Page 103 - SLO Visitor's Guide - Fall 2022

Wine Tasting
Here are this year's SLO County wine industry award winners
Awards recognize dedication, stewardship, innovation, and leadership in SLO County
Every year the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance, in partnership with the San Luis Obispo Coast Wine Collective, the Independent Grape Growers of the Paso Robles Area, The Vineyard Team, and past award recipients honor members of the local wine community.
The honorees are evaluated on their leadership and accom- plishments in California’s third largest wine region, San Luis Obispo County. These awards recognize dedication, steward- ship, innovation, and leadership demonstrated in San Luis Obispo County.
“This year’s winners are deserving for their dedication to the San Luis Obispo County’s vineyards, wines, and marketing efforts and their leadership in their area of focus. Their pas- sion and commitment to their craft and the local industry have helped continue to expand the recognition and accolades for this region,” said Joel Peterson, executive director of the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance.
The 2022 San Luis Obispo County Wine Industry Awards go to:
Wine Grape Grower of the Year
Hilary Graves of Booker Vineyard is a winegrower, wine- maker and viticulture educa-
tor with more than 20 years of field experience on California’s Central Coast. Not intending to follow her father’s family farming tradition, she earned a master’s degree in Library and Informa-
slovisitorsguide.com
From left, Gretchen Roddick of Hope Family Wines, Hilary Graves of Booker Vineyard, and Bob Lindquist of Verdad Wine Cellars & Lindquist Family Wines
tion Science from CSU Fresno. While serving as the academic librarian at CSU Fresno’s Viti- culture and Enology Research Center, her true calling came clear. She went on studies in crop science at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where she also taught viticulture for four years under Dr. Keith Patterson.
In 2002, she planted a vine- yard called Ohana, making wines under the Graves Family Wine- growers and Mighty Nimble brands. She later started a vineyard management company, growing fruit for several winer- ies, including Booker Vineyard. She joined Booker Vineyard in 2020 as vineyard and grower rela- tions manager.
Hilary’s winegrowing phi- losophy allows the land to speak through the fruit: “I see my job as managing the vines instead of manipulating them, so that the grapes can express where they come from—I never want to change the outcome of what the place wants to show.”
This transparent mindset also goes hand in hand with Hilary’s
-VISIT US FOR A COMPLIMENTARY TASTING­
Enjoy our winery grounds, taste our remarkable wines, picnic, play bocce or just relax in the shade.
GLUNZ FAMILY WINERY & CELLARS
OPEN DAILY 10AM-5PM ~ LOCATED AT 8331 HIGHWAY 46E GFWC.COM ~ 805-238-1400
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