According to Central Coast Wine Classic Chairman, Archie McLaren, who founded the Wine Classic in 1985, "Our Foundation Board of Directors is extremely excited about the array of beneficiaries of the 2008 Wine Classic. Our Foundation's mission of funding grants for special projects for a number of San Luis Obispo County and Santa Barbara County non profits in the healing, studio and performing arts realms is continuing to manifest. We plan and hope to continue in this direction for many years to come."

Thanks to the generous support of our donors and auction patrons, under the auspices of the Central Coast Wine Classic Foundation, formed in 2004, the Wine Classic has been 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.

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.

Net proceeds from the 2006 Central Coast Wine Classic funded grants for projects of 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; the Pacific Repertory Opera of the Central Coast; the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival; Tree of Life Pregnancy Support Center of San Luis Obispo County; Hospice Partners of the Central Coast; Community Counseling Center of San Luis Obispo; Caring Callers of San Luis Obispo County; the Friends of Hearst Castle Foundation and the John E. Profant Foundation for the Arts in Santa Barbara; with the Auction's Fund-a-Need Lot for 2006 raising funds for the Wellness Center of San Luis Obispo County, founded by Justin & Deborah Baldwin of Justin Vineyards & Winery in Paso Robles. The Wine Classic Foundation also supported the Foundation for the Performing Arts Center's concert to raise funds for the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra.

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.

The total amount of grant funds conferred from the past four years has totaled $839,500.

For 2008, the Central Coast Wine Classic Foundation Board of Directors has chosen the following beneficiaries:

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, & Tierra Sagrada, The Sacred Earth Foundation. The Annual Fund-A-Need Auction Lot will inure to the benefit of French Hospital Medical Center's Hearst Cancer Resource Center.

"The Foundation Board is very gratified with the breadth of beneficiaries for this year's Wine Classic," indicates Chairman Archie McLaren. "This is the most diverse array of beneficiaries that we have attempted to gift, and we are very excited about the prospect of working with such extraordinarily worthwhile organizations to assist them in making their goals a reality."

The Central Coast Wine Classic Foundation Board consists of Stephanie Harkness of Santa Cruz, James Hathaway of San Luis Obispo, Fred Griffith of San Luis Obispo, Carissa Chappellet of Big Sur and Napa, and Archie McLaren of Avila Beach and Napa. The Board confers grant funds in October following each Wine Classic.

The Central Coast Wine Classic, also a substantive showcase for the wine, culinary and hospitality industries, is sponsored by Wine Spectator, American Airlines, First Bank, Chevron/Molycorp Corporation, Wells Fargo Bank and various patrons. The Grand Sponsor is Peter T. Paul Financial/Peter Paul Wines/Headlands Foundation. The Auction Catalog Sponsor is Daniel Encell.