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The first fundraising event for this scholarship was held on Wednesday February 16th, 2005
at St. Francis Winery, 100 Pytham Road, Santa Rosa, California. The evening was a tribute
to Craggy Range winemaker Doug Wisor and a celebration of his wines. All proceeds went to
the Douglas Wisor Memorial Scholarship Fund.
A young American winemaker will have the opportunity to train in New Zealand thanks to the
success of the fundraising event. Over $30,000 was raised by 80-plus guests, friends, family,
and members of the Napa and Sonoma wine community who had worked with Doug Wisor. The highlight
of the silent auction was a three-liter bottle of Littorai Wines One Acre Anderson Valley Pinot
Noir 1998, of which only five were produced when Doug was assistant winemaker, and an Andy Katz
photograph of the Doubtful Sound. In addition, participants bid on three magnums of Doug Wisor
Special Selection Pinot Noir and a trip for two to Hawkes Bay, New Zealand during a spirited live
auction. In total, the highly successful evening yielded $8,000 in ticket sales, over $10,000 from
the live auction and $12,000-plus from the silent auction.
Because funds were raised so quickly, the first Scholarship will be available for the March/April
2006 harvest. Applications are due by August 31, 2005. A candidate will be chosen by the end of
September. The intern will be matched with a sponsoring winery which will provide accommodation
and possibly a salary for the two to three month harvest period. Airfares to and from New Zealand
will be paid by the Douglas Wisor Memorial Fund.
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