Three Shone Farm wines that SRJC students produced in a wine class won awards in large, national wine competition.

In the 2013 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, Shone Farm took home gold for its 2010 Point Noir, silver for its 2009 Syrah and bronze with its 2011 Rose. The Chronicle Wine Competition drew more than 5500 entries from American wines this year and bills itself as the largest competition of American wines in the world.

The wines were produced in Wine 42, a class that collaborates with Shone Farm for to produce wines for sale and profit.

Christopher Wills, Shone Farm’s agriculture manager and winemaker asked the SRJC Board of Trustees in 2004 for permission to produce more wine that previously allowed and sell the wine students made in the Wine 42 class. The board formally declined. Wills said he brought it up again in 2008; this time his proposal was accepted and set in motion. Before 2008 there was a limit of 100 gallons of wine, and it couldn’t be sold for sale or profit.

Shone Farm promotes hands-on agricultural student learning experiences and has been teaching and cultivating the next generation of winemakers for agriculture and wine science. Shone Farm’s Logo was designed by an SRJC graphic design class while marketing students developed a marketing plan for the business progress.

Shone Farm is located off the Russian River in Forestville and consists of 365 acres of vineyards and land where students can learn about viticulture and enology. The award-winning wine is sold at local stores and restaurants. A portion of the profit goes back to the college to help fund education and programs.