View the schedule for the 2014 Central Coast Wine Classic on our Events page.

The 2013 Central Coast Wine Classic Rare & Fine Wine & Lifestyle Auction Announces Auction Results, including $162,000 Donated to the MUST! Charities of Templeton, California, through the Annual Fund-A-Need Auction Lot!

The 2013 Central Coast Wine Classic, held from Thursday, July 11 through Sunday, July 14, announces its Auction results. Termed the Rare & Fine Wine & Lifestyle Auction and held at the Avila Beach Golf Resort in Avila Beach on Saturday, July 13, it included offerings of rare wines and lifestyle packages from the Central Coast of California and other wine and culinary destinations in California, as well as those from around the United States and throughout the world. It also included remarkable art works from exceptional California artists, including Yuroz, Colleen Gnos, James-Paul Brown, Robert Burridge, Joanne Ruggles, Edward Walton Wilcox, Joanne Licsko and Adam Licsko.

This year’s Live Auction raised $703,895. With proceeds from the Silent Auction at $36,487, the wine and lifestyle offerings raised $740,382. The Live Auction total includes the Annual Fund-A-Need Auction Lot, which inured to the benefit of MUST! Charities in Templeton for the purpose of feeding underprivileged children, and which raised an astounding $162,000 in just under 15 minutes!

Founder & Chairman Archie McLaren stated, “The most gratifying aspect of our proceedings was the remarkable result for MUST! Charities, particularly in view of the continuing economic uncertainties in the United States and abroad. However, our state-wide and nation-wide demographic audience is extraordinary, coming from roughly 200 California communities and 25 states, as well as several countries abroad, and they generously and altruistically rose to the occasion, as the Fund-A-Need donors were predominantly from out of the San Luis Obispo County area. That shows you the major impact the Wine Classic continues to have on tourism here.”

The most successful Wine & Lifestyle Auction Lots were a Relais & Chateaux French Wine Country Excursion for Four People for $50,000, an AMA Waterways 13-day Cruise from Madrid to Lisbon for Four Couples for $40,000 and a 2013 Harvest Dinner for Thirty People presented by Au Bon Climat winery and the Buellton Hitching Post restaurant for $30,000.

From net proceeds from the Wine Classic, the 501(c)3 Central Coast Wine Classic Foundation funds specific projects for 501(c)3 non-profit corporations in San Luis Obispo County and Santa Barbara County whose missions are in the Healing, Performing or Studio Arts. Over the past ten years, from 2004 through 2013, the Foundation has granted $2,311,555 to 114 such non-profits.

Expresses McLaren, “This year took us significantly over the $2,000,000 mark in grants, and our current goal is to top the two and a half million dollar mark during our Thirtieth Annual Wine Classic in July of 2014. We feel confident in so doing thanks to all of our gracious and generous supporters.”

Grants for 2013 are conferred in the Fall and this year include the following beneficiaries:

Domestic Violence Solutions of Santa Barbara; Heaven Can Wait Equine Sanctuary in San Miguel; Los Osos Middle School PTSA Music Supporters; Meathead Movers Wrestling Club from San Luis Obispo; San Luis Obispo Child Abuse Prevention Council; Sansum Clinic Cancer Center in Santa Barbara; Santa Barbara Botanical Garden; Symphony of the Vines from Atascadero; Women’s Shelter Program of San Luis Obispo County in San Luis Obispo and Woods Humane Society in San Luis Obispo. As indicated, the Annual Fund-A-Need Auction Lot Proceeds inured to the benefit of MUST! Charities in Templeton.

The Official Hotel venue of the 2014 Thirtieth Annual Central Coast Wine Classic is the Avila Lighthouse Suites, directly across the street from the beach and park in Downtown Avila Beach.

The Thirtieth Annual Central Coast Wine Classic will take place from Thursday, July 10 through Sunday, July 13, 2013, and the annual kick-off Black-Tie Dinner at Hearst Castle will showcase extraordinary chefs from throughout California, including Napa, Carmel, Los Angeles, Buellton, Santa Barbara and Carpinteria. Symposia will be presented on a variety of subjects, including French Champagne, Pinot Noir from throughout California, Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and White and Red Rhone Wines from San Luis Obispo County. The Annual Barrel Tasting and Reserve Tasting will take place in Avila Beach at the Avila Lighthouse Suites and the Avila Beach Golf Resort respectively. The Official Hotel venue of the 2012 Central Coast Wine Classic will be the Avila Lighthouse Suites, and the Official Auction venue will be the Avila Beach Golf Resort.

