VaHigherEd.com

Wow.  Who would have thought after my last blog, “Wine country … on the east coast?” Virginia would have made national news today on cnn.com for its increasingly popular wine industry.

Virginia is the fifth in the nation in the number of wineries.  It’s also among the fastest-growing wine-producing states, according to tax figures from the U.S. Department of Treasury.

We as a state over the past three years have put a much greater emphasis on wine,” said Tamra Talmadge-Anderson, a Virginia tourism spokeswoman.  Visitors who include a Virginia winery on their trips spend twice as much per person than the average traveler, $299 vs. $129, according to a state toursim department study.

Piedmont Virginia Community College’s Viticulture and Enology program is gaining international attention.  Valerie Palamountain, Dean of Workforce Development at PVCC said,

We have students not only from Virginia, but from other states and countries.  In 2006, we had a class of students from South Africa.  This year, we have a student from Germany.  Our Viticulture and Enology program attracts students who are interested in starting a career in wine, as well as students who want to learn more about wine.  The best part about our program is that the students get to meet vineyard owners, managers and winemakers who have experience in the industry.  It’s a wonderful opportunity for our students to meet experts in the field.”

Click here for more information about PVCC’s Viticulture and Enology program.