Thinking Outside the Glass
Wine Enthusiast honors two Cal Poly alumni for their vino-centric innovations.
Two Cal Poly alumni landed on Wine Enthusiast’s list of 40 Under 40 Tastemakers of 2019 for their innovative approach to the high-end beverage industry. Amanda Wittstrom-Higgins (Social Sciences ’05) landed the cover of Wine Enthusiast’s October edition, expertly lassoing a glass of red. She serves as the vice president of operations at Ancient Peaks Winery in Santa Margarita, California. She also founded the nonprofit Dream Big Darling to empower women in the wine industry and co-founded Wine Speak Paso Robles, a three-day educational summit for the region’s winemakers, sommeliers and other industry professionals. Also on the list is Chip Forsythe (Wine and Viticulture ’13), winemaker and CEO of Rebel Coast Winery and Reckless Love Wines. Central Coast locals may remember his SLO Down Wines operation, which he sold before starting Rebel Coast.
