WINE ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Kick off the course by meeting your instructor and getting a clear roadmap of what’s ahead. This session sets the stage for a deep dive into the US wine industry and equips you with the tools to succeed.

• Meet the instructor
• Course overview & outcomes
• Assignments and expectations

Explore the US wine landscape, uncover what’s trending, and understand the key players, processes, and regulations that shape the market. By the end of this session, you’ll see the big picture of the wine industry and know how different wines find their place in it.

• Industry overview
• Key wine distributors
• Cultivars & types of wine
• Winemaking process 
• Considerations in selling wine

Assignment #1: Retail survey: Research wines sold across outlets, restaurants, and wineries. Compare pricing, positioning, and target markets.

Step into the vineyard, the heartbeat of every winery. Explore how soil, sun, and sustainability come together to shape the wine in your glass. You’ll learn how decisions in the field, from staffing to sourcing, can make or break a vintage, and how climate change is rewriting the rules for future winemakers.

• Vineyard operations overview
• Vineyard staff
• ‘Biodynamic’ & ‘organic’
• Buying grapes
• Climate change & environmental forecast

Assignment #2: Vineyard Operations Case Study: Choose a vineyard, research its practices, and write a 200–300 word summary on its approach to terroir, staffing, sustainability, and climate impact.

The cellar is where science meets art. Peel back the curtain on how winemakers harness tradition, technology, and a little bit of chemistry to craft unforgettable wines. Expect insider insights from our guest speaker on what really happens behind those cellar doors.

• Cellar parts & layout
• Labor & technology 
• Inputs in the wine-making process
• Wine-making techniques
• Modern winery machinery & software
• Traditional vs. technological methods
• Capital expenditure

This class is about learning how to source smart, negotiate like a pro, and build relationships that keep your wine flowing smoothly, even when borders, prices, or suppliers change.

• Wine as a product
• Overseas suppliers
• Negotiating costs and pricing
• Building supplier relationships 

Assignment #3: Create an Excel guide with at least one international supplier, estimated costs, sourcing challenges, and considerations for a finished wine bottle.

Learn to build financial plans that balance passion with profit, diving into P&L statements, forecasting, and the tricky balance between boutique artistry and large-scale production.

• Starting a winery: Costs & expenses
• Running a winery: Costs & expenses 
• Case study: P&L statement analysis
• Budgeting skills
• Price, volume, & income

Assignment #4: Begin a profit & loss statement including grape costs, land lease, equipment, packaging, and labeling.

This class is all about turning your wine into a must-pick product: packaging that feels right in hand, labels that catch the eye, and design choices that speak directly to your customer’s heart.

• Finding a niche
• Bottle types & closures
• Labels
• Competitions, prizes, & shiny stickers
• Workshop: Look at different wines, discuss their appearance and likelihood to catch a consumer’s eye

Assignment #5: Wine Label Mock-up: Submit a hand-drawn or digital label with a short rationale for design choices.

Wine doesn’t sell itself. In this class, we’ll cover how to navigate regulations, build pricing models, and take advantage of both live events and digital platforms to make your wine impossible to ignore.

• Wine marketing & sales regulations
• Points of sale 
• Wine events
• Online channels
• Sales plan & pricing strategy
• Discussion: Retail survey feedback

This session covers everything from inventory management to choosing distributors, with a special guest speaker sharing real-world strategies for balancing efficiency with market reach.

• Distribution channels: Bulk & bottled
• Inventory management
• Excise warehouses
• Logistics & transport
• Distribution
• Market segments

Assignment #6: Identify two key distributors, outline strengths, focus areas, and fit for your wine portfolio.

Learn to evaluate wine tourism opportunities by analysing tasting rooms, event venues, and regional initiatives that enhance winery profitability.

• Wine in hospitality & tourism 
• Wine routes & local initiatives
• Wineries as event venues 
• Tasting room value
• Case study: Running an effective tasting room

Assignment #7: Optional: Visit a local tasting room or wine bar and identify 5 aspects that worked well.

This class gives you a playbook for quality control, crisis management, and learning from failures, with case studies that prove even the best stumble sometimes.

• Discussion: Tasting room visits
• Quality control
• Wine faults, labeling errors, & machine failure
• Case study: Failure of a winery

In this session, we’ll demystify the complex web of US and international regulations, from additives and labeling to duties and export requirements, so you can keep your business compliant and competitive.

• US regulatory environment 
• Regulations around wine-making
• Wine of Origin legislation
• Taxation and wine
• International regulations

Assignment #8: Capstone Project: Prepare a business plan incorporating an executive summary, marketing strategy, a P&L statement, key distributors, a label example, and key suppliers.

This class covers how to hire, train, and inspire the right people, manage seasonal labor, and foster industry connections that support growth far beyond your vineyard.

• Key roles in the wine business
• Hiring & training employees
• Managing conflicting viewpoints
• Seasonal labor
• Building relationships & connections

Where is wine headed, and where will you fit in? In this closing class, we’ll look at the industry’s future, from shifting consumer habits to health-driven trends, and map out your next steps — whether that’s launching a winery, climbing the career ladder, or pivoting into new opportunities.

• Industry forecast for wine
• Future trends and consumer preferences
• Next steps for you and your company
• CVs, interviews & hiring tips