchen Door 225 E. Sixth St. in Dayton’s Oregon Historic District, RSVP (937) 2222892 http://www.jays.com Wednesday, July 14, 2010 A to Z Wine Tasting 5-7 pm Wines, all pinots from: Bethel Heights Penner Ash Rex Hill

Chef Chris’s Small Plates Lamb and Ratatouille Baguette Grilled Duck Breast Mini-Club Sandwich

Arrow Far Hills - Kettering 2950 Far Hills Ave. 9372981456 http://www.arrowwineandspirits.com/ Daily Tastings M-F

Dorothy Lane Market Washington Square Wednesday July 14, 2010 5 to 8 PM Women and Wine after work tasting! Skinny Girl Margarita 2009 Paso a Paso Verdejo 2009 Wrongo Dongo Monastrell 2008 Tait Ball Buster Shiraz

Cuvee Wine Bar and Cellar, 4457 State Route 725 Bellbrook 8482161 Tuesday - Thursday noon - 8 pm Friday, Saturday noon - 10:00 pm Wines for the week Jul 9 - Jul 15 Trebbiano Grechetto Burgans Albarino The Chook Sparkling Shiraz Hazard Hill Shiraz Avante Mencia Beer: Anchor Summer Beer Wednesday, Jul 14, 2010 Sandwich Night:: Cuban Panini with Mixed Fruit

The Wine Gallery 5 West Monument Ave Dayton Ohio 45402 9372249463 Wednesday Jul 14, 2010 5:30 - 8:30 pm 2008 Trenza Blanco, Edna Valley, California 2004 Baileyana Firepeak Vineyards Edna Valley Syrah 2007 Schild Estate Wines Barossa Valley Shiraz 2005 Quinto do Crasto Touriga Nacional, Portugal 2005 Schild Estate Wine Barossa GMS Australia

A Taste of Wine 90 S. Main St Miamisburg, OH 937.2471120 www.atasteofwine.org This week’s wines: Cabinet Riesling Anne Amie Pinot Gris Wente Morning Fog Chardonnay Touraine Pinot Noir Rose Gouguenheim Pinot Noir Toad Hollow Merlot The Crusher Cabernet Sauvignon Patricia Green Estate Pinot Noir

Savona Wednesday, July 14, 2010 5 8 pm Wine tasting and appetizers. Wines of Charles Smith. Eve Chardonay Kung Fu Girl Riesling The Velvet Devil Merlot Boom Boom Syrah

Bruning’s Wine Cellar 1481 N Fairfield Rd., Beavercreek (937) 4264950 www.brunings.com Wednesday, Jul 14 from 5-8 PM: Selby Winery 2009 Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc 2008 Russian River Vally Chardonnay 2006 Sonoma County Merlot 2007 Russian River Valley Syrah 2006 Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon Staropramen is the featured beer

Rumbleseat Wine 5853 Far Hills Ave. Dayton, Ohio (937) 9389801 Weekly Wines

Bella Vino Wine Merchant & Bar, Springboro, OH 45066 9377483807 www.bellavinomerchants.com Tuesday & Wednesday - Central and Southern Italy Santa Christina Pinot Grigio (2008) Sicilia. Montenevoso (2009) Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. Conti Degli Azzoni (2005) Rosso Piceno. Lamura Natura Rosso (2008) Sicilia. Feudo di San Nicola Negroamaro (2008) Puglia.

Thursday - Australian Wines from Tramonte & Sons Elderton Unoaked Chardonnay (2008) Barossa. Fire Block Dry Riesling (2008) Clare Valley. Alkoomi Shiraz (2007) Frankland River, Western Australia. Hill of Content Shiraz (2006) Western Australia/South Australia. Rocky Gully Shiraz/Viognier (2007) Frankland River, Western Australia.

