CAL POLY WINE AND VITICULTURE DEPARTMENT | COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES | FALL 2020
THANKS TO INDUSTRY SUPPORT, THE JUSTIN AND J. LOHR CENTER FOR WINE AND VITICULTURE IS NOW A REALITY
On Dec. 5, 2018, Jerry Lohr (proprietor of J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines) came to share his wine experience with the WVIT 102 students.
Five Productive Years of Team Effort Dear Wine and Viticulture Friends, When I arrived on board in October 2015, we had to go through many challenges as a new department (created in 2013), recent program (2011), and recent major (2004). With our small but efficient team, we focused first on adjusting the viticulture and enology curriculum to face industry challenges. Then we developed two international trips: one covering the eastern part of France, Germany and Italy in 2018, and the other one, which was supposed to occur in 2020, was to focus on the western part of France, Northern Portugal and Northern Spain. The 2020 trip was postponed until 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We also recently partnered with Cal Poly Extended Education and the Sonoma State Wine Business Institute to offer the Wine Business Management online certificate program to the Central Coast wine industry. Finally, we traveled with the team throughout California and beyond to fundraise for our key capital project: the JUSTIN and J. LOHR Center for Wine and Viticulture. Our program is the only program in the U.S. to integrate in depth the three key facets of the wine industry: viticulture, enology and wine business. To implement this from grape-to-glass mission, the Wine and Viticulture Department has its own
teaching vineyard (Paul Fountain Vineyard) and commercial vineyard (Trestle Vineyard) that produced its first crop — close to 10 tons — in fall 2020. In addition, the department is selling commercial wines with the help of a team of wine and viticulture students, under the supervision of Lecturer Adrienne Ferrara. One of their major successes was to establish a wine club, which helped counter balance the sales decrease during COVID-19.
ranging from $25,000 to $1 million. Ten donors have given at the $1 million-plus level.
Finally, the new JUSTIN and J. LOHR Center for Wine and Viticulture will be completed during the 2020-21 academic year and will host the largest undergraduate program — close to 300 students — of its kind in the country.
On behalf of the entire department, I thank all the donors for their ongoing support and generosity. Their donations represent for us a long-term investment we will use over time to develop the best Learn by Doing practices for our students so they can meet the manifold challenges of tomorrow.
The Lohr Family Winery will be completed in fall 2020, and the E. & J. Gallo Winery and Family Building will be completed by the end of winter 2021. This $22 million project to modernize Cal Poly’s wine and viticulture program is solely donor funded. The new Center for Wine and Viticulture includes a bonded 5,000-case production, teaching and research winery, as well as classroom and laboratory space providing students with a learning environment similar to what they will experience in the wine industry. To date, $19.3 million has been raised from donors spanning California’s wine regions. Nine million dollars has come from donations
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Additional giving opportunities remain, including the funding for the advanced fermentation research room and sensory lab. Anyone interested in donating should contact Allyson Dela Cruz at adelac20@ calpoly.edu.
The COVID-19 pandemic allowed us to be more innovative and creative and adjust our teaching mode to virtual! Our labs of advanced viticulture, sensory analysis, blending (the winemaking series) and wine chemistry went online, even though years ago, we believed it would be impossible to do so!
Benoît Lecat Department Head, PH. D., DIPWSET
INSIDE
ON THE COVER JUSTIN and J. LOHR Center for Wine and Viticulture, taken in October 2020. See back cover for picture of The Lohr Family Winery.
JUSTIN AND J. LOHR CENTER FOR WINE AND VITICULTURE
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CURRENT EVENTS
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TRESTLE VINEYARD
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WINE PRODUCTION
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RECOGNIZING OUR DONORS
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RESEARCH
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CLASSES
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COLLABORATIONS
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STUDENTS’ CORNER
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COMMENCEMENT
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BELOW Topping-Off ceremony on Nov. 1, 2019
VINES TO WINES
Your content, suggestions and contributions are welcome. Please contact Department Head Benoît Lecat, Ph.D. at blecat@calpoly.edu Editor: Jo Ann Lloyd Designer: Rachel Lippa Printer: Central Coast Printing
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JUSTI N A N D J. LO H R CE N TE R FO R WI N E A N D V I TI CULTUR E
Left: American wine legend Jerry Lohr, who was originally a civil engineer and builder by trade, inspects the site excavation with Dean Andrew Thulin. Above: Completed underground utilities, building foundations, and concrete slabs are ready for structural steel. Below: A construction worker installs the slot drain linear floor drain system prior to the concrete for the building slab being poured.
The Art and Artistry of Winemaking and Building By Michelle Swanitz, co-authored by Alison Swanitz The evolution of Cal Poly’s JUSTIN and J. LOHR Center for Wine and Viticulture is much akin to the process that takes place when making a remarkable vintage of wine. There are a series of steps that every winemaker or builder follows, but within each of those steps, there is passion, artistry and skill necessary to produce an amazing bottle of wine or a stunning building edifice. Winemaking begins with harvest. During late summer and early fall, in the rolling hills of vineyards, winemakers and vineyard managers must carefully examine and analyze the grapes before harvesting. Are the grapes at optimal maturity? What is the sugar content? Are the grapes rich in color, juicy and full-flavored, easily crushed but not shriveled? In building design and construction, the equivalent process is called programming — the gathering of ideas, the wants and needs that will go into the building. Without programming, there would be no building.
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At Cal Poly the programming phase for the Center for Wine and Viticulture began with a dream over 10 years ago. The dream was kept alive and nurtured by many until it had reached full maturity. The faculty, staff, students and industry partners worked with the design team to carefully and thoughtfully evaluate what Cal Poly’s Wine and Viticulture Department would need in the building to support student success. In 2010, during this harvest of ideas, American Wine Legend award winner Jerry Lohr brought his support, incredible knowledge and dedication to Cal Poly. Lohr led the efforts of the Cal Poly Wine and Viticulture Department’s fundraising team, and his amazing track record of philanthropic support of higher education helped to harvest many new donors to support the vision of the JUSTIN and J. LOHR Center for Wine and Viticulture. After the many long days and nights of harvest are complete,
winemakers turn their attention to crush. Once the grapes are sorted and de-stemmed, they are crushed into must, which is the resulting grape juice containing the seeds, solids and skins of the grapes. In construction, this phase is called design development — the process of taking all the ideas from the programming phase and “crushing” them together to create a rough diagram showing the essential elements and functions of a building. During this phase, Lohr brought his years of invaluable expertise in the wine and construction industries to the project by bringing in vonRaesfeld and Associates. A Mustang himself with a degree in architecture from Cal Poly, Stephen vonRaesfeld was excited to bring his expertise to his alma mater. vonRaesfeld was the director of facility development for a large international wine company before starting his own architecture firm. In his capacity as director of facility development, he has been involved in the design and construction of wineries throughout California’s major wine regions as well as
those in Argentina, Chile, France and Italy. To complete the team working on Cal Poly’s new winery facility, vonRaesfeld brought in TLCD Architecture for its experience working within the California State University system on educational projects. With all the right talent in place, the project evolved from a onebuilding concept to the current master plan design for the Cal Poly Fermentation Science Institute, which includes the Winery Building, the E. & J. Gallo Winery & Family Building, and the future location for the Brewing and Distilling Building. With the fast-paced whirlwind of crush completed, time becomes measured and controlled, and the fermentation process begins. During fermentation, the winemaker becomes the artist. Rather than select paint colors for the canvas, winemakers chose what type of yeast to add and how long to allow the fermentation process to go so that aroma and skin extractions can help develop the foundation of the winemaker’s eventual masterpiece. All these decisions are the creative road map that defines the outcome of the final product. In the design and construction industry, fermentation’s equivalent are construction documents. During this time, the materials and finishes are chosen, and plans for how they will go together are drawn up. Each iteration of the construction documents brings the building closer to its perfect form and function, just as each fermentation brings the wine closer to the winemaker’s vision. During the construction documents phase for the JUSTIN and J. LOHR Center for Wine and Viticulture, Cal Poly brought JW Design and Construction to the team to help with constructability of the winery. The owner, Jerry Williams, and his team — Morgan Malone,
Above: Roof framing and structural steel on the E. & J. Gallo Winery & Family Building. Right: Jerry Lohr signs his name on a structural steel beam at the “Topping-Off” Ceremony on Nov. 1, 2019.
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JUSTI N A N D J. LO H R CE N TE R FO R WI N E A N D V I TI CULTUR E
Dave Harbeson and Kari Running — have been an invaluable resource with their combined 30-plus years in building local wineries.
The project team chose an MBR unit to “future proof” the college’s investment, knowing that water quality regulations will only get more onerous.
Constructing a winery on the Cal Poly campus is unique because the university typically designs buildings to last 50 or more years as opposed to private industry that builds periodic renovations and improvements into the business plan. Keeping longevity in mind, the JW Design and Construction team skillfully helped Cal Poly and the design team navigate many important decisions and evaluate the lifecycle costs, knowing that the least expensive initial cost isn’t always the best option for a long-term solution. One example of this was Cal Poly’s decision to go with the Membrane BioReactor (MBR) system for cleaning the winery process water.
“Several recent industry articles confirm that we made a wise choice, as new regulations already being put in place could cost small wineries anywhere from $17,000 to $40,000 a year in permitting, monitoring and reporting,” said Benoît Lecat, head of the Wine and Viticulture Department. “Our wine and viticulture and bioresource and agricultural engineering students will learn from the latest technology that serves both current and future water quality regulations and teaches best practices for our environment.” The winemaker’s craft continues to develop the wine through the process of aging and
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View from the back of the E. & J. Gallo Winery & Family Building with the Cal Poly P seen in the distance.
clarification. During clarification, tannins, proteins and dead yeast are removed from the wine, and the wine is transferred into stainless steel tanks or oak barrels. The winemaker can use filtration to remove large solids from the wine, or the winemaker can use the fining process in which substances are added to clarify the wine. Building projects go through a similar clarification process as outside agencies review the drawings for code compliance. During this process, building officials ask questions and mark up the drawings for clarifications and corrections. The artistry of winemaking nears completion with finishing and bottling. The winemaking team puts the finishing touches on the wine and gets it ready for the public to enjoy. That stage in building design is equivalent to the construction phase, which we are in now with the JUSTIN and J. LOHR Center for Wine and Viticulture. The buildings are taking shape and coming to life. The Winery Building should near completion in late November 2020, and the E. & J. Gallo Winery & Family Building should be finished in spring 2021. Until that time, you can watch the building’s progress on our live web cam at: www.cafesbuilds.calpoly.edu/center-forwine-and-viticulture/ . Just as one eagerly anticipates uncorking and enjoying an artful vintage, the college looks forward to enjoying the fruits of the team’s hard work and dedication when the buildings open to Cal Poly students, faculty and staff. “These buildings will provide the facilities needed for student success, offer a classic Learn by Doing approach to education, and make a lasting impact on the wine industry for generations to come,” said Andy Thulin, dean of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences. “We look forward to opening the buildings to the public and toasting the occasion by drinking our very own Cal Poly wines in the new JUSTIN and J. LOHR Center for Wine and Viticulture.”
Above: The front entry to the Lohr Family Winery. Below: Installation of the new fermentation tanks and stainless steel catwalk system.
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S m o k e Ta i n t: A chemical and technical perspective By Associate Professor Federico Casassa
As wildfires continue to ravage the North Coast of California, bringing even more chaos to the wonderful and terrible year of 2020, concern about the risk of smoke taint has grown among growers and winemakers alike. Smoke taint, as its name suggests, is a taint. A taint is a volatile compound that either brings an unpleasant aroma or taste to a wine or masks the positive fruity aromas of an otherwise sound wine. A taint comes from an external source to the grape or wine environment. This aptly applies to smoke taint, which is the result of a series of volatile molecules known as volatile phenols that are released when lignin, a major structural component of wood, burns. As wood burns, these volatile phenols travel with the smoke and land on the grapes and leaves. Volatile phenols are tricky. As soon as they
land on the berries, they quickly sneak inside, where they partner with the most abundant solute of grapes — sugars. In doing so, these volatile and smelly phenols turn into glycosylated phenols — or phenols that are bound to a sugar molecule — which makes them nonvolatile. And if you are chemist reading this, you might cheerfully proclaim: “problem solved” since nonvolatile compounds are, well, nonvolatile — which means they can’t be smelled. But these compounds are tricky. Once grapes are crushed and alcoholic fermentation sets in, the enzymes of the yeast cleave this bond between the phenols and the sugars, freeing the free phenols again into the atmosphere, effectively turning them volatile again. So as alcoholic fermentation progresses and the sugary must is converted into wine, these
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volatile phenols continue their annoying release into the volatile composition of the wine. The end result? The wine quickly develops aromas similar to campfire, liquid smoke, stable with burnt and medicinal notes. Interestingly and anecdotally, some individuals — me included — have reported that upon drinking and swallowing some of these heavily tainted wines (the 2017 harvest in Napa and Sonoma was particularly hit hard by this and so was the 2008 vintage in Mendocino County), they have an intense ashtray taste to them. Very recent research has shown that human beings have certain enzymes in their saliva that can also cleave some of these bound phenols that escaped fermentation, further releasing the free and stinky phenols into the mouth, resulting in an enhanced perception
of the smoke taint as the wine is swallowed.
