Silver Studies

Chemeketa's wine studies program celebrates 25 years

By Patrick McElligott

Chemeketa Community College’s Wine Studies program is a comprehensive one-to-two-year curriculum where students split time between classroom learning and hands-on learning in the vineyard, winery and tasting room. The Salem-based center prepares students of all ages for a career in the wine industry. After graduating with an associate’s degree, students can continue their studies in programs such as Oregon State University’s Fermentation Science and Viticulture and Enology, Linfield University’s Wine Studies and Wine Business Leadership and University of Bordeaux’s Vine and Wine Sciences. Chemeketa’s Wine Studies program also offers shorter-term classes to the general community on topics such as wine appreciation and seasonal vineyard practices.

Timeline

By 1998, a budding wine industry demand fueled plans for a pilot non-credit wine studies course. The following year, the first wine studies program in the state was launched in the fall of 1999 at Chemeketa’s Salem campus. The new program was supported in large part by donations from area wineries needing access to a more highly skilled workforce.

That same year, viticulture instructor Al McDonald planted five acres of grapevines at the new Northwest Viticulture Center in West Salem. As the program expanded, the college hired Barney Watson as the new winemaking instructor. Many adjunct and full-time instructors followed in their footsteps, bringing a breadth and depth of expertise to the program over the last 25 years.

Adjacent to the vineyard is a 12,600 square-foot event center, built in 2003 and home to a teaching winery, cellar, classrooms, and event space. Classes began on-site shortly after construction was completed.

The need for additional space led to the construction of a second building with a lab classroom, office space and a conference room six years later. The building was made possible with a generous donation from the Erath Family Foundation.

In 2013, the campus complex was renamed the Northwest Wine Studies Center, often commonly referred to simply as “Chemeketa Eola.”

Present day

Today, the 8-acre vineyard, planted with 10 grape varieties on three different rootstocks, includes seven clones of Pinot Noir. With 22 unique types of flowering cover crop, the site attracts a variety of pollinators. The vineyard has been organically farmed since 2021 and is LIVE certified. Roughly 28 tons of grapes are harvested annually, of which 15 tons are sold. Budstock is also sold, totaling an estimated one million buds to date.

Chemeketa Cellars opened its tasting room in 2018, staffed in part by students learning the business of wine sales and marketing. The tasting room is currently open Wednesday–Friday 4-9 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday 12-4 p.m. Wine may be purchased by glass or bottle and light bites are available. The tasting room also hosts live music throughout the year along with community classes like wine appreciation, paint and sip, yoga and wine. For more information, visit chemeketacellars.com/tastingchemeketacellars.com/tasting-room-room or call (503) 584-7256. Venue rental is also available at Chemeketa Eola.

The current Wine Studies program enrolls 60-100 students each term. Interested applicants can start their journey by visiting go.chemeketa.edu/winestudies. Certificates for wine hospitality operations, vineyard operations and winemaking take approximately one year. An associate’s degree in winemaking or vineyard management requires two years of study. Students can enroll full-time or attend a single class each term. Wine-specific scholarships are also available through the Chemeketa Community College Foundation.

Annual Barrel Tasting and 25th Anniversary Party

Chemeketa Cellars’ annual barrel tasting and 25th-anniversary celebration is Saturday, June 7, from 1-4 p.m. at the Northwest Wine Studies Center. Open to the public, the event honors both students and alumni who have shaped 25 years of winemaking education in Oregon. Enjoy barrel tastings and wine samples produced by talented alumni. Participate in hands-on activities and demonstrations in the winery and vineyard. Enjoy live music on the patio and savor a delicious salmon bake, perfectly paired with your wine selections. Be among the first to taste our celebratory Anniversary Sparkling Blanc de Noir as we honor our community during the Student of the Year, Legacy Builder and Emerging Leader award presentations. Tickets are $20-30 and available at: chemeketacellars.com/barrel-tasting.

Patrick McElligott, a fourth-generation native Oregonian, was raised on a wheat and cattle ranch in Northeastern Oregon, near the small town of Ione. Along with serving as a quality control and blending consultant for various wineries, Patrick managed The Oregon Winetasting Room for 27 years. He has judged many competitions and currently works in marketing and sales at Sineann Winery. Patrick has been a proud member of Oregon's wine industry since 1980.