Homecoming Wine Tasting to Feature New Cal Poly Vintages

SAN LUIS OBISPO – Cal Poly Wine and Viticulture students will pour samples of the new Cal Poly wines Nov. 8, in conjunction with Homecoming festivities on campus.

The 2006 vintages are the first made by the university's Wine and Viticulture program and the first Cal Poly wines in which students have been involved with every step of the process, from the vineyards to sales and marketing.

Among the wines are a pinot noir and a chardonnay made by student winemakers Luke Holcombe and Kathryn Allegra, under the guidance of Christian Roguenant at Baileyana Winery in Edna Valley, from fruit grown at the Trestle Vineyard on Cal Poly's campus.

A third wine, called "Mustang Red," is a blend of Paso Robles zinfandel and Edna Valley syrah made by students from grapes grown off campus.

The wines will be available for sampling at the Cal Poly Alumni Association Wine Tasting, set for 1 to 3:30 p.m. at O'Neill Green, in front of the Business Building along California Boulevard.

There are 25 wineries participating in the event.

The Cal Poly wines will not be for sale at the event but are available for purchase at Cal Poly Downtown. And Internet orders will be taken at www.calpolywine.com starting mid-November. They also can be sampled and purchased at "TASTE," a wine-tasting room operated by the San Luis Obispo Vintners Association in downtown San Luis Obispo.

The wines are in limited quantity, with total production of about 800 cases.

Proceeds will benefit Cal Poly's Wine and Viticulture program. With nearly 300 students, it is the largest university program of its kind in the state.

Cal Poly's 2007 vintages will be unveiled in the spring, and 2008 wines are in production.

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