Lake Washington Technical College is offering a new two-year Wine Technology degree that encompasses wine making as well as wine service. Students will learn about horticulture/viticulture, enology, wine-making, state and federal regulation and compliance testing, customer service, wine sales and marketing, food and wine pairing, wine evaluation and event management. Students will spend several quarters working side-by-side with winemakers in one of the many local wineries.
Washington is now the second largest wine-producing state in the nation. The wine industry is one of the fastest growing in Washington State, offering employment opportunities in a number of roles and settings The program will prepare students for the following careers with average annual salaries ranging from $30,000 to $60,000: cellar person, assistant wine maker, tasting room staff, event planner, cellar master, wine master, and tasting room manager.
“We were approached by representatives from Woodinville Wine Country about starting this program,” said Doug Emory, LWTC Dean of the Academic Core, Hospitality and Service. “They told us it was hard to find qualified people to work in the wineries without going out of state. LWTC is ideally placed to meet this industry need, not only because of our location in an area that includes numerous wineries but also because of our successful programs in hospitality and horticulture.”
As part of their experience, students will be placed in internships working in wineries in Woodinville, learning wine making from industry leaders such as DiStefano Winery, William Church Winery, Anton Ville, Baer, Red Sky and Edmonds Winery to name a few.
Instructor David Coan has more than 25 years of experience in the restaurant industry in all aspects of restaurant operations and management. He is Sommelier certified and specializes in Italian and Northwest wines. He is also a Washington State Wine Ambassador and has been an instructor at Lake Washington Technical College since 2003. For detailed Wine Technology program information visit www.lwtc.edu/wine or contact David Coan at 425-739-8100, ext. 630 or david.coan@lwtc.edu.
