It’s almost back to school time, when students will be buying all those new marbled notebooks, protractors, and… wine glasses!
The University of Kentucky is going to offer four courses about wine this fall, and that loud cheer you heard was all 20,000 students collectively whooping.
You might think of Kentucky as bourbon country (I do, and love them for it). But Kentucky was home to the US’s first commercial vineyard in 1798, and now actually makes about 150,000 cases of wine a year. That contributes a little to the state’s revenue and is growing, but there aren’t any classes that prep people for the industry so Kentucky’s offering a few. One’s a wine appreciation class where they’ll learn about different aspects of wine and taste it too. But another is about Viticulture and the science of wine and beer to get students on track for jobs in the industry. That one doesn’t have a tasting aspect involved, and no one has signed up for it (juuuuuust kidding).
Apparently, the professor who’s going to teach the wine appreciation class has been “overwhelmed with the interest that students have expressed.” DUHHHHHHHHH!!!!!
grapefriend 
As a parent of a college student I already question the exorbitant price of higher education – classes that teach similar skills they could master at a frat party better be offered for free.
I hear you on the ridiculous cost of college, I don’t know how anyone affords it anymore. However, I will say that – having studied at the American Sommelier Association for two years after college – wine classes can actually be incredibly educational. My courses were as intense as anything I took in college, weekly lectures, reading and exams about wine regions and the science of winemaking. I was an English major at a very good college, but I might even be able to argue that taking these wine courses could set someone up better for the work world, which is what they’re sort of designed to do 🙂
That’s cool! I went to school in Vermont and the big state university (UVM) had a beer craft class. My friend went there and is now an assistant brewer. Looks like I might need to go back to school in Kentucky 😉
I went to Middlebury – neighbors!
Oh nice! I went to Champlain College (UVM’s much smaller, but much cooler cousin a block down.)
My brother went to UK . . . go Cats! As for the courses . . . yay!! I just wish they offered and online version. I’d sign up for sure!! Salud.
I bet there are tons online – just Google. Cheers!
And apparently I need to go back to college and go for a new degree. 🙂