The fifth annual Fresno State Winemaster’s Weekend at the Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite on Friday and Saturday (March 3-4) will feature three workshops and a five-course gourmet dinner and a tasting of Fresno States’ new olive oil.

About 200-plus wine enthusiasts from all over California are expected for the two-day event that features wine receptions, fun-filled workshops, culinary classes and wine blending competitions and barrel making demonstrations topped with a five-course gourmet dinner on Saturday evening and accommodations in the world-famous resort.

One of the new features this year will be Fresno State’s new olive oil that will be presented in a sneak preview. The new Estate Reserve Olive Oil will be formally unveiled on campus next week but a special tasting will be held during the Friday reception from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 10 a.m. in the Tenaya lobby.

California State University, Fresno’s viticulture and enology program in the College of Agriculture Science and Technology partners with the award-winning Tenaya Lodge, the AAA four diamond mountain resort near Yosemite National Park, for the weekend event that is gaining popularity among wine connoisseurs throughout the state.

The Winemaster’s Weekend features student-produced wine and food products from the university’s award-winning winery and agricultural laboratory, masterfully prepared by the Tenaya’s renowned executive chef Fred Clabaugh.

In addition to wine and olive oil, student products that will be featured include oranges, sausage and cheese.

Gino Favagrossa, Fresno State orchard manager, will be on hand to present the university’s new Estate Reserve, which will be formally released next week.

“The Estate Reserve is a blend of Arbequina, Arbosana and Koroneiki oils; fruity with a mild pungence and leaves a pleasing persistent taste that is reminiscent of green herbs, tomato and banana,” Favagrossa said.

The “olive for oil” project is conducted in a 22 acre block of super- high density plantings under the academic auspices of the Plant Science Department of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology at Fresno State. It is part of the 900-acre Fresno State farm laboratory on campus.

The olives are mechanically harvested, processed and bottled by the California Olive Ranch, a partner in the new venture. The proceeds from the sale of the olive oil, like all student products, help strengthen Fresno State’s teaching and research program in agriculture.

Winemaster’s Weekend 2006 Schedule and Menu

Friday, March 3, 2006

5:30 PM – 7:30 PM Mix & Mingle Welcome Wine and Olive Oil Tasting Reception

7:30 PM – 10:00 PM Guests at Leisure for Dinner

Saturday, March 4, 2006

9:00 AM – 10:30 AM Red Wine Blending & Competition Workshop with Clark Smith & Ken Fugelsang

10 AM Fresno State Olive Oil Tasting

10:30 AM – 11:00 AM Morning Break

11:00 AM – 12:15 PM World Cooperage Barrel Making Demonstration Workshop with Jason Butler & Gary Kroll

12:15 PM – 1:30 PM Guests at Leisure for Lunch

1:30 PM – 2:30 PM Food and Wine Workshop with Executive Chef Frederick Clabaugh & Ken Fugelsange

6:00 PM – 7:00 PM Winemaster’s Dinner Reception

WINEMASTER’S DINNER

Saturday, March 4, 2006

“Wild in the Woods”

Auditions

2004 California Pristine Chardonnay

ACT ONE—

Smoked Rattlesnake

Grilled Pineapple, Apples

Sun-dried Blueberries

2005 San Joaquin County Pinot Gris—

Duarte Linden Hills Vineyards

ACT TWO—

Grilled Honey Thyme Rabbit Loin

Asian Slaw

Roasted Red & Yellow Pepper Puree

2005 San Joaquin County Viognier—

Duarte Linden Hills Vineyards

ACT THREE—

Crispy Fried Quail,

Eggplant Caviar, Baby Tat Soi

Orange Mustard Dressing

2004 San Joaquin County Barbera—

Duarte Linden Hills Vineyards

ACT FOUR—

Lemon Grass Spiked Elk Loin

Black Bean Chipolte Sweet Mash

Collard Greens, Baby Beet, Turnip

Ancho-Espresso Glaze

2003 California Syrah

FINAL ACT—

Grapefruit, Passion Fruit Jelly

Pink Peppercorns

Orange Torte, Fruit Salsa

California Sherry

Winemaker alumni of Fresno State in the spotlight

California State University, Fresno viticulture and enology heads for Yosemite today for the Winemaster Weekend 2006 at Tenaya Lodge for the fifth year, the spotlight also shines on alumni who recently have won acclaim.

