Winemaking
The two-year Winemaking program includes instruction and hands-on training in the basic knowledge and technical skills required for successful employment in the cool-climate wine industry as a winemaker. Training is appropriate for employees or potential employees of wineries or for people wanting to establish such a business. Practical skills will also be emphasized and students will gain on-the-job work experience through the Cooperative Work Experience program.
For more information about this program contact Barney Watson at 503.584.7255 or D. Craig Anderson at 503.399.6565.
Program outcomes
Students completing the AAS will:
- Evaluate wine grape maturity and make harvest decisions for quality wine production, including sensory and chemical analysis of juice and must and chemical adjustments.
- Perform wine grape processing, fermentation management, and wine processing practices, including the operating and maintaining winery equipment from primary processing through bottling.
- Use chemical and sensory quality control analysis techniques and appropriate winery processing practices for the chemical, microbial, and physical stability of wines.
- Research and develop a winery facility including winery design, layout, operational systems, process calculations, and equipment selection.
- Comply with government regulations for wine production including licensing, operating a winery premise, record keeping, regulatory compliance, and health and safety programs.
Getting started
The first step to entering this program is to take part in an assessment process which includes taking the college's free placement test and meeting with Counseling and Career Services. You may need to complete pre-program courses. Then, your advisor will help you develop an individualized program of study, which may include one or more of the following:
| Course | Title | Credit Hours |
| CA121A | Keyboarding A (if less than 25 wpm) | 1 |
| MTH060 | Introductory Algebra | 4 |
| RD090 | College Textbook Reading | 3 |
| WR115 | Introduction to Composition | 3 |
If you have questions about the requirements, call Counseling and Career Services at 503.399.5120 or 503.399.6071. Failure to be assessed may delay your entry into program classes.
Winemaking
Associate of Applied Science
In addition to tuition, estimated costs for students who complete the entire program listed below are books, $1,487; class fees, $440; universal fee, $606. Contact the Financial Aid Office at 503.399.5018 to find out if you qualify for help with these costs.
You may earn an Associate of Applied Science degree by successfully completing these 101 required credit hours:
| Course | Title | Credit Hours |
| Term 1 | ||
| BI230 | Introductory Microbiology | 4 |
| CH121 | College Chemistry (or higher) | 5 |
| MTH070 | Elementary Algebra+ (or higher) | 4 |
| VMW101 | General Viticulture | 3 |
| Term 2 | ||
| CH122 | College Chemistry (or higher) | 5 |
| PSY104 | Psychology in the Workplace+ (or higher) | 3 |
| SP111 | Fundamentals of Public Speaking (or higher) | 3 |
| VMW122 | Introduction to Winemaking | 3 |
| Winemaking elective* | 3 | |
| Term 3 | ||
| CH123 | College Chemistry (or higher) | 5 |
| CH172 | Chemical Methods for Analysis of Musts and Wines | 3 |
| CS101 | Introduction to Microcomputer Applications (or higher) | 3 |
| VMW131 | Wine Appreciation | 3 |
| VMW222 | Science of Winemaking | 3 |
| Term 4 | ||
| VMW244 | Wine Production | 6 |
| VMW280D | Cooperative Work Experience | 4 |
| WR121 | English Composition—Exposition+ (or higher) | 3 |
| Winemaking elective* | 4 | |
| Term 5 | ||
| VMW132 | Wines of the World | 3 |
| or | ||
| VMW134 | Wines of the Pacific Northwest | 3 |
| VMW170 | Introduction to Wine Marketing | 3 |
| VMW245 | Wine Clarification and Stabilization | 4 |
| VMW280D | Cooperative Work Experience | 4 |
| WR227 | Technical Writing (or higher) | 3 |
| Term 6 | ||
| VMW233 | Sensory Evaluation of Wine Components | 3 |
| VMW246 | Wine Aging, Filtration and Bottling | 4 |
| VMW252 | Wine Industry Business Management | 3 |
| VMW253 | Winery Process Planning and Design | 3 |
| VMW280D | Cooperative Work Experience | 4 |
| *Winemaking electives (select 7 credit hours): | ||
| BI101 | General Biology | 4 |
| BI102 | General Biology | 4 |
| BI103 | General Biology | 4 |
| CA091 | QuickBooks—Computerized Bookkeeping | 3 |
| CS125A | Micro Database Software—Access | 3 |
| CS125E | Excel—Workbooks | 4 |
| VMW102 | Wine Industry Exploration | 3 |
| VMW110 | Fall Vineyard Practices | 4 |
| VMW111 | Winter Vineyard Practices | 4 |
| VMW112 | Spring Vineyard Practices | 4 |
| VMW113 | Summer Vineyard Practices | 4 |
| VMW232 | Sensory Evaluation of Wine Varietals | 3 |
| VMW261 | Vine Physiology | 4 |
+Meets related instruction requirement.
Updated March 2007 by the College Advancement Department.