Newsletter
April 2021
The Wine History Project collects and archives over 250 years of wine history in San Luis Obispo County. Visit us at www.winehistoryproject.org
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Each month we post biographies of legendary growers, winemakers, innovators, movers and shakers. We highlight tools and equipment from our historic collections. We write the history of American wine and review books and films for your enjoyment.
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NEW SERIES / The Old Kentucky Ranch
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Deep Roots
Libbie Agran is focusing on a new series, tracing the agricultural history of historic parcels of land in the county from earliest settlement to the present day. Her first article in this new series is on the Old Kentucky Ranch, originally located on both sides of Vineyard Drive, north of Highway 46 West. Thacher is the first winery to occupy the property in almost 200 years of history. Winemaker Sherman Thacher is restoring the agricultural heritage of his portion of the Kentucky Ranch with apple orchards, grape-apple wine and a heritage vegetable garden beyond the old Bar KY Barn and horse paddocks below his vineyard.
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The Roots Run Deep on the Kentucky Ranch Home to Thacher Winery, follows the early history of the ranch to the year 2004 when Sherman Thacher purchased a portion and founded Thacher Winery.
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WINE HISTORY / Publications
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Our new book, San Luis Obispo County Wine - A World-Class History, is out now and available for purchase on our website. Your purchase supports the Wine History Project of San Luis Obispo County by funding our research, our website, and our educational programs.
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Book Reviews
The reviews are in, and we are humbled by such a positive response.
Be sure to read the reviews:
Michael Perlis in Eve's Wine 101 Perlis Picks.
Matt Kettmann in Santa Barbara Independent.
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WINE HISTORY / Exhibitions
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Wine History Gallery
The Paso Robles History Museum's new Wine History Gallery curated and sponsored by the Wine History Project is open and has already welcomed hundreds of visitors. Please come visit us in Paso Robles in the City Park, Thursdays through Mondays from 11 to 3. Please visit The Paso Robles History Museum's website for more information.
ZIN|SLO: Zinfandel has been grown in San Luis Obispo County since the 1870s: two of the earliest documented growers are James Anderson on York Mountain in 1879 and Henry Ditmas in the Upper Arroyo Grande Valley in 1880. This exhibit explores the mystery and the characteristics of this iconic grape that made San Luis Obispo County famous.
TOM MYERS - MADE IN PASO: Castoro Cellars Winemaker Tom Myers has filled over 200 million bottles of wine in our county. He is most famous for his Zinfandel wines among his many varietals and for his scientific expertise. He developed many of the prototypes of wines we celebrate in the Paso Robles AVA.
CENTRAL COAST ZINFANDEL GROWERS AND WINEMAKERS: We are also celebrating Zinfandel growers and winemakers. You will find their photos throughout the gallery with links to their Legends posted on our website. The multi-generational grower and winemaking families of the Dusis, Martinellis, Rottas, Pesentis and Nerellis are also celebrated.
MAP - THE RANCHO PERIOD IN CALIFORNIA: The Wine History Project collects and produces maps relating to our local wine history. This map comes from the collection of the Title Insurance and Trust Company; it shows locations of Ranchos throughout California created by land grants, gifts or purchase during the Mexican Period, also known as the Rancho Period, 1822 to 1846. The names and sizes of the Ranchos of North County are listed with a brief history.
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Our current exhibits celebrate the Zinfandel Grape and Zinfandel Growers and Winemakers
in San Luis Obispo County.
CENTRAL COAST WINE HISTORY TIMELINE: Our heritage is unique and dates back to the European explorers and Spanish kings who explored and claimed Alta California for their own empire. Grapes, viticulture and winemaking techniques were brought by the Franciscans as they established Mission San Luis Obispo and Mission San Miguel. They maintained vast lands for growing grains and raising livestock in addition to wine production to build a thriving economy during the Mission Period. The Mexican Period is characterized by secularization of the missions and the rise of the ranchos, focusing on raising cattle and the life of the vaquero. California became a state in 1850; San Luis Obispo County was founded at the same time, one of the original 27 counties.
WINE BECOMES ART - THREE CENTRAL COAST ARTISTS: In its final stages wine is placed in a bottle whose size, shape and label tell its the story. We are highlighting three artists, Candice Norcross, James-Paul Brown and Yuroz Gevorian, who have designed, painted or etched the labels whose beauty and expression create a lasting impression on the viewer. These wine bottles have become collectors’ items which have been auctioned off to wine lovers, raising millions of dollars for local charities in San Luis Obispo County.
SIZE MATTERS: Learn the names and stories behind the many large bottle sizes that contain our local wines. These bottles celebrate important events, historic award-winning wines, the Central Coast Wine Classic Cuvees and Mardi Gras.
GRAPE VARIETIES: Learn about the more than 51 Grape Varieties grown in San Luis Obispo County through their photos and history.
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Tokay Barrel
While measuring, photographing, looking for distinguishing marks on the various barrels in the Wine History Project’s collection, Cindy Lambert stumbled upon a barrel marked with TOKAY. She writes about interesting tidbits of history from what might be behind the life of our barrels.
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The Wine History Project has released a new film: Roundtable on Central Coast Wine with Archie McLaren - Co-Founder of the Central Coast Wine Classic, Jim Clendenen - Founder of Au Bon Climat, and Brian Talley - owner and vintner of Talley Vineyards.
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Watch all films on our website or on our Vimeo channel free of charge.
Watch 91 Harvests which tells the story of four generations of the famous grape growing Dusi family.
Watch Tom Myers: Made in Paso the man who has filled over 200 million bottles with wine in San Luis Obispo County during the last 40 years.
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Nicolas Catalogues
From 1928 to 1973, Etienne Nicolas recognized the synergy between wine and art and created these catalogues, produced by the printers Draeger Frères, who owned a major design and print studio and hired top designers.
Read more on our website, Nicolas Catalogues Currently on Display in the Wine History Project Broad Street Offices.
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Mike Sinor
OUR GRATITUDE AND HEARTFELT THANKS TO MIKE SINOR
for his support of the Wine History Project by hosting a wine auction to raise funds to support our research.
Mike and his wife are the founders of the Sinor - LaVallee Wine Cellar. Mike is known for his award winning Pinot Noir and Syrah. Mike is also a repository of local Edna Valley wine history. His first job in the wine business was with Corbett Canyon in 1991; he has worked with winemakers throughout the county. In 1997 the husband and wife team of Mike Sinor and Cheri LaValle founded Sinor-Lavelle Company in Arroyo Grande. In 2013 Mike decided to develop an all estate wine program for his wines. He acquired the Bassi Vineyard and sells their wines in his tasting room on First Street in Avila Beach.
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Tim and Cathy Blair of San Luis Obispo were the high bidders for the wines.
The proceeds support our research on the wine history of the Edna Valley and Arroyo Grande Valley and the exhibits at Saucelito Canyon and Claiborne and Churchill wineries.
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WINE HISTORY / Donations and Sharing Your Stories
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Please consider supporting the Wine History Project by sharing your knowledge and stories of San Luis Obispo County wine through oral interviews, emails and letters, by donations of brochures, newsletters, books, wine labels, tools, lab and winemaking equipment, and photographs.
Contact libbie@winehistoryproject.org or cindy@winehistoryproject.org.
Monetary donations support the research, documentation, and preservation of the viticultural history of the Central Coast. Donate Now.
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