Some of them partner with the Fresno State Winery, the nation’s only on-campus commercial winery led by the university’s world renown Winemaster Kenneth Fugelsang and winemaker John Gianinni, adding to its collection of medals.

The San Francisco Chronicle, which in 2004 featured Fresno State Wines, annually chooses a winemaker of the year and for 2005 selected Napa Valley-based Duckhorn Wine Company for top honors.

Mark Beringer (Class of 1991) is the winemaker at Duckhorn Vineyards, one of the company’s three labels. Two of his wines, a 2003 Napa Valley Merlot and the 2003 Decoy Napa Valley Red Wine, were on the Chronicle’s list of 2005’s top 10 releases in 2005.

The Chronicle’s “others to watch” list was dominated by Fresno State alumni. They are:

· Kris Curran (1996), an acknowledged expert in Pinot Noir with Sea Smoke in Santa Barbara County who has branched out to other varietals under her Curran label.

· Dave Guffy (1987) of Napa-based Hess Collections.

· Ed Sbragia (1977), winemaker at Beringer Vineyards for nearly 30 years and now making wines with son Adam under the Sbragia Family Vineyards label.

· Paul Dolan (1977), who hired winemaker and fellow alumnus Bob Swain at Parducci Wine Estates in the Mendocino Wine Co.

In competition:

· Louis Moreau (1990) of Domaine Louis Moreau won silver medals at the 2005 International Wine Challenge in London for a 2002 Chablis 1st Cru Vaillons and 2002 Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos.

· Fresno State’s 2004 San Joaquin County Duarte Barbera was a gold-medal winner in the Barbera category of the San Francisco Chronicle’s 2006 wine competition. Fresno State’s 2005 Rose was a silver medalist in the blush wine category.

The work of several who learned their craft at Fresno State had wines that made Wine Spectator magazine’s 2005 Top 100 list:

· Jeffrey Cohn (1996) is vice president of winemaking and production for Rosenblum Cellars, whose 2003 Rockpile Road Vineyard Zinfandel was No. 3 and 2003 Rosenblum Zinfandel (Richard Sauret Vineyards, Paso Robles) was 30th.

· Jon Engelskirger, winemaker for Turnbull Wine Cellar, was rated No. 76 with his 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley.

· E. Peter Seghesio (1986) is general manager of Seghesio Family Vineyards, whose 2003 Sonoma County Zinfandel ranked 78th.

· Jeff Pisoni (2002) and his brother, Mark, of Pisoni Vineyards & Vineyards in Gonzales were selected by Food & Wine magazine as one of the top 25 wine families worldwide for “revolutionizing the wine industry.”

· Kermit Lynch, the owner of Berkeley-based Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant was chosen Wine Professional of the Year by the James Beard Foundation and the French government presented him the Chevalier de l’Ordre de Mérite Agricole.

Among other alumni working in the wine industry:

· Koerner “KR” Rombauer (1987) is national sales director and his sister, Sheana Rombauer (1986), is sales and marketing manager for Rombauer Vineyards, where Alan Cannon is national sales manager and James Heinemann (1987) is California sales director.

· Steve Kupina (1976) is a senior chemist for Constellation Vineyards, a subsidiary of Canandaigua Wine Company.

· At award-winning Quady Winery in Madera, a dessert-wine specialist, Michael Blaylock (1984) is the winemaker and Darin Peterson (1991) is assistant winemaker.

· Ed Lopez is Western sales manager and national sales director for Seghesio Family Vineyards.

· Zoran Ljepovic (1999) is the quality control director for Franciscan Oakville Estate Winery.

Gregory Stach (1992) has been re-hired as assistant winemaker at Landmark Vineyards.

For more information about the Fresno State Viticulture and Enology Program:

www.fresnostatewinery.com/ or www.FresnoStateWinery.com.

Links:

Original Winemaster Weekend 2006 press release: https://www.fresnostatenews.com/2005/12/Yosemite.htm