|Marina Emelianenko | 455
The profession of a winemaker is one of the oldest human activities. Good winemakers have always been popular and occupied worthy places among the nobility. Usually all the knowledge and skills that real winemakers should have, as well as various special recipes and the secrets of making wines were passed down from generation to generation, thanks to which entire dynasties of winemakers appeared. Today, a winemaker-technologist can get a job both in small, private wineries, and in large companies, in factories that specialize in the production of wines.
What is the job of a winemaker
The official name of the winemaker's profession sounds like "technologist of winemaking and fermentation industries". Specialists who have mastered the profession of a winemaker are directly involved in all stages of making a drink and are engaged in everything that has anything to do with making wine. The work of a professional winemaker requires the concentration of almost all the senses, especially the taste and smell receptors. An important task facing every winemaker is the ability to clearly and accurately distinguish between flavors and imagine in advance how the finished product will turn out.
The main activities of the winemaker include the following:
Observation of the technology of grape harvesting. In addition, the winemaker takes part in the breeding of new varieties of raw materials, is looking for suitable soils for grape plantations;
. Participation in the creation of a mariage - mixing in certain quantities various alcohols in the manufacture of wines and cognacs, as well as blending - mixing various kinds grapes when creating drink recipes;
. Tasting ready drink, control over the process and technology of making wine;
. Control over the strict observance of the recipes, temperature and other factors that affect the process of making and bottling wine.
The activity of the winemaker is considered completed only after wine bottles sent for sale. One of the duties of a specialist is to cooperate with organizations responsible for quality control alcoholic products. Many winemakers are engaged in scientific work in research institutes.
Taking part in all stages of winemaking, the winemaker ensures full compliance with all the rules and regulations of the process, from planting vines to bottling. finished products.
Personal and professional qualities necessary for success in the profession
In order to achieve heights and recognition in their activities, the winemaker must have a number of professional qualities. Among the most important of them are:
Deep knowledge of organic chemistry. This is necessary because the work of the winemaker and the production of wine are based on chemical processes;
. It is necessary to understand different types grapes, be able to adjust normal functioning berry plantations;
. It is required to have skills in establishing methods for making wines and cognacs, while taking into account the peculiarities of the geographical area and the product being manufactured;
. It is necessary to create new brands of wines and cognacs, conduct tasting, control the quality of the product, the process of making and bottling wine;
. You need to be able to maintain all the necessary documentation.
In addition to professional qualities, it is important for a winemaker to have special personality traits that will help him achieve success in his activity. Among them are the following:
Having a good memory for tastes, colors and smells;
. Creativity that allows you to come up with new combinations of aromas and tastes of wine;
. perseverance;
. Attentiveness;
. Analytical thinking;
. Accuracy;
. Curiosity;
. Purposefulness;
. Cleanliness.
Advantages and disadvantages of the profession
Like any profession, the job of a winemaker has some pros and cons. Among the advantages, the following should be noted:
The low popularity of the profession, because if you learn how to make good wine, you can have a good income;
. Ability to apply creative abilities, constant change of activities;
. Decent salary, opportunity for constant career growth.
In addition to the listed advantages, everyone who wants to connect their lives with the profession of a winemaker should pay attention to the disadvantages:
High level of responsibility;
. The need for high level health.
Salary and career
In order to become a professional winemaker, the applicant will need to graduate from a higher educational institution and obtain the specialty "technologist-winemaker".
If we talk about the salary of a specialist, it completely depends not only on his experience, but also on the size, location and popularity of the company's products. Only a specialist who has come to work has an average salary in the region of 15 thousand rubles. A more experienced employee earns about 40 thousand. As professional growth, gaining additional knowledge, the salary of a blender can rise to 70-80 thousand rubles a month.
Suitable educational specialties: TasterKey items: Maths; Russian language; Chemistry; Biology.
Tuition fee (average in Russia): 160,000 rubles
Job description:
*tuition fee is indicated for 4 years of full-time bachelor's degree.
Features of the profession
The winemaker in the official language is called the technologist of winemaking and fermentation production.
