The Washington State University Enology and Viticultural Certificate Program is now offering the same curricula the University's Viticulture students take for credit as part of the official certificate program to anyone who pays the tuition fee. You don't earn a certificate, but you do get to study at your own pace and convenience, using the identical instructional materials the certificate students use. The online classes are geared towards people wanting to open their own winery and include courses in:
- Wine production
- Wine Chemistry
- Enology-Viticulture Interface
- Sanitation in the Winery
- Winery Equipment
- Economics of Starting a Winery
You don't have to apply, but you do have to pay. The price ranges from $75.00 to $200.00 to enroll in a course. The program is self-directed, and you're essentially auditing the course since you have no exams, no assignments, or paper— and no contact with the instructors. Still, you do have access to the Web site and the identical lectures that the certificate students have. You can read about the courses here, and, for those of you with even more ambitious plans, the viticulture certificate program is discussed here.
This is actually a pretty cool thing; there are a number of very small boutique winemakers in Washington; many of them with small storefronts, but even more of them selling wine at local farmers' markets, like one of my favorites, Cedar Ridge. It also is a sign of just how seriously people are beginning to take viticulture in Washington, and that is a very good thing indeed.