Allan Hancock College Bonded to Sell Wine
SANTA MARIA, Calif. – Students in the Viticulture and Enology program at Allan Hancock College have been making wine for sixteen years. But now, under the leadership of Alfredo Koch, a new milestone. They can sell the wine they work so hard to make.
“Before we had an experimental winery so we produced very small quantities of different wines. That was interesting too, but now it’s much larger and we can do a lot more.” Says Koch.
The students are now producing several different varietals in a brand new, 1800 square foot on-campus winery. They also have 2800 square feet of outdoor space with all the equipment you would find in a “real” winery.
It took nine years to become bonded, but after a lot of paperwork, patience, and help from the local wine industry, Hancock is now bonded to sell their wine. They are only the third community college in the state allowed to do so.
Students in the program, like Vanessa Tolan, are excited for this next step in the program.
“It’s really cool that we get to do everything hands on because that’s normally how everybody learns by hands on.”
Proceeds from the wine sales go back into the Viticulture and Enology program, and now students can learning the business side of wine… from label design to marketing.
The on-campus winery is open every Thursday from 10am to 6pm for tasting and purchases.
