SLO County Golf, Wine & Real EstateGolf, Wine & Real Estate News and Events Blog
May 6 - Taste Grand OpeningSunday, April 30, 2006Taste will hold its grand opening May 6 as part of the San Luis Obispo Vintners Association's two-day annual Roll Out The Barrels celebration, with food samples from Chef Paul Kwan paired with local wines on the Court Street Terrace. Winemaker dinners and other special events are planned at member wineries throughout the weekend. Tickets for the passport event are $45 or $30 for designated drivers. For details, see www.slowine.com or call 541-5868.The San Luis Obispo association's approach is based on a Cal Poly study that two years ago concluded fewer than 20 percent of visitors to downtown San Luis Obispo were aware of local wineries. With fewer than 30 wineries in the region and 15 members, the association believes wooing potential customers from those who are already here is the most efficient way to build sales. "Most of our tourists that visit San Luis are from Southern California," said Marco Rizzo, co-owner of Café Roma and Per Bacco Cellars. "They relax on the coast, explore, visit downtown. I don't think there are too many people who come up just for wine tasting." Taste introduces them to member wineries and their wines. After sampling, some visitors buy bottles to take to nearby restaurants, said Jennifer Rucks, co-owner of Salisbury Vineyards, which opened in Avila last year. "People are coming and buying more at the tasting room," she said. To encourage customers to compare local wines to fine vintages from other regions, Taste plans to begin serving nine French wines, said Executive Director Becky Gray. The innovative tasting room could even help put San Luis Obispo on the national wine map. According to Gray, the group has been approached by Wine Spectator magazine about a story on the venture. Article: A matter of Taste, Raven J. Railey - The Tribune Tags: San Luis Obispo Central Coast Wine |
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