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
3592 Broad Street,
Suite 104,
San Luis Obispo,
CA 93401
(805) 439-4647
libbie@winehistoryproject.org
By Appointment
Seven generations of Steinbecks have farmed grapes in Paso Robles and four generations currently live and work on the Ernst/Steinbeck ranch. Their love of the land and commitment to farm sustainably is passed down to each generation. This is the longest farming dynasty in San Luis Obispo County.
The custom crush business enables economies of scale in an industry where it takes millions of investment dollars to build and equip a modern winery. Custom crush services provide shared costs of processing, wine storage, bottling, and warehousing.
Candice Norcross started her career as an artist inspired to create objects of beauty. Her vision, her imagination and her skills created beautiful containers for fine wine and changed philanthropy on the Central Coast. Candice’s etched bottles helped to raise millions of dollars for charities in San Luis Obispo County. They preserve the history of our finest Central Coast wines.
As agriculture in California developed, the California Legislature and the University of California worked to determine which dry-farmed crops would thrive in various regions throughout the state. Paso Robles became an important area of study in 1889 thanks to the passage of the Hatch Act of 1887 to provide funding for agricultural experiment stations.
Tom Myers is recognized as the expert on the science of making wine in San Luis Obispo County. As of 2019, he is also recognized as the man who has filled over 190 million bottles with San Luis Obispo County wine following his 42 harvests. Perhaps the best description of his talents, according to his colleagues and local winemakers: “Tom Myers is the awesome winemakers’ winemaker.”
A maven in art of hospitality, Larry Shupnick is a leader in hotel management and ownership. Since the 1970s, he has been a tireless promoter of local food and wines in San Luis Obispo County, investing in new restaurants and wineries, introducing local winemakers to the finest winery owners and chefs in the world; his friendships, collaborations, and networks raised the quality of local wines and cuisine to new heights. He was the co-founder of the KCBX Wine Classic and founder of the San Luis Bay Food and Wine Society and the local chapter of Confrérie de la Chaine des Rotisseurs. He was the 2018 recipient of the Robert Mondavi Food and Wine Award.
William and Barbara Ernst were the first of seven generations to settle in the Geneseo area east of Paso Robles, California and farm grapes and make award-winning wines. William and his twin brother John, worked with the UC Experiment Station of the South Coast Range to determine the crops that would be successful in this area based on variety, soil, rainfall and climate in the area from Geneseo to Creston. William provided valuable research and data on each farmer in the area from 1885 to 1902, preserving valuable wine history.
Gerd and Ilsabe Klintworth, both born in Hanover Germany, immigrated to Orange, Southern California, in their late twenties, to live and work in the famous Mission grape growing Anaheim Colony. In 1883, the year Gerd went to work for the Boston Company, Pierce Disease was detected in the vineyards. In 1886 Gerd and his new bride moved to the Linne District east of Paso Robles, bought 80 acres, and successfully farmed grains, cattle, and grapes for four generations. Gerd is credited with the first to bring grain farming to the area; Gerd was the first winemaker to be licensed in the Linne District.
Marc has left an indelible legacy in San Luis Obispo’s North County. He’s an outlier yet one who is very much a part of Paso Robles’ wine tapestry. While Dr. Hoffman planted the region’s first Pinot Noir, Marc took it several steps further eventually founding the Paso Pinot Producers, a group that has now grown to over 25 member wineries. The organization launched the Pinot and Paella Festival in 2003 held at the Windward winery. The annual June festival is now staged at Templeton Park to raise funds that benefit the Paso Robles Youth Arts Foundation.
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