Val Verde Viticulture Fundraiser Gala
Saturday, August 6, 2022
6-10pm
Doffo Winery | MotoDoffo Barrel Room + Patio | Temecula, California
Tickets: $150.00
*USE CODE SCHOOL22 AT CHECKOUT BEFORE JUNE 15 AND SAVE $20!*
Includes Dinner, Music & Raffles
Wine Avaiable for Purchase
Proceeds from the gala and "Yote 980" wine sales directly benefit the Val Verde Viticulture Program
First vintage, "Yote 980 ' from student-managed Orange Vista High School vineyard will be released at the gala.
Excerpt from a recent press release:
Temecula
Valley Southern California Wine Country's Doffo Winery Reaches Next Milestone
in Unique High School Viticulture Program
Temecula
Valley, CA, May 2, 2022 - Doffo Winery, the Temecula Valley Southern
California Winery known for their premium wines, on-site vintage motorcycle
collection, and unique wine experiences, today announced the
first vintage of wine from its unique viticultural partnership with Orange Vista High School (OVHS) and the Val Verde Unified School District.
The award-winning winery will launch a series of events and fundraising efforts
surrounding this innovative program.
In 2018, what started as an over-the-fence
conversation between Doffo CEO and winemaker Damian Doffo and his neighbor Lou Randall,
then Assistant Principal at OVHS in neighboring Perris, California, turned into
an exciting program aimed at introducing a younger generation to hands-on
farming, chemistry, and biology through real work in a vineyard. OVHS soon
became home to 980 vines of Cabernet Sauvignon, donated by Wonderful Nurseries,
and planted by students and faculty that May.
The first vintage was harvested in 2020, produced at
Doffo, and has spent the past 18 months maturing in barrel at the winery.
Damian feels they are nearly ready to bottle, and will release the limited-edition
wine for sale this summer, with a portion of proceeds going back to the school.
They will also host a fundraising gala for the program on Saturday, August 6.
"2022 marks Doffo Winery's 25th
Anniversary, so the timing to launch this wine that has become such a special
project to our family feels even more exciting," said Damian. "The concept of
legacy is very important to us at Doffo. To be able to spark interest in
agriculture and the many opportunities out there in viticulture and winemaking
through this partnership for the next generation is extremely rewarding."
More than just a fun agricultural activity, the Doffo
program incorporates many different technical and educational components that
work in tandem. From the growing and maintenance of the vines through the
viticulture program, to a video production program that documents the entire
life of a grape from seed to bottle, to the engineering and manufacturing
program that gets students certified with the FAA Part 107 to operate drones in
the vineyard, to the graphics and design program, which is running a design
competition for the bottle label, students are getting a hands-on look at
everything that goes into producing a finished bottle of wine.
"Viticulture gave us the opportunity to provide a project that all
career & technical education [CTE] programs at Orange Vista could
participate in," said Doug Henderson, Director of the STEAM and CTE programs at
Val Verde Unified School District. "Over the last four years we have had over
600 students involved in our viticulture pathway. Students love the opportunity
to get their hands dirty and apply what they are learning in the classroom. We
have plans to expand the number of students and CTE programs that are involved
in the viticulture pathway."
100 cases of the inaugural wine will be bottled in July
2022 to be released in August.
About
Doffo Winery
Founded by Marcelo Doffo in 1997,
Doffo Winery sits in the hills of Southern California's Temecula Valley. This
family owned and operated winery produces many award-winning wines and has
earned a stellar reputation in the region for its Malbec, Zinfandel, Cabernet
Sauvignon, Syrah, and its unique red blends.
About Val Verde Unified School District
Val Verde Unified School District is located in the heart of the
Inland Empire, approximately 72 miles east of Los Angeles. Neighboring the district and its communities
are March Air Force Base and the Lake Perris recreational area. Val Verde Unified
School District's schools serve more than 20,245 students residing in the rural and suburban
communities of Perris, Moreno Valley, and portions of unincorporated Riverside County. The
district currently operates a preschool, 12 elementary schools, 4 middle schools, 3
comprehensive high schools, a student success academy, a virtual academy, and a continuation high
school.
