Fresno State Jordan College of Ag Sciences and Technology adding new 'Wine Business' degree

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Fresno State's viticulture and enology program is growing with a new major.

The "Wine Business" degree will allow students to expand their knowledge from winemaking to wine marketing.

Fresno State students at Jordan College get hands-on experience.

That includes bottling and packaging the very wine they make on campus.

Sonet Van Zyl, the Department Chair for Viticulture and Enology, says the students learn everything about the winemaking process from pruning the vines to working with the wine equipment.

"We make sure that they are ready with hands-on experience to go into the industry," Zyl said. "They want people that have at least touched every part of the process."

Now, that process of learning is expanding as the department is adding a new "Wine Business" degree in partnership with the Ag Business program.

"This will help us make our students ready for that field of business and marketing, running a tasting room, managing all of the logistics behind marketing skills and business skills," Van Zyl said.

Students will still learn about the winemaking process, but now they will also be required to take classes in accounting, marketing, management and more.

Madasen Gutierrez is currently an enology student and has already had an internship at Cedar View Winery in Sanger.

"It was a very small production and limited staff, so I really got hands-on experience of the process and the winemaking," Gutierrez said.

But it was the time spent in the tasting room that helped her recognize her interest in more of the marketing side.

So in the fall, she's planning to officially change her major to the new wine business option.

"I have a total of 10 more classes to take," Gutierrez said.

If all goes well, she'll be the first graduate with the degree in Spring of 2025.

Gutierrez plans to use everything she learns as she looks for a job in the future.

"I think my love of wine and wine industry and my understanding of how wine is made is going to translate well," Gutierrez said.

Van Zyl said she hopes this new degree will make more well-rounded professionals in the industry and that it will attract a larger student population.

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