Students in college winery program drink in the knowledge

Wescott is one of about 40 students in Yakima Valley College's Vineyard and Winery Technology Program, now entering its 10th year, reported the Yakima Herald-Republic (http://bit.ly/2kON6Yr).

Since its inception a decade ago, 45 students have graduated from the program, said agriculture instructor and program chairman Trent Ball.

The experience gained using the program's winery, laboratory, tasting room and commercial-grade winemaking equipment makes these students especially attractive to Washington wineries.

The students who stick around can earn an associate degree in winery or vineyard technology, where they'll learn every aspect of working in a winery, including the science and math needed to make the wine, management and operations skills, safety and even government compliance.

Before bottling the wine in mid-February, students each choose a variety of wine and make small changes to its acidity, sugar content or blend with other wines to produce their best version of the variety.

The class took one of its Semillion blends and did a blind tasting for Roger and Kenna Hazzard, owners of Bon Vino's Bistro and Bakery in Sunnyside, to learn what types of wines their clientele would be interested in.