Celebration of Wine at Fresno State

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Tom Uribes

May 28, 2003

News pager: (559) 278-5366 or 250-8459

Jan Boling, (559) 244-4922

NOTE: The Los Angeles Times newspaper today features a major report on how Fresno State's internationally acclaimed viticulture and enology program is changing the face of winemaking in California. For interviews with Dr. Robert Wample, director of the Viticulture and Enology Research Center or Kenneth Fugelsang, Fresno State winemaster, contact Tom Uribes in University Relations. See full story at www.FresnoStateNews.com.

‘A Celebration of Wine’ is Sunday (June 1)

Viticulture and Enology Alumni Chapters Join Forces for Vincent E. Petrucci Library Benefit

Nearly 2,500 wine and food enthusiasts will enjoy 117 of the finest west-coast wineries and 39 selected restaurants that will present their vintages and delectable offerings at “A Celebration of Wine” on Sunday, June 1.

The 21^st annual event – which benefits the Vincent E. Petrucci Library at Fresno State -- will be from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Dennes Coombs’ Riverbend Ranch just north of Fresno on the tranquil San Joaquin River.

The Fresno State Viticulture Alumni Club presents the event annually for the library but this year the Enology Alumni Association is co-sponsoring the event in place of its annual Fresno Wine Experience held in the spring.

Effective immediately with this new relationship, this year’s Fresno Wine Experience has been cancelled, said Jim Wulf, president of the Viticulture Alumni Club.

“The combination of these two premier wine tastings is a natural evolution,” Wulf said. “Changes have occurred within Fresno State, resulting in the combination of these two highly related disciplines into one department. It is only natural that these two events should echo that action to further heighten the success of one event.”

The University’s viticulture and enology programs merged in 2000 to form the Department of Viticulture and Enology in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology. The alumni chapters have remained separate from each other.

At Sunday’s event, good food and wine will be the order of the day with cooking demonstrations and Central California’s largest Silent Wine Auction – all topped off with coffee and desserts accompanying live music and dancing until dusk.

Campagnia's Executive Chef Floro Bugnosen and North Pointe's Executive Chef Daniel Renteria will conduct the cooking demos. Also, an art exhibit of Phyllis Neufeld's artwork will be featured with a percentage of the proceeds for that day's business donated to THE Fresno State viticulture and enology program.

But the event is more than an afternoon wine tasting – the efforts of these two alumni groups will benefit the Vincent E. Petrucci Library at Fresno State.

Named in recognition of the former professor who with many others played a major role in the development of the viticulture and enology programs at the university, the library is a vital resource for viticulture and enology research and education. It is also available to the general public.

The original vision of the viticulture alumni was to make the library available to the grape growing and winemaking industries. It was established in 1996 with a $350,000 endowment by the Viticulture Alumni Club. The endowment supports all library operations.

About $170,000 has been raised primarily through the Celebration of Wine event to fund the library collection, purchase computer equipment and software, provide personnel to organize the collection, and fund the physical facility within the Viticulture and Enology Research Center building.

The Vincent E. Petrucci Library collects information on viticulture and enology and provides materials, services and facility for students, faculty, staff and industry.

The library supports the curriculum of viticulture and enology classes at Fresno State as well as research projects being conducted at the Viticulture and Enology Research Center, which is recognized as a leader of applied research in the fields of viticulture and enology.

In addition to major grants and contracts leading to long-term research commitments, VERC fulfills requests to perform short-term research services for industry, private growers and agribusiness. The Petrucci library collects and displays VERC faculty and staff research findings and shares the findings with library users world-wide.

Open to the public, the library owns approximately 700 volumes on viticulture and enology and has current subscriptions to 32 periodicals in the field. A librarian is available to answer reference questions and assist with on-site or electronic research.

The Viticulture Alumni club was established in the 1950s and has remained one of the most active alumni groups at Fresno State.

As a group, the alumni club has been a major contributor to the university’s School of Agricultural Sciences and Technology through its support of the viticulture academic and research programs.

Individually, many of its members serve on university and industry boards and committees.

Attendance at the Celebration of Wine is limited to 2,500 guests and tickets are available in advance for $65 per person. Tickets are now on sale and may be purchased on line by visiting www.acelebrationofwine.com or by calling (559) 244-5741.

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