CURRENT EVENTS
What can we winemakers do about it? Very little, sadly. Washing grapes won’t do, but we know that grapes with ash on them should probably be washed prior to crushing. Fining agents — additives added to wine to tweak it’s chemistry — have very little effect. But when they do, they strip the volatile phenols as well as everything else that is volatile, which is not good for anyone wanting to smell the wine. Certain filtration techniques, such as reverse osmosis, do work but again, other wine components are stripped along the way. The best a winemaker can hope for is to not have to deal with smoke taint. As a side note, if the crop is insured, a claim can be filed, but the insurance company will request an analysis confirming the presence of these volatile phenols in the grapes prior to processing them into wine.
“I’m getting subtle medicinal notes with a strong burnt campfire aroma.”
Central Coast residents were exposed to heavy smoke and poor air quality between Aug. 16-20, 2020 — the result of a fire complex in Monterey county. What does this mean for the county’s grapes? It’s hard to tell until the grapes are fully transformed into wine because, as it was explained before, it is the it is the process of fermentation that reveals these smoky aromas. We know, however, that in order for smoke taint to cause a real problem, the smoke needs to be at least 24 hours fresh. As smoke travels, its taint capacity diminishes. The fact that the wind patterns did change and the skies of San Luis Obispo County did clear, combined with the fact that the smoke we got was probably more than 24 hours old, we remain hopeful that little or no effect will be seen on grapes and the resulting wines. While smoke taint is now poised to be a perennial issue in California, any environmental odor that remains in the atmosphere surrounding a vineyard for a relatively prolonged period of time can land on the grapes, make it into the wine, and eventually show up uninvited into consumers’ favorite glass of wine. Yet another excellent reason to keep the environment clean and nicesmelling.
Right: Guaiacol and 4-methyl guaiacol are the two prominent volatile phenols that are present in a smoke-tainted wine. These compounds exist as free and bound. The free portion can be perceived on the nose, and upon tasting, the bound portion gets released by enzymes present in human saliva.
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2020 EUROPEAN WINE By WVIT Department Head Benoît Lecat
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Beaujolais, Provence, Alsace
Champagne
The class, though small in terms of Cal Poly students, was open to auditors from different backgrounds, including colleagues in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, research colleagues, and wine connoisseurs from across the country and Canada.
Burgundy
Armagnac
Lecat’s presentations covered topics specific to the WVIT Department’s three concentrations leading to a B.S. degree in wine and viticulture: viticulture, enology and wine business. Students also learned facts about each area’s local history, food and other beverages, such
Bordeaux
Cognac
Chablis
Loire Valley
Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic has upended plans for countless people across the globe, but the wine and viticulture (WVIT) students enrolled in the spring 2020 European Wine Tour class were still able to virtually visit the renowned wine
The class met for 25 sessions. It was supposed to end June 4, but because students kept requesting extra sessions, the last class was July 7.
Rhone Valley
Wine and Viticulture (WVIT) Department Head Benoît Lecat led the virtual overview, which featured the diversity and complexity of vineyards in Western France, Northern Portugal and Northern Spain, as well as a look at other wine regions in Europe not typically included in the tour and some small and rather unknown wine regions with little existing wine literature.
as beer, cider and spirits. At the end of the class, the students understood the complexity of European wines and were able to critically describe them.
South West France
regions of Europe.
TOUR WENT VIRTUAL “The extensive personal stories and photographs that Benoît shared in each class helped everyone feel like we were in Europe, experiencing everything firsthand with him.” Colin Campbell Assistant professor of marketing, University of San Diego
“The small class size allowed more time for us students to aid the direction of the class and cover some regions that we might not have gotten to with a larger group. It allowed us to gain deeper insight into the European wine industry.”
Summary
Mediterranean wines
Central and Eastern Europe
Fortified Wines, Northern Europe (United Kingdom Belgium)
Cider and Calvados
Riley Jacobs Wine and Viticulture, ’20
Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Luxemburg
Italy
Spain (Rioja, Priorat, Penedes, Cava)
This class covered some of the following topics listed below. (See graphic below for a full breakdown of the 25 virtual sessions.) • Fortified wines (Porto, Jerez de la Frontera, Madeira), vins doux naturels (Languedoc), Marsala (Sicily), Commandaria (Cyprus), and Patras and Samos (Greece). • Northern Europe (United Kingdom and Belgium). • Central Europe (Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary/ Tokaji, Romania, Moldova and Bulgaria). • Eastern Europe (Crimea/Massandra, Russia, Georgia and Armenia). • Mediterranean wines from such countries as Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Canary Islands, Croatia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, Malta, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia. • Middle East wine regions of Cyprus, Israel, Lebanon and Turkey, Egypt and the Maghreb with Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia.
Jura-Savoie
Languedoc Rousillon, Corsica
CURRENT EVENTS
25 Virtual Sessions W V I T.C A L PO LY.E D U | C A L POLY 11
CURREN T E VE N TS
Scholarship Supporting BIPOC From left to right: Myles Adams, Cal Poly wine and viticulture student Class of ’22; Jeff O’Neill, CEO of O’Neill Vintners & Distillers; Justin Trabue (Wine and Viticulture, ’17) Assistant Winemaker at Lumen Wines; Simonne Mitchelson, COO Natural Action Wine Co.; and Charles Woodson, Intercept Wines and former NFL Player. Photo courtesy of Christina Schmidhofer. Wine industry leaders have created a scholarship fund through the California Community Foundation* to support Black, Indigenous, people of color (BIPOC) students at Cal Poly who are pursuing a career in wine and viticulture. The scholarship comes after two Central Coast wine industry leaders provided a call to action to the wine community, asking their colleagues to come together to create a more diverse wine industry that better reflects U.S. demographics. Justin Trabue (Wine and Viticulture, ’17) and Simonne Mitchelson, both Black female leaders in the wine industry, brought attention to the need for more diversity and ignited other industry leaders to step up to create a scholarship to support BIPOC students pursuing a career in wine. The O’Neill family and Charles Woodson have teamed up to provide the Charles Woodsen and O’Neill Family Wine Scholarship, which provides enough funding for a full-ride scholarship (including tuition, room and board) for a student’s entire four to five years at Cal Poly. There is additional funding available from other donors to give partial scholarships to additional qualifying students. “Growing up in Washington, D.C., I always thought I’d attend a university on the East Coast. But when I visited Cal Poly during my junior year of high school I fell in love,” said Trabue, now an assistant winemaker at Lumen Wines in Los Alamos. “Cal Poly’s wine and viticulture program is fantastic to its core, from inclass wine tastings and lessons in the vineyard, to opportunities to study abroad in New Zealand and the ability to join a club
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focused on exposing students to leaders in the industry. Cal Poly has the largest undergraduate wine and viticulture program in the country and has prioritized the recruitment and retention of a more diverse student body. The scholarship is available to any Black, Indigenous, people of color (BIPOC) student in Cal Poly’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences who expresses an interest in a career in the wine industry, with students majoring in wine and viticulture receiving first preference. “This scholarship program is particularly important because the impact is direct and the outcome offers sustainability to both building equity and diversifying the wine industry in our immediate area,” said Mitchelson, chief operating officer of Natural Action Wine Co. “By providing financial support and job opportunities, scholarship donors are offering incentive for Black, Indigenous, people of color graduates to remain on the Central Coast and share their vast talents and perspectives.” *The California Community Foundation is not affiliated with Cal Poly.
For more information on how you can support the Black, Indigenous, People of Color in Wine and Viticulture Scholarship through the California Community Foundation, contact Allyson Dela Cruz at adelac20@calpoly.edu or visit http://bit.ly/bipocwineandvit.
Reflections from an Academic Advisor By WVIT Academic Advisor Kristin Bender The year 2020 has brought numerous challenges to academic advising. The COVID-19 pandemic required students to switch to virtual learning right after spring break. Students went from Learn by Doing in their in-person classes to virtual learning overnight. They showed incredible resilience and flexibility in their transition, as well as an overall optimistic outlook. As an academic advisor, I work one-on-one with wine and viticulture (WVIT) students as a coach and mentor. I help
Announcing the 2019-20 WVIT Scholarship Recipients American Vineyard Viticulture Scholarship Endowment Myles Adams Garagiste Festival Scholarship Fund Amado Nunez, Jessica Cerda, Jocelyn Alvarez Chance Hochschild Viticulture Scholarship Omar Llamas Tony and Janet Marino Omar Llamas Murphy Foundation/Presquile Winery Scholarship Endowment Tabitha Ladendorf
them remove obstacles that might hinder them from moving forward. I support students in understanding the procedures, policies and curriculum that will lead them to their desired goals and to graduation. This past spring was very difficult for a large group of students. Many of them had never taken online classes before and found classes more difficult than they had anticipated. Many families have been economically and physically affected by the realities of 2020, and it weighed heavily on them. In many cases, the students, staff and faculty learned together, as we faced this new virtual world with determination. Counseling office appointments changed to virtual appointments in which I worked remotely and met with students over a video Zoom platform, often with roommates or family walking around in the background.
Joe and Florence Silva Memorial Scholarship Endowment Kiley Wood
As academic advisor, it is my job to view our students in a holistic manner. I don’t see them through a purely academic lens, but rather, I regard them as a whole person. Whatever is happening in their personal lives weighs heavily on their academic success. It has been my goal to use this unique year to proactively develop our students, helping them to become self-aware and to grow through these difficult times. As an advisor, it has been an absolute blessing to help our students comprehend how their studies can help them gain strategies to make good decisions, problem solve and persist through difficulties in every aspect of life.
Laffort Wine and Viticulture Scholarship Kiley Wood
Cheers to our amazing WVIT students and their amazingly supportive families and support systems......
Jeffrey Newton Scholarship for Viticulture Studies Jocelyn Alvarez Jack and Catherine Niven Scholarship Jenny Wootten Arthur E. Norman Scholarship Endowment Marli Dykstra Orange County Wine Society Thomas Cherry
Woodward/Graff Wine Foundation Scholarship Endowment Jordan Rowe
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Cabernet franc
Aglianico
JEAN DODSON PETERSON, PH.D. “It is inspiring to know that our alumni, the local industry and our administration have come together to provide overwhelming support to our department and this vineyard.”
TRESTLE VINEYARD Over an hour before sunrise and Jean Dodson Peterson, associate professor of viticulture, has already arrived at Cal Poly’s newly redeveloped vineyards with her headlamp in tow. Although cool now, she knows temperatures are expected to soar by midday. Getting an early start is essential to gathering the data she is after.
Chardonnay
Cabernet Sauvignon
Gewürztraminer
Sauvignon blanc
Barbera
Leaf photos taken and provided by graduate student Nathaniel Palmer (Wine and Viticulture, ’20).
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Waiting for her students to arrive, she methodically assembles a portable gas exchange meter used for collecting photosynthetic rates and stomatal conductance data from the research vines. Dodson Peterson and her students are among the first cohort to utilize the new vineyards. Six years earlier, the decision was made to remove the existing commercialstyle vineyard and re-establish the space with teaching blocks and production blocks due to aggressive disease presence in the vineyard. Now the almost 13-acre vineyard is home to vineyard blocks specifically designed to facilitate the Wine and Viticulture (WVIT) Department’s enhanced curriculum and foster a unique learning environment for the almost 300 students concentrating in viticulture, enology or wine business. The Paul Fountain teaching vineyard includes rootstock, wild species, table and wine grape demonstrations, as well as training, rotational and research blocks. The demonstration
TR EST LE VI NEYA RD blocks are used for grapevine identification, assessment of growth factors and sensory comparisons. In all, there are 52 wine grape cultivars, 30 rootstock selections, 26 table grape cultivars, and 10 wild species with which students can engage.
TRESTLE VINEYARD MAP nn n tio uc
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The Wine and Viticulture Department is continuing fundraising efforts for the ongoing costs of maintaining the Paul Fountain teaching and production vineyard blocks. For ways to support these efforts, contact Director of Development Allyson Dela Cruz at 805-7563269 or adelac20@calpoly.edu.
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“It is inspiring to know that our alumni, the local industry and our administration have come together to provide overwhelming support to our department and this vineyard,” Dodson Peterson said. “Having the opportunity to work with this talented group of students, in this space, is truly something special. I am thrilled to see our students engage in learning outside the classroom and leap at opportunities to explore viticulture research.”
do ar Ch
These demonstrations are used primarily in the yearlong Advanced Viticulture Lecture/Laboratory series. The rotational vineyard consists of 15 rows. Every year, three new rows are planted and the oldest three are removed. In the Vineyard Management course, students utilize this block to explore new vine establishment, training and trellising during the first five years after planting. The rootstock research block supports senior projects designed to integrate with faculty-driven, grant-funded projects. The production vineyard includes three blocks of Pinot noir and a block of Chardonnay. The grapes from these blocks are divided between the commercial wine program, the wine production course and student research projects.
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Below: Graduate student Nathaniel Palmer harvests Pinot noir from Trestle Vineyard on Sept. 3, 2020. These grapes will be used for research to study the effect of berry size on wine clones of Pinot noir.
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Membership Opens for the Cal Poly Wine Club By Lecturer Adrienne Ferrara LEARN BY
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“Heck yes, I’ll join,” exclaimed alumna Rachel Lippa (Wine and Viticulture, ’19) when asked if she’s planning to become a member of the recently launched Cal Poly Wine Club. Lippa was one of many wine and viticulture students who played a role in launching the club.