Beneficiary grant applications for the 2014 Central Coast Wine Classic are sent in October with a December 15 deadline for filing. Beneficiaries will be chosen by the Foundation’s Board of Directors in January of 2014.

For complete details click here.

The Central Coast Wine Classic Foundation was created in 2004 to sustain 501(c)3 foundations in San Luis Obispo County and Santa Barbara County whose missions are in the healing, performing or Studio Arts. From 2004 through 2013, the Foundation has granted $2,311,555 to 114 such non-profits. The grantee list year by year follows:

The Wine Classic was able to provide substantive grants in 2004 to the San Luis Obispo Aids Support Network; San Luis Obispo Special Olympics; the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara; San Luis Obispo & Santa Barbara Public Radio KCBX and the Rhythmic Arts Project, centered in Ventura. Grants conferred in the first year of the new Foundation totaled $126,500.

In 2005, grants were conferred upon Hospice of San Luis Obispo County; the Santa Barbara County Bowl Foundation; Partnership for the Children of San Luis Obispo County; the Clark Center Association in Arroyo Grande; the San Luis Obispo County Arts Council; the San Luis Obispo Mozart Festival, Surgical Eye Expeditions in Santa Barbara and the Fund for Vineyard & Farm Workers, founded by Brian and Johnine Talley of Talley Vineyards in Arroyo Grande. Grants conferred during the Foundation's second year of granting totaled $195,000.

The Central Coast Wine Classic Foundation's Board of Directors chose as the beneficiaries of the 2006 Wine Classic, the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival; the San Luis Obispo Art Center; the Foundation for the Performing Arts Center in San Luis Obispo; Big Brothers & Big Sisters of San Luis Obispo County; Tree of Life Pregnancy Support Center of San Luis Obispo County; Hospice Partners of the Central Coast; Pacific Repertory Opera; the John E. Profant Foundation for the Arts in Santa Barbara; Community Counseling Center of San Luis Obispo, Caring Callers of San Luis Obispo County and the Wellness Community of the Central Coast, founded by Justin & Deborah Baldwin of Justin Vineyards & Winery in Paso Robles. Foundation grants for 2006 totaled $203,000.

The Central Coast Wine Classic Foundation chose as beneficiaries of the 2007 Wine Classic Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Central Coast Center for Arts Education, Central Coast Commission for Senior Citizens, Children's Health Initiative, Civic Ballet of San Luis Obispo, Enhancement Health & Wellness, Opera Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo Chamber Orchestra, San Luis Obispo Vocal Arts/International Choral Festival, University of California at Santa Barbara Arts & Lectures, San Luis Obispo Children's Museum, San Luis Obispo Symphony Orchestra and Transitional Food & Shelter. The 2007 Wine Classic Fund-A-Need Auction Lot benefitted Options Family of Services. Due to a most successful Auction, grants totaling $315,000 were awarded.

For 2008, the Central Coast Wine Classic Foundation Board of Directors gifted the following beneficiaries grants totaling just over $225,000, including a record-breaking $82,500 to the French Hospital Hearst Cancer Resource Center from the Annual Fund-A-Need Auction Lot: Assistance League of San Luis Obispo County, Atascadero Loaves & Fishes, Cal Poly Arts, El Camino Homeless Organization, PCPA Theaterfest, Project Angels Bearing Gifts, San Luis Obispo Wind Orchestra, San Luis Obispo YMCA, Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Santa Barbara Center for the Performing Arts, and Tierra Sagrada, The Sacred Earth Foundation.

