Cal Poly’s 30th Annual Winemaker Showcase Dinner Raises More Than $630,000

April 16, 2025

Celebrating 30 Years of Industry Partnership, Innovation, and Hands-On Student Success

San Luis Obispo, CA — Cal Poly’s Wine and Viticulture Department is celebrating the record-breaking success of its 30th Annual Winemaker Showcase Dinner. The student-led event, held April 4 at Cal Poly’s JUSTIN and J. LOHR Center for Wine and Viticulture, raised more than $630,000, which will be used to directly support student success by providing out of the classroom experiences like field trips including the California and European Wine Tours, research opportunities including the college’s Summer Undergraduate Research Program, and direct engagement opportunities at wineries, vineyards and with industry, reinforcing Cal Poly’s leadership in preparing the next generation of wine professionals.

This milestone event welcomed more than 425 guests, including alumni, global wine professionals and dedicated donors. Attendees enjoyed an immersive evening of wine and community, including a grand tasting, a four-course dinner and a lively afterparty, featuring wines crafted by esteemed Cal Poly alumni winemakers and vintners.

Cal Poly Lecturer Amber Karson, founder of Karson Butler Events and luxury industry event expert, mentored the team of students who executed the event from shaping its marketing strategy and fostering industry relationships to serving in roles in technology, wine stewarding and even serving the food that evening. Students are enrolled in a class taught by Karson, bringing real-world event experience and professional expertise to the student planning process.

“This event not only celebrates our rich history but also showcases the bright future of our students and the wine industry,” said Benoît Lecat, head of the Wine and Viticulture Department. “The overwhelming support from our community and industry partners is instrumental in providing unparalleled opportunities for our students.” 

A poignant moment of the evening was the posthumous tribute to Professor Keith Patterson, whose legacy as a founding faculty member shaped the department’s evolution. In recognition of his lasting impact, the student and faculty office wing of the E. & J. Gallo Winery and Family Building has been officially named the Keith Patterson Learning Lab.

The evening also honored four trailblazing alumni for their enduring contributions to the wine industry:

• Dennis Stroud
• Robin Baggett
• Austin Hope
• Bill Swanson and the Center of Effort team

Cal Poly’s Wine and Viticulture Department now stands as the largest undergraduate program of its kind in the nation, offering a unique interdisciplinary degree that combines viticulture, enology and wine business.

Coming Up: The Colors of the Central Coast

On Friday, May 23, Cal Poly will launch its inaugural “The Colors of the Central Coast” — a new knowledge-sharing forum where students and faculty present cutting-edge research and insights to the industry and discuss future research priorities. Registration is free.

Last year, the Cal Poly Wine Research Initiative was launched to strengthen the collaboration between Cal Poly and the wine industry on California’s Central Coast and beyond. It represents the next step in training the future generations of wine industry leaders and innovators.

The department’s strong industry connections are guided by an active Industry Advisory Council with respected leaders including Molly Scott from JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery, Jerry Lohr from J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines, Erica Moyer from M89 Ag, Bob Torkelson from Trinchero Family Estates, Gretchen Roddick from Hope Family Wines, Susan Durbrow from Riedel Crystal, Kim Ledbetter Bronson from Vino Farms, Caine Thompson from O’Neill Vintners & Distillers, Ned Hill from La Prenda Wines and Vineyards, Mike Testa from Coastal Vineyard Care Associates, Andrew Murray from Andrew Murray Vineyards, Dennis Stroud from Vintage Supply Partners, Gianna Merkel from GALLO, Katie Povah from The Duckhorn Portfolio, John Anthony Truchard from John Anthony Wine & Spirits, Gordon Burns from ETS Laboratories, Zachary Scott from Scott Laboratories Inc. and Johan Eide from Region and Sampl.

About Cal Poly’s Wine and Viticulture Department

The Wine and Viticulture Department was formally established in 2013-14 in response to the growing wine industry’s need for qualified professionals with a thorough understanding of crop science, fruit science, food science, chemistry and agribusiness. Today, Cal Poly boasts the largest wine and viticulture program of its kind in the nation. It is the only program to emphasize the three major elements of the wine industry: grape-growing, winemaking and the business aspect.

About Cal Poly’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences
Cal Poly is a nationally ranked, comprehensive polytechnic university. The university’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences is comprised of expert faculty members who take pride in their ability to transform academically motivated students into innovative professionals ready to solve the complex challenges associated with feeding the world in sustainable ways. Students have access to state-of-the-art laboratories, including organic and conventional crop land, orchards, vineyards, forests, and rangeland, all of which provide the basis for Cal Poly’s Learn by Doing methodology. It is the fifth-largest college of agriculture in the country with more than 4,100 undergraduate students. For more information visit CAFES.calpoly.edu.

Contact: AnnMarie Cornejo

805-756-2427; ancornej@calpoly.edu