LEARN
“Cal Poly has given so much to me that I want to give back, and I think this is the perfect opportunity! Not only will I be supporting
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student professional development, I’ll also get to enjoy the amazing wine,” she said. The Cal Poly Wine Club has been in the making for quite a while. Some things can’t be rushed. Just as some fine wines require time to age, the Cal Poly Wine Club needed time to launch. It’s taken nearly a decade for Cal Poly’s Wine and Viticulture (WVIT) Department
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Cal Poly Wine Club members will receive six bottles per shipment, three bottles each of two featured wines.
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The shipments will be delivered to club members’ doors three times annually, in line with the quarter system, but skipping the warm summer quarter.
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Members who join during this inaugural year will be elevated to Legacy Membership and will receive a surprise Cal Polybranded gift with every wine shipment.
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Legacy Memberships will close at the end of 2020, at which time any members thereafter will become Mustang Members. In 2021, members can expect notice of exclusive release parties and special access to Cal Poly events.
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Each shipment will include a newsletter with updates, wine pairings and recipes.
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Each shipment costs $120-$145, plus tax, shipping and handling.
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The proceeds generated by the wine club will help bolster winemaking activities and maintain Cal Poly’s new winery, which is expected to open by the end of fall 2020.
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For more information or to sign up for membership, go online to: www.calpolywines.com or contact Adrienne Ferrara at 805-756-6781 or alferrar@calpoly.edu.
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C A L POLY WINE AND VITICU LTU R E D EPARTM EN T | FA L L 2 0 2 0 LEARN BY DOING
WIN E PRODU CT I ON
Above: Cal Poly Wine Club Newsletters, (included in every shipment) contain updates, food and wine pairings, as well as educational tasting notes and lab analyses of the Cal Poly Wines.
and WVIT Lecturer Adrienne Ferrara to see the fruits of their labor come to fruition. Ferrara is thrilled to open membership to Cal Poly alumni, friends, parents and supporters. Currently, membership is to California residents only. “We are excited about this new chapter,” Ferrara said. “The wine club will allow us to showcase our commercial studentinfluenced wines on a quarterly basis to people who want to support our program and students.” The wines are carefully crafted by students under the mentoring of enology Associate Professor Federico Casassa. “We grow the grapes on campus, make the wines, handle the marketing, and now pick and pack the wine club shipments,” Ferrara said. “Student fingerprints will be on every box.” The club is another avenue to support and expand students’ hands-on learning opportunities. “I learned so much about packaging, compliance and working with a fulfillment warehouse. If that isn’t Learn by Doing, I don’t know what is,” said alumna Ivy Thompson (Wine and Viticulture, ’19), who now works as an account sales
executive for Regal Wine Co. in San Luis Obispo County. “I helped develop the new wine club website, brainstormed ideas about allocation frequency, and helped set goals for the club. I hope this shows our supporters that we have some exciting things going on in WVIT!” Alumna Lippa added, “The club gives students a way to showcase what they’re doing, whether their concentration is in enology, viticulture or wine business,” she said. “Working with Cal Poly Wine, we gained skills in sales, marketing, logistics, customer service, supply chain management and much more! These skills enhance our professional development more than any textbook could.” Lippa, who now handles sales and project development for Bozzano & Co. in San Luis Obispo, also helped build the club’s website. “This was the first step to starting the wine club,” she said. “We needed the online platform to support our sales and the club.” She also created digital and print marketing content while learning to master Adobe programs such as InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop.
Buy Our Wines Online calpolywine.com 2019 Rose Central Coast AVA $18 2016 Pinot Noir Edna Valley AVA $24 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles AVA $22 2018 Syrah Central Coast AVA $20 2017 Chardonnay Edna Valley AVA $18 2018 Red Blend Paso Robles AVA $22
W V I T.C A L PO LY.E D U | C A L POLY 17
ENOLOGY & VITICULTURE RESEARCH Super vised by Federico Casassa, Ph.D., and Jean Dodson Peterson, Ph.D
Numerous Cal Poly WVIT students — both undergraduate and graduate — are working under faculty supervision on research projects spanning a variety of topics in the areas of viticulture, enology and wine sensory analysis. Associate Professor Federico Casassa is leading enologyrelated projects, and together, Casassa and Associate Professor Jean Dodson Peterson are leading viticulture-related projects.
Several hundred cases of finished wine are made each harvest and eventually go through detailed chemical evaluation and sensory analysis. Currently, the wines from the 2019 harvest are under chemical evaluation and will soon undergo sensory analysis. Research grapes from the 2020 harvest were brought in throughout September and are being made into wines for the multitude of projects below.
Effect of co-fermentation of grape varieties with potentially complementary phenolic profiles, including Malbec and Merlot or Merlot and Petite Sirah Effect of selected cap management regimes on phenolic extraction is being evaluated in Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah
Evaluation of the effect of different fermentation temperature regimes during maceration in key Pinot noir clones (including 115, 777, 828, 2A, and Calera)
Led by Casassa
Led by Casassa
Led by Casassa
“Each of these projects culminate in finished wines, which we bottle under the strictest technical and scientific standards. Effect of extended maceration in Pinot noir and Zinfandel chemical composition
Our research efforts produce about 300 cases of research wine each harvest.”
Led by Casassa
The use of microwave technology to treat musts and stems prior to the addition to the fermenters Led by Casassa
Evaluate intrinsic variations in berry size in Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling and Pinot noir, and the effect on the chemical and sensory composition of the resulting wine Led by Dodson and Casassa 18 C AL POLY WINE AND VITICU LTU R E D EPARTMEN T | FA L L 2 0 2 0
Evaluating the physiological and agronomical effects of vine age on Zinfandel grapes from the Templeton Gap AVA (American Viticulture Area) of Paso Robles, California Led by Dodson and Casassa
Teaching the Art of Blending Virtually The culminating course in a three-part, yearlong series on winemaking teaches students to blend and bottle the wines that they have been making since fall. When the coronavirus pandemic forced spring courses to go virtual, Lecturer Jim Shumate (Wine and Viticulture, ’09) was determined to find a way that students could still experience the handson nature of the sequence. “These students made all the decisions about the wines to this point, using everything they had learned over the previous three years to make those decisions,” said Shumate, full-time lecturer in the Wine and Viticulture Department and manager of the Cal Poly Pilot Winery. “I wanted to try and keep them involved as much as possible.”
WIN E PRODU CT I ON
Shumate spent a week assembling 400 small sample bottles of the 16 wines made by students that year. He then mailed them to all 25 students taking the course. Each student received 16 different samples that they could then use to determine the blends they thought would achieve the best wine. Students worked in small groups and set up Zoom meetings to do tasting trials together to choose the blends they thought tasted best. “My group and I would meet in threeto-four-hour chunks through Zoom, tasting through each individual sample and then through the blends we were crafting for our class,” said Marcel Velasco, a senior. “In total, we probably created 20 different blends for each of our white and red wines.”
From left to right, students Sam Carlson, Will Gray, Caitlin Mueller, Georgia Downes, Alvin Rios, Samantha Anderson and Victoria Kolybakos with Lecturer Jim Shumate (center) during their fall quarter in-person Winemaking Series Lab. COVID-19 safety precautions for in-person classes include wearing a mask at all times and limiting the number of students in lab class.
W V I T.C A L PO LY.E D U | C A L POLY 19
During the 2019 harvest, students (from left to right) Giulia Gatti, Armando Vega-Osorno, Josh Reynolds and Cole Meusel work on making wines for research on cofermentation and temperature regimes on several varieties (Malbec, Merlot, Petite Sirah, Pinot noir), which will be used for their senior projects and graduate research. See Page 29 for the early results of this study on Pinot noir.
Allie Donegan (Wine and Viticulture, ’20) said her final year’s courses helped to prepare her to enter the wine industry. While she was disappointed to not be able to do all aspects of the final segment in person, she was grateful for Shumate’s effort to allow students to do the blending from their own homes. “Before these courses, we knew how wine chemistry worked and all the microbial populations in wine and what theoretically not to do. But unless you’re physically making the wine and making the mistakes that teach you what the book doesn’t, you’re going to enter the industry with nothing but being book smart,” she said.
“They all worked and touched these wines at one point or another, and it is something that well represents them and their hard work. It’s something they can take back to their family and friends and say ‘Hey, I made this.’” For Velasco, the course proved to be rewarding, even in quarantine. “We unfortunately did not get the hands-on experience of maintaining the wine through the last stages of fining, filtering (if needed), labeling and bottling,” Velasco said. “This doesn’t mean that our education was lessened. In fact, some might say that we had to work even harder to produce our final product, despite the cards we were dealt.”
Of the many blends made by the class, Shumate ultimately chose the four best blends to be bottled — two red wines and two white wines — which each student will receive to commemorate their hard work. Shumate spent several long, uncharacteristically quiet days in the campus pilot winery blending and later bottling the wine — a task that students would typically do themselves. In all, he bottled about 400 cases of wine by hand. “It’s important to me that the students get each of the wines,” Shumate said
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Student Marcel Velasco working on his blending assignment after receiving the blend component in the mail.
R ECOGN IZIN G OU R DONORS
Bill and Cheryl Swanson Donate $1 Million to Cal Poly’s Center for Wine and Viticulture Bill and Cheryl Swanson, longtime supporters of Cal Poly, have donated $1 million to the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Science’s (CAFES) JUSTIN and J. LOHR Center for Wine and Viticulture. The gift will fund the Swanson Center of Effort Conference Hall in the E. & J. Gallo Winery & Family Building. The 2,728-square-foot hall will be used as a central gathering place, where academia and the community will come together to network, learn and celebrate. Lectures, meetings and events, all with a focus on industry and student enrichment, will be held in the conference hall. “The dedication of Bill and Cheryl to Cal Poly and the community exemplifies their dedication to providing the support needed for future generations of students to succeed,” said Andrew Thulin, dean of CAFES. “Their donation does more than provide the funding necessary to build a long-desired conference hall on campus; they are ensuring that our vision of Cal Poly serving as a central hub for the entire wine industry in San Luis Obispo County and beyond to train the next generation of winemakers.” The Swanson’s donation is the largest single donation to the project from the Edna Valley wine region, representing a strong partnership between the university and local wineries who often hire Cal Poly graduates as interns and full-time employees after graduation. “When we founded Center of Effort, we wanted to create an estate winery that emphasizes sustainability and make wines that reflect our special area,” Bill Swanson said. “Our hope is that we can help future generations of students become outstanding winemakers through Learn by Doing.” .
Philanthropy and Center of Effort Alumnus Bill Swanson (Industrial Engineering, ’73) and his wife, Cheryl, have long been champions of Cal Poly, philanthropically supporting various projects across the campus. Bill Swanson, a native of California, graduated magna cum laude from Cal Poly with a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering and has an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Pepperdine University and an honorary Doctor of Science degree from Cal Poly. The couple recently served as co-chairs for Cal Poly’s The Power of Doing: The Campaign for Learn by Doing capital campaign. Bill Swanson, retired Raytheon Co.
chairman and CEO, has served on the Cal Poly Foundation Board since 2006 and was elected chair in 2014. The couple founded the Center of Effort winery in the Edna Valley in 2008, in the heart of San Luis Obispo wine country. The name Center of Effort references a sailing term that is the point on the sail where the forces come together and act as a whole. The concept is a guiding principal of Swanson’s winery and encompasses the overall purpose of Cal Poly’s new conference hall.
W V I T.C A L PO LY.E D U | C A L POLY 21
Andrew Thulin, dean of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, in front of the soon-to-be barrel room.
BARREL PARTNERSHIP
Cooperages 1912 Napa, a Fourth-generation Family Company Invests in Cal Poly’s Future When Gary Kroll, a barrel consultant at Cooperages 1912 Napa, heard about the new winery being built at Cal Poly, he contacted Brad Boswell, CEO of Independent Stave Co., parent company of Cooperages 1912 Napa, to ask about the possibility of naming a barrel room in the winery. As a Paso Robles resident, Kroll was excited about the company engaging with Cal Poly students and supplying its high-quality barrels for the university’s winemaking operations. Within days of Kroll’s inquiry, Boswell enthusiastically affirmed corporate support of the project, saying they were “excited about the project and loved the vocational aspect of a working winery.” Elizabeth Van Emst, general manager of Cooperages 1912 Napa, said, “We have historically supported the education of Cal Poly students by donating barrels as well as consulting on barrel experiments with our Director of Research David Llodra. The new winery will allow us to contribute to these future winemakers’ education on a much larger scale. “The barrel room will provide students the opportunity to learn more fully how barrels can elevate the wine, and this hands-on
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experience will be an advantage as they graduate and secure jobs in wineries around the world,” Van Emst continued. When the winery opens in 2021, the Cooperages 1912 Napa, The Boswell Family Foundation Barrel Room will be a centerpiece of it, in recognition of their generous $250,000 donation to the project. Cooperages 1912 Napa and the Boswell Family are committed to supporting wine and spirit education programs throughout the U.S. In addition to Cal Poly, they have partnered with programs at Fresno State, UC Davis, Washington State University, Sonoma State University, University of Missouri and University of Kentucky. They have been donating to colleges and universities for the last 12 years, with pledges totaling over $3 million dollars. “The new winery at Cal Poly was an ideal opportunity for our company to invest in the future of winemaking in California and beyond,” Boswell said. “As a fourth-generation, family-owned company we are committed to educating young winemakers on the optimal pairing between wine and barrel, and we look forward to the opportunity to innovate with Cal Poly faculty and students for generations to come.”
