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Wine Studies

The Mid-Willamette Valley is a major player in the wine industry. Chemeketa's Wine Studies program offers hands-on training to meet the present and future needs for skilled winemakers, cellar workers, vineyard managers, and lab technicians.

topics Agricultural Sciences

Skills & InterestWorking with your hands

CareersAgricultural Science

  • Eight wine bottles on a table
  • Two students picking grapes
  • Man tends to grapes in a vineyard

Why choose Wine Studies?

Northwest Oregon is celebrated for cool-climate wine grapes, particularly Pinot Noir. There are 1,000-plus vineyards and 725 wineries in Oregon. The vineyard acreage and number of wineries in Oregon have increased substantially over the last decade.

What will you learn?

Our Wine Studies programs will teach you the skills for a number of different careers in the wine industry. This can be from managing the growth and production of wine grapes to the work of turning the grapes grown into wine.

What will you do?

The thriving Oregon wine industry will present you with a number of job and career opportunities. Whether you are interested in becoming a cellar master, winemaker, vineyard manager or something in between - opportunities abound throughout the state's wine industry.

  • WINEMAKING ASSOCIATE OF APPLIED SCIENCE DEGREE

    In the Winemaking program, you will learn about fruit and wine chemistry, microbiology and sensory analysis. This will include hands-on training in our onsite commercial vineyard and winery.

    You will learn how to–

    • Check grape maturity and make harvest decisions
    • Process grapes
    • Manage fermentation
    • Use and maintain winery equipment
    • Perform quality control
    • Build a winery facility
    • Comply with government regulations

    See Course Sequences for more information.

  • VINEYARD MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATE OF APPLIED SCIENCE DEGREE

    In the Vineyard Management program, you will learn chemistry, plant science and business management as it relates to farming. This will include hands-on training in our on-site commercial vineyard and winery.

    You will learn how to–

    • Evaluate a site for winegrape growing
    • Track vineyard operations and prepare reports
    • Project timing of vineyard operations
    • Properly perform seasonal work including pruning, integrated pest management, canopy management, vineyard floor management and crop regulation
    • Comply with government regulations
    • Develop a vineyard business plan

    See Course Sequences for more information.

  • VINEYARD OPERATIONS CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION

    The Vineyard Operations certificate teaches you the skills needed for employment as a vineyard technician or if you're interested in starting a vineyard.

    You will learn how to–

    • Evaluate a site for winegrape growing
    • Track vineyard operations and prepare reports
    • Properly perform seasonal vineyard work including pruning, disease and pest control, canopy management and crop regulation

    See Course Sequences for more information.

  • WINE HOSPITALITY OPERATIONS CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION

    The Wine Hospitality Operations certificate prepares you for supervisory positions in winery tasting rooms. Tasting rooms have emerged as a critical sales channel for local wineries seeking to maximize revenue and creating loyal customers.

    This Independent Course of Study combines courses from both the Hospitality and Tourism Management (HTM) department and the Wine Studies (VMW) department.

    You will enjoy a unique opportunity to gain real-life experience in the tasting room and wine club at the Northwest Wine Studies Center at Chemeketa Eola to support the sale of Chemeketa Cellars wines.

    See Course Sequences for more information.

  • Summer Courses

    Note: Summer term classes will be remote instruction. Remote classes are courses that would normally be offered face to face, but have been moved to virtual delivery. It is a blended delivery of online activity mixed with remote classroom meetings. Synchronous instruction will be offered, or required. Any required synchronous/real-time instruction will be offered during the scheduled course meeting time.

    Portions of Wine Studies classes, including labs, may be offered in-person with safety measures in place. Please check back here or on Chemeketa's class search page for information specific to your classes. It will be posted as soon as the decisions are made. 

    VMW 116 Summer Vineyard Practices

    Thursdays, 1:00-4:20 pm (Lecture) & 4:30 - 6:20 pm (Lab)
    Lecture: CRN 16800/ Lab: CRN 16801
    Instructor: Bryan Berenguer
    Location: Chemeketa Eola, Bldg 1, Syrah Room E11
    Cost: $549

    VMW 260 Nutrition and Irrigation Management

    Wednesdays, 5:00-7:50 pm
    CRN 17163
    Instructor: Bryan Berenguer
    Location: Chemeketa Eola, Bldg 2, Syrah Room E11
    Cost: $443

  • Fall Courses

    IMPORTANT: All Wine Studies fall classes will begin TWO WEEKS EARLIER than the normal Chemeketa term. Wine Studies class for Fall 2020 will begin on Monday, September 14, 2020. 

    Note: Fall term classes will be remote instruction. Remote classes are courses that would normally be offered face to face, but have been moved to virtual delivery. It is a blended delivery of online activity mixed with remote classroom meetings. Synchronous instruction will be offered, or required. Any required synchronous/real-time instruction will be offered during the scheduled course meeting time.

    Portions of Wine Studies classes, including labs, may be offered in-person with safety measures in place. Please check back here or on Chemeketa's class search page for information specific to your classes. It will be posted as soon as the decisions are made. 


    VMW 101 General Viticulture

    Mondays, 3-5:50 pm
    CRN 31800
    Instructor: Bryan Berenguer
    Location: Chemeketa Eola, Bldg 1, Syrah Room E11
    Cost: $418

    VMW 117 Fall Vineyard Practices

    Thursdays, 9-11:50 (Lecture) & 12-1:50 pm (Lab)
    Lecture: CRN 37343/Lab: CRN 37344
    Instructor: Bryan Berenguer
    Location: Chemeketa Eola, Bldg 1, Syrah Room E11
    Cost: $624

    VMW 122 Introduction to Winemaking

    Tuesdays, 3-5:50 pm
    CRN 38123
    Instructor: Johnny Brose
    Location: Chemeketa Eola, Bldg 2, Erath Lab 127
    Cost: $418

    VMW 131 Wine Appreciation

    Thursdays, 6-8:50 pm
    CRN 30264
    nstructor: Johnny Brose
    Location: Chemeketa Eola, Bldg 2, Erath Lab 127
    Cost: $583

    VMW 134 Wines of the Pacific Northwest

    Mondays, 6-8:50 pm
    CRN 33928
    Instructor: Bryan Berenguer
    Location: Chemeketa Eola, Bldg 2, Erath Lab 127
    Cost: $583

    VMW 222 Science of Winemaking

    CRN 42636
    Instructor: Scott Dwyer
    Online
    Cost: $624

    VMW 244 Wine Production

    Tuesdays 3-6:50 pm (Lecture)
    Tuesdays 7-7:50 pm and Saturdays 9-1:50 pm (Lab)
    Lecture: CRN 32438/Lab: CRN 38866
    Instructor: Johnny Brose
    Location: Chemeketa Eola, Bldg 2, Erath Lab 127
    Cost: $821

    VMW 280A Wine Studies Internship

    2-12 credits
    Dates/Times TBD
    Instructor: Johnny Brose
    Instructor Consent Required – Contact Johnny Brose for registration information

    VMW 290 Wine Studies Capstone

    Thursdays, 4-5:50 pm
    CRN: 42635
    Instructor: Bryan Berenguer
    Location: Hybrid/Chemeketa Eola, Bldg 2, Erath Lab Room 127
    Instructor Consent Required – Contact Bryan Berenguer for registration information