Cal Poly Wine & Vit

There once was a young boy who grew up in a 23 acre vineyard in Lodi, CA. His Dad was a vintner and winemaker in that region and made some of the finest Zinfandel in the state. Johnny, the son always dreamed of going to college at UC Davis since his Dad went there and it is one of the best winemaking schools in the country. It was the place to go for wine education. As Johnny got into 6th grade, his Dad let him taste wine, getting him ready for a career in the business. One day in a small block of their Lodi vineyard, they were tasting a SLO Coast Pinot Noir from Green Gate Vineyard. He remembered his Dad telling him about the newer SLO Coast AVA in the San Luis Obispo area where he was given this wine by a friend. After his first compelling, bright and flavorful taste, he lit up and a light went off in his head. “I want some more of this!” he excitedly voiced and smiled. The sun all of the sudden came out from the clouds and shined down in his glass. It was a divine moment in time that he had no choice but to address the sign. He instantly thought about putting his UC Davis dreams away and started thinking about Cal Poly which was directly tied into the SLO Coast region. He was aware of the majestic Central Coast, but knew it was getting really expensive there and it would be hard to pull off. He asked his Dad if they could take a visit to Poly and check out their Wine and Viticulture program. His Dad knew the right guy to call and they set it up for Spring 2023.

After getting confirmation that the trip was on, Johnny started researching Cal Poly and found out information that he had no idea about. One afternoon in the vineyard, Johnny and his Dad were sipping some more SLO Coast wine and this time it was a Cal Poly Pinot Noir. “Dad, did you know that Cal Poly was established in 1901 and their classes started in 1903. The P on the side of the hill was created in 1919. The agriculture department started in two departments, Farm Management and Agricultural Business Management. In 1970, the two departments came together into the Department of Agricultural Management, that offered two degrees. Farm management and Agriculture business management. In 1975 the two degrees were also brought together into the final degree, Agricultural Business. Cal Poly’s Wine and Viticulture department was created with the planting of vineyards some thirty years ago. It has become the largest wine and viticulture program in the country.” “I did not know that son, thank you. Are you sure you don’t just want to go to Davis?”…

Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, Est. 1901

“I’m not sure yet, but I am really liking what I’m reading about. They have nearly 300 undergraduate programs and it’s making me think more specifically about my path in winemaking.” Johnny new everyone because his Dad was a wine industry legend. He sold more wine in his day than anyone in the enormous distribution company he worked for until turning into a winemaker and buying the Lodi vineyards. He could describe wine like a master sommelier and could drink it like a champion. He once won a competition drinking the most wine in a one minute time period. He drank three and half bottles before almost falling flat on his face. They had staff behind him like the insane Power Slap league in case of him falling over. You were disqualified if you threw up so it was him that came out on top with the most wine drank without vomiting. He got a trophy five feet high with a big overflowing wine bottle on top. Johnny always looked up to his Dad but he learned from his drunken mistakes. He was ready to make a name for himself and wanted to get out of his Dad’s shadow. He thought leaving town would make that happen, so Cal Poly was looking more and more attractive for this young future wine stud.

It was a grueling hot day around 104 degrees and Johnny and his Dad were shoot thinning in the E40 block of their Roburr Zinfandel vineyard. A canopy management process when you pull off the vine shoots which hold onto the leaves, giving the grapes breathing room and more exposure to the sun. “Should we keep this one Dad?” “Yes, it will give that cluster some nice shade.” The two spent hours in the vineyard and Johnny’s Dad would taste and drink all day and make him work while he got professionally drunk. Johnny’s Dad was a very high functioning alcoholic, but played it off well. He was a master vintner and winemaker, so no one suspected a thing. It is common for winemakers to start tasting and testing their wines in the early morning and keep going all day, it’s just part of the job. That’s why people spit. His wines were all rated in the 90s ever since his first vintage. Robert Parker gave his Roburr Vineyard Zinfandel a 98 for his second vintage. Johnny really did learn from the best because his Dad’s reputation for making wine was undeniable. His Dad passed down the goods and Johnny was there to soak it all up. He was ready to take the road trip and see what the Mustangs were all about.

SLO Coast AVA

The time had finally come to hit the road and visit Cal Poly. Johnny’s Dad was driving so It gave Johnny the opportunity to keep reading and researching Cal Poly and the SLO Coast wine region. As they were driving, they struck up a conversation about being in the wine industry. “The wine industry is a small special group of people who appreciate wine on another level and want to experience a part of the life cycle from grape to bottle, bottle to market and market to mouth. Not everyone likes it all. To find your place you need to try a lot of wines, talk to a lot of people and attempt to find your part in the puzzle. You need to find where you fit in because there are a lot of routes to take.” “I want to make wine and have my own label.” Johnny naively said. “Ok, just know that you have to be a part of the entire process if you take that route. Making the wine is just one part of it. You need to know everything about the business to even have a chance to compete. I recommend doing a job in each part of the process. You are starting out with a lot of experience, but again growing grapes and making wine are only two parts of it. If you do go to Cal Poly you will gain a view of the big picture.”

