College wine class is like shop, but a lot tastier

NAPA, Calif. — No need for that tired old dog-ate-my-homework excuse. Students in Napa Valley College's wine program are encouraged to sniff, swirl, sip and — most recently — sell their assignments.

Try that with your Math 101 quizzes.

It's like auto shop, but tastier. The idea is to provide vocational training for would-be workers of the local wine industry. And as more schools win approval to sell wines produced in the classroom, students learn not just how to make it, but also how to get it to market.

“We teach them what they really need to know to get out there and work in the industry,” said Stephen Krebs, the wine program coordinator at Napa Valley College.

While many schools have teaching wineries, getting permission to sell the wine adds a practical element to the programs, said Mike Jellison, president of Swanson Vineyards, whose vineyard manager is an NVC graduate.

“They get the book learning, and they get the practical knowledge that comes with it so when they come out of these programs they step into the industry and they're ready to go,” he said.

It also can benefit the schools, with profits going back into the program.

The idea seems to be catching on, said Jessup Wiley, marketing manager at Fresno State Winery, the commercial winery of California State University, Fresno.

Fresno State Winery was the first commercial winery at a U.S. college, opening a decade ago. Typically, it produces between 10,000 and 12,000 cases a year with sales of about $500,000, Wiley said.

Along with Napa, Santa Rosa Community College in Sonoma County, will be selling wine this year. Elsewhere, schools with commercial wineries include Walla Walla Community College and South Seattle Community College in Washington state.

NVC students generally are older and often embarking on second careers, a good thing since those under 21 can't taste their homework.