2021 Richard K. Sauret Viticulture and Enology Scholarship

Description

The Richard K. Sauret Viticulture & Enology Scholarship provides for educational scholarships for students desiring to study viticulture or enology at a four year college or university. Richard Sauret began his education in viticulture in 1942. At the age of 7 he was picking grapes, pruning vines, and pulling weeds to help pay for his school clothes. At 17, he convinced his father to pull up almond trees, and planted his first vines, zinfandel, five miles northwest of the town of Paso Robles. At that time there were only about 200 acres of grapes planted in the Paso Robles American Viticultural Area (there are currently over 26,000), all head-trained zinfandel, and only four wineries. Over the years his fruit went into some of the wines that were at the forefront of Paso Robles winery history, the old Rotta Winery, and very notably, HMR (Hoffman Mountain Ranch). André Tchelistcheff, known as the “Dean of American Winemakers,” and generally accepted as the most influential winemaker in American history, told Richard, “If you keep growing grapes like these, you’ll never have to worry.” Tchelistcheff, who consulted for premier wineries all over the state, asked if HMR could “Vineyard Designate” the Sauret fruit and that was the beginning of “Sauret” designated wine labels. Richard’s 2002 and 2003 Rosenblum Zinfandels were ranked in Wine Spectator’s Top 100 wines of the year, he was featured in American Vineyard Magazine in 2006, and he was honored twice by California Mid State Fair as the Grower of the Year. Richard Sauret is truly one of the fathers of the Paso Robles wine industry.

Requirements

Eligibility:
a) Applicant is currently a senior at a San Luis Obispo County high school; and, 
b) Applicant is planning to attend full-time at an approved four-year college, preference will be given to students planning to attend California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California State University, Fresno and University of California, Davis; and, 
c) Applicant is a U.S. Citizen; and, 
d) Demonstration of financial need.

Selection Criteria:
a) Demonstration of satisfactory academic record; and,
b) Demonstration of their involvement in agricultural school and community activities throughout their high school years.




Total award value $12,000. Scholarship will be distributed over a four year period, $2,000/year in years 1 and 2 and renewed at $4,000/year in years 3 and 4 if funds are available and the student  maintains satisfactory academic progress so as to complete their bachelor’s degree in four years. Satisfactory academic progress is defined as enrolling and completing an average of 15 units per semester/quarter with a GPA of 3.0 or better.

Number of Awards

1

Award Amount

$12,000

Renewable

Yes