As they were getting closer to Cal Poly, Johnny’s Dad wanted to stop in Paso Robles and catch up with his good friend Bender. “Do you know that a lot of Cal Poly Wine and Vit alumni work in Paso and are some of the best winemakers in the world? After you experience the SLO Coast, Paso is a great place to end up. They grow some incredible Rhône blends these days and our competing with the Rhône Valley in quality. I’m going to take you to meet Bender who is a Cal Poly grad who makes wine barrels. He can give you some good info about Cal Poly and the industry. He lives out off Vineyard Dr. in Templeton right outside of Paso so we are just 30 minutes away.” As they got to the well-known wine country drive, they ended up at Bender’s place tucked underneath a bunch of oak trees. They knocked on the door and Bender opened it with a big smile. “Hey there, welcome!” Johnny’s Dad gave Bender a big hug and Bender shook Johnny’s hand firmly. “So I heard you are thinking about going to Cal Poly.” Bender curiously asked him. “Yes, I had no idea how big-time the school and department is. “Oh, yeah!” Bender confidently replied. “If you come to Poly, I will show you the ropes. I’ll teach you about wine barrels.” “Thank you Bender.” Johnny graciously responded. “So how the hell are you?” asked Bender speaking to Johnny’s Dad.” “Great, just showing my son Cal Poly and SLO County. I also need some new barrels, so can you still give me your friendly discount?” “Of course, anything for the Man!” “Johnny, just so you know Cal Poly is a big part of Paso and you will be dialed in if you choose to come. I will introduce you to everyone. “Wow, thank you! I’m considering it even more if this is the case.” The three of them opened up a Paso Syrah from Willow Creek and drank the bottle talking wine, life and barrels.

As the evening winded down, the three of them put down a total of five bottles and were ready for bed. Johnny’s dad slept in the guest room and Johnny slept on Bender’s expensive leather couch that he imported from Bordeaux. Due to all of the water they drank that night, they all felt really good in the morning. Memorable wine experiences carry over the next day sometimes good and sometimes bad. Bender made gourmet omelettes for his guests, while they enjoyed some bloody marys with fluffy pancakes and exceptionally cooked breakfast potatoes. Full and energized from the coffee Johnny and his Dad hopped into their forest green Ford F-250 and headed down the 101 off to Cal Poly. As they were passing Santa Margarita, Johnny’s dad mentioned to Johnny, “Remember, farming and making wine in Lodi is a lot different than in the SLO Coast. The weather is cool and the growing season extends longer than almost every region in the world. It makes for wines with great freshness and acidity unlike other regions that are hotter during the day and cool at night. The experience here at Poly will be different then the learning you will have at Davis. The SLO Coast is in your backyard and will give you the opportunity to meet all of the growers and winemakers in the region, so you will get real time information from the spots of the vineyards and wineries. Can you grab my phone and find Benoit Cal Poly in my contacts?” Johnny found it, put it on speaker and called the man and head of the Wine and Viticulture program to let him know they will be there in fifteen minutes.

As they started descending down the Cuesta Grade, Johnny turned and looked at his Dad and said, “I’m getting nervous. I can’t believe we are almost there.” “There is nothing to be nervous about. Be confident with your skills. You know more than you think you do.” The hills on both sides of them were glowing neon green and Johnny could not believe his eyes. Their windows were down so they could smell the clean and fresh air as they drove into town. They decided to enter on Grand Ave. so they could drive through campus to get to the Justin and J. Lohr Center for Wine and Viticulture. Johnny’s Dad had not been to Poly for years, so both of them were in awe as they drove through the new Cal Poly. As they got through the main part of campus, they headed down Highland Dr. and turned right onto Mt. Bishop Rd. and there it was. It was modern looking and you could see the stainless steel wine tanks through the window. “That is where it all happens Son. This could be your new home.”

“Let’s go in.” said Johnny’s Dad. They walked in and Benoit was there to greet them. Benoit and Johnny’s Dad have been friends for years so they gave each other a big hug and you could see that they were both very happy to see each other. “You must be Johnny. I heard you are thinking about becoming a Mustang.” warmly said Benoit. “Yes, I can’t believe what you guys are doing in the department. I am considering you and UC Davis.” “Ok, well you are on the right track. Davis is a great school. I heard you want to be a winemaker.” “Yes, my Dad has taught me so much. Both farming and winemaking.” “That is great Johnny, I can already see you in green and gold. We have a 14-acre vineyard and pilot winery on campus that allows you to practice your methods and develop the successful strategies needed to understand all aspects of wine. You can choose between concentrations in enology, viticulture and the wine business. All concentrations require both an internship in the grape or wine industry and a senior capstone project. You think you can handle that?” I do. I like the internship opportunity. I just started tasting SLO Coasts wines, they are so bright and fresh.” “Yes, they are. Just think if you go to Davis you won’t have the beach to go hang out at!” Wow, your right!” smiled Johnny. “Ok, well let’s hop in the truck and go check out our vineyard.” happily said Benoit.

