Winemaker Showcase Celebrates 30 Years

BY LAUREN MCEWEN, fourth-year agricultural communication major

Wine and Viticulture Department Celebrates 30th Anniversary of Winemaker Showcase in April 2025

"Watching the evolution of the Winemaker Showcase from the first dinner until now is inspiring. It has gained a lot of momentum and ultimately helped to establish the department and the new JUSTIN and J. LOHR Center for Wine and Viticulture."

— Monica Burkner

Thirty years ago, Cal Poly students from the Vines to Wines Club, with the help of their advisor Keith Patterson, began planning a dinner fundraiser that would boost their club’s presence on campus. The club’s efforts would go on to inspire the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences to add a minor in wine and viticulture, then a major and eventually the Wine and Viticulture Department in 2013.

What began as a dinner and auction with scarcely 100 attendees, is now known as the Winemaker Showcase, the department’s premier event hosting more than 250 guests each year, including alumni, benefactors and wine industry professionals. Last year the student-led event raised $586,000 for the Wine and Viticulture Department. It is the largest fundraiser in the department and is planned, designed, managed and produced by students.

The annual event brings wine industry leaders from around California and the U.S. to campus to hear from students, enjoy a four-course dinner, and sample wines featuring alumni winemakers.

The Wine and Viticulture Department is nearly doubling the size of the event planned for this April, encouraging a reunion-style affair to celebrate the longevity of the dinner and the community that has been cultivated over the past three decades.

Three decades ago, the Vines to Wines Club saw a need to fundraise for field trips and hands-on experiences for its members. Monica Burkner, then a Cal Poly student, assisted in planning the first of several fundraisers. Burkner said that celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Winemaker Showcase is an event for the entire Cal Poly and winemaking community. “I’m really happy to see the department continue the dinner,” she said.

“It is such a special event, especially to hold on campus.” She has returned almost every year to show her support of the department and the event. “Watching the evolution of the Winemaker Showcase from the first dinner until now is inspiring. It has gained a lot of momentum and ultimately helped to establish the department and the new JUSTIN and J. LOHR Center for Wine and Viticulture,” Burkner said. “This event keeps Cal Poly Wine and Viticulture at the forefront of the industry.”

Students take the lead in every aspect of the event, from shaping its marketing strategy and fostering industry relationships to roles in technology, wine stewarding and even serving the food that evening. "Student involvement is absolutely vital to the event's success," said Amber Karson, lecturer and advisor to the student team organizing the Winemaker Showcase. "This is a prestigious event with countless touchpoints and elevated expectations." Many students who contribute to the Winemaker Showcase later return as alumni giving back to the next generation of wine and viticulture students.

“After volunteering at last year's event, I was inspired by the overwhelming support of winemakers, alumni and industry professionals,” said fourth-year wine and viticulture major Bobby Horst. “That experience motivated me to get involved in the planning of this year’s event.” As the planning team anticipates around 400 attendees at this year’s anniversary dinner, there are lots of unique aspects to consider. “Our team has been meeting multiple times a week to ensure every detail is thoughtfully prepared for what will be the biggest showcase yet,” said Horst. “It has been incredible to help create something that brings our community together in celebration of Cal Poly’s Wine and Viticulture program,” Horst said.

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