WINERY A GROWING CONCERN RENOVATION WILL BRING BACK PIERCE COLLEGE'S VINEYARD.Byline: Lisa M. Sodders Staff Writer WOODLAND HILLS - Like the south of France South of France south n the South of France → le Sud de la France, le Midi , it boasts gentle hills and shallow, rocky soil - perfect for producing Sangiovese, cabernet sauvignon Cab·er·net Sauvignon n. 1. A variety of black grape used to make red wine, notably in Bordeaux and the Napa Valley. 2. A dry red wine made from this grape. [French. and other table wines. But this 8 1/2-acre spot is at Pierce College In 2006 the Library won a national Excellence award. Academics Pierce College offers associate's degrees, mainly in the arts and sciences. There are also certificate programs in early childhood education, social services, dental hygienist, and others. in Woodland Hills, home to Southern California's only community college wine program. College officials, eager to enhance their fledgling viticulture program, plan this summer to terrace a hill on the southwest corner of campus and plant 22 varieties of grapes. ``It's a lovely spot,'' said Richard Hoenisch, vineyard manager for the department of viticulture and enology at the University of California, Davis The University of California, Davis, commonly known as UC Davis, is one of the ten campuses of the University of California, and was established as the University Farm in 1905. , who is helping Pierce design its vineyard. ``When I first saw it two years ago, I was blown away.'' The vineyard project is part of a sweeping master plan that calls for $166 million in campus improvements and envisions a vibrant future for the college's long-neglected agriculture and horticulture programs. Five years from now, campus visitors may be sipping chardonnay from the vineyard, purchasing produce and fresh-laid eggs at the college's farm store, and strolling along an elevated walkway to marvel at baby pigs. ``It would really be a draw,'' Hoenisch said of the viticulture program, which began in 2000. ``It's the only wine program in Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, , so it might be a star.'' Area wineries were enthusiastic when told of plans for the vineyard. ``That's awesome!'' said Cindee Donato, co-owner of the Antelope Valley This article is about the Los Angeles County region. For the census-designated place in Wyoming, see Antelope Valley-Crestview, Wyoming. The Antelope Valley Winery win·er·y n. pl. win·er·ies An establishment at which wine is made. Noun 1. winery - distillery where wine is made wine maker in Lancaster. ``Now people in the southern part of the state won't have to leave the state to study viticulture. And if (UC) Davis is helping them, there's nothing finer than that.'' UC Davis and Richard Hoenisch, a top vineyard master, will help design the Pierce vineyard and modern watering systems, said Thomas Oliver Thomas Oliver may refer to:
``We're hoping to bottle the wine, sell it through our foundation and make some good money to support the college while at the same time teaching the kids how chemistry and biology fit into the whole process.'' Pierce students will have the chance to UC Davis or other schools to finish their degrees although some in the program will be hobbyists. Jacky deHaviland, who has taken several viticulture and enology courses at Pierce, said she plans to move from environmental law to viticulture lawyer. ``I will be the first one up there with a shovel and a hank of drip line over my shoulder,'' said deHaviland. ``Pierce's roots go back to agriculture in the '40s, and to have it return some of its focus back to agriculture (is great).'' Pierce's long-neglected vineyard on the southeast side of campus was mainly used by the plant sciences program to teach students how to prune prune, popular name for a dried plum. Fruits of the many varieties of Prunus domestica, which are firm-fleshed and dry easily without removal of the stone, are gathered after falling from the tree, dipped in lye solution to prevent fermentation, dried in the , said Mick Sears, Pierce's farm manager. Hoenisch said Pierce could produce such red wines as Sangiovese, Mourvedre, Syriah and Grenache Noir, and white wines such as Roussanne, Grenache Blanc Grenache Blanc is a variety of white wine grape that is related to the red grape Grenache. It is mostly found in Rhône wine blends and in northeast Spain. Its wines are characterised by high alcohol and bright acidity, with citrus and or herbaceaous notes. and Marsanne. It also could produce chardonnay and cabernet, although it's too warm to produce a good merlot, he said. About five acres could be used for producing wine, yielding as much as 3,125 gallons, or 18,000 bottles annually, in about four years. Other improvement also are planned. A $6.4 million expansion of the college's equestrian program will include three arenas, two 20-stall barns and a refurbishment re·fur·bish tr.v. re·fur·bished, re·fur·bish·ing, re·fur·bish·es To make clean, bright, or fresh again; renovate. re·fur of the college's original barn. Horse trainers can make up to $40 an hour, and there are estimated 25,000 horses in a 10-mile radius of the college. The farm store ``will give the community a chance to interact with The Farm,'' said Dorothy Rupert, dean of academic affairs. Visitors would be able to buy a variety of organic produce, grown at Pierce. CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1) This Pierce College wine, made with grapes grown elsewhere, will someday be made from local crops when a revamping of the college's viticulture program is completed. (2) The old Pierce College vineyard, unattended for many years, will grown vital and strong again after the renovation. Phil McCarten/Staff Photographer |
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