21 January 2008 Make 2008 a vintage year for your wine industry career plans

 

Growth of a vibrant wine industry in Canterbury, South Canterbury, Central Otago and other areas once thought too cool for grape growing has been one of New Zealand's outstanding commercial and lifestyle success stories of recent decades.

And it largely started with research into cool climate grape varieties carried out at Lincoln University in the early 1970s initially funded with a mere $500 research grant to investigate what was then regarded as an "odd ball" idea!

Today that "odd ball" idea has produced a multi-million dollar industry contributing significantly to the New Zealand wine industry's overall ambition of producing $1 billion of export earnings by 2010.

In addition to carrying out research, Lincoln University is part of the South Island wine industry story through its degree and graduate diploma programmes in viticulture and oenology which produce well-qualified personnel to work as winemakers, viticulturists, vineyard managers, and in other key roles.

In 2007 for example, a pair of winemakers both with Lincoln University postgraduate qualifications won the premier awards at the world's largest wire competition - the International Wine Challenge in London, an event which drew over 9000 entrants.

Alastair Maling, Villa Maria Estate's group winemaker, was named International White Winemaker of the Year, and Samantha Connew, now working in Australia at Wira Wirra winery near Adelaide, was named International Red Winemaker of the Year.

"For those wanting to work in the wine industry, enrolling in Lincoln University's Bachelor of Viticulture and Oenology programme, is a great first step," says Senior Lecturer in Viticulture, Dr Glen Creasy.

In addition to the bachelor's degree Lincoln University offers a Graduate Diploma in Viticulture and Oenology - a popular qualification for those with a first degree or significant industry experience but no degree (in which case provisional entry regulations apply).

"Either way - bachelor's degree or graduate diploma - the decision to study viticulture and oenology at Lincoln University could make 2008 a vintage year for you," says Dr Creasy.

"As Alastair Maling and Samantha Connew have shown, the world is at your feet!"

For full information on Lincoln University's Viticulture and Oenology programmes see www.lincoln.ac.nz or phone the University on 0800106010.

Editorial for the Timaru Herald