SSU Wine Business Program Archives

Wine Tetris Blocks – How I Fell In Love with Wine

(Contributed by J. Onodera) My interest in wine is like a game of tetris, as the “blocks” slowly fell in place over time. It all started during spring break of my junior high school year, when I toured different colleges in the Northwest, one of them being Sonoma State University. As our tour group walked to the Wine Spectator Learning Center on campus, our guide mentioned that the university was the only one in California offering wine degrees in business topics, rather than the traditional Viticulture and Enology degrees. The idea of becoming a player in wine business sparked a sense [...]

By Fiona Fang|2021-01-30T21:41:01-08:00June 9, 2020|

A Heavenly Visit to Hanna Winery in Sonoma County

In October the Wine Sense Club put on an extravagant field trip out to Hanna winery in Alexander Valley. Driving up the long and beautifully landscaped driveway of Hanna Winery, the Wine Sense club was able to take in the picturesque views of the valley. The club’s wine tasting excursion took place under the large oak tree below the tasting room. Shelby Lozinto, the President of the Wine Sense club arranged a private tasting for the club and presented a selection of the Hanna wines to the club members. Hanna Winery in Alexander Valley, Sonoma County. Photo Credit: Hanna [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-30T21:52:03-08:00May 15, 2020|

Best Wine Tasting Experience at Serego Alighieri Winery in Italy

(Contributed by Gabriele Brusamarello) - My best tasting room experience was at the Serego Alighieri Estate, in the heart of the Valpolicella wine region in Italy. Located just a few miles away from the historic and magical city of Verona and beautiful Lake Garda, the winery estate was establish in 1353. It was a sunny and warm day in spring 2012, and I went to visit the winery with some basketball teammates since we were playing for the Verona basketball team. When we first arrived, we were surrounded by nature, astonished by the historic beauty and uniqueness of the location, [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-02-01T19:47:56-08:00April 30, 2020|

Grapes Still Stomped by Foot at Pax Wines in Sebastopol, CA

Contributed by Keira Fernandes - Have you ever felt the soft squishy feel of grapes underneath your bare feet? Well, this is the way they still make some of the wine at Pax Winery in Sebastopol, California. That’s because owners Pax and Pam Mahle believe in making wine the old-fashioned way. Not only do they stomp their wine grapes by foot, but they refrain from using chemicals or any unnatural additions to their wines. Pax Winery also leaves the skins on the grape for as long as possible to allow for natural fermentation as well as getting maximum flavor. [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-02-01T19:48:45-08:00April 21, 2020|

Elephant Motif and Farm-Stay Wine Experience at Zo Winery

Contributed by Keira Fernandes – This month we had a great educational wine-tasting on the campus of Sonoma State University with Zo Winery. They are located in the Dry Creek AVA of Sonoma County, just three miles outside of the town of Healdsburg. What is unique about Zo Winery is that they not only offer wine-tasting, but a farm-stay wine experience. They also have a very special focus on elephants, with every wine label graced by an elephant motif. The Elephant Connection The 11-acre vineyard was purchased by David Eckert in 1999 and named after his son Enzo. Enzo’s name [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-02-01T19:50:29-08:00February 23, 2020|

How I Fell in Love with Wine – A Great Role Model and Exceptional Customer Service at Gloria Ferrer Winery

(Contributed by Brenna Machek) - I fell in love with wine through two memorable experiences. The first time was with my parents, and the second time was when I landed my first big job in the wine industry. My Dad - The Role Model I remember every summer coming to Northern California for a vacation with my family. In exchange for some fun boating time with my brother, my parents would make us stop by a couple wineries so they could have their “fun adult time”. I would watch how my dad carefully eyed the wine in the glass, stuck [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-02-01T19:52:09-08:00December 25, 2017|

Toasting Trione Winery at Over 100 Years in Sonoma County

(Contributed by Jane Hofmiester) Trione Winery was the most recent guest winery in the SSU Winesense Club educational series. Boasting over 100 years in Sonoma County, the Trione family are true pioneers in the region. The Old Stone Building at Trione Winery About Trione Winery Beginning as farmers and grape growers, the Trione's own over 700 acres of vineyards in the Russian River Valley, Alexander Valley, and Sonoma Coast AVAs. They finally started making wine in 2005, and opened a winery tasting room for the public in 2008. Operated by brothers Mark and Vic Trione, along with Mark’s [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-02-01T19:54:25-08:00April 11, 2017|

