OLMIS

by Gail Krumenauer
Published Nov-16-2009

Introduction What Winemakers Do A Blend of Passion and Science The Fruits of Their Labor

Oregon's winemakers supervised the production of nearly 1.75 million cases of wine in 2008, worth nearly $240 million. Don Crank, a winemaker at Willamette Valley Vineyards in Salem, one of the state's largest wineries, and Lawrence Grupp, owner and operator of Golden Pond Cellars, a small boutique winery in Newberg, both contributed to that effort. Despite the difference in the size of the two wineries, these winemakers share values important to winemaking success: a passion for wine and an appreciation for and knowledge of its scientific aspects.

In a word: everything. Winemakers plant, select and buy the fruit, supervise and participate in all production stages, and even take marketing responsibilities for their product, according to Paul Gallick, long-time owner of Honeywood Winery in Salem. Lawrence Grupp owns and operates Golden Pond Cellars with the help of his wife, Marilyne. He has a vineyard, which he planted, so his duties as winemaker begin there. Sometimes he hires seasonal help for the harvest, but takes sole responsibility for crushing, fermenting and bottling the wine. He plans to begin marketing and potentially open a tasting room in the future.

Although Don Crank works for one of the larger wineries, he says it's important to know all the positions. Crank supervises all aspects of Pinot Noir production for the winery, works with the enologist to get the taste just right, and conducts significant record-keeping. "It's definitely a hands-on job," he says. He repairs barrels, fixes pumps, wears steel-toed boots and overalls to work, and often goes home with purple hands. Crank even goes on the road to market the wine, because "people are more willing to buy wine from the winemaker."

Crank says "I love what I do. It's not like work at all." But his enthusiasm is balanced by a Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry and food science. Lawrence Grupp of Golden Pond has a passion for winemaking dating back to his childhood, when his winemaking uncles let him "stir the barrel." He elaborates on the necessity of science: "science provides the boundaries - if you stray from them, no amount of art will keep the wine from going bad." Grupp has a background in chemistry and keeps his scientific skills current by reading the wine experts in their publications.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and Oregon Employment Department (OED) emphasize the scientific components of the winemaking occupation. BLS and OED classify winemakers as "separating, filtering, clarifying, precipitating, and still machine setters, operators, and tenders." Self-employed winemakers are captured separately in a Census survey under the "beverage manufacturers" classification. A list of selected skills for the BLS occupational classification is shown in Table 1. Notice the scientific slant to many of them - algebra, chemistry and statistical process control.

Additional skills can be found in "winemaker wanted" ads on websites, such as winejobs.com, devoted to listing jobs in wineries. Some skills listed by the site include: public relations skills; being able to anticipate market direction and trends; strong organizational, planning, and financial skills; supervisory skills; strong interpersonal/people skills; facilities management; and experience in the vineyard. Some winemaker job listings ask for a Bachelor of Science degree in enology and/or viticulture, and/or several years of winery experience.

Internships serve as a way to acquire winemaking skills. Basic requirements for interns include a "passion for wine," willingness to work overtime in a physically demanding environment, and attention to detail. Sometimes students enrolled in enology or winemaking programs, or with prior winery experience, are sought after for these entry-level opportunities.

Rising through the ranks of winemaking occupations serves as another avenue to becoming a winemaker. There are three basic jobs in a winery: winemaker, cellar master, and cellar assistant. A winemaker has commonly held each of these positions or responsibilities, according to Paul Gallick of Honeywood Winery. Honeywood's winemaker apprenticed for years to the head winemaker, while taking correspondence courses at UC-Davis, a top viticulture school. Even those with bachelor's degrees in science-related fields may come through the ranks in order to learn the entire winemaking process. After completing his bachelor's degree, Crank of Willamette Valley Vineyards began as a cellar assistant at one winery, then sorted fruit at another. Gallick says this upward movement is common because "it's a growing business."

The Oregon winemakers' blend of science and passion is contributing to industry growth. OED reports increases each year from 2003 through 2008 in the number of wineries and vineyards, including their employment levels and payroll (Table 2). These numbers underestimate the true totals, as Employment Department data does not capture self-employed winemakers and wineries without payroll staff. By adding self-employed and non-payroll establishments, as done in annual Oregon Vineyard and Winery reports created by the National Agricultural Statistics Service, we see even greater winery expansion (Table 3).

The growth of Oregon wineries and vineyards also creates impacts on other industries in the state. Winery and vineyard activities support jobs in other Oregon industries in two ways.

1. Purchases: In 2007, jobs at Oregon wineries and vineyards supported roughly 1.5 jobs elsewhere in the state economy through business purchases. Approximately one half of the jobs supported by Oregon wineries and vineyards fell into the viticulture, wholesale trade and transport by truck industries. Other supported jobs included management of companies, real estate, advertising, employment services and glass bottle manufacturing.
   
   
2. Wages: The wages paid to employees on Oregon winery payrolls also support economic activity. In 2007, the income spent by each Oregon winery or winery supplier employee supported approximately two-thirds of a position in another industry, most commonly food services, health care and real estate. Impacts extend beyond the private sector as well. The Oregon wine industry's growing demand for people with winemaking and vineyard management skills prompted the founding of Chemeketa Community College's Northwest Viticulture Center in 2004. Students can earn Associate of Applied Science degrees in Vineyard Management, Winemaking or Wine Marketing or a certificate in Vineyard Operations. Practical hands-on training is facilitated by an eight-acre teaching vineyard and a 1,400 square foot teaching winery. The school has doubled its teaching and student capacity since opening, according to Dr. Craig Anderson, Associate Dean at Chemeketa's Department of Natural Resources.

While Crank, Grupp and Gallick speak to the enthusiasm and fondness for their work, the growth in their profession and industry is creating a blend of economic benefits for Oregon.