If you are ready to take your wine making to the next level, you are probably ready to consider some more formal education, beyond the beginner wine making books and kits. There are a number of places you can go to look for wine making courses that will best fit your geographic, financial, and time allowances.

Higher Institutes Of Learning

If your schedule and budget allow, the first place to look for wine making courses are colleges and universities. Institutions with strong agricultural programs will be more likely to have wine study courses, and the variety of courses will probably also be the widest. You can find courses not only on the process of wine making itself, but also in the business of wine making.

The chances of finding these types of courses at the collegiate level are higher in geographic areas with a large population of wineries, such as Northern California, or in urban areas like New York City. Don’t forget to check your local community college as well. To find a course near you, check out Wine Spectator’s online Wine Course Directory.

Seminars

A cost and time effective alternative to full blown wine making courses are seminars. You can also find these at colleges and universities, but keep an eye out for wine festivals as well. Festivals are geared towards wine enthusiasts, and education is a component of these celebrations. If you can’t find a local seminar, take a week or a long weekend and plan to attend one in another region of the country.

Online Courses

If courses at a higher institute of learning, or seminars, are out of the question because of financial, geographic, or time constraints, you should consider taking an online wine making course. Start with a reputable organization or publication, such as Wine Spectator. For more information on Wine Spectator’s online school, visit the one of many websites.

Publications

If it is simply not feasible for you to attend a wine making course in a traditional classroom setting or online, don’t discount doing some research to find reputable books and publications for self-education. The Internet is the most practical place to start, whether you’re searching an online book seller, or you’re able to pull a reading list from a course syllabus published online. If you don’t know other wine makers personally, try networking in blogs or other online forums.

Sources Cited

Wine Spectator Online. Wine Course Directory. 2006. 31 August 2006. < http://www.winespectator.com/winecourses >.

Wine Spectator School Online. Wine Spectator, Inc. 2006. 31 August 2006. < http://www.winespectatorschool.com/wineschool/ >.