Have a dream to be a winemaker or certified aficionado? Las Positas College’s viticulture and winery technology program is a good start. The classes are for everyone along the wine lover spectrum–from those who swirl, sniff and sip before imbibing to those who can’t tell the difference between cabernet and chardonnay.
Wine is quickly becoming a big part of the college, as visitors to the new entrance at 3000 Campus Hill Drive in Livermore are now greeted by the school’s 3-acre vineyard. In the distance, the campus appears to be surrounded by rows upon rows of vines, which are managed by Wente Vineyards and privately owned.
David Everett, director of the program, which is now in its fifth year, said students can expect to learn all aspects of the industry, including growing, making, marketing and appreciating wine.
Classes are designed with the seasons in mind and are offered during the summer, fall and spring. The introductory class covers the winemaking process and basic appreciation. Appreciation classes are popular and feature samplings of wines from all over the world. Then there are also courses that focus on California wines and food pairing.
“We have a really intensive sensory analysis, which gives a more objective approach to wine,” Everett said. “We like to focus on fine wine, growing it and making it.”
The first batch of wine created from the program was recently bottled and is already receiving accolades. The vintage 2005 cabernet made from grapes donated by Concannon Estates was entered in the Alameda County Fair competition and won a silver medal. Even the label design took home first prize.
While wine professionals with a wide range of wine industry specialties are hard to come by, Everett fits the description. He grows pinot noir grapes on a small family vineyard and has worked in marketing large brands. His past experience has also included the positions of wine buyer and director at Harrah’s in Lake Tahoe and the Rio in Las Vegas as well as a lecturer, educator and certified sommelier.
What does the wine expert think about the Livermore Valley wine country?
“It’s an area with an absolute great history,” he said. “Still, to this day, it has untapped potential to create some of the greatest wines in California. It has a Mediterranean climate and good soils. It’s still searching for the ‘golden goose’–something to identify the Livermore Valley. The program is here to help identify that.”
One of the challenges he sees for the Livermore Valley wine country is being somewhat unknown.
“There is a misconception that any wine of worth comes from Napa,” he said. “We have a cool, approachable industry not like any other.”
The local industry has been supportive of the programs, donating thousands of dollars worth of equipment. Everett reports that the education has graduates going on to work for several wineries in the area.
Potential students should expect lots of hands-on work. They do everything from pruning vines, raking weeds, measuring alcohol levels and acid titrations, and sampling. Certification typically takes about two years, or two and a half years if students are also taking general education courses.
Classes for the fall semester begin Aug. 20. Registration is $20 per unit, with some of the courses having $75 class fees. For more information on the viticulture and winery technology program, visit www.laspositascollege.edu.
