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Wining and Dining - and Learning
Ask Gina Oberti, and she’ll tell you it’s like painting. It’s also like becoming a parent. And it’s also like customer service. It’s wine. “ I love it because I think it’s an art,” said Oberti, a senior majoring in enology at Fresno State. “It’s like a sculpture: It’s its own life form that can get mad at you. Wine sometimes doesn’t want to be moved abruptly.” She also said it’s a science—but ultimately, a wine must be something that gives its drinker a good experience. Oberti, the president of the campus Enology Society, and about 40 other students in the department have been working to develop their own style in winemaking at Fresno State, and on Thursday (the third in November), three French wines got their moment in the spotlight. That’s when “Le Vin Nouveau,” a traditionally French celebration of the first wine of the season, was held in the Enology building on the north side of Fresno State’s campus. In France, it’s a celebration of the first “harvest” of wine—an excuse to get drunk and party, Oberti said. But at Fresno State, it’s being used to showcase the students’ handiwork. “ Nouveau is produced early—in the first 45 days of being grapes—so these wines were grapes one month ago,” said Kenneth Fugelsang, wine master at Fresno State and enology professor. “The students put it through fermentation and cleaned them for holding by students.” Several tables showcased the wines Thursday, which were produced by a class of mostly seniors who worked to produce the beverages as a project. This year, the group produced about 20 wines—the most styles that Krystal Goulart, a junior majoring in enology, can remember. Students in the department develop wines throughout the semester and spend some class time tasting the product, Oberti said. But she added that it’s a very serious process and isn’t intended for anyone to get drunk. Wine tasting is an important job for students who are seeking to develop a style, she said. “ It’s the sensory aspect of wine,” she said. “Wine is very subjective and scientific at the same time,” since it needs to be treated with utmost care while also pleasing customers who buy the drink. This is the second year Fresno State held the event, in partnership with Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite. The lodge has partnered with Fresno State to develop wines and food pairings, which are considered another important aspect of experiencing a good wine. Executive Chef Fred Clabaugh, in his sixth year at Tenaya Lodge, sautéed apples in Calvados, an apple brandy, and brown sugar. The Tenaya Lodge will host its third annual Winemaster’s Weekend on March 5 and 6. Wines produced at Fresno State can be purchased at the Fresno State Farm Market, Whole Foods in the Fig Garden Village and various local grocery stores. |
