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Photo: Stanley Hoffman, HMR Winery
Discover San Luis Obispo County Wine History
As our county continues to journey through the new normal, we are seeing some signs of a comeback. With dining in restaurants opening up, as well as some tasting rooms with restaurant service, it is encouraging to see these new developments. Our team at the Wine History Project has been busy researching, writing and collecting our local viticultural history for you to read and enjoy. With the addition of our two documentary films, 91 Harvests and Tom Myers: Made in Paso, we've been able to bring the history to your homes. And as we advance our collections and archives, we'll continue to bring you the history, legends and stories behind the vines.
In this month's newsletter, we highlight the legend of Stanley Hoffman and HMR Vineyards, some recent interviews and articles coming in June/July, and a great fundraiser for a great cause.
Be sure to "like" us on Facebook and subscribe to our Vimeo channel so you will get updates on news and new articles and films each week.
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HMR vineyards, view from Hoffman Valley Ranch looking north.
Stanley Hoffman and HMR Winery
Stanley Hoffman was a pioneer, the first to grow Pinot Noir in San Luis Obispo County. The vineyard he planted in 1964 is one of the oldest Pinot Noir vineyards in California. It is now owned by the Adelaida Vineyards. He is the first to plant French Burgundian and Bordeaux varieties after Prohibition. Stanley is also the first to plant Franken Riesling in San Luis Obispo County.
The Hoffman Mountain Ranch, HMR, the first modern commercial winery to be built in San Luis Obispo County after Prohibition, was designed and constructed from 1972 to 1975. The first newly designed stainless-steel fermenting tanks, cutting-edge equipment, and new French oak barrels were purchased with the assistance of world-famous wine consultant André Tchelistcheff.
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WINE HISTORY PROJECT / News & Events
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Atascadero Kiwanis Club Fundraiser
You are invited to join the 10th Annual Atascadero Kiwanis & Mayors’ Fundraiser June 26th. This year we are helping Atascadero Loaves & Fishes purchase a new building that will double in size the current pantry. Food insecurity in our area has increased by more than 50% and it is expected to become even more critical in the coming months. The current pantry is operating at full capacity.
The event will be entirely online. It will include over 70 auction items and direct donations to Atascadero Loaves & Fishes. To participate follow the link below to the event website. In the upper right corner of the home page is the button to register or sign on.
https://akmwd2020.givesmart.com
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Call For Photos: Wine History Project Book
The Wine History Project is seeking to collect historic photos from our county's wine Industry for an upcoming book. We are seeking photos of vineyard plantings, production, wine labels, and photos of those whom helped to shape the local wine industry. In particular, we are seeking photos of local farm advisor Jack Foote. Our deadline for collecting photos is June 1st, 2020. If you have photos you would like to share to be archived and potentially used in the book, please contact heather@winehistoryproject.org.
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Wine History Project Featured on National Radio Show
The Wine History Project was recently featured on the nationally syndicated wine and food show, "What's Cookin' Today" with Michael Horn.
Listen to a recent interview with Wine History Project Historian Heather Muran as she talks about the Wine History Project, recent documentary films, and the latest news from San Luis Obispo's wine community.
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The Wine History Project will be featured in upcoming SOMM Journal's June/July Issue! Be sure to pick up a copy or subscribe today. The June/July issue will be released toward the end of May 2020.
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Be sure to pick the upcoming June/July issue of SLO Life Magazine. Featured next month is the story of Tom Myers and the growth of the wine industry in San Luis Obispo County through custom crush. When Tom became the winemaker in 1982 at Estrella River Winery, new wineries were opening around Paso Robles; most were small with little experience in viticulture or enology. Estrella River was producing a surplus of wine from their own vineyards; the winery offered custom crush services, bottling wine under labels established by Mission View in San Miguel, Barron and Kolb, Gary Eberle, John Munch and Niels Udsen in Paso Robles.
The editorial is written by Libbie Agran, founder of the Wine History Project and will be available the first week of June. |
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Wine History Project Releases Documentaries
The Wine History Project has released two new documentaries that are now available to rent or own on our Vimeo Page:
91 HARVESTS
91 Harvests features the legacy of the Dusi family, five generations of grape growers and winemakers in Paso Robles.
The story of the Dusi Vineyard began in the early 1920s, when Sylvester and Caterina Dusi, emigrants from Northern Italy, moved to Paso Robles in the early 1920s. The Dusi Vineyard introduced some of the first Zinfandels to California’s Central Coast, and eventually bought an additional property on the west side of Highway 101. Three generations after Janell Dusi’s great-grandparents first planted the land with Zinfandel, she is continuing the legacy and this charming documentary tells their story.
TOM MYERS: MADE IN PASO
The Wine History Project's second documentary, Tom Myers: Made in Paso, is now available to rent or purchase on Vimeo. This is the Wine History Project's "official" premier of this short film. Tom Myers is recognized as the expert on the science of making wine in San Luis Obispo County.
Tom Myers, Winemaker, Castoro Cellars
Photo Credit: Julia Perez
As of 2019, he is also recognized as the man who has filled over 190 million bottles with San Luis Obispo County wine following his 42 harvests. Winemakers describe Tom as a problem solver, mild mannered and all talent without the ego. Perhaps the best description of his talents, according to his colleagues and local winemakers: “Tom Myers is the awesome winemakers’ winemaker.” Tom talks about his start in the wine industry and his scientific approach to crafting world class wines.
We encourage you to rent or buy and watch one of our documentaries in the comfort of your own home!
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COLLECTIONS/ Featured Collection
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In this month's latest installment of our collections series, our Collections Manager Cindy Lambert discusses the anatomy of a barrel.
Croze, Howel or Chiv...No, this is not a new dance craze. It could be said that it describes some type of cut in a wood craft person’s skill set. For our purpose, these terms describe some of the tools that are used in making casks. Casks are named according to the amount they hold., while a barrel is just one size of cask.
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WINE HISTORY / Become a Contributor
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Wine History Project Becomes
Non-Profit Organization
Benefits to contributors include invitations to two Wine History Project events each year, including educational lectures, guest speakers and wine tastings, invitation to previews of exhibits, access to archives and records obtained by Wine History Project, exclusive discounts to events, and educational opportunities along with docent-lead wine history tours throughout San Luis Obispo County. To become a contributor to the Wine History Project, please contact Heather Muran at heather@winehistoryproject.org or 805-458-9016. Please mail your contributions to: Wine History Project, 3592 Broad Street, Office 104, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401.
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Contact Us
Libbie Agran
Director
libbie@winehistoryproject.org
Aimee Armour-Avant
Information Designer
aimee@winehistoryproject.org
Cindy Lambert
Collections Manager
cindy@winehistoryproject.org
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Heather Muran
Historian & Outreach
heather@winehistoryproject.org
Karen Petersen
Events Manager
karen@winehistoryproject.org
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