“Many people have individually, personally and collectively tried to reconcile the loss of Keith and tried to find ways to remember him for who he was. I can see no better way for us to honor him than to indelibly link his name to the Cal Poly program.”
Alex Ryan President and CEO, Duckhorn Vineyards
HONORING A LEGACY KEITH PATTERSON LEARNING LAB Cal Poly’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences and the Wine and Viticulture Department unveiled a plan to honor the teaching legacy of former wine and viticulture Professor Keith Patterson. The faculty offices in the E. & J. Gallo Winery & Family Building in the new JUSTIN and J. LOHR Center for Wine and Viticulture will be named the Keith Patterson Learning Lab. Known as a pioneer in the world of viticulture and one of the founding fathers of Cal Poly’s Wine and Viticulture Department, Patterson left an incredible mark on Cal Poly, its students and the wine industry as a whole. During his 16year career at Cal Poly, he taught wine and viticulture classes, carried out a variety of viticulture research projects, and shared his passion for wine grape growing and winemaking with thousands of students. He helped launch the Vines to Wines student club, which continues
to play an instrumental role in connecting Cal Poly students with wine industry professionals. Patterson is best known for his tremendous dedication to teaching and mentoring, and the meaningful relationships he formed with his students and colleagues. “My father was instrumental in developing the Wine and Viticulture program at Cal Poly, but what he cared most about was his students. With his support and guidance, many of his students are now world-class viticulturists, winemakers and wine marketers,” Victoria Patterson said. “His love and dedication for helping students achieve their highest potential will now live on in memory through the naming of the faculty office suite in the new E. & J. Gallo Winery & Family Building. We are grateful for everyone’s support.” A fundraising goal of $250,000 has been set to name the Keith Patterson Learning
Lab and construct a permanent display honoring his impact on Cal Poly. A group of donors have already contributed $165,000 toward the memorial fund to kick off the fundraising efforts. “Many people have individually, personally and collectively tried to reconcile the loss of Keith and tried to find ways to remember him for who he was,” said Alex Ryan, president and CEO of Duckhorn Vineyards. “I can see no better way for us to honor him than to indelibly link his name to the Cal Poly program.”
To learn more about donating to the Keith Patterson Learning Lab, call Director of Development Allyson Dela Cruz at 805-7563269 or donate online at bit.ly/ pattersonmemorial.
W V I T.C A L PO LY.E D U | C A L POLY 23
RECOG N IZ IN G O UR DO N O RS
WINEMAKER SHOWCASE DINNER RAISES MORE THAN $150,000 TO SUPPORT STUDENT DEVELOPMENT
The Wine and Viticulture Department (WVIT) celebrated its 25th anniversary of the Cal Poly Winemaker Showcase, which raised more than $150,000 to support student development.
was held on Feb. 28, 2020, and included a formal dinner at Villa Loriana in San Luis Obispo. “The Winemaker Showcase allows us to honor alumni who have gone on to produce fabulous wines from all over the
The event, formerly known as the Cal Poly Winemaker Dinner,
SOMEWHERE ON A BEACH
BRINGIN’ HOME THE BACON
Brett Young concert tickets for two at Avila Beach Golf Resort; a one-night stay, brunch and Signature Season Spa day at Dolphin Bay; dinner at Rosa’s Italian Restaurant in Pismo Beach for up to $150
Santa Margarita Ranch pig hunt, with a Pro Series 34 Traeger Grill and restaurant-grade knife set
PUTTIN’ THE ‘BAR’ IN BARBEQUE ABREAU HORIZONTAL 2010 Thorevilos, 2010 Madrona Ranch, 2010 Cappella
SAXUM MAGNUM
A few of the LIVE and SILENT AUCTION ITEMS
2013 Saxum Heart Stone Vineyard Red, Paso Robles magnum
Frigidaire Dual Zone 38-Bottle Wine Cooler, filled with 38 bottles hand-selected by Associate Professor Federico Casassa
$10K
$100 $1K
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400 dormant vines of choice from inventory at Wonderful Nurseries
Two weekend passes to Hospice du Rhône, a case of hand-selected Rhône wines, a two-night stay for up to three couples in the Pesenti Vineyard house at Turley Wine Cellars, six focused tastings with hand-selected Turley wines, 2014 Turley Pesenti Vineyard Petite Syrah magnum
$700 $200
VINEYARD STARTER KIT
WHEN IN RHÔNE
FRIDGE OF DREAMS
$500
Santa Maria-style barbecue dinner for 50 guests, offered by part-time Lecturer Brian Simas
$100
$2K $500
$
FEATURED WINEMAKERS
Kyle Theriot (Wine and Viticulture, ’05) Ridge Vineyards
Elizabeth Kester (Wine and Viticulture, ’09) Wente Vineyards
HONORED GUEST
Drew Nenow (Wine and Viticulture, ’13) ONX
Kim Ledbetter
Adrienne Rule (Chemistry, ’04) Rideau Vineyard
Niki Wente (Wine and Viticulture, ’14) Wente Vineyards
country,” said WVIT Department Head Benoît Lecat. Kim Ledbetter-Bronson (Agribusiness, ’96) from Vino Farms was the guest of honor. “As CFO, Ledbetter-Bronson oversees her family’s farming operation every day, including all financial and legal activities for the business that farms over 17,000 acres,” Lecat said. Since its inception, the Cal Poly Winemaker Showcase has been run entirely by WVIT students. This year’s team was managed by Melissa Mannon, Emily Cross, Allie Donegan, Scarlett Hartmann, Shelby Frey and Brianna McMillan. They produced and managed the event, which included silent and live auctions. Almost half of the $150,000 raised will go
Ian Burch (Wine and Viticulture, ’06) Archery Summit
to purchase a state-of-the-art bladder press for the newly erected Cal Poly Winery. “In this unpredictable time of COVID-19, the new student team is planning to be ready for anything,” Lecat said. “Led by Shelby Frey and Bri McMillan under the supervision of event planner specialist Amber Karson, the students plan to reimagine how the showcase might look in 2021.”
For more information, go to the Wine and Viticulture Department website at https://wvit.calpoly.edu/ or email akarson@calpoly.edu.
2020 Winemaker Showcase team Left to right: Melissa Mannon, Brianna McMillan, Shelby Frey, Scarlett Hartmann, Allie Donegan, Emily Cross
$20K
$4K W V I T.C A L PO LY.E D U | C A L POLY 25
A BIG THANK YOU! The Wine and Viticulture Department is thankful to its industry partners who have donated and discounted equipment to fill the new on-campus winery in the JUSTIN and J. LOHR Center for Wine and Viticulture, and to support our current wine production programs. “This donated equipment will not only allow our faculty and
students to make wine on campus, it will also provide critical Learn by Doing experiences for our students using equipment similar to what they will experience in the industry,” said Department Head Benoît Lecat. The following equipment is a sample of some of the generous gifts the department has received:
EQUIPMENT FOR JUSTIN AND J.LOHR CENTER FOR WINE AND VITICULTURE ANALYTICAL SERVICES •
ETS Laboratories, an independent ISOaccredited wine and spirits laboratory headquartered in Saint Helena, California, is providing analytical services for senior projects, research and classes valued at up to $10,000 per year. “Their expertise is invaluable in supporting rigorous quality control through cutting-edge technologies,” Lecat said. “Recently ETS Laboratories developed a great set of tools to test grapes and wines for smoke impact, which is affecting much of California’s wine industry.”
MEMBRANE BIOREACTOR PACKAGE UNIT •
OENOFLOW FIT CROSSFLOW FILTRATION •
BARRELS •
Our partner Cooperages 1912 Napa has named a barrel room in The Lohr Family Winery (see Page 22).
CRUSH PAD EQUIPMENT •
Scott Laboratories donated equipment for the crush pad, including an incline conveyer, Armbruster Rotovib destemmer, Armbruster Vibrating Sorting Table, and an Armbruster Must pump. Lecat said, “In recognition of this generous donation, the winery’s crush pad will be named the Scott Laboratories Crush Pad.”
DRAINAGE SYSTEM •
Slot Drain Systems Inc. donated $30,000 and supplied the drainage system for the new winery. Its unique slot drain system is the first pre-sloped, prefabricated drain system. The stainless steel drains are designed to handle harsh temperatures and chemicals without corroding, while also reducing bacteria and saving time and energy in cleaning.
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The winery will use Cloacina’s Membrane Bioreactor Package unit as a wastewater management system. “We chose this system as a long-term investment in our future, knowing that new statewide wastewater regulations are likely on the horizon,” Lecat said. Cloacina generously discounted this equipment and is offering free quarterly services.
Scott Laboratories also donated an Oenoflow FIT crossflow filtration system. Cal Poly will share this piece of equipment with Fresno State’s Viticulture and Enology Research Center.
OPEN-TOP COVERS FOR TANKS •
Custom Covers Inc. donated custom burgundy, open top covers for tanks.
OPTICAL SORTER •
Pellenc donated an optical sorter that gives students and faculty the ability to sort berries quickly and with precision.
OZONE PANEL MOUNT SYSTEM •
ClearWater Tech has donated to the winery a Clean-in-Place panel mount ozone system. The system will reduce the need for chemicals and hot water and provides an environmentally friendly process for cleaning.
REVERSE OSMOSIS AND CARBON FILTER •
Richetti Water Solutions is donating a reverse osmosis system and is supplying a carbon filter system to remove chlorine from the water of the entire winery.
R ECOGN IZIN G OU R DONORS
TANKS •
•
The Belli Family, owners of Westec Tank and Equipment, made a cash donation of $100,000 to the Center for Wine and Viticulture, and Westec fabricated the majority of the tanks in the new winery. “In addition to providing our large blending tanks, production tanks and smaller tanks for our student-made wines, Westec is working with Associate Professor Federico Casassa to design small, 30-gallon research fermenters,” Lecat said. Anyone interested in naming a tank, which ranges in cost from $25,000 to $50,000, should contact Allyson Dela Cruz at adelac20@calpoly.edu. On Sept. 8, 2020, the Westec Tanks were delivered and installed. (Pictured at right.)
WINE PRODUCTION
COMMERCIAL, STUDENT-MADE, AND RESEARCH WINES BARRELS •
The following companies have donated barrels: Cooperages 1912 Napa, Leroi, Independent Stave Co., Rewine Barrels, and also Michele Testa McGarry from Seguin Moreau, Tommy Gentry from Cadus, Coby Parker-Garcia from Francois Freres, and Bernard Retornaz from Louis Latour.
PRINTING AND LABELS •
GRAPES •
COMMERCIAL WINES
•
LABELS
• • • •
Special thanks to our partner Chamisal, part of Crimson Group, and General Manager and Head Winemaker Fintan de Fresne and his team.
•
Multi-Color Corp./WS Packaging.
GLASS AND CLOSURES • •
G3 Enterprises donated Diam closures and bottles. Scott Labs for large-format corks.
GRAPES • •
J. Lohr donated Cabernet Sauvignon. Stinton Family (Shell Creek Vineyards) donated Valdiguié.
STUDENT WINES
Cal Poly colleague Rhonda Cooper (Wine and Viticulture, ’09), Payroll Department, donated various carboys, lab glassware and an auto-buret. She also gave a Buono Jet filter exactly like the one we have now, so two students can filter at the same time.
BOTTLES AND CORKS •
Encore glass donated wine bottles and Cork Supply donated the closures for the student-made wines.
Digital Dogma donated printing services for studentcreated labels.
Dana Merrill of Mesa Vineyard Management donated some Chardonnay, Merlot, Tempranillo and Petit Verdot grapes for the last two years. John Machado from White Hills Vineyard donated Chardonnay grapes for the last two years. Monterey Pacific (Alta Loma) donated Syrah grapes. Deaver Family Vineyards donated Zinfandel grapes. E. & J. Gallo, Sunnybrook, Petite Sirah. Newlin Hastings donated Viognier, Cabernet franc and Petit Verdot.
WINEMAKING SUPPIES • • • •
Laffort USA Enartis Gusmer Scott Labs
RESEARCH WINES GLASS AND CLOSURES •
G3 Enterprises donated Diam closures and bottles.
GRAPES •
Sunnybrook Ranch and Sierra Madre Ranch.
VINEYARD MANAGEMENT •
George Donati and his team working for Pacific Coast Farming.
Many thanks to all anonymous supporters who gave their time or service to the department. Anyone interested in making a donation to Cal Poly’s Wine and Viticulture Department should contact Allyson Dela Cruz at adelac20@calpoly.edu. W V I T.C A L PO LY.E D U | C A L POLY 27
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY WINE COMMUNITY
Department Head Benoît Lecat gave a presentation to the board of the Santa Barbara Vintners Association about Cal Poly’s wine and viticulture program (WVIT), the new JUSTIN and J.LOHR Center for Wine and Viticulture, and opportunities for wine industry leaders and corporations in Santa Barbara to get involved with faculty and students. The WVIT Department thanks the generous Santa Barbara County supporters who have stepped up to support Cal Poly students and Learn by Doing.
ANDREW MURRAY VINEYARDS •
Andrew and Kristen Murray of Andrew Murray Vineyards made a generous donation to name a production tank in the JUSTIN and J. LOHR Center for Wine and Viticulture. Andrew firmly believes in Cal Poly’s Learn by Doing teaching approach and has hired a number of Cal Poly interns and graduates over the years. He was instrumental in introducing the Cal Poly wine and viticulture program to the Domestic Rhône Tech event, which aims to enhance knowledge and foster growth while celebrating and preserving California’s Rhône heritage. Proceeds from this event in 2019 were graciously donated to Cal Poly’s Wine and Viticulture Department.