For 2009, the Board gifted grants totaling $205,025 to the following beneficiaries: Community Youth Performing Arts Center of Santa Barbara; Foodbank of Santa Barbara County; Foundation for the Performing Arts Center of San Luis Obispo; Friends of Prado Day Center in San Luis Obispo; Friendship Adult Day Care Center of Santa Barbara; Gatehelp, Inc./Gryphon Society in Atascadero; Public Radio KCBX San Luis Obispo & Santa Barbara Counties; Los Padres Forest Watch of Santa Barbara; Morro Bay High School Band; Paderewski Festival of Paso Robles; Santa Maria Philharmonic Society; Senior Volunteer Services of San Luis Obispo and Transitions Mental Health Association of San Luis Obispo. The total includes $67,500 from the Annual Fund-A-Need Auction Lot to fund Respite Care for the Central Coast Alzheimer's Association.

For 2010, the Board conferred grants to the following beneficiaries: Adelaida Historical Foundation, Paso Robles; Ballet Theatre San Luis Obispo; Cognitive Fitness & Innovative Therapies, Santa Barbara; Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo County Adult Day Services Program, San Luis Obispo; Court Appointed Special Advocates of San Luis Obispo County, San Luis Obispo; Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo County, Paso Robles; God's Haven for Children, San Luis Obispo; Maxine Lewis Memorial Shelter, San Luis Obispo; North County Dance & Performing Arts Foundation, Paso Robles; Pacific Wildlife Care, Morro Bay; San Luis Obispo County Historical Society, San Luis Obispo; Studios on the Park, Paso Robles; United Cerebral Palsy Work, Inc, Santa Barbara. The Annual Fund-A-Need Auction Lot inured to the benefit of the Senior Nutrition Program of San Luis Obispo County, San Luis Obispo. Total grants for these worthy nonprofits totaled $245,918 for 2010. Over the past seven years the Foundation has conferred grants totaling $1,615,943 to 76 such non-profits.

In 2011, the Foundation Board provided grants to the following beneficiaries: Avila Beach Civic Association, The Center for Nanomedicine in Santa Barbara, Coast Caregiver Resource Center in Santa Barbara, Friends of Hapitok in San Luis Obispo, Friends of the Atascadero Martin Polin Library, Friends of the Visual Arts & Design Academy in Santa Barbara, The Link Teens at Work Program in Atascadero & San Miguel, Loaves & Fishes in Paso Robles, North County Rape Crisis & Child Protection Center in Lompoc & Santa Maria, Northern Chumash Cultural Preservation Kinship in San Luis Obispo, Poetic Justice Project in Santa Maria, Santa Barbara Master Chorale, Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics, The Sexual Assault Recovery & Protection Program of SLO County in San Luis Obispo, United Cerebral Palsy in San Luis Obispo and Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care in Santa Barbara.

In 2012, the Wine Classic Foundation Board selected the following beneficiaries: Access for All, San Luis Obispo; Amazing Surf Adventures, San Luis Obispo; Atascadero High School Band & Pageantry Boosters, Atascadero; Conflict Solutions Center Community Mediation, Santa Maria; Jodi House, Santa Barbara; One Cool Earth, San Luis Obispo; Paso Robles Youth Arts Foundation, Paso Robles; Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Santa Barbara; Santa Barbara Symphony, Santa Barbara; SLO Grown Kids, Los Osos and Storyteller Children's Center, Santa Barbara. The Annual Fund-A-Need Auction Lot Proceeds will inure to the benefit of the Children's Resource Network of the Central Coast in Pismo Beach.

For 2013, the Wine Classic Foundation Board chose the following beneficiaries: Domestic Violence Solutions of Santa Barbara; Heaven Can Wait Equine Sanctuary in San Miguel; Los Osos Middle School PTSA Music Supporters; Meathead Movers Wrestling Club from San Luis Obispo; San Luis Obispo Child Abuse Prevention Council; Sansum Clinic Cancer Center in Santa Barbara; Santa Barbara Botanical Garden; Symphony of the Vines from Atascadero; Women’s Shelter Program of San Luis Obispo County in San Luis Obispo and Woods Humane Society in San Luis Obispo. The Annual Fund-A-Need Auction inured to the benefit of MUST! Charities in Templeton in the amount of $162,000. Grants for 2013 totaled $210,500.

Please see the Foundation Page for grant criteria.

For more information, contact Archie McLaren at (805) 544-1285 or archie@slonet.org.