This is a specialist who not only understands wine, but also knows exactly what this or that taste depends on. He is from different varieties grapes creates a special blend (fr. coupage), i.e. mixture, where each variety occupies a certain share.
When creating cognac, the technologist thinks over what alcohols, what aging and in what proportions to use in it. Interestingly, the mixture of alcohols is denoted by the term mariage, from fr. mariage - literally “marriage, wedding”, which in itself suggests that this is a serious matter, although joyful.
Marriage and blending are key stages in the creation of drinks, but they technological process is not limited.
The work of a winemaker begins with the selection of raw materials - grape varieties, spirits, etc. At this stage, he conducts their tasting.
I must say that the tasting itself is an important process, requiring the concentration and readiness of all taste and olfactory receptors from the winemaker. There are many different approaches to tasting. For example, the most common method for choosing spirits is diluting cognac spirit with water. This is the only way to feel its flavors.
As experts say, a real winemaker remembers the tastes of all alcohols and all sorts of berries with which he has to work. Therefore, he begins work on the composition of the future drink in his mind. This is a creative process that requires a lot of knowledge, experience, and inspiration.
When the blend of the future drink is made, the wine technologist directs the production process.
He makes sure that the recipe developed by him is observed, that the technological terms are kept, temperature regime at every stage. Tasting finished products. This time, he meticulously evaluates not only the taste and smell, but also the color, and also, if we are talking about sparkling wines, - the shape and movement of the bubbles, their hissing.
The technologist's work on each batch of wine or cognac is completed only when the bottles with the drink are sent to the finished product warehouse.
Future specialists study winemaking in universities.
But the specialist comprehends the subtleties of the profession himself: he reads, masters in practice.
And since the success of a wine-making enterprise to a very large extent depends on the talent and knowledge of the chief technologist, a young specialist has to prove his worth on the way to leadership positions. He can start his career as an assistant technologist, as well as a blender, whose duties include compiling a blend according to a recipe approved by the chief technologist.
Workplace
A winemaker-technologist can work both at small wineries and at large factories for the production of wines and cognacs.
He can also cooperate with organizations that control the quality of alcoholic products, engage in scientific work in research institutes.
Wage
from 40000 rub.
Important qualities
The profession of a winemaker implies an interest in chemistry, a delicate taste and smell, a good memory for tastes and smells, an analytical mindset, and attentiveness.
Knowledge and skills
Wine making is based on chemical processes. A winemaker-technologist is, first of all, a specialist in organic chemistry. But besides this, he must have knowledge in the field of ampelography (the science of grape varieties), be well aware of the organization of the production process.
Where do they teach
The specialty "technology of fermentation and winemaking" can be obtained at the university.
Moscow State University of Food Production (MGUPP)
Faculty of Technology and Production Management
Department of Winemaking Technology
Russian State Agrarian University - Moscow Agricultural Academy named after K.A. Timiryazev (RSAU-MSHA named after K.A. Timiryazev)
Faculty of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture
Department of Viticulture and Winemaking
Moscow State University of Technology and Management named after K.G. Razumovsky (Moscow State Technical University named after K.G. Razumovsky)
Institute of Technology food products
As well as regional universities, including the Krasnodar Territory, North Ossetia, St. Petersburg.
In order to work as a winemaker in Russia, you need to have a higher professional education, i.е. study for 6 years (we take masters right away, so that in a new way) at an institute or university. Let's talk more about this education.
In our country, there are three main specialized universities that graduate process engineers with a degree in winemaking technology - these are MGUPP in Moscow, SRSTU in Novocherkassk, Rostov Region, and KubSTU in Krasnodar. The majority of domestic specialists graduated from these universities. There are several more specialized faculties in Russia, but there are mainly "fermenters": beer, alcohol, soft drinks.
Of the 6 years of study, the first 3 years students study non-core disciplines - mainly exact and social sciences. The general flow of the entire food faculty or even two. That is, after 3 years, a student of the food faculty may change his mind to become, for example, a milkman and go to butchers, and so on. Or everyone may suddenly want to become winemakers!