COASTAL VINEYARD CARE ASSOCIATES •
Coastal Vineyard Care Associates also made a donation to name a production tank in the JUSTIN and J. LOHR Center for Wine and Viticulture. “Alumni Ben Merz (Wine and Viticulture, ’00) and Mike Testa (Wine and Viticulture, ’05) along with their partners Jeff Newton and Ruben Solorzano are excited to get involved with the program and collaborate with our faculty and students in the field and in the classroom,” Lecat said. “We look forward to engaging the CVCA team to tap into their renowned expertise in applying sustainable, organic and biodynamic principles in the management of vineyards.”
CAMBRIA ESTATE AND BREWER-CLIFTON •
Cambria Estate Winery and Brewer-Clifton Winery made generous donations to support the Black, Indigenous, People of Color Scholarship in Wine and Viticulture. Their generosity will help support students of color aspiring for a successful career in the wine industry.
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WORLD OF PINOT NOIR The World of Pinot Noir was established in 2001 by a small, dedicated group of winemakers from California’s San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties wine regions as a nonprofit trade organization. Its mission is to bring Pinot noir producers from the most exceptional and unique regions in the world together with enthusiasts for a weekend of celebration and education. They organize an annual event at the beginning of March that includes three days of in-depth wine seminars; vineyard excursions; grand tastings and gourmet, locally influenced lunches and dinners — all manned by a team of experienced sommeliers.
RESEA RCH
L. F. Casassa, J. Reynolds (2020) The World of Pinot Noir board of directors has pledged $5,000 to the Cal Poly Wine and Viticulture Department to support Pinot noir research. Associate professor of enology and sensory analysis Federico Casassa, Ph.D., and graduate
student Josh Reynolds will use the funds to finance the data collection and analysis of the project “Effect of Extreme Fermentation Temperature Regimes in the Detailed Phenolic and Chromatic Composition of Three Pinot noir Clones from the Central Coast of California.”
experimental design
Comparatively lower phenolic structure and provides more diverse and intense aromatics
CLONE 115
Relative to 115, has much more phenolic structure and usually can work as a stand-alone clone
CLONE 777
Similar phenolics to 777 but perhaps more color and less tannin
CLONE 828
?
COLD
COLD/WARM
WARM
15°C, 14 days
15°C, first 7 days 25°C, last 7 days
25°C, 15 days
What are phenolics?
Chemical compounds located on seeds and skins that are responsible for wine properties such as color, mouthfeel and texture.
LAB RESULTS
VOLatile AROMA ANALYSIS
LOWER LEVELS OF TOTAL PHENOLICS
POLYMERIC PIGMENT FORMATION WAS FAVORED (HIGHER COLOR SATURATION)
COMING SOON
DONATION SUPPORTS PINOT NOIR RESEARCH
Effect of Extreme Fermentation Temperature Regimes in the Detailed Phenolic and Chromatic Composition of Three Pinot noir Clones from the Central Coast of California
W V I T.C A L PO LY.E D U | C A L POLY 29
RES EA R C H
IN THE VINEYARD
CONTROLLING POWDERY MILDEW By Assistant Professor Shunping Ding
Wine grape powdery mildew is an important disease that affects wine grape yield and quality. Assistant Professor Shunping Ding and students are working to investigate powdery mildew management strategies. On a plot in the Gallo Family Vineyard ranch in Santa Maria, California, Ding and her students have been testing a variety of combinations and sequences of chemicals to compare their efficacy in controlling powdery mildew. Students learned to design fungicide programs, choose chemicals, calibrate sprayers, and practice pesticide spraying. “We hope this is a beneficial project for our future vineyard managers,” Ding said. “Powdery mildew is a polycyclic disease, and vineyard managers and growers need to design their fungicide programs wisely to effectively control powdery mildew as well as to manage fungicide resistance to achieve sustainable long-term management of the disease.”.... Above: Evelyn Alvarez, undergraduate student supervised by Assistant Professor Shunping Ding, spraying fungicide to control powdery mildew. 30 C AL POLY WINE AND VITICU LTU R E D EPARTM EN T | FA L L 2 0 2 0
Left: Chardonnay clusters infected with powdery mildew pathogen
The study, McGarry Wolf M., Wolf M., Lecat B., (2020), “Generation Z and Workers from Home Drove the Growth of California Wine Consumption During the COVID-19 Crisis Lockdown,” Wine Business Monthly, can be download at: https://www.winebusiness.com/news/?go=getArticle&dataId=232956.
CONTEXT OF STUDY The lockdown was 13 weeks, from March 15 to May 29, 2020. As a result, on-premise wine sales came to a halt. Reports from Nielsen during the COVID-19 pandemic show that consumers spent 26.4% more on off-premise wine purchasing from March 7 to
Purpose of the Research • • •
•
May 30, 2020. California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control laws loosened to support on-premise businesses. The ABC laws changed to allow pick-up and delivery of alcoholic beverages from businesses that weren’t licensed to ship alcohol.
Research Methodology
Identify the consumers that increased their consumption of wine during the lockdown. Understand how wine consumers purchased their wine during the lockdown. Examine consumer attitudes concerning expectations to continue the increased level of wine consumption after the COVID-19 crisis. Learn how wine consumers expect to purchase wine after the lockdown.
In our study, a sample of 944 wine consumers were interviewed from April 29 to May 7, 2020, using an online survey. Most respondents were from California. The respondents include wine consumers from four wine consuming generations: 26% Generation Z (born 1997 and later); 22% Millennials (born 1981-96); 32% Generation X (born 1965-80) and 19% Baby Boomers (born 1946-64).
main findings
48%
increased their consumption of wine
24%
LEARN BY DOING
LEARN BY DOING
LEARN BY DOING
31%
67% of the wine consumers increased consumption of wine, spirits, beer or cannabis products during the COVID-19 crisis
increased their consumption of spirits YOUR WINE IS ON ITS WAY!
15%
increased online wine purchases for home delivery
Generation z
increased purchasing
•
•
•
is more likely to have increased consumption during the COVID-19 lockdown. is more likely to continue to consumer at increased levels after the pandemic.
•
Consumers that increased purchasing bought higher-priced wines. Consumers that increased purchasing were more likely to take advantage of loosened ABC laws.
work from home
virtual happy hours
•
•
Consumers that worked from home were more likely to have increased wine consumption.
74% of wine consumers shared their wine consumption activities in virtual happy hours.
increased their consumption of beer
12%
increased their consumption of cannabis
looking to the future
¼
of wine consumers expect to maintain their COVID-19 increased level of wine consumption.
36%
expect to continue to
order wine for home delivery after the COVID-19 pandemic.
WINE CONSUMPTION - COVID-19 SHUTDOWN
Growth of California Wine Consumption During the COVID-19 Crisis Lockdown
W V I T.C A L PO LY.E D U | C A L POLY 31
FACULTY ACHIEVEMENTS Michael Costello
Jean Dodson Peterson
Professor Michael Costello recently submitted a manuscript he co-authored along with Ann Thrupp (Agricultural Consultant with Down to Earth Innovations) and Glenn McGourty (University of California Cooperative Extension-Mendocino and Lake Counties), titled “Influence of Vineyard Vegetational Borders on Western Grape Leafhopper (Erythroneura elegantula Osborn), Its Egg Parasitoids Anagrus spp. and Generalist Insect Predators.” Costello also presented this work at the 2019 Sustainable Ag Expo, held in San Luis Obispo.
Associate Professor Jean Dodson Peterson is the recipient of the CAFES New Faculty Teaching Award. She has several recently published articles and book chapters. She has also attended many conferences to present her research. For an up-to-date list contact her directly.
Marianne McGarry Wolf Professor Marianne McGarry Wolf co-authored numerous articles published between September 2018 through summer 2020, including: “The Impact of Setting on Wine Tasting Experiments: Do Blind Tastings • Reflect the Real-Life Enjoyment of Wine?,” co-authored by G. Lewis, S. Charters, B. Lecat, T. Zalan, (2019), appeared in the International Journal of Wine Business Research, Vol. 31, No. 4, Pages 578-590. “Winery Website Loyalty: The Role of Sales Promotion and Service • Attributes,” co-authored by J.E. Pelet, B. Lecat, J. Khan, S. Rundle-Thiele, A.L. Wegmann, L. Lee, D. Vigar-Ellis, N. Kavoura, V. Katsoni, (2018), appeared in the International Journal of Wine Business Research, Vol. 30, No.2, Pages 138-152. “Do Generations Matter for Wine Segmentation?” co-authored by L. • M. Higgins, M. J. Wolf, E. Qenani (2018), appeared in the Journal of Wine Research, May 10. “Online Wine Purchase Increases for Home Delivery During the COVID-19 • Crisis Lockdown Are Expected to Continue After the Crisis with the Exception of Generation Z,” co-authored by M. Wolf, B. Lecat, S. W. Montague (Sept. 2, 2020), appeared in the online edition of Wine Business Monthly. “Generation Z and Workers from Home Drove the Growth of California • Wine Consumption During the COVID-19 Crisis Lockdown,” co-authored by M. Wolf, B. Lecat (June 29, 2020), appeared in the online edition of Wine Business Monthly. McGarry Wolf also gave the following presentations: “The Traditional Tasting Room Is Outdated” at the Oct. 18-21, 2019, • Food Distribution Research Society, held in Seattle, with M. Wolf, B. Lecat. Also at the conference, M. McGarry Wolf, M. Lau, L. Higgins and B. Vukmanic Lopes presented “U.S. Wine Consumers Are Confused with the Meaning of Sustainable Wine.” “A Profile of Rosé Consumers Fueling its Growth: Pink is not Just for • Females!” at the 11th International Conference of the Academy of Wine Business Research held Jan. 14-16, 2019, in Stellenbosch, South-Africa, with L. Higgins, M. Wolf, B. Lecat. Also at the conference, M. McGarry Wolf and B. Lecat presented “Internships, Valuable for the Careers of Wine students”; and with L. Higgins, M. Wolf, S. Wolf Montague, B. Lecat presented “The Opportunity of Using Shared Media for Wine Marketing.”
32 C AL POLY WINE AND VITICU LTU R E D EPARTM EN T | FA L L 2 0 2 0
Shunping Ding Assistant Professor Shunping Ding co-authored a report with E. Alvarez (2020), “Evaluation of Fungicides for Control of Powdery Mildew of Grape on Central Coast of California,” which appeared in Plant Disease Management Report, Report 14:PF011. Read it here: https:// www.plantmanagementnetwork.org/pub/trial/PDMR/reports/2020/ PF011.pdf. Ding also presented her research on “Investigating Fungicide Resistance of Powdery Mildew in Wine Grapes on the Central Coast of California” at the 2019 Sustainable Ag Expo, held in San Luis Obispo, California. At the virtual annual meeting of the American Phytopathological Society 2020, she presented a poster on “Investigating Prevalent Pathogens Causing Grapevine Trunk Diseases on the Central Coast of California.”
Mitch Wolf Part-time Lecturer, Mitch Wolf co-authored the following: • “Online Wine Purchase Increases for Home Delivery During the COVID-19 Crisis Lockdown Are Expected to Continue After the Crisis with the Exception of Generation Z ,” co-authored by M. McGarry Wolf, B. Lecat, S. W. Montague (Sept. 2, 2020), appeared in the online edition of Wine Business Monthly. “Generation Z and Workers from Home Drove the Growth • of California Wine Consumption During the COVID-19 Crisis Lockdown,” co-authored by M. McGarry Wolf, B. Lecat (June 29, 2020), appeared in the online edition of Wine Business Monthly. Mitch Wolf also gave the following presentations: “The Traditional Tasting Room Is Outdated” at the Oct. 18-21, • 2019, Food Distribution Research Society, held in Seattle, with M. McGarry Wolf, B. Lecat. “A Profile of Rosé Consumers Fueling its Growth: Pink is not • Just for Females!” at the 11th International Conference of the Academy of Wine Business Research held Jan. 14-16, 2019, in Stellenbosch, South-Africa, with L. Higgins, M. McGarry Wolf, B. Lecat.
