A practical “Full Vintage Experience” in the Certificate in Grape Growing and Wine Making (Level 4), is a unique learning experience in New Zealand.

Over the years former tutors and graduating students have gone on to work, run or own top vineyards and wineries around the world.

Tutor Brent Laidlaw says the course is the only one in New Zealand that has significant practical experience embedded in the course which attracts people from all over the world.

“Other courses are far more classroom based, but here they make their own wine and work a vintage in a commercial environment.”

While EIT Tairäwhiti has its own 1.6 hectare vineyard, extra grapes are purchased for the Cognoscenti and Waimata Labels and wines are produced under contract to other wineries around the region, meaning they work with quantities of grapes appropriate to a
boutique sized operation.

“That also gives students the chance to follow through a wine making process under another wine makers direction and exposes them to wine varieties that we don’t produce ourselves.”

There are two intakes a year – one in February and the other in July – for the 43 week course.

“July students follow the growth of the vine through to making the wine which allows them to work the vintage here, with the option to head to the Northern Hemisphere for another vintage.”

It is a course that appeals to all ages, right from those just out of school, through to those changing careers, and those who may have already had a successful career in another field and  are now looking to follow a passion.

Wines produced on the course have won wide acclaim, and Brent says he’s pretty pleased with what has been achieved this time round too.

“Challenging climatic conditions this vintage called for making sure all the vineyard husbandry had been done right – perfect for the students to learn from!”