SRJC and the New Generation of Winemakers

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Celebrating its 50th anniversary, the Santa Rosa Junior College’s agriculture program developed into a premier location for wine education for students on their way to Sonoma State and beyond. “It’s a natural marriage of the two programs,” says Kevin Sea, Ph.D., the wine studies program coordinator. “We focus on production, whereas Sonoma State focuses on the business of wine. Before we started creating a link with Sonoma, students were graduating from Sonoma State and then enrolling at the junior college afterwards for more background.”

With the joint degree acting as a much more efficient transition between the two schools, students are not only learning the business acumen of wine, but also getting practical hands-on experience with production on the farm. Sonoma State does not have a wine production facility on campus. 

Shone Farm, owned and operated by SRJC, has 91 acres of vineyards for students to use to create wine. In addition to commercial production, the vineyard also supports a dedicated block of grapes for student instruction. Students in the program spend time involved with various tasks, which includes monitoring for pests and diseases, making crop projections, crushing and de-stemming grapes, monitoring fermentations, bottling and pruning selected blocks of grapes.

The program produces around 600 cases a year under the tutelage of winemaker Mark Stupich, who previously worked at Kenwood Vineyards for 40 years before retiring as their winemaker.

“[Stupich] does most of the processes, but his priority is supervising the students,” says Sea. “He guides the students into crafting the four wines we make.”

One of the wines created by the SRJC program is the 2017 Syrah, the follow up to the gold-medal winning 2016 Syrah, awarded by the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition (SFCWC). This wine, with aromas of vanilla and notes of cola and dark chocolate with a soft finish, will unfortunately not be judged this year because it sold out before it could be submitted

The SFCWC has more than 65 judges, evaluating nearly 6,700 wines from 1,000-plus wineries. “The response from the wineries of North America at our 2020 competition was outstanding. Sweepstakes awards hail from Ohio, New Mexico and California,” said Bob Fraser, the SFCWC executive director, in a prepared statement.

The second wine grown is a 2017 Chardonnay, winner of the silver medal. This medium bodied wine with a well-maintained acidity has a dry finish with hints of spice alongside strong aromas of pear, apricot and vanilla.

The third wine is the gold medal winning 2017 Pinot Noir, a fruity, complex blend with hints of cherry, pomegranate and cranberry. The crown jewel from SRJC is its double gold, medal winning 2018 Sauvignon Blanc, featuring tropical aromas and balanced acidity. 

Previously, the program earned awards for its wine every so often, but now their wines are consistently showered in awards, thanks to the leadership of Stupich and the dedication of the students. “[Stupich] is traditional in his techniques,” Sea says. “No shortcuts and very patient in his process.”

While winemaking can be rigorous and demanding, especially during harvest season, students find themselves motivated to be a part of the process. If they have classes throughout the week, students will find time to be a part of the harvest process over the weekend, according to Sea.

The wine is sold at local retailers including Bottle Barn and Oliver’s alongside the wine studies’ website, with all proceeds going back into the SRJC Wine Studies Program. Pick and Sip Saturday events at Shone farm also raise awareness of the program.

Shone Farm is no stranger to selling grapes to prestigious wineries including Francis Ford Coppola, Sonoma Cutrer, Korbel, Hanna Winery, Constellation and La Crema. The estate-farmed Russian River Valley grapes make up 91 of the 365 acres. 

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