Wine History by Decade: 2010s

California Mid-State Fair, Wine Industry Award Recipients: Winemaker – Clay Brock; Winegrower – Dusi Family; Wine Industry Person – Kris O’Connor.

Justin Baldwin sells Justin Winery.

Bill and Liz Armstrong (EPOCH Estate Wines) purchase the historic York Mountain Winery founded by Andrew York, owned and operated for 92 years by the York family. They begin extensive renovations to build a new winery facility honoring the historic building.

California Mid-State Fair, Wine Industry Award Recipients: Wine Industry Person – Stacie Jacob.

Robert Clark Young dies on February 3.

John Munch opens his new facilities, the winery and tasting room for Le Cuvier Winery, on Vine Hill Lane.

Alex Villicana establishes Re:Find Distillery and becomes a pioneer in the crafts spirit movement in San Luis Obispo County. He uses flavors combined with the organic materials generated in the winemaking process that are often released down the drain, sourced from other wineries to make high quality spirits. He is famous for his Limoncello.

California Mid-State Fair, Wine Industry Award Recipients: Winemaker – Mike Sinor; Winegrower – John Crossland (awarded posthumously); Wine Industry Person – Brian Talley.

California Mid-State Fair, Wine Industry Award Recipients: Winemaker – Neil Collins; Winegrower – George Donati; Wine Industry Person – Keith Patterson (awarded posthumously).

Janell Dusi (J Dusi Wines) opens the J Dusi Tasting Room on Highway 46 West.

California Mid-State Fair, Wine Industry Award Recipients: Winemaker – Steve Dooley; Winegrower – Simon Graves; Wine Industry Persons – Tobin James Cellars.

Paso Robles AVA subdivided in 11 Sub-AVAs.

Dante Dusi dies.

Robert Haas (Tablas Creek Vineyard) receives the Lifetime Achievement Award, Rhône Rangers.

California Mid-State Fair, Wine Industry Award Recipients: Winemaker – Marc Goldberg; Winegrower – Jerry Reaugh; Wine Industry Person – Vicki Carroll.

Niels and Bimmer Udsen install a permanent bottling line at the Castoro Cellars facility in San Miguel.

California Mid-State Fair, Wine Industry Award Recipients: Winemaker – Steve Peck; Winegrower – Bob Thomas; Wine Industry Person – Jean Pierre Wolff.

Libbie Agran establishes the Wine History Project to collect and preserve the viticulture history of San Luis Obispo County on March 13.

California Mid-State Fair, Wine Industry Award Recipients: Wine Industry Person – Jason Haas; Winemaker – Christian Roguenant; Winegrower of the Year – Lino Bozzano.

“must! charities” is recognized by the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors on May 16 for their work in raising funds with many partners in the wine industry to fund local charities, fight poverty, and support children in San Luis Obispo County.

Tablas Creek Vineyard is certified biodynamic.

Niels and Bimmer Udsen install a canning line at the Castoro Cellars facility in San Miguel. This is the first wine canning custom crush service in San Luis Obispo County; wine is shipped from New Zealand to Castoro Cellars for canning and distribution.

The final Central Coast Wine Classic is held in August 2017.

All Castoro Cellars vineyards are certified organic, completing a ten year program.

Richard Sauret dies on September 30.

Archie McLaren dies in February.

Robert Haas (Tablas Creek Vineyard) dies on March 18.

California Mid-State Fair, Wine Industry Award Recipients: Winegrape Grower of the Year – Randy Heinzen, Vineyard Professional Services; Winemaker of the Year — John Munch, Le Cuvier Winery; Wine Industry Person of the Year — Archie McLaren (awarded posthumously).

California Mid-State Fair, Wine Industry Award Recipients: Winegrape Grower of the Year – Paul Hoover, Still Waters Vineyards; Winemaker of the Year – Justin Smith, Saxum Vineyards; Wine Industry Person of the Year – Scott Welcher, Opolo Vineyards (awarded posthumously).

Benito Dusi dies on July 17.

Dorothy (Dottie) Dusi dies on October 1.

Researcher at UC Davis release three red and two white new wine grape varieties that are highly resistant to Pierce’s disease. Pierce disease costs the California grape growers more than $100 million per year. Geneticist and professor of viticulture and enology developed these varieties: the reds – paseante noir, camminare noir, and errante noir and the whites ambulo blanc and caminante blanc. It has taken 20 years to develop the five patent-pending varieties.