Cal Poly Wines Capture Medals at San Francisco Wine Competition and California Mid-State Fair

SAN LUIS OBISPO – Cal Poly captured medals with each of the four 2007 wines it entered in this year’s San Francisco International Wine Competition.

Judges at the prestigious event awarded a double-gold medal to the Mustang Red wine (a blend of Paso Robles Zinfandel and Edna Valley Syrah). Cal Poly also captured a gold medal for its Syrah and silver medals for its Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Meanwhile, the 2007 Pinot Noir and Chardonnay also each won a gold medal in the wine competition for the upcoming California Mid-State Fair. The fair will run July 22-Aug. 2 in Paso Robles, and Cal Poly’s Pinot Noir will be poured from 4 to 7 p.m. July 25.

Student winemakers Michael Bruzus and Nicole Chamberlain worked on Cal Poly’s 2007 vintage, under the direction of mentor winemaker Christian Roguenant of Baileyana and Tangent wineries – part of the Niven Family Wine Estates.

Starting with the 2006 vintage, Cal Poly established a relationship with Orcutt Road Cellars, a Niven winery whose location near campus allows student winemakers to maintain close ties with the wines during the entire process – from vineyard to bottle.

“Our collaboration with Orcutt Road Cellars is a very positive relationship,” said John Peterson, head of Cal Poly’s Horticulture and Crop Science Department and director of the university’s Wine and Viticulture Program. “We are very grateful to the Niven Family and Orcutt Road Cellars staff for their efforts to work with us and our students to make this wine.”

The 29th annual San Francisco International Wine Competition was held June 19-21. This was Cal Poly’s first time entering the contest. Cal Poly’s wines were among 4,274 entered from 1,195 wineries and wine programs.

A panel of 45 wine industry professionals from throughout the U.S. judged wines from 26 states and 21 countries. The overall medal count for the competition included 1,514 bronzes, 1,150 silvers, 245 golds and 148 double golds (a wine is elevated to double-gold status when all judges on its particular panel agree that it deserves gold).

Cal Poly’s double-gold winning Mustang Red competed in a field of 78 blends. Only two received double gold, and one other received gold.

Cal Poly plans to enter the 2007 wines in additional competitions and release them for purchase in the fall, during Homecoming.

Taste, at Osos and Monterey streets in downtown San Luis Obispo, and Cal Poly’s El Corral Bookstore on Higuera Street both carry the 2006 vintages of the Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Mustang Red. These wines also may be ordered online and shipped within California and to 16 other states. To purchase Cal Poly wines via the online, go to http://www.calpolywine.com/purchase.

For more information about the San Francisco International Wine Competition (including a complete list of winners and judges), log on to www.sfwinecomp.com.

For more on the California Mid-State Fair, visit www.midstatefair.com.

For additional information about Cal Poly Wines, log on to http://www.calpolywine.com.

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