Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/44136
"I have an international background," Vollmer says, "And I've been to places where people don't have shoes on their feet . . . Something just welled up inside me to help those in need." Soles4Souls and flipflop are now run- ning the Flippin' Good Deeds Blogger Challenge, which has bloggers around the country gathering as many shoes as they can for donation. Power mom bloggers from Arkansas to Washington have taken up the challenge, and they share their exploits on the hundreds of blogs that are read by thousands of people around the world. The winners will travel to international distribution sites to give shoes to the people who need them most. Philanthro-tourism, if you will. The brand sells seven varietals: Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Moscato and Riesling, plus Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Pinot Noir. They are all made from California grapes, with the exception of the Riesling, which is from Washington State. Georges's demeanor might be casual, but his winemaking is not. He's got a degree in viticulture from U.C. Davis, where he also studied winemaking. He also had a three-year apprenticeship with Dr. Andy Walker, the renowned rootstock expert, and Dr. Ann Noble, the sensory expert who developed the "aroma wheel," helped refine his palate. All that eventually led to Georges becoming the winemaker at prestigious Bynum Davis in Sonoma's Russian River Valley, but still, something was lacking. Georges explains: "When your friends say, 'This is a great wine, where can I get it?' and you have to say, 'You can't afford it, or if you can afford it, you can't get it because it's all sold out,' that got a little tiresome. I still believe that wine is something that should be enjoyed in an everyday casual lifestyle. And in order to do that, it's got to be affordable." Georges is self-effacing about the high quality of the wine, too. "Even though I have a lot of clout and a lot of say about how the wines are to be blended, it is a collaborative effort," he says. "But they gave me really good authority to say, 'Hey, I want this Pinot lot, or this Cabernet lot,' because I want this wine to be the best you can buy." Wanda Vollmer, Senior Academic Adviser at Brandman University in Monterey, CA, has launched another shoe drive as a part of the Flippin' Good Deeds Blogger Challenge. Proudly distributed by Youngs Market october 201 1 / the tasting panel / 65