Calendar

Sun 25

Exhibit: Seeking Gold, Finding Grapes

April 19 to December 31

Sun 25

Exhibit: Eberle Firsts at Eberle Winery

April 20 |10:00 am to December 31 |6:00 pm PDT

Sep 09

Now That’s Italian!

September 9 |5:30 pm to 7:00 pm PDT

Sep 28

The Wine History Project

The Wine History Project of SLO County preserves and presents two centuries of local viticulture through research, interviews, exhibitions, publications, talks and tastings. We work with local museums, galleries, archives, and wineries to organize events and exhibitions in venues throughout the county.

Together We Can Preserve the Story of Central Coast Winemaking

Location

3592 Broad Street,
Suite 104,
San Luis Obispo,
CA 93401

Phone

(805) 439-4647

Email

libbie@winehistoryproject.org

Open Hours

By Appointment

Recent Articles

Janell Dusi

Growers, Winemakers, Winery Owners/Founders

Janell was born into the fourth generation of a famous Italian family who settled in Paso Robles and Templeton in San Luis Obispo County in the 1920s. She was born and raised in the Dante Dusi Vineyard and by the age of 12 knew she wanted to pursue winemaking. Dante was her mentor.

Romeo “Meo” Zuech (1926-2017)

Growers, Home Winemakers, Winemakers

Romeo “Meo” Zuech was an Italian-born aerospace engineer who retired from Rocketdyne in 1983 and established the Piedra Creek Winery in the Edna Valley in 1984 with his wife Margaret. Margaret and Romeo “Meo” Zuech were Legends for introducing grape varieties from the Alto Adige, Italy region to San Luis Obispo County and Edna Valley. Together they planted Gewurztraminer, Lagrein, Dornfelder, Marzamino, and Teroldego. Margaret and Meo were the first to bring the Lagrein grape to the United States from Meo’s homeland in Bolzano, Italy.

Ian McPhee

Hospitality

Ian McPhee changed the food and wine scene in San Luis Obispo County by bringing a new approach to selecting, preparing and serving great food in local restaurants. He was the first chef to focus on pairing those meals in his restaurants with the best local wines being produced in the county. He introduced himself to local winemakers, tasting and purchasing their wines for Ian’s Restaurant in Cambria and McPhee’s Grill in Templeton.

Benito Dusi (1933-2019)

Growers, Winemakers

Above all else, Benito was a beloved member of the Dusi family, the youngest of the three Dusi brothers and a member of the second generation of the famous grape-growing family. This is the only family of growers in San Luis Obispo County that has had five generations raising and harvesting grapes. Only two members of the family have made wine commercially – Benito in the 1950s and his grandniece Janell in the 21st century.

Legacy Gala at Eberle Winery Celebrates 40 Years of Winemaking

Anniversaries, Awards, and Celebrations

Heather Muran, Karen Petersen, Cindy Lambert, and Libbie Agran of the Wine History Project Gary and Marcy Eberle celebrated 40 years of winemaking in Paso Robles at the Eberle Winery Legacy Gala on Saturday, July 13th, 2019. Over 300 guests attended the celebration...

2019 San Luis Obispo County Wine Industry Awards Announced

Anniversaries, Awards, and Celebrations

The Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance in partnership with San Luis Obispo Coast Wine Collective, Independent Grape Growers of the Paso Robles Area, Vineyard Team, and past award recipients worked together to identify the 2019 winners. The honorees are evaluated on...

Wine History by Decade: 1900s

Wine - 1900s & 1910s History

1902 Silas York (of the York Family) becomes a partner in A. York and Sons. By 1902 A. York and Sons Winery was making 40,000 gallons of wine per year. They sold locally but also shipped wine to the East Coast in railroad tank cars. 1905The Dallidet vineyards, lost to...

Wine History by Decade: 1910s

Wine - 1900s & 1910s History

1911Walter and Silas York, sons of Andrew York, took over the management of York Winery and renamed it York Brothers Winery. They increased production to 100,000 gallons annually. York Brothers Winery became the largest winery in San Luis Obispo County.1913A. B...

Max Goldman (1910-2004)

Winemakers

Max Goldman purchased and restored the iconic San Luis Obispo County Winery and vineyards of York Mountain Winery from 1970 to 2001. During Max’s career as a winemaker, his research on fermentation and observations profoundly increased the quality standards of wine, improved documentation, viticulture and course curriculum, and production efficiency. His scholarship led to becoming known as a “founding father” of the Wine Institute and of the American Society of Enologists (later known as the American Society of Enology and Viticulture); he was President from 1955-1956.