Smell it. Swirl it. Taste it.
A glass of fine wine awaits ticket holders at the Margarita Vineyards in Santa Margarita to celebrate the Ninth Annual Cal Poly Wine Festival: “Between the Vines” April 8. Hosted by the Cal Poly Horticulture and Crop Science Department, the event will feature local wineries, a live auction and appearances by popular wine bloggers.
To kickoff the event, three wine enthusiasts will talk about their success in the wine industry — a first for the festival.
Horticulture and crop science department head John Peterson said this year marks a shift in focus of the wine festival.
“This year, we’ve included a seminar that is heavily related to marketing and marketing to the millennials because it seems like young people are embracing wine (more than any) other generation,” Peterson said.
The most anticipated speaker is Gary Vaynerchuk, New York Times bestselling author of “Crush It! Why Now is the Time to Cash in on your Passion.” In February 2006, Vaynerchuk launched a daily video blog about wine titled Wine Library TV that garners more than 80,000 viewers a day. He currently runs Wine Library, his wine retail store, in New Jersey where he has expanded it to a $45 million business.
Vice President of Sales and Marketing of Margarita Vineyards Amanda Wittstrom-Higgins said having Vaynerchuk at the event is a big deal for the festival.
“It’s huge, and it’s amazing that he’s coming all the way from New Jersey,” Wittstrom-Higgins said. “His store is one of the most successful stores. This guy has done a wonderful job, and we’re really excited to have him here.”
The seminar will also include millennial blogger Leah Hennessy, owner of Millennier, Inc., a marketing firm that uses social media to connect with the younger generation, and winemaker Justin Smith of Saxum Winery, who received a perfect score of 10 out of 10 by wine spectator critic Robert Parker in 2009 for his 2007 James Berry Vineyard Proprietary Red.
This new installment of celebrity seminars to the festival was conducted to connect with those in the industry, said Wine and Viticulture Program Assistant Adrienne Ferrara. And with more than 50 different wineries attending, the event is living up to the expectations it had since its starting years.
The festival, which began as a senior project in 2002, has blossomed into a student-volunteer organization and has sold more than 1,600 tickets every year since it started.
This year is no different. Ticket sales have already surpassed the 1,500 mark and are close to selling out. Students in the Vines to Wines club, one of the largest clubs on campus, have themselves to thank.
“This is 100 percent student-run,” Ferrara said. “There is a small army of about 25 students that are in charge of this event, and it really shows the ‘Learn By Doing’ philosophy. They work really hard to make this whole thing happen, and they do a really good job at it.”
Students have been planning “Between the Vines” since fall quarter and have followed Cal Poly’s motto to the fullest. Peterson said the Cal Poly motto starts with learning about life and tasting.
“I think one of the most important things in our program is not only understanding wine and drinking but to understand responsible drinkingtoo,” Peterson said. “And that’s a big part of the message we (want to) communicate to students. Because this isn’t all about binge (drinking). It’s about appreciating and enjoying wine.”
Peterson said he wants students to realize that wine is a global thing and is becoming more recognized by the younger generation.
“With the priority of good food and healthy living, wine is a good fit, especially (with) younger people that are interested in the full scope of how wine tastes and what it’s all about,” he said. “It’s really a great educational experience. It’s kind of like the crossroad of art and science.”
But being a part of this “educational experience” does not come cheaply. Tickets are at least $45 with a student discount, and all proceeds will go toward Cal Poly’s wine and viticulture major to help pay for equipment, student activities, field trips and special education programs.
Yet, the ticket pricing has never been a problem for students.
“It is affordable for a wine event, even for students,” Ferrara said. “Of the 1,600 that attend, about 40 to 50 percent are students, so the pricing is reasonable to bring people in.”
Student representative of “Between the Vines” and agricultural science senior Lauren Goodacre said the set price is acceptable.
“As college students, we are always looking for the best deals and ways to save,” she said. “I would say, as a student, this festival (is worth it). I think it is more for the experience than how much it costs.”
The cost will cover wine samplings from various wineries, including Kenneth Volk Vineyards, JUSTIN Vineyards and Edna Valley Vineyard. Wittstrom-Higgins said this year is going to be better than ever.
“Everyone is really excited, and we’ve got a lot of wonderful wineries coming in,” Wittstrom-Higgins said. “The seminar adds a lot of excitement too. I just think that the whole event is being reinvigorated, and it’s going to be really great.”
The Cal Poly Wine Festival is open to anyone 21 and older. Tickets range from $45 to $65 per person for festival admission only. The seminars will begin at 10 a.m. at the J. Lohr Vineyards. Wine tastings will be Saturday, April 9 at 12 p.m. for VIP and 1 p.m. for general admission at the Margarita Vineyards.