Federico Casassa
Benoît Lecat
Associate Professor Federico Casassa co-authored numerous articles published from September 2018 through summer 2020, including: • “Whole Cluster and Dried Stem Additions Effects on Chemical and Sensory Properties of Pinot noir wines over Two Vintages,” co-authored by N. Dermutz, P. Mawdsley, M. Thompsom, A. Catania, T. Collins, P. Ashmore, F. du Fresne, and J. Dodson Peterson, (2020) is currently in press in the American Journal of Enology and Viticulture. • “Detailed Chemical Composition of Cabernet Sauvignon Wines Aged in French Oak Barrels Coopered with Three Different Stave Bending Techniques,” co-authored by G. Ceja, A. Vega-Osorno, and D. Llodrá (2020), is currently in press in the Journal Food Chemistry. • “Soil Management Induced Shifts in Nematode Food Webs within a Mediterranean Vineyard in the Central Coast of California (USA),” co-authored by C. Lazcano, H. DenistonSheets, C. Stubler, A. Hodson, K. Watts, P. Afriyie, and J. Dodson Peterson (2020) is currently in press in the journal Applied Soil Ecology. • “Chemical and Sensory Effects of Cofermentation and Postmalolactic Fermentation Blending of Syrah with Selected Rhône White cvs.,” co-authored by P. Mawdsley, E. Stoffel, P. Williams, and J. Dodson Peterson (2020) appeared in the Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research, Vol. 26, Pages 41-52. • “Chemical Consequences of Extended Maceration and Postfermentation Additions of Grape Pomace in Pinot noir and Zinfandel Wines from the Central Coast of California (USA)”, co-authored by R. Huff, and N. Steele (2019) appeared in the journal Food Chemistry Vol. 300, Pages 125-147. • “Multi-year Study of the Effects of Cluster Thinning on Vine Performance, Fruit and Wine Composition of Pinot noir (Clone 115) in California’s Edna Valley AVA (USA),” co-authored by P. Mawdsley, and J. Dodson Peterson (2019), appeared in the journal Acta Horticulturae, vol. 256, (Art. 108631), Page 11. • “The Longevity of Sustainable Vineyard Practices,” coauthored by J. Dodson Peterson, A. Ferrara, and K. Watson, K. (2019), appeared in the Wine Business Case Research Journal, Vol. 3, No. 1, DOI: doi.org/10.26813/wbcrj/2019.03.01/longevity. • “Microwave-assisted Extraction Applied to Merlot Grapes with Contrasting Maturity Levels: Effects on Phenolic Chemistry and Wine Color,” co-authored by S. Sari, E. Bolcato, and M. Fanzone (2019), appeared in the journal Fermentation, Vol. 5, No. 1, Pages 15-22. • “Chemical and Sensory Effects of Cold Soak, Whole Cluster Fermentation and Stem Additions in Pinot noir Wines,” coauthored by S. Sari, E. Bolcato, M. Diaz-Sambueza, A. Catania, M. Fanzone, F. Raco, and N. Barda, N. (2019), appeared in the American Journal of Enology and Viticulture, Vol. 70, Pages 1933. • “Agronomical and Chemical Effects of the Timing of Cluster Thinning on Pinot Noir (Clone 115) Grapes and Wines,” co-authored by P. Mawdsley, and J. Dodson Peterson (2018), appeared in the journal Fermentation, Vol. 4, No. 3, Pages 60-66. • “Inoculation Strategies to Improve Persistence and Implantation of Commercial S. cerevisiae Strains in Red Wines Produced with Prefermentative Cold Soak,” co-authored by Y. Maturano, C. Lerena, M. Mestre, M. Toro, F. Vazquez, L. Mercado, and M. Combina (2018), appeared in the journal LWT - Food Science and Technology, Vol. 97, Pages 648–655.
Department Head Benoît Lecat co-authored numerous articles published from September 2018 through summer 2020, including: “The Impact of Setting on Wine Tasting Experiments: Do Blind Tastings • Reflect the Real-Life Enjoyment of Wine?,” co-authored by G. Lewis, S. Charters, T. Zalan, M. McGarry Wolf, (2019), appeared in the International Journal of Wine Business Research, Vol. 31, No. 4, Pages 578-590. • “Old World and New World Wine Concepts of Terroir and Wine: Perspectives of Three Renowned Non-French Winemakers,” co-authored by D. Ballantyne, N. Terblanche, C. Chapuis, (2019), appeared in the Journal of Wine Research, Vol. 30, No. 2, Pages 122–143. • “Winery Website Loyalty: The Role of Sales Promotion and Service Attributes,” co-authored by J.E. Pelet, J. Khan, S. Rundle-Thiele, A.L. Wegmann, L. Lee, D. Vigar-Ellis, M. McGarry Wolf, N. Kavoura, V. Katsoni, (2018), appeared in the International Journal of Wine Business Research, Vol. 30, No. 2, Pages 138-152. • “Online Wine Purchase Increases for Home Delivery During the COVID-19 Crisis Lockdown Are Expected to Continue After the Crisis with the Exception of Generation Z ,” co-authored by M. McGarry Wolf, M. Wolf, S. W. Montague (Sept. 2, 2020), appeared in the online edition of Wine Business Monthly. • “Generation Z and Workers from Home Drove the Growth of California Wine Consumption During the COVID-19 Crisis Lockdown,” co-authored by M. McGarry Wolf, M. Wolf, (June 29, 2020), appeared in the online edition of Wine Business Monthly. • A book chapter, “Kapitel 4 Marketing” co-authored with F. Ruhdorfer, W. Shibib, T. Straub was included in “Einführung in die Allgemeine Betriebwirtschaftslehre, 3rd edition,” edited by T. Straub, (2020), Pearson Deutschland, Pages 145-178. Another book chapter, “Kapitel 5 Sales” written with T. Straub was also included in the book, Pages 179-214. Lecat also gave the following presentations: • “The Traditional Tasting Room Is Outdated” at the Oct. 18-21, 2019, Food Distribution Research Society, held in Seattle, with M. McGarry Wolf, M. Wolf. • “A Profile of Rosé Consumers Fueling its Growth: Pink is not Just for Females!” at the 11th International Conference of the Academy of Wine Business Research held Jan. 14-16, 2019, in Stellenbosch, South-Africa, with M. McGarry Wolf, L. Higgins, M. Wolf. Also at the Conference, M. McGarry Wolf and B. Lecat presented “Internships, Valuable for the Careers of Wine students; and with M. McGarry Wolf, L. Higgins, M. Wolf, S. Wolf Montague presented “The Opportunity of Using Shared Media for Wine Marketing.” • “Wine Consumer Behavior in 2019” at the Jan. 31, 2019, Unified Wine and Grapes Symposium, held in Sacramento. Lecat presented “How the Wine Industry is Embracing Digitalization” during the session Technology Thursday: From Drones to Chabot’s. In addition, Lecat was interviewed on June 2, 2020, by local French media HL-SL, France 3, Bourgogne Franche-Comté on “Black Lives Matter”, “Il y a un sentiment de ras le bol général: venu de Côte d’Or, un universitaire installé en Californie témoigne.” (There is a general feeling of fed up: from Côte d’Or, an academic living in California testifies.) Lecat presented “Learn by Doing at Home Series Episode 1: All About Bubbly — Champagne Lesson and Tasting” on May 6, 2020. He and M. Sinor-LaVallee comment on a tasting on fine French wines (Chablis, Burgundy, Northern Rhône and Southern Rhône) at the “A Night to Remember” event at the Cliffs in Shell Beach, California on Mar. 14, 2020. Lecat passed the Rioja Wine Diploma certification, taught by the Rioja Wine Academy in partnership with the Control Board of the DOCa Rioja in 2020.
W V I T.C A L PO LY.E D U | C A L POLY 33
student Wine Business Senior Projects Supervised by Professor Terry M. Lease
University students approaching graduation always know they are about to experience dramatic changes in their lifestyles and daily routines. For the most recent graduating class, however, those changes came a quarter early in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Students in WVIT 460: Senior Project - Wine Business already face the ambiguous task of conceiving and carrying out a project of their own design. In spring 2020, that task was complicated by the sudden move to an online class setting, changes in operating environments for the university and most businesses, and the need for some students to leave San Luis Obispo. Still, the students persevered to develop some interesting and exciting projects, with several of them focused on the impact of COVID-19 on wineries and their customers.
By working with the Branded Wine Marketing class, one group designed and conducted a survey in order to assess the impact of the pandemic on wine purchases, consumers’ drinking and sales for wineries.
One project included a set of temperature indicators that indicate when a bottle of wine is at the ideal temperature range for serving, based on the style of wine — a project aimed at increasing people’s enjoyment of their wine-consumption experiences.
By surveying wineries on their use of and experience with virtual wine tastings, one group worked to develop a business model and website design for a livestreaming platform to help wineries create virtual tastings and other online experiences for customers. 34 C AL POLY WINE AND VITICU LTU R E D EPARTM EN T | FA L L 2 0 2 0
One group developed an educational program to help people identify and understand their personal reaction to structural elements in wine, such as acidity, tannins and bitterness, and learn why they like their favorite wines.
One student designed a wine-themed road rally, which are popular in Europe but remain a niche market in the U.S. The student-planned route takes drivers from wine region to wine region from around Seattle to just outside of Los Angeles in six days. Drivers enjoy gourmet meals and special wines in the evenings, relax in the mornings, and experience exciting — but fully legal — drives in the afternoons.
CL A SSES
Department Proposes First General Education Course By Professor Michael Costello The Wine and Viticulture (WVIT) Department has proposed a new course, Survey of Grape Growing and Winemaking, that will be part of the general education (GE) slate of courses. GE courses represent a significant portion of the student curriculum at virtually all U.S. colleges and universities and are meant to form the base of a sound higher education. They also allow students to learn and experience topics they do not get in their major courses. GE courses also increase campus exposure to the WVIT Department, allowing faculty to interact with a wide variety of students across many majors. For years viticulture Professor Michael Costello thought it would be beneficial to offer a GE course on basic grape growing and winemaking. The thought occurred while he team-taught the first-year course Grapes and Wines of the World, now called Global Wine and Viticulture. This was — and still is — a popular course for nonmajors. More recently, when Costello applied to teach a quarter in Australia, he realized another benefit to having a GE course within the department, because Cal Poly’s Global
Programs office also strongly favors teaching of GE courses. Last October, Costello initiated the proposed course, Survey of Grape Growing and Winemaking, at the upperdivision level. The curriculum is pretty broad, succinctly covering history, world viticultural regions, grape growing (varieties, soils, trellising and training), winemaking (fermentation, maceration, bottling), wine chemistry and sensory properties, and wine labeling. Getting a new course approved at Cal Poly is a rigorous process with many layers of review. There is an additional layer for GE courses. But, with the help of Department Head Benoît Lecat and Associate Professor Jean Dodson Peterson, department curriculum chair, the department received approval from the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences and GE committees. It is now in the hands of the last university-level committee. With final approval, it should be ready for its debut in summer or fall 2021, and any Cal Poly student who has met the required lower-division GE prerequisites can take it.
GE Course Proposal:
(almo
st)
SURVEY OF GRAPE GROWING AND WINEMAKING W V I T.C A L PO LY.E D U | C A L POLY 35
2022 EUROPEAN W By WVIT Department Head Benoît Lecat
The physical European Wine Tour, scheduled for 2022 — providing travel restrictions are lifted — will provide access to more than 20 unforgettable experiences, including:
1 2 3 4 5
Access to historical sites and ancient castles.
9
Learning about Champagne styles (dosage and special cuvées).
A night in a monastery.
10
A one-day visit with a producer in Montlouis in the Loire Valley.
Tasting of local food such as Chavignol goat cheese or visiting Halles Paul Bocuse in Lyons.
11
A walk in the steep vineyard of Tain l’Hermitage, and in the Douro vineyards and in the Grands Crus of Burgundy.
Dining in amazing places like Saint-Emilion with a panoramic view on Château Cheval blanc and Château L’Evangile, or Châteauneuf-du-Pape on top of the village.
12
Introduction to distillation in Calvados (apple-based brandy); Cognac, with a visit to the largest producer and a small producer; Armagnac, with a study of 50 years of aging, with tasting.
13
6
Visiting an oak forest in the Loire Valley and a cooperage in Cognac.
7
Visiting the largest cork producer in the world (Amorim Cork) and a smaller producer.
8
In depth study of varieties: • Melon de Bourgogne in Muscadet • Chenin blanc in Anjou • Cabernet franc in Chinon • Sauvignon blanc in Sancerre • Chardonnay in Chablis • Pinot noir in Irancy • Cabernet Sauvignon on the left bank of Bordeaux • Merlot and Cabernet franc on the right bank • Tannat in Madiran • Petit manseng and Gros Manseng in Jurançon • GSM blends in Châteauneuf-du-Pape • Syrah in Tain l’Hermitage
36 C AL POLY WINE AND VITICU LTU R E D EPARTM EN T | FA L L 2 0 2 0
Visiting iconic and inaccessible Bordeaux estates, such as Château L’Evangile in Pomerol, Château Cos d’Estournel in Saint-Estèphe, Château de Fargues in Sauternes, Château Mouton-Rothschild in Pauillac, Château Margaux in Margaux, or Vega Sicilia in Ribera del Duero. Visiting two large producers in Rioja (Marqués de Riscal and Viña Real).
14
Introduction to different Spanish regions: Priorat, Penedes, Cava, Ribera del Duero and Rueda.
15
Attending technical seminars and learning about production techniques for sparkling wine production.
16 17 18 19 20
Comparing large-scale versus small-scale producers.
Studying the chemistry of natural closure.
Studying the supply chain in barrel production.
Analyzing the complexity of soil (Chablis, Côte d’Or, etc).
Exposure to marketing techniques in the wine industry.
CL A SSES
INE TOUR For more information, see the itinerary on the following two pages and contact blecat@calpoly.edu.
