Wine Country Curling Club is excited to host the 2023 Barrel at Skatetown Ice in Roseville, California from March 24th to March 26th! What started as an extra California bonspiel in 2017 has gotten better and better each year its been held — including the 2020 virtual bonspiel we held when the pandemic started!

This is a perfect bonspiel for all the new people in our club so get on a team and enjoy the bonspiel experience!!!

We have expanded to 20 teams and we have a few individual spots still available!

<<< REGISTRATION CLOSED >>>

$450 per team / 4-game guarantee

Hotel accommodations can be found here.

REGISTERED TEAMS

Barrel Bonspiel Rules (2023)

Rules for the pool format:

1. Each team will play in a pool of 4. There will be a round robin among those 4 teams. During pool play, games may end in a tie.
2. After round robin, each team will be ranked 1-4 in their pool. If there are ties in standings, the tiebreakers will be:
   • win-loss-tie record
   • head-to-head
   • Draw-To-Button (DTB) measurement
   • point differential
   • points for
   • coin flip
3. After pool standings are completed, all 20 teams will be ranked for the playoffs. The top 8 ranked teams will advance to the A Bracket, 9-16 ranked teams will advance to the B Bracket and the 17-20 ranked teams will advance to the C Bracket. Rankings/tiebreakers to determine specific bracket ranking will be done in the following order:
   • win-loss-tie record
   • draw-to-button (DTB) measurement
   • point differential
   • points for
   • coin flip
4. There will be two DTB measurements taken. The DTB measurements are to be done after each team’s first two games. One player from each team will throw a DTB after game 1. A different player from each team will throw the DTB after game 2. Both measurements will be recorded and added together to determine the final DTB measurement to be used for rankings. Clockwise or counter clockwise rotations may be used for either DTB. Offensive sweeping is allowed. If the rock covers the pin, the DTB is zero. If the rock misses the house, the DTB is 199.6 centimeters.
5. The No Tick Rule will NOT be in effect.

Rules for bracket games:

1. All games, except for the Finals, are either 8 ends or 2 hours, whichever comes first. The Finals should go the full 8 ends unless a team concedes (shakes) before the 8th end.
2. Please cool your sliders behind the scoreboard so as not to damage the precious pebble. Take care that your equipment does not cause damage to the ice.
3. The hammer in the 1st end will be determined by a coin toss.
4. If both teams agree, games may begin before the designated draw time provided that all the sheets have been completely prepared for play.
5. The bell will ring 1 hour 30 minutes into the game, at which point you may complete your current end and play one more. An end is not considered started until the 1st rock is in play. Please be mindful of our time constraints. We only have 30 minutes to prepare the ice in between games, so if you cannot finish another end in the allotted time, please do not begin it.
6. Games that are tied after time expires will be determined by a tie-breaking draw to the button. Any member may throw their team’s single rock in the tie-breaker. Offensive sweeping is allowed. The rock closest to the pin, by measure if necessary, will be the winner. The team that normally would not have had the hammer if another end was to be played is to go first. If neither stone makes it into the house, the process is to be repeated until a winner is declared.
7. All other USCA and/or WCF rules will apply except that all commercially available brooms shall be permitted in play and modern sweeping techniques shall be legal.
8. Rocks are to be measured by the Vice Skips of the playing teams. If unable to agree on a measurement please contact an official for assistance.
9. Please note that the outer 12’ ring on each sheet may vary. You may measure a free guard stone with the measure stick. No other stones can be measured until the completion of an end.
10. The on-ice officials will be Nick Graf, Katie Feldman, and David Betts. One person from this list or their designee will be available for on-ice rulings as necessary.
11. Please post your score on the scoreboard after each end of play.
12. After the game, please enter the final score on the Draw Scorecard and turn in at the scorers table. The Draw Scorecards will be attached to the scoreboard.
13. Grandfathered Rule: There is a limit on the amount of times that Billy can yell “pull” and then raise his broom like a shotgun. It’s 4 times for the whole weekend. Please notify security if he abuses this rule.

CALIFORNIA WINES

PINOT NOIR

The silky pinot noir is a perennial favorite in both American and international wine markets. So popular, in fact, it’s the world’s best-selling red wine varietal, with California more than doubling its pinot noir plantings since 2004.

Pinot noir grapes are also renowned for their tricky growing conditions. Their uniquely thin skins make them susceptible to both hot and cold temperatures — though they prefer cooler climates and soils, particularly ones with a moderate clay composition.

Growers in northern and central California are therefore in luck. Their climates, soils and seasons are an intuitive match for growing the often-fickle pinot noir grape. Central and North Coast producers will also oak age many of their pinot noirs, which lengthens the wine’s already silky finish. The result is a polished, medium-bodied type of red wine with deep, jam-like flavors and an agreeably subtle aftertaste.