Learning About Champagne Riddling at Field Trip to Domaine Carneros

Old wooden riddling racks were set-up around the second floor room of Domaine Carneros, overlooking the winery below. CEO, Eileen Crane, handed everyone a glowing flute of Domaine Carneros Ultra Brut to enjoy as she explained how the riddling process works. "The traditional method was to turn each bottle in the riddling rack by a set amount each day until all of the yeast from the second fermentation in bottle fell to the top lip of the bottle. In this way, it could be frozen and then easily ejected." There were oohhs and aahhs from the thirty SSU wine business [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-02-01T19:55:11-08:00March 22, 2017|

Wines for the Lawyer and Sicilian in Your Life – Emmitt-Scorsone Winery

(Contributed by Jane Hofmeister) This week, Palmer Emmitt, CEO of Emmitt-Scorsone Winery, visited SSU to share his beautiful artisan wines with us. Palmer and his partner produce two brands: Judge Palmer and Domenica Amato. Emmitt-Scorsone Wines The Judge Palmer Wine Brand This wine was name for Palmer’s grandfather James Palmer. He served as a judge in El Dorado County, California in the 1960s and 1970s. Palmer said this wine is a favorite of lawyers, and also is a great gift for anyone working in a legal environment. However, the velvety and rich taste of this wine will satisfy [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-02-01T19:55:32-08:00March 8, 2017|

A Magical Field Trip to Hanna Winery in Sonoma

(Contributed by Jennifer Schiff) In October the SSU Wine Sense Club put on an extravagant field trip to Hanna Winery in Alexander Valley. Driving up the long and beautifully landscaped driveway, everyone was very impressed with the Spanish style architecture of Hanna Winery and the sweeping views of the valley. Our tasting took place under the large oak tree below the tasting room, and was facilitated by Shelby Lozinto, an intern at Hanna and also our Wine Sense Club president. Hanna Winery - Photo Credit: Hanna.com About Hanna Winery Hanna Winery was first started in 1985 by Dr. [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-02-01T20:00:36-08:00November 8, 2016|

Tasting Sparkling Honey Wine at Heidrun Meadery, Point Reyes, California

Visiting Heidrun Winery (Contributed by Erica Schreckenghaust) On a beautiful sunny day a small group of Wine Sense Members visited Heidrun Meadery in Point Reyes. We were on a quest to taste “the wine of the Norse gods” – wine made from honey. Mead was the only beverage that the Norwegian god Odin would drink, and it had to be from Heidrun, a special goat that would produce mead in her udder. About Heidrun Meadery Heidrun Meadery is one of the few, if not the only, meaderies, who make their mead in the Methode Champenoise style, which creates [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-02-01T21:54:39-08:00June 29, 2015|

SSU Wine Sense Club Students Take Field Trip to Hamel Family Vineyards

Hamel Family Vineyards (Contributed by Erica Schreckenghaust ) - One of the main goals of the Wine Sense Club is to create connections between wine professionals, wineries, and students. We appreciate all of the people who have come to visit us on campus over the years but wanted to create an organic way for students to get the all-encompassing experience of a brand. In attempt to do this the Executive Board have organized fieldtrips all over Sonoma and Napa Valley during the Spring semester. Hamel Family/ Brand History: To kick off our series of field trips we had the [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-02-01T21:56:43-08:00April 13, 2015|

Paul Hobbs Pinot Noir and Sbragia Cabernet Sauvignon Tie as Top Favorites in Classic Red Tasting

Sbragia Wines With Cheese Platter What is a classic red wine grape? It is a variety that has proved it can produce consistently high quality over a long period of time in more than one region of the world. Therefore, though there are more than 120 commercially produced wine grapes, there are only 4 classic red grapes. In California, however, we add Zinfandel as well, because it is one of our most beloved State grapes: Pinot Noir – famous in Burgundy, Oregon, Sonoma, New Zealand and many other regions of the world Merlot– famous in Bordeaux, Italy, Washington, [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-05T13:45:59-08:00March 9, 2015|

SSU Winesense Board Confirms Spring 2015 Tasting Schedule

SSU Winesense Board at Annual Planning Dinner The wine tasting schedule for SSU’s Winesense Club has just been confirmed for Spring 2015 and the line-up of wineries is mouthwatering. Jan. 29 – The Magical Wines of Matanzas Creek Feb. 12 – Valentine’s Day Tasting with Sonoma Port Works & Mumm Napa March 12 – Big Reds with Styker April 9 – Innovative Wines with Delicato April 23 – Pinot Envy with Gary Farrell Meetings start at 7pm and are held in the Bennett Valley Room in the new Student Union Building. The Membership fee is $30 for the [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-02-01T22:01:34-08:00January 30, 2015|