Charitable Giving Program

It is time, once again, to announce the Dobbes Charitable Giving Program beneficiary. Each quarter, a different employee has the opportunity to select a cause that has special meaning to them. During that quarter we feature a wine and donate 10% of its sales to the chosen charity. 
 
With your support last quarter we were able to send a check for approximately $1300 to the Williams Syndrome Foundation! Thank you for your positive feedback concerning our Giving Back Program and for contributing.

Our newly promoted Assistant Winemaker, Andy McVay, chose the charity for the summer quarter. Dobbes Family Estate will donate 10% of the proceeds from the sales of our 2009 Grenache Blanc to the Schoolhouse Supplies organization. You can read his story below. 
Featured Charity:
Schoolhouse Supplies

 
Schoolhouse Supplies, founded in 1999, is an award-winning nonprofit that supports public education in Portland by giving students and teachers free classroom supplies. Our mission, "to serve classrooms in need by operating a volunteer-run Free Store for Teachers, which is stocked with supplies donated by the community," is based on the belief that every child deserves school supplies and has the right to a quality education. Founded by Portland Public Schools parent Katie Gold, Schoolhouse Supplies is Oregon's first and only volunteer-run Free Store and has grown from serving 11 schools to all 130 Portland Public Schools.  In this time we have distributed an estimated retail value of more than $11.2 million dollars in school supplies. With supply drives and generous contributions of gently used supplies from leading businesses in the northwest, Schoolhouse Supplies has been able to keep our Free Store shelves stocked year round. We take private and corporate donations of all kinds - from basics like pencils and paper to books, backpacks, and folders - and put them in the hands of students.  Today, we are a nationally recognized leader in the Free Store movement, which creates direct links between students and members of the community.
For more information click link below:
 
2009 Dobbes Family Estate Grenache Blanc 
 
Want to make your Sommelier jealous? Tell them you just enjoyed the first Oregon bottling in of a 100% Grenache Blanc! Fashioned by  Joe Dobbes with fruit sourced from Crater View Vineyard in the Rogue Valley, this wine was barrel fermented and barrel aged, then bottled unfiltered and unfined.  This special limited production release is available for purchase only  at the winery!            
 
Grenache Blanc mutated from Garnacha many ages ago and the French have been blending it with several other white varietals in the South of France for ages. The growers in Southern Oregon have been mimicking the French but when Joe Dobbes found this unusual fruit he decided to do what Joe does best; be the first to create a wine that wows every palate it touches.
           
Just this last May at the famous Hospice du Rhône located in San Luis Obispo California there were an astonishing 13 producers pouring 100% Grenache Blanc. Joe wasn't even sure anybody had tried it before! Maybe we are on to something in Dundee, huh? Visit the Tasting Room soon before the 130 cases are gone!
 
Do you want to support Schoolhouse Supplies?
 
Click here to purchase 2009 Grenache Blanc.
 
 
Helping Local Schools
 By Andy McVay
Hello, my name is Andy McVay and I am the Assistant Winemaker for Dobbes Family Estate. When given the opportunity to choose a charity for the next quarter I jumped at the chance to support Schoolhouse Supplies. Schoolhouse Supplies is an award-winning nonprofit that supports public education in Portland by giving students and teachers free classroom supplies. Their mission, "to serve classrooms in need by operating a volunteer-run Free Store for Teachers, which is stocked with supplies donated by the community," is based on the belief that every child deserves school supplies and has the right to a quality education.

When I chose a career in wine making I knew that I would not be directly helping people as my day to day job. I made that choice because on my bad days at work the worst I can do is make bad wine, I don't like the idea that if I was a teacher I could do a bad job at helping people, that's one of the reasons I have so much respect for educators. Teachers dedicate every day to improving the lives of other people whether they're having a good day or a bad day. My life is surrounded by teachers. Both my parents are teachers as are my older sister, mother in law and now my wife is taking the plunge as well. All of my life I've seen the daily sacrifice and commitment that teachers make to the lives of others and I am 100% in support of them and so is Schoolhouse Supplies.
 
Founded by Portland Public Schools parent Katie Gold, Schoolhouse Supplies has grown from serving 11 schools to all 130Portland Public Schools. In this time they have distributed an estimated retail value of more than $11.2 million dollars in school supplies. With supply drives and generous contributions of gently used supplies from leading businesses in the northwest, Schoolhouse Supplies has been able to keep their Free Store shelves stocked year round.
In my career I have purposefully pursued companies that make a point to incorporate philanthropy into their business plan. Dobbes Family Estate's Charitable Giving Program provides a different employee the opportunity to support a charity for a quarter of the year. During this quarter we're featuring 2009 Grenache Blanc and 10% of its sales will be donated to Schoolhouse Supplies. For the next three months make use of a limited opportunity to buy the Grenache Blanc, an exciting first time release, and get an A+ in your support of Schoolhouse Supplies!!!!