Santa Maria Valley wineries within greater Santa Barbara produce some of the most renowned New World pinot noirs. Other great regions in California for pinot noir include the Russian River Valley, Monterey’s Santa Lucia Highlands, San Pablo Bay area and, of course, Sonoma Valley.

• Tasting notes: Cranberry, blueberry, jam, cola, vanilla, coriander, white chocolate

VIOGNIER

Viogniers are one of the fastest-growing white wine plantings in California. While still a niche varietal, their resurgence is thanks to a booming wine market both locally and nationally as well as the varietal’s compatibility when grown alongside other vine types. Yet Viogniers are still vastly underrated at the dinner tables of most Americans, passed over for more familiar white wine brands and names.

Viogniers have a few key distinctions. First, their grapes’ skins grow on the thinner side. This makes them temperamental to heat and is a predominant reason California viognier is produced in the hillier vineyards of the North Coast subregion. Search far enough and you may even stumble across a Central Coast viognier. Producers in this subregion, though, tend to mix their viogniers with one or two other varietals to produce a sweeter, more commercially marketable blend — think Chenins, Marsannes and even sweet chardonnays.

Viogniers also take well to aging techniques. Some of the best California viognier growers go so far as to age theirs in imported French oak barrels to create truly delicate yet structured wines. Underripened viogniers will taste greener and less sugary than these appropriately aged versions, imported oak barrels or not.

• Tasting notes: Poached apple, almond, peach, orange creamsicle, sherbert, hibiscus, rose

CABERBET SAUVIGNON

The reigning monarch of California red wine, no list of the region is complete without kicking off with cabs.

Cabernet sauvignon is grown across more than 90,000 acres in the state. You’ll find the highest concentrations of cabernet sauvignon vines in Northern California though, in the peripheral benchlands of Sonoma Valley, the Santa Cruz Mountains and — most famously — Napa Valley.

Benchlands is a wine term that refers to when a vineyard sits just at the base of a mountain. This location means its soil tends to be more gravelly and mineral — the perfect combination for naturally occurring drainage. Cabernet sauvignons need porous soil for the varietal’s signature high tannins to flourish, producing that dry, robust and full-bodied red wine type so revered worldwide.

Aim for cabernet sauvignons from the North Coast, though you’ll also enjoy bottles sourced from other Californian regions. Serve cabernet sauvignons at room temperature, and decant the bottle a minimum of one hour before serving. The bold flavors and strong, savory finish make California cabernet sauvignons an excellent pairing for grilled foods, red sauces, red meats and dishes starring mushrooms or peppers.

• Tasting notes: Black raspberry, blueberries, raisins, pine nuts, cinnamon, clove, pencil shavings, wood smoke

SEMILLON

A journey through California’s white wines would be incomplete without Semillons.

The Bordeaux-born, world-wide grown white varietal can be found in hot and warm climates alike. This allows many California growers to experiment with its production, resulting in an impressive variety of Californian Semillon colors, tastes and even textures.

You can often identify a Semillon by its “mouth feel,” or the sensations it produces in your mouth as you drink. Compared to other white wines, Semillons are known for their residue-like, almost waxy heaviness that coats the tongue. Sips linger in the mouth with lighter, fruiter notes before revealing more complex flavors coaxed by its winemaker.

Overall, Semillon is a delicate yet structured wine. Californian Semillons lean medium-bodied, medium-acidity and creamier in overall taste and texture. They’ll carry riper, even tropical fruit notes rounded out with caramel finishes, most often due to Californian Semillon producers oaking their grapes.

The finished product is something between those famous Californian Chardonnays and Sauvignon Blancs, both dry yet buttery, smooth yet refreshingly light.

• Tasting notes: Apricots, papaya, mango, chamomile, hay, graham cracker, lanolin

PETITE SIRAH

California is one of the world’s leading producers of petite sirah. In fact, outside of its French homeland, few other countries plant petite sirah vines to any real acreage significance, making California a premier source for this red wine varietal.

Petite sirah tends to elicit a strong response. Wine drinkers either love or hate its intensity, characterized by its full body, high acidity, high tannins and a lingering, dancing mouthfeel. This combination tends to result in a puckering sensation as the tongue works through the wine. It’s also the reason Californian petite sirahs make a great pairing for creamy or high-umami dishes, where the fat helps blanket petite sirah’s striking taste without overpowering it.

Opt for Lodi and nearby central valley bottles when foraying into petite sirahs. Another pro tip? Make sure to decant your petite sirah a minimum of one to two hours before drinking. The wine’s high tannin count needs a little space to breathe for you to pick up its full range of tart and fruit notes.

• Tasting notes: Raspberry, lingonberry, black cherry, lavender, earl gray, licorice, kerosene