As they drove up to Cal Poly’s Paul Fountain teaching vineyard, there were students surrounding the Professor who was laying out the details of the rootstock inside the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vineyards. “We have teaching blocks and commercial blocks for the students to Learn by Doing, Cal Poly’s motto. The vineyard consists of 15 rows which every year, three new rows are planted and the oldest three are removed. In the Vineyard Management course, students utilize these blocks to explore new vine establishment, training and trellising during the first five years after planting.” said Benoit enticing Johnny with his demeanor. “Wow, this sounds amazing!” Johnny voiced overwhelmed by the experience he was having. “What do you think?” Johnny’s Dad curiously asked him. “I don’t know, this is crazy. How could I not come here? It’s almost a no brainer.” said Johnny surprised at how much was going on at Cal Poly. As they talked and walked through the Pinot Noir commercial block, Benoit was hopeful that Johnny was going to make the right decision after his visit. “So are you going to be a Mustang Johnny?” he asked.

“Geez, how could I not. You guys have something so special here. I cannot believe I could actually get to experience all of this.” “Yes you can! Let’s head back to the winery.” followed Benoit grinning from Johnny’s interest level. As they drove down the country road, Johnny had a million things running through his head. As he was deep in thought, he heard a whisper that didn’t come from his dad or Benoit, it came from the vines. “If you come, it will happen.” whispered the vines. What was Johnny supposed to think now. These were the whispers that also came to him from his vines in Lodi. In his mind he transported back to Lodi and had a vision of Davis’s campus. He did not expect this trip to go so well, but UC Davis apparently was still in his mind. He was leaning towards Davis when he left Lodi, but things seemed to change while driving back to the winery. They arrived back and walked into the wine room and Benoit introduced Johnny to David. “Hey Johnny, I heard you might be coming to Poly.” “Yes, I’m not sure yet, but all of the sudden I am leaning towards the Mustangs.” “That is great news! This is the best experience I have ever had. You cannot deny the significance of this place. We get to learn everything from soil to bottle and the department students are all friends. We are a team and are proud of what we get to learn and what we have accomplished. You have to come!” “Thanks David, I really appreciate it. It sounds like it is the place to be and it doesn’t get any better than this.” As David was trying to sell him on coming, he showed him around the winery and Johnny was beyond impressed. “This is all top-notch equipment that helps us make great wine here. We get our hands in all of it.” confidently spoke David. As they wrapped up the tour, Johnny and his Dad said goodbye and thank you to Benoit, David and everyone else he was fortunate enough to meet. They were both mesmerized as they drove off into the sunshine.

Johnny and his Dad decided that rather than staying the night, they would just drive back to Lodi and address the experience on the way home. Johnny was so overwhelmed by everything that he just stared out the window most of the ride home unsure what his choice was going to be. He was deep in thought and just wanted to get home and sleep on it. He missed home and still was not completely sold on Cal Poly and wasn’t quite sure if he wanted to leave Northern California even though the Central Coast was not as hot and by the ocean. “So, tell me what you are thinking.” Johnny’s Dad said as they were driving up the 5 Fwy just about an hour from home. “I don’t know if I want to be so far away from you, Mom and the vineyards.” You could tell he was struggling and torn by his dilemma and it seemed like he started considering Davis again. “When we get home, we can talk to your Mom about it. She wants you to stay close to home and she is shooting for Davis. It is not about her or me, it’s about you and what your heart and mind say. I will be happy either way. Both schools will take you to where you want to go.” As they got home, both of them were exhausted from the up and back trip so they were ready for bed the second they entered the door. Johnny was torn and it was 50/50 as he went to sleep. Three hours into his rest, Johnny started dreaming about being in a classroom but he couldn’t tell where he was. He sat through class and their was no college clothing or logos, so he really had no idea where he was actually sitting. As the bell rang he grabbed his books and backpack and went towards the door. As he followed the kids to the exit, he walked out and was all of the sudden at the beach. He looked to his left and almost everyone there had a Cal Poly hat or t-shirt on. He looked to the right and David was sitting right next to him. He then looked down and he had on a green t-shirt that said Cal Poly on it. He was baffled because it felt so real. The weather was blue skies and hot, so he took off his shirt and ran to the ocean anticipating the cool water. The tide was high so he dove right in and as he hit the water, he instantly woke up from his dream. He got up confused but he smelt his Mom’s pancakes and bacon making him feel right at home. After Johnny sat down, his Mom asked, “So, how was your trip?” You could tell that he was still deep in thought recollecting his dream. He then looked to his Mom and Dad and said, “I’ve put a lot of thought into this and I made my decision.” His parents were so excited to find out that they lit up and said, “Well?” Johnny stalled creating intense anticipation and followed up with a huge smile and said, “This winemaker is going to be…” Johnny paused and watched his parents looking honestly unsure. “A Mustang!” The End

Cal Poly Wine and Viticulture Department