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Three-day French wine festival coming to Kroger’s Kettering store

By Mark Fisher | Wednesday, July 14, 2010, 07:54 AM

The Kroger Fresh Fare store at East Stroop Road and Shroyer Road in Kettering is celebrating the first anniversary of its reopening after extensive renovation with a three-day French wine festival, according to Dean Breeding, who oversees the store’s wine department.

“I thought I’d put together something a little different,” Breeding said. He collaborated with a local distributor to bring in “12 really nice French selections that have proven to be very popular in some of the smaller shops and restaurants around the area. It’s an opportunity for my customers to sample some wines that they may not be quite as familiar with in our laid-back setting and at our very reasonable tasting fees.”

At 6 p.m. Friday, July 16, the store will host a “Tour de Fresh Fare” French food and wine event, featuring these four French wines to be paired with French foods and desserts: Robert Kacher Selections Domaine De Pouy, a white blend of Ugni Blanc and Colombard from the southwest of France; Robert Kacher Selections Merlot Gournier, a 100 percent merlot from the Costieres de Nimes region; Domaine de Nizas Red, a blend of Syrah, Mourvedre and Grenache from the Languedoc; and Kermit Lynch Cuvee Cotes du Rhone. The cost for the Friday event is $25, and tickets are available in the store’s wine department and at its customer service counter. For details, call 299-7500.

Then from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, July 17, the regular drop-in tasting will include wines from the Rhone, Languedoc, Burgundy and Bordeaux, all for $5 total. The following day, Sunday July 18, brings a $2 tasting of another four French wines, from Burgundy, Bordeaux, Costieres de Nimes and Languedoc.

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New leader takes over wine festival

By Mark Fisher | Monday, July 12, 2010, 09:01 AM

While I’m still struggling to put my body back to Ohio time (and failing miserably), here’s a news release from the folks who bring us the Cincinnati International Wine Festival:

CINCINNATI INTERNATIONAL WINE FESTIVAL NAMES LAURA GINN AS NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Cincinnati, OH - The Cincinnati International Wine Festival, a non profit organization dubbed as one of the Midwest’s largest annual wine events has announced, Laura Ginn, as their new Executive Director. Ginn will be responsible for the execution of each of the events. In addition, she will work to deliver increased attendance, strategize on marketing initiatives and supervise all office operations and personnel.

Ginn brings to the Executive Director position nearly fifteen years of wine industry experience. Prior to joining the Cincinnati International Wine Festival, she worked in retail and in fine wine distribution for locally owned and operated distributor, Vintner Select, with her most recent role being the Domestic and Australian Portfolio Manager. More notably are the five years Ginn spent on the Cincinnati International Wine Festival’s Grand Tastings Committee as well as the four years she served as a Co-Chair.

When asked her thoughts on the new position, Ginn responded, “to be in the food and wine industry and raise money for local charities is a very exciting and rewarding place to be.”

The Cincinnati International Wine Festival is composed of four major events. Recently, the Russ Wiles Memorial Golf Tournament was held on June 6th and 7th at TPC River’s Bend. Looking forward, the 2011 Wine Festival weekend will commence on March 10th with the Winery Dinners followed by the Grand Tastings on March 11th and 12th, and the Charity Auction & Luncheon on March 12th.

For more information on the Cincinnati International Wine Festival, visit www.winefestival.com or call (513) 241-3434.

About the Cincinnati International Wine Festival

The Cincinnati International Wine Festival is a 501 (c) (3) charitable, non-profit, fundraising organization established to raise funds and distribute grants in the Greater Cincinnati area for programs in the arts, education, and health and human services. Since 1991, over $3 million dollars has been raised and donated to local charities. Charities include; 90.9 WGUC, Cancer Family Care, Carnegie Art Center, Crayons to Computers, Dan Beard Council-Boy Scouts of America, Dress for Success, Emanuel Community Center, FreeStore/FoodBank, Hamilton County Special Olympics, Ronald McDonald House, Stepping Stones Center, Stop AIDS, Sudden Infant Death Network of Ohio, among others.

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