During these 3 years, students go wild in general subjects, among which the main one is chemistry. In the first year - inorganic and analytical, the second - organic and physical with colloid, the third - biological and food plus technical microbiology. Each chemistry goes on a year in parallel with others. In addition, mechanics, turning into the study of all processes and apparatus used in Food Industry generally. Then it is replaced by the study of the main technological equipment by specialty. But that's later - first you need to go through everything from the structure of the atom and strength of materials through many hours of syntheses in organic chemistry and projects of components and mechanisms to enzymes in the chemistry of wine and the project of a whole wine-making enterprise with the economy and all the details.
During the entire training, the student is sent to 3 production practices for 7 weeks each in September-October to the leading wineries in the region. The first is introductory, when the student can do the simplest operations, then the main production one - the student can already work as a senior worker or assistant to a junior winemaker, as he knows how to work on any equipment from a pneumatic press to a vacuum filter. The third practice is again in a new way to consolidate and write a graduation project.
After that, a graduate can go to graduate school at his university or a specialized research institute - fortunately, now there is any possible tool for conducting the most in-depth analyzes from capillary electrophoresis to an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. You can scientifically simulate and study any technological process in winemaking. The degree of candidate of technical sciences received after training and writing a dissertation is actually equivalent to the Western PhD - Doctor of Philosophy. What topic the graduate student and his supervisor chooses depends only on them - it is not necessary to choose an unclaimed, outdated or irrelevant direction of research.
I want to emphasize one important detail: the technology of winemaking or the science of wine, oenology, is an applied science. We open the dictionary: applied sciences are those focused on the practical application of knowledge gained in the fundamental sciences.
In my opinion, if a graduate has sufficient knowledge in fundamental sciences, and our education gives them to the full, then he will be able to practically apply his knowledge. Yes, I agree, the question here is in what direction he applies them, or rather, how and to what extent this knowledge will be involved in practical work and how they will develop. Nevertheless, I am sure that if a graduate has received a good knowledge base, then, if desired and striving, he will gain directly applied knowledge in the process of practical work (at the same time, no one has canceled two or three years of special disciplines at the university!). He will get better by gaining experience in working in tandem with foreign consultants, honing his taster skills at dozens of tastings, studying a lot of specialized literature in all languages and visiting numerous wine-growing regions of the world.
Our education is characterized by another key feature, which should be discussed separately. Of course, the Russian scientific and educational school in winemaking itself was formed in the Soviet years, and in that era there were only large vineyards and wineries like collective and state farms, which were a whole agricultural complex, often forming a small village with the appropriate infrastructure. In such farms, the total area of vineyards (and in addition to vineyards, cereals and fruit crops were also often grown) totaled several thousand hectares. A whole staff of winegrowers worked at the enterprises from the foreman and entomologist to the chief agronomist, at the winery - a team of winemakers led by the chief winemaker plus a full-fledged laboratory with professional chemists and microbiologists.
It goes without saying that winemakers and viticulturists are two separate professions, and they need to be taught separately in universities of different profiles and according to different programs. While the winemaker studied organic chemistry, the chemistry of wine and machines with mechanisms at the University of Technology, the future agronomist-vine grower studied plant biology, soil science and entomology at the agricultural university. Everything has remained in this form to this day: winegrowers and winemakers are working in close cooperation, but still different specialists.
In the West, as you know, the development of winemaking has been going on and is going on to this day from small private semi-family forms of management. Of course, if the owner has several hectares of vineyards, then one specialist works for him - a grower and winemaker in one person.
When farms of this size appeared in Russia in the early 2000s, the question arose of specialists capable of simultaneously performing both inseparable functions. Inspired by visiting the best Western wineries such as chateau, our functionaries began to proclaim slogans about the incorrectness and inefficiency of the Russian education system: they say, how can one study winemaking in isolation from viticulture, when the quality of grapes directly affects the future wine; our separate departments of winemaking and viticulture should be closed; it is necessary to create a specialty "wine grower-winemaker"; it is necessary to reduce the "extra" scientific workload for each specialization and thus combine the two professions and so on.
I want to voice my point of view on the designated issue. Of course, wine is a product of the locality, it begins with a vine in a vineyard, and winemaking is essentially “bringing into the form of a drink”, what nature