Organic Wine & Spirits Production
Professional Certificate
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While “organic” is the fastest-growing trend in the wine industry and a fast-emerging niche in the booming world of craft distilleries, learning how to manage the full cycle of pesticide-free farming, harvesting, fermentation, and distillation requires the mentorship of proven cutting-edge producers. In response to the internationally documented growth in organic wine and spirit production, the School of the New American Farmstead now offers a Professional Certificate in Organic Wine & Spirits Production.
Who is this certificate for?
This Professional Certificate is designed especially for persons establishing or transitioning to pesticide-free vineyards and orchards with an interest in producing wines and spirits not dependent upon spraying or synthetic inputs.
The topics covered in the certificate program are also ideal for beverage-industry professionals specializing in any sector of the growing organic wine and spirits chain who seek a sophisticated understanding of cutting-edge techniques for the production and marketing of these products.
Marketing professionals, sommeliers, distributors, bartenders, culinary professionals, and agritourism specialists will benefit from this in-depth exploration of organic wine and spirits, from soil to bottle.
Why a professional certificate?
Students successfully completing the requirements for the premiere Professional Certificate in Organic Wine & Spirits Production will have the documented skills and experience to demonstrate their “early adopter” status in this growing sector of the agricultural and beverage industries. Increasing consumer awareness not only of the human and environmental health dangers of pesticides but also of their detrimental impacts on beverages’ sensory qualities is driving positive change within the beverage sector, impacting every link of the farm-to-glass chain.
No matter what part of the wine and spirits sector a student is engaged in or aspires to enter, this immersive experience will provide techniques and inspiration for advancing critically important markets for artisans and large-scale businesses alike.
Learning Objectives
Students successfully completing this Professional Certificate will demonstrate the following capacities:
- To document the predominant pests and diseases impacting the fruits used in the production of wine and spirits
- To describe regenerative, pesticide-free agricultural methods and fruit cultivar selection practices that provide opportunities for spray-free vineyard and orchard operations not dependent upon synthetic inputs
- To support or manage the optimal harvesting, fermenting, and distilling of fruits used for wine and spirits production
- To analyze the entrepreneurial opportunities and challenges of artisan and larger scale businesses focused on organic wine and spirits production
- To link organic agricultural fruit production methods with successful business planning and marketing efforts for wine and spirits production
Course Requirements
The following course is required for successful completion of the certificate:
Organic Wine & Spirits Production Residency (12 ceu’s)
This course is designed especially for persons establishing or transitioning to pesticide-free vineyards and orchards as well as beverage-industry professionals. Marketing professionals, sommeliers, distributors, bartenders, culinary professionals, and agritourism specialists will benefit from this in-depth exploration of organic wine and spirits, from soil to bottle. This rare opportunity offers you the chance to work with Nik de Rachewiltz, who, for the past decade, has been transitioning all fruit production on the Brunnenburg Castle farm to be pesticide-free, primarily through the use of newly-available “fungal resistant varieties.”
All students who complete a School of the New American Farmstead course are invited to join our closed Facebook group to maintain contact with fellow alumni and our network of instructors and collaborators.
Professional Portfolio
Upon completion of the required course, you will be required to produce a Professional Portfolio per guidelines that will be provided.
Students will work with School of the New American Farmstead staff to create a their own Professional Portfolio demonstrating successful completion of their coursework, attainment of certificate learning objectives, and related professional experience and aspirations. This portfolio will be in digital format and may be used on websites, in social media such as LinkedIn, for job searches, and as documentation of competency and certificate completion to current employers.
From the last day of class, you will have a 30 day window in which to submit the following required materials:
- Professional Certificate Self-Assessment Essay
- Professional Statement
- Multi-media documentation of skills and proficiencies
- Resume/CV
Collectively, these materials will provide a thorough assessment and documentation of your skills and expertise for use both in job searches and negotiations with current employers.
