NMSU offers winemaking, marketing class

New Mexico State University’s Departments of Agriculture Economics and Agricultural Business and Extension Plant Sciences are offering a beginners’ course in winemaking suited for amateurs as well as small commercial operations.

The course will also cover marketing and “the economics of owning and operating small wineries,” according to a news release.

Enrollment in the university is not required. The course is available to NMSU students for academic credit as well as faculty and staff and community members as an Extension workshop. Students must be 21 years old by Sept. 15 to participate, and the class will meet in person.

Per the course’s objectives, participants will:

• Identify the processes required to make high-quality wine
• Experience wine sensory analysis (identify the characteristics of good wine and wine faults)
• Learn hands-on winemaking techniques
• Identify the basics of wine analysis and testing
• Identify current technologies used in the production of wine in a small winery
• Identify and evaluate production costs and marketing strategies for small wineries
• Learn the basics of viticulture (wine grape growing) practices
  
  

Additionally, the release stated that each class participant will receive a case of their class wine at the end of semester.

Inquiries about the course were directed to instructor Dale Ellis at 575-644-7008 or dellis57@nmsu.edu, or Roseann Colorbio at 575-646-2829 or rocolorb@nmsu.edu.