W V I T.C A L PO LY.E D U | C A L POLY 37
THE ITINERARY 2022 EUROPEAN WINE TOUR FROM JUNE 14-JULY 5, 2022
DAY 1: Calvados •
• •
Visit Landing Beach (Omaha Beach): Homage to the American soldiers who passed away in Normandy Welcome dinner with introduction to cider and Calvados Night in Nantes
DAY 2: Muscadet, Anjou, Chinon • • • •
Muscadet: study of the Melon de Bourgogne variety on different soils Anjou: Chenin blanc styles (dry, sweet (noble rot) and sparkling) Chinon: Study of different blocks of Cabernet franc Night in Tours
DAY 3: Montlouis • • •
A day as an importer: learning to sell wines as a winegrower to distributors Dinner with a focus on library wines Night in Tours
DAY 4: Sancerre • • •
Visit Oak Forest Sancerre: Study of Sauvignon blanc with a Bourgeois Négociant Night in Sancerre
DAY 5: Chablis • • •
Study of Premiers Crus of Chablis Irancy: the unknown Pinot noir Night in Auxerre
DAY 6: Cognac • •
Cognac: Study of VS-VSOP-XO styles of Cognac at the largest négociant Night in Cognac
DAY 7: Cognac • • •
•
Visit of a cooperage Typical lunch in Segonzac Cognac: Visit a small producer and study of aging process (Napoleon- XO- Extra XO and Hors d’âge) Night in Bordeaux
38 C AL POLY WINE AND VITICU LTU R E D EPARTM EN T | FA L L 2 0 2 0
DAY 8: Bordeaux, Right Bank • • • •
Pomerol: Visit Château L’Evangile Lunch at La Terrasse Rouge and visit La Dominique, Saint-Emilion Touring around St-Emilion Night in Bordeaux
DAY 9: Bordeaux, Left Bank • • • •
Margaux: Visit Château Margaux Saint-Estèphe: Visit Cos d’Estourrnel Pauillac: Visit Mouton-Rothschild Night in Bordeaux
DAY 10: Sauternes, Armagnac • • •
Sauternes: Visit Château de Fargues and study how to pair Sauternes with food Armagnac: Visit of a small producer and study vintages 10 years to 50 years old Night in Pau
DAY 11: Madiran, Jurancon • • •
Madiran: Study the Tannat grape variety Jurançon: Study Petit manseng and Gros Manseng grape varieties Night in San Sebastian
DAY 12: Rioja •
• •
Visit Marqués de Riscal and study of aging classification: Crianza, Reserva, Gran Reserva Visit Viña Real-CVNE and study local varieties: Viura, Graciano and Garnacha Night in Valladolid
DAY 13: Douro Valley • •
Visit a small Quinta and learn about the different styles of fortified wines Night in Vila Nova De Gaia (Porto)
• 14: Porto DAY • • •
Visit the largest natural closures company: Amorim Cork with a technical seminar Visit a Port house with a focus on techniques of production Night in Vila Nova de Gaia
Before starting the European Wine Tour, the students will visit Omaha Beach and honor the memory of American soldiers who died to liberate Europe.
DAY 15: Porto, Ribera del Duero • •
Free morning in Porto Night in Valbuena del Duero
DAY 16: Ribera del Duero • • •
Visit of Vega Sicilia Meeting with students and faculty of the University of Tarragona Night in Tarragona
DAY 17: Priorat, Penedes, Cava •
• • •
In Chavignol, next to Sancerre, the students will study the complexity of Sauvignon blanc and Pinot noir with the support of the Bourgeois Family.
Priorat: Visit of San Luis Obispo Tolosa’s Sister Company “Perinet”: landscape reading Penedes: Visit of Maison Miguel Torres Cava: Visit of Freixenet and study of the sparkling production techniques Night in Barcelona
In Fargues, next to Sauternes, the students will visit Château de Fargues, owned by internationally renowned Count Alexandre de Lur Saluces.
DAY 18: Barcelona, Avignon • •
Free morning in Barcelona Night in Avignon
DAY 19: Rhone Valley • • • •
Visit a small producer in Châteauneuf-duPape Lunch in a typical restaurant Tain L’Hermitage: visit a négociant Night in Lyon
In Portugal, the students will visit the natural closure world leader, Amorim Cork. Many thanks to Antonio Amorim and his team for facilitating this visit.
DAY 20: Burgundy • • • •
Free morning in Lyon (visit of Halle Paul Bocuse) Chambolle-Musigny: Visit a traditional vigneron: Domaine Amiot-Servelle Aloxe-Corton: Study of the appellation with Professor Chapuis Night in Beaune
In Ribera del Duero, the students will visit Vega Sicilia to talk about winemaking in the region and be exposed to Tokaji wines. Many thanks to Paul Woolls, proprietor of Progeny Winery, and Sean Capiaux, president/ winemaker of O’Shaughnessy Estate Winery, for their hard work to set up this visit.
DAY 21: Champagne • • • •
Visit Moet & Chandon Visit Maison Laurent Perrier Farewell dinner Night in Epernay
In Priorat, the students will visit Perinet, sister company of San Luis Obispo-based winery Tolosa. Many thanks to Robin Baggett and June McIvor for their support and arranging this visit.
DAY 22: Paris •
Departure for Paris Airport
If you are interested in sponsoring the tour and/or funding scholarships for the students, please send an email to Benoît Lecat at blecat@calpoly.edu or Allyson Dela Cruz at adelac20@calpoly.edu.
Thanks to the Cal Poly International Office for its support!
In Chambolle-Musigny, the students will visit the iconic Domaine Amiot-Servelle and study in depth the premier crus of Chambolle-Musigny — first in the vineyard and then in the winery!
W V I T.C A L PO LY.E D U | C A L POLY 39
CL ASSE S
BRINGING THE INDUSTRY TO THE CLASSROOM THANK YOU TO OUR INDUSTRY LEADERS In 2018 and 2019, many industry leaders shared their experiences with students in WVIT 102: Global Wine and Viticulture class taught by Department Head Benoît Lecat, and WVIT 463: Issues, Trends and Careers in the Wine Industry taught by Professor Michael Costello. The Wine and Viticulture Department extends its gratitude to all the industry leaders for their participation in our students’ education. Anyone interested in sharing their experiences with students should contact Lecat at blecat@calpoly.edu, who will introduce you to the instructor in charge of the class that is closest to your expertise.
WVIT 102: GLOBAL WINE AND VITICULTURE
General director of the OIV (International Organisation of Vine and Wine) Jean-Marie Aurand presented the OIV report to the WVIT 102 students.
FINTAN DU FRESNE •
JERRY LOHR •
Founder and proprietor of J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines spoke about the “California Wine Industry” in fall 2018 and spring 2019.
DIETER CRONJE •
BOB TORKELSON •
President and CEO of Trinchero Family Estates presented “The Five Strategic Pillars for Success” in fall 2018.
JEAN-MARIE AURAND •
Director-general of OIV (International Organization of the Vine and Wine) delivered the OIV annual report in fall 2018.
Director of Winemaking Central Coast at E. & J. Gallo Winery talked about the “Australian Wine Industry and Winemaking Opportunities” in fall 2018 and spring 2019.
JOHN J. FREDERICK •
40
Gallo Winery Process Technology spoke about the “Importance of Internship and Career Opportunities” in fall 2018.
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Winemaker at Presqu’île talked about “South-Africa Wine Industry” in fall 2018.
WVIT 463: ISSUES, TRENDS AND
CAREERS IN THE WINE INDUSTRY WES HAGEN •
MATT STEEL •
General manager and winemaker at Chamisal gave a presentation on “New Zealand Wine Industry” in spring and fall 2019.
J. Wilkes Wine, winemaker, brand ambassador, Santa Barbara, California.
JUSTIN PERINO •
General manager, Finished Goods Operations, Scheid Vineyards, Greenfield, California.
JEREMY LEFFERT •
Director of winemaking, Tooth and Nail Winery and Rabble Wine Co., Paso Robles, California.
WINE CHEMISTRY TEACHING DURING COVID-19 By Lecturer Shohreh Niku
In spring of 2020, I taught WVIT 365: Wine Analysis and Amelioration, a four-unit course with two weekly one-and-ahalf-hour lectures and a three-hour lab completely virtually. I decided to do it synchronously, which means I met students at the designated time for the class on Zoom. It was a new experience for me and for the students. The class is extremely important for wine and viticulture (WVIT) students. It teaches the chemistry of wine, as well as what could go wrong during processing and winemaking. Through laboratory practices, students learn step by step how to use techniques and lab equipment, how to solve problems through their lab results, and how to interpret test results to make important decisions in the production of high-quality wine.
“This class provided a valuable exposure to key lab techniques used in the wine industry, which was very enjoyable thanks to lecturer Niku’s efforts to showcase the best examples given the remotely teaching environment.”
President, Allied Grape Growers, Fresno, California.
JEAN HOEFLIGER JH Wineconsulting, Rutherford, California.
MARCUS NOTARO •
Stag’s Leap, Napa, California.
FRANCISCO ARAUJO •
Atlas Vineyard Management, Napa, California.
I asked Brenda Baker and Sherrie Holzer from Baker Wine and Grape Analysis Lab to join my class as guest speakers. They shared a great lab data analysis experiment with the students, which showed them how to accurately interpret the data and understand the parameters of juice and wine toward the quality of the final product.
PARTNERSHIP WITH SONOMA STATE UNIVERSITY “We value our partnership with the Sonoma State Wine Business Institute,” said WVIT Department Head Benoît Lecat. Cal Poly Extended Education has recently partnered with Sonoma State University to offer the Wine Business Management online certificate program to the Central Coast wine industry.
JEFF BITTER
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When tests are done in labs, a great many human errors are involved, allowing students to experience those lessons by doing it. It was difficult to explain those errors to them virtually.
OFFERING ONLINE CERTIFICATE PROGRAM
Laura Kelemen and Marina Tacconi Cal Poly Senior Enology Concentration Students
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The challenge of teaching this class virtually was having to use videos to explain everything. Without actually experimenting with the methods and equipment, interpreting the results was meaningless. I had the data from previous years, which I used at the end of each lab for calculations and lab report purposes. It was difficult for students to understand the data and the problems associated with it. We spent a lot of time discussing those situations and what might have gone wrong.
“Taught by wine business veterans and experts in the industry, this online program provides the advanced understanding of the wine
business that is essential to success in an evolving industry and an everchanging marketplace,” Lecat said. Students in the certificate program complete a total of four courses: Foundation (four weeks), Intermediate (eight weeks), and two of three Advanced courses (eight weeks each). The certificate is offered three times a year in a convenient online format accessible around the world.
More information about this program can be found at: https://extended.calpoly.edu/programs/professional/wine-business.html.
ENRIQUE HERRERO •
Inglenook Vineyards and Winery, Rutherford, California.
UMBERTO MARCHIORI •
Uva Sapiens, Farra di Soligo, Italy.
CONGRATULATIONS
NEWLY APPOINTED DEAN COGET Jean-François Coget, former associate dean of the Orfalea College of Business at Cal Poly, was appointed dean of the School of Business and Economics at Sonoma State University. The Wine and Viticulture (WVIT) Department wishes him all the best in his new position. W V I T.C A L PO LY.E D U | C A L POLY 41
COLL A BO RAT IO N S WI TH OTH E R D E PA RTM E N TS
CAL POLY RELEASES ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY FOR PROPOSED GROUNDWATER-USE CUTS IN PASO ROBLES
By Professor Lynn Hamilton and Associate Professor Michael McCullough, AGB Department, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo County’s sustainability plan proposing blanket cuts in groundwater use for farming in Paso Robles could reduce that area’s economy by $458 million annually and erase 3,351 full-time jobs across all sectors, according to a new study conducted by Cal Poly researchers. Additionally the study says that the water cuts could wipe out a quarter of Paso Robles’ wine industry, or $216 million annually, and severely impact the region’s diverse agriculture economy. The state’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act requires California’s 127 overdrafted groundwater basins be
sustainable by 2040. The Paso Robles Subbasin is one of those deemed critically overdrafted. The county’s sustainability road map, called the Paso Robles Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Plan (PRGSP), proposes sweeping cuts for irrigated agricultural use beginning as early as this year. The plan, however, does not include an economic impact analysis of the cuts. Cal Poly’s research study was conducted to fill that void. “The economic implications of water reductions are sizable and would cause a restructuring of the local business environment,” writes study co-authors
Lynn Hamilton and Michael McCullough, both professors in the Agribusiness Department. “This analysis may provide impetus for local officials to pursue alternatives for additional water supplies and find creative solutions to pursue groundwater sustainability.” To compound matters, the economic impact study was finalized shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic struck. Given the economic impact of the crisis and the region’s significant unemployment, enacting drastic water-cutting measures could prove even more disastrous to the economy and further hamper the region’s rebound. To read the full study, go to Cal Poly Digital Commons.
REGIONAL SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS HIGHLIGHTED IN LEADING WINE PUBLICATION Cal Poly alumna Erin Amaral (Plant Protection Science, ’99), and Paragon Vineyard, a frequent collaborator with Cal Poly, were featured in a cover story in the March 2020 issue of Wine Business Monthly. The story looked at the management practices of Amaral and her colleagues at Paragon as part of a case study on Pacific Coast farming. Paragon Vineyard comprises approximately 700 acres in the Edna Valley AVA on a cool-climate site just a few miles south of Cal Poly. Owned by the Niven Family Wine Estate at the time of the research, the vineyard was one of the first vineyards to be certified Sustainability in Practice (SIP) — a verification program that originated on the Central Coast in 2008. The vineyard’s Chardonnay, Pinot noir, Syrah, Sauvignon blanc, Albariño, Pinot Gris, Grenache blanc and Grüner Veltliner vines have historically provided fruit for brands such as Baileyana, Tangent, True Myth and Zocker.
