Eat, Drink, Savor: Thee Vaché Society celebrates 30th anniversary

Lea este artículo en español aquí.

Fifty wine enthusiasts gathered at the Inn at Tres Pinos on Jan. 13 for the 30th anniversary of Thee Vaché Society dinner, a quarterly event named after Théophile Vaché, who founded his vineyard in Cienega Valley in 1851—now home to California’s oldest continuously producing commercial winery.

“Basically,” organizer and co-founder Joe Postigo said, “I found everything I could on the guy. He was forgotten in time until we dug up some stories about him. So when people ask, ‘What the hell does “Vaché” mean,’ we get a chance to tell his history.”

The society is a loose affiliation of men dedicated to fine wines and the food heritage of San Benito County through a series of high-end dinners at some of the finest local restaurants. Guests bring a specific varietal, such as merlot or pinot noir, or a wine from a particular region. Chefs are given the wine theme in advance and then allowed to craft a menu around it. 

The inspiration for the Thee Vaché Society came from an evening’s conversation over dinner at the Tres Pinos Inn among Postigo, wine writer Doug Kuerschner, Pietra Santa Winery owner Joe Gemelli, and the Inn’s owner, Mike Howard. 

Kuerschner, who was a member of Anthony Dias Blue’s Bon Appétit Tasting Panel, said it was patterned after a similar society, Monterey’s Gentleman’s Wine Group, which was founded five years earlier.

“We had the base idea,” Postigo said, “and Doug said, ‘I know people.’ Mike said, “I have people here at the restaurant that would like to do a gentleman’s thing.’ And Joe said, ‘Well, I have the winery, I have the place, and the chef.’’

The first dinner of this “gentleman’s club” was held on Jan. 13, 1996, at Pietra Santa for 16 guests, including Calera Wine Company founder Josh Jensen. It was a much more formal affair than is currently held, with a 17-point program of wine presentations, guest speakers, and a cigar lottery.

The first dinner was prepared by the “Chef de Inn at Tres Pinos,” and consisted of Wild Boar Sausage, angel hair pasta, grilled shrimp, Caesar salad, bruschetta bread and tiramisu. There was no charge for the first gathering but guests were expected to bring “One Bottle of Tasteful Wine” as well as one cigar to smoke and one for a blind drawing. 

“Ever since then,” Postigo said, “we just started to grow. Everybody else was busy, and I took it over because I was young enough to keep it going, every other month for 20 years, and now quarterly.” 

Along with the guest-supplied San Benito County-labeled wine, as specified in the invitation, the five-course anniversary dinner featured: 

• The Appetizer Course: Sun-dried tomato & basil chèvre spread displayed with garlic crostini 
• The Salad Course: The Classic Tres Pinos house salad – iceberg lettuce wedge topped with olives, tomatoes, house vinaigrette & blue cheese crumbles
• The Intermezzo Course: Lemon sorbet with local berry-infused balsamic vinegar
• The Entrée Course: Oak wood flame-grilled 12 oz New York steak, served medium rare with a fresh sauteed button mushroom veal stock reduction served with Asiago baked scalloped potatoes and sauteed green beans
• The Dessert Course: Vanilla bean crème brulee – a Tres Pinos classic. accompanied with macerated berries, fresh whipped cream & homegrown

While Thee Vaché Society dinners have an open but limited attendance (via RSVP), 10 years ago, Postigo, along with Kuerschner, created a more exclusive wine group, the College of Cardinals, which grew out of his experiences with the Gentleman’s Wine Group

“I wanted to increase my knowledge even more,” Postigo said, “and I was kind of critiquing on how I could do what they did, but a little bit better, more down to earth, because those guys have the ways and means to go where no man has gone before.”  

The first dinner, described by Postigo as a “mini-session,” was held for eight of the Vaché regulars at the now-closed Pink House in San Juan Bautista. 

“They were guys who were very into wine,” he said, “whether they were wine makers or just knowledgeable drinkers or wine makers. We had souffles, and I made the score sheets. And I proposed a pecking order kind of a thing, all for fun.”

New members enter as “Bishops,” and can be elevated to “Archbishop” if they take first place in the tasting, which allows them to attend the next wine tasting for free. There is a fixed number of “Cardinals,” and a new one can be appointed only if a current Cardinal decides to leave the group. Departed members are referred to as “Monsignors.”

(This reporter was elevated to Archbishop at the College of Cardinals event at Seabrisa’s on May 23, 2025, when his selection, a 2022 Harvester Estrella District Cabernet won first place. Second place was a 2022 Kamal Vineyard Sextant, and third was a 2022 Justin Reserve.)

The tastings are limited to 18 of the 45 or so members on a first-come basis. Invitations are issued according to the pecking order, with Cardinals having the first opportunity for a seat at the dinner. As participants respond, they report the wine they are bringing and Postigo issues updated lists so there are, ideally, no duplications.

“We try to do higher-end wines,” Postigo said, “and challenge each other on the selections. I tend to stay within the state, but I will switch it up with Washington, Spain, Italy, France. I still want to do a Portuguese one with a traditional meal and wines from the Douro Valley.”

Bottles are marked with the attendee’s name, then placed in lettered velvet bags to conceal the labels. They are passed three or four at a time around the table, tastings are poured, and the judging begins. Scores are tallied at the end, and the winner is announced. 

 “The race is not always to the swift,” Postigo said. “Sometimes that expensive bottle of wine tanks. I’ve heard every excuse, like it paired well with the salad and not with the steak. You never know. And that is the challenge.”

Chuck Frowein, who holds the rank of Cardinal in the College of Cardinals, has attended Thee Vaché Society dinners for around 15 years after being invited by a friend. He has also hosted the events at his Grillin & Chillin Alehouse in Hollister. 

“There is a lot of behind-the-scenes work getting everything ready,” he said, “but it gives us a chance to do things that are not on our normal menu, like bone marrow for appetizers or peppercorn steaks with reduction sauces.”

Frowein said that each gathering has been a lot of fun and that, wherever it is held, every dinner feels like a reunion. 

“It’s the camaraderie,” he said. “It’s a lot of great people sharing wine and stories. There is always great food, and you get to meet and network with new people. And we get to showcase everything that’s in our backyard.” 

Thee Vaché Society on Facebook

Related article:

Eat, Drink, Savor: the spectacular 170-year-old lineage of Cienega Valley wines. 

Recommendations for future Eat, Drink, Savor articles can be emailed to roberteliason@benitolink.com.

BenitoLink thanks our underwriters, Hollister Super and Windmill Market, for helping expand the Eat, Drink, Savor series and for giving our readers the stories that interest them. Hollister Super (two stores in Hollister) and Windmill Market (in San Juan Bautista) support reporting on the inspired and creative people behind the many delicious food and drink products made in San Benito County. All editorial decisions are made by BenitoLink.

We need your help. Support local, nonprofit news!BenitoLink is a nonprofit news website that reports on San Benito County. Our team is committed to this community and providing essential, accurate information to our fellow residents. Producing local news is expensive, and community support keeps the news flowing. Please consider supporting BenitoLink, San Benito County’s public service nonprofit news.