Three student-produced wines entered by California State University, Fresno have won top honors at the California State Fair Wine Competition (CSFWC) in Sacramento, including a gold medal for the 1999 Barbera variety with a rare 95 rating.

The awards for the oldest, most prestigious wine judging competition in North America were announced this week by Dr. Robert Wample, chair of the university’s Viticulture and Enology Department. The winning entrees now move on to the Grape and Gourmet Event later this month also in Sacramento.

Fresno State’s other two awards were a silver for its 1999 Tailgate Rosé with 91 points and a bronze for the 1999 Sunshine White Table with 84 points.

More than 400 commercial vintners from throughout the state entered the competition. The awards are given by scoring points, which rate the wines at specific levels — bronze, silver and gold.

Fresno State is the first and only university in the nation that is licensed to produce, bottle and sell wine commercially.

This is the second consecutive year Fresno State has earned top honors at the event. Last year, the university won the “Best Shiraz in California” Award.

The university entered the state competition last year for the first time and Wample noted the honor is especially gratifying for a university in competition with professional wineries.

“Given that our primary responsibility is education, not commercial wine making, and that the students play a major role in our wine making efforts, I think it is exciting to have our wines receiving this level of recognition,” said Wample.

He credited Fresno State Winemaster Ken Fugelsang and Dr. Carlos Muller, who begins his retirement this year, for building the enology program.

University enology students under Fugelsang’s direction crafted the Barbera during the 1999-2000 academic year. The students used fruit donated by Duarte Nursery from its Linden Hills Vineyards in San Joaquin County.

The silver Tailgate Rosé and bronze Sunshine White Table were produced from Fresno State’s vineyards.

Retailer sponsors that market the gold medal wine are Country Boy Market, Old Doc’s, Bailey-Cannon Wine Merchants and Simonian Farms, all in Fresno, as well as the university’s Farm Market on Barstow and Chestnut Avenues.

At the Fourth Annual Grape and Gourmet Wine Tasting Press Conference Event in Sacramento on July 25, only the competition medal winners are eligible for the Best of Show (one award), Golden Winery Award (one award), Best of Region (13 awards), Best of California (12 awards), and Best of Class in Region (250 awards.)

The CSFWC, which is the oldest in North America, was initiated in 1854 and this year was held June 23 through 25.

For more information, contact Wample at (559) 278-2089, Fugelsang at 278-2791 or to obtain the wine, call the Farm Market at 278-4511.