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The story explored how the use of SIP-certified practices is helping to create healthy vines, improve grape quality, and reduce the environmental impact of the winery. In it, Amaral shared her solutions to common viticultural challenges, such as water and nutrient management, erosion, cover crops, trellising, canopy care, and dealing with birds, weeds, mildew, mealybugs and Red Blotch. Though arduous, Amaral’s work is a testament to how sustainable vineyard management practices can contribute to both producer viability and ecosystem resilience. The article was co-authored by Hunter Francis, director of Cal Poly’s Center for Sustainability, Craig Macmillan, Ph.D., a wine industry educator and consultant, and Mike Lynch, a partner in the public relations and marketing agency Big Bang Wine of San Francisco.
NEW PARTNERSHIP TO BRING LOCAL WINE HISTORY TO LIFE By Wine History Project
Mission vines that are about to be planted in the Paul Fountain Cal Poly Teaching Vineyard.
The Wine and Viticulture (WVIT) Department has partnered with the Wine History Project of San Luis Obispo County to help unearth the history of local viticulture through The Mission Vine Project. The project will tell the story of California’s first wine grape, often referred to as the “Mission” grape since the cuttings were planted by Spanish missionaries in the late 1700s. The Mission grape, the earliest known grape cultivated in California, was brought by ship from Spain. Almost five centuries later, it has been identified as Listan Prieto, a red grape believed to have originated in the Castilla-La Mancha region of Spain. The vines arrived in Mexico around 1540, and in the 1620s, cuttings were transported north to be planted in Spanish territory, now recognized as the state of New Mexico. The first cuttings were planted at Mission San Juan Capistrano in 177980, and the first harvest occurred in 1782. The largest vineyard was planted at Mission San Gabriel, which was estimated to contain between 146,000 and 163,000 vines. The 40-acre vineyards planted at Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa in the early 1800s were estimated to be second in size to the San Gabriel Mission. The padres at both missions had a lively winemaking rivalry that flourished for almost 20 years. The Mission Vine Project was brought to the attention of the Wine History Project by local grape enthusiast Len Hoskins, who partnered with Mike Imwalle, chair of the California Missions Foundation and associate executive director of Cultural Resources at the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic
Preservation,” said Libbie Agran, founder of the Wine History Project. Hoskins has been propagating Mission vines for several years and has cultivated vines from the direct descendant variety of Mission vine.
identifying and preparing a vineyard site with proper soils and irrigation, selecting and establishing rootstocks, grafting Mission vine clippings to the rootstock, and pruning and harvesting the fruit.”
Hoskins donated eight Mission vines to the Wine History Project. Vine samples were sent to Foundation Plant Services at UC Davis to ensure the vines are healthy and ready to be grafted over.
Educational exhibits are planned to accompany the vines and provide a brief history of the Mission grape, detailing its journey with Franciscan missionaries throughout California.
The mother vine at San Gabriel Mission, from which cuttings were taken, died several years ago.
Agran established the Wine History Project in 2015 to study the land, microclimates, grape varietals, growers and winemakers who have shaped the wine history of San Luis Obispo County. The project is staffed by historians and museum professionals who collaborate with a diverse group of advisors and local wine industry pioneers to document and preserve the area’s unique wine and food history.
“These vines are some of the only surviving clones from the original Mission vine and have been propagated over the last 20 years, making this project even more significant” Agran said. “Cal Poly was identified as the perfect partner for planting the historic vines. We are both actively working to bring wine and viticulture education to our local community.” Jean Catherine Dodson Peterson, associate professor of viticulture at Cal Poly, added, “The Mission Vine Project will offer students more Learn by Doing opportunities, including
The Mission Vine Project is seeking collaborators who may be interested in donating materials and funds to support the Mission vineyard. The vineyard is slated to be planted at Cal Poly in the spring of 2021.
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STUD E N TS’ CO R N E R
Vines to wines Boasts an eventful year Supervised by Faculty Advisor Shohreh Niku, the Vines to Wines (V2W) club had a strong start to the 2019-20 academic year that included informational club meetings, exciting guest speakers, amazing wine and great food! The club is intended for students in wine and viticulture who share a common bond to get to know each other and for those in the industry to share their knowledge and experience.
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Although the COVID-19 pandemic put a hold on V2W spring quarter meetings, the officers remained diligent in communicating with fellow students and interacting with each other.
STUDENTS’ CORNER
Elected 2020-21 V2W Officers Faculty Advisor: Lecturer Shohreh Niku Laura Kelemen Jessica Cerda Jennifer Wooten Marina Tacconi Will Sandberg Caitlin Mueller Kiley Wood Tabitha Ladendorf Lucy Moriarty Will Gray Francis Aquilina Shelby Frey
President Vice President Volunteer Chair Secretary Treasurer AG Council Chair Social Media Chair Barbecue Chair Barbecue Chair Barbecue Chair Barbecue Chair Barbecue Chair
The 2019-20 officers, pictured below, passed the baton to the 2020-21 V2W officers. The outgoing and incoming officers celebrated this change via a Zoom call at the end of the 2020 academic year. In addition to an E. & J. Gallo informational session, the club’s 2019-20 roster of guest speakers included: • Andrew Murray and Mckenna Giardine, Andrew Murray Vineyards. • William Becker, Malene. • Tom Greenough and Mike Callahan, Saucelito Canyon Vineyard. • Stephen Dooley, Stephen Ross Winery. • Chase Carhartt, Carhartt Vineyard. • Riley Hubbard, Hubba and Desparada Wines. • Matt Brain, Baker and Brain. • Luc Bergevin, Foot of the Bed Cellars. Outgoing Officers from left to right: Emily Cross (Social Media Chair), Shelby Frey (Treasurer), Courtney Colerick (Vice President), Cole Meusel (Barbecue Chair), John Wheeler (President), Carter Jewel (Barbecue Chair), Allie Donegan (Barbecue Chair), Laura Kelemen (Barbecue Chair), Jessica Cerda (Secretary), Riley Jacobs (AG Council Chair), Not pictured: Marina Tacconi (Volunteer Coordinator), Melissa Mannon (Winemaker Showcase Chair).
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STUD E N TS’ CO R N E R
UNIFIED A ROAD TRIP TO SACRAMENTO
In February 2020 many Cal Poly senior wine and viticulture (WVIT) students took a short break from winter quarter classes to attend the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium in Sacramento. Attendees from all over visit unique booths representing wine-affiliated companies, schools and publishers. “Our students were able to build a booth and display our new upcoming JUSTIN and J. LOHR Center for Wine and Viticulture,” said Faculty Advisor Shohreh Niku. “While making meaningful connections with the professionals in the wine industry, they were also able to bond and get to know each other, as well as their professors, better.” Highlights of the 2020 symposium included a successful Cal Poly Alumni Reception, at which numerous alumni now working in a wide range of wine industry sectors mingled and socialized with their former professors and students while tasting student-made wines as well as wines made for research purposes. Students also participated in the UC DavisFresno State Mixer, allowing them to meet and make friends with wine and viticulture majors from other schools. “The entire symposium was very eventful; it allowed great networking for the students, and I’m sure they left with memories they will keep forever,” said Department Head Benoît Lecat. Students who participated included Myles Adams, Courtney Colerick, Emily Cross, Cassie Derdivanis, Allison Donegan, Scarlett Hartmann, John Lawson, Isabelle LoMonaco, Melissa Mannon, Vegas Riffle, Marina Tacconi, Graham Walker and Armando Vega-Osorno.
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Left: A Vega-Osorno wines for alum Rec
Lower Left: Students Melissa Mannon drink while networking
Lower Right: Stud professionals w Cal Poly at t trades
Left: Students Cassie Derdivanis, Myles Adams, and Marina Tacconi posing with Department Head, BenoĂŽt Lecat and Faculty Advisor Lecturer Shohreh Niku, in front of the Cal Poly booth. Below: Students John Lawson, Cole Meusel, and Allie Donegan greet alumni outside of the Vines Cafe.
Armando o pours research mni at the Alumni ception.
s Scarlett Hartmann and king student-made wines with Cal Poly alumni.
dents meeting industry while representing the booth on the show floor.
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CLASS OF 2020:
A V I RT UAL COMMEN
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NCEMENT
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CLASS OF 2020 - A VIRTUAL COMMENCEMENT
COMME N C E ME N T
The Wine and Viticulture (WVIT) Department faculty adjusted to the new COVID-19 environment and hosted a virtual one-hour commencement ceremony that included a welcome message by Department Head Benoît Lecat followed by a short video with a message from every member of the department. The graduates also saw a video message from College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences Dean Andy Thulin. Gina Gallo, vice president of winemaking – Estate Wines E. & J. Gallo Winery, was the guest speaker. She shared her story and gave her advice on the best ways to start a career in the wine industry. A third-generation winemaker, Gallo was mentored by her grandfather, Julio Gallo, and Marcello Monticelli (master winemaker and vice president of North Coast Winemaking of E. & J. Gallo Winery). She is passionate about food and wine as well as sharing that food and wine with extended family while telling stories and recalling the history of the Gallo family. Gallo is also passionate about food and nutrition and dedicates much of her time to organizations that focus on good food and good health. She is a board member of the American Farmland Trust, which works to preserve agricultural land, and Taste of the NFL, which raises funds and
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awareness for foodbanks and antihunger initiatives. In 2016, she was inducted into the James Beard Foundation’s Who’s Who of Food & Beverage in America. She was named one of the Most Innovative Women in Food and Drink by Fortune magazine and appeared in Decanter magazine’s “Power List” of the most important men and women in wine. She received an honorary doctorate in oenology from Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island in 2008. WVIT Lecturer Jim Shumate worked with the department office, Kristi Golin, (administrative support coordinator), and Kristina Borges, (office staff), to prepare boxes with three bottles to give to students as a celebratory gift: One bottle was made in the winemaking class under the supervision of Shumate and included a specific logo designed for graduation; another bottle contained a wine and viticulture degree certificate; and the third bottle was the department’s commercial Cal Poly Rosé, developed for the Cal Poly Wine Club under the supervision of enology Associate Professor Federico Casassa. The ceremony also included a virtual tasting and concluding remarks that included a quote of Nelson Mandela “Education is the Most Powerful Weapon Which You Can Use to Change the World.”
A GIFT FOR THE GRADUATING CLASS Three bottles were given to the graduating class • Cal Poly Rosé • Bottle containing wine and viticulture degree • Red blend created in winemaking class under the supervision of Lecturer Jim Shumate
CONGRATS TO THE GRADUATES!
Mr. Marco Andres Ms. Samantha Ault Ms. Madi Beagle Mr. Eric Beaulac Ms. Rachel Bordes Ms. Sabrina Chavez Ms. Courtney Colerick Ms. Erika Colucci Mr. Chas Cook Ms. Emily Cross Ms. Cassandra Derdivanis Ms. Allie Donegan Ms. Shea Forrey Mr. Jake Genova Ms. Iva Glumac Ms. Scarlett Hartmann Mr. Chase Heenan Ms. Caroline Henn Mr. Michinori Inouye Mr. Riley Jacobs Mr. Carter Jewel Mr. Chris Kent
Enology Wine Business Wine Business Enology Enology Wine Business Enology Wine Business Wine Business Wine Business Wine Business Enology Enology Enology Wine Business Wine Business Viticulture Wine Business Wine Business Wine Business Enology Wine Business
Mr. John Lawson Ms. Kamryn Lipman Ms. Isabelle Lomonaco Ms. Stephanie Lockett Ms. Melissa McDonald Mr. Robert Meusel Ms. Yvonna Molodanof Ms. Scarlett M. Moore Mr. John Morgan Ms. Jade Murray Mr. Blake Pederson Mr. John Reynolds Ms. Julia Sill Ms. Alisha Smith Ms. Madison Snow Ms. Brooke Sveum Ms. Becca Swartz Ms. Julia Tan Ms. Ashton Tomas Ms. Amanda Trevizo Ms. Maryn Tudor Mr. Zachary Wackman Ms. Emily White
Enology Wine Business Enology Enology Enology Enology Wine Business Wine Business Wine Business Enology Wine Business Wine Business Wine Business Wine Business Wine Business Enology Wine Business Viticulture Wine Business Wine Business Enology Wine Business Wine Business
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THANK YOU TO ALL DONORS
JUSTIN AND J. LOHR CENTER FOR WINE AND VITICULTURE Ancient Peaks Winery Andrew Murray Vineyards Breakthru Beverage Group, LLC The Burkner Family Steve and Susie Carter Cooperages 1912 Napa / Boswell Family Foundation Coastal Vineyard Care Associates E. & J. Gallo Winery Encore Glass Bruce and Lora Fry of Mohr-Fry Ranches The Gray Family JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery Kalmanovitz Charitable Foundation Ejnar Knudsen Cecile and Richard Kruse Family
Ledbetter Family / Vino Farms Mike and Suzy Leprino Jerome J. Lohr Martinez Orchards Peter and Liz McKinley McManis Family Vineyards, Inc. Dana and Marsha Merrill Harold J. Miossi Charitable Trust Darice and Jeffrey O’Neill Oreggia Family Foundation Pellenc Peszynski Family Alex and Jeanine Ryan Sandra Noyes
Scott Laboratories Slot Drain Systems Inc. Dennis and Polly Stroud William H. and Cheryl K. Swanson Bob and Marie Torkelson Trinchero Family Estates Niels and Bimmer Udsen The Wagner Foundation Westec Tank & Equipment Young’s Market Company / Republic National Distributing Company Anonymous
CONTACT Allyson Dela Cruz, Director of Development 805-305-5268 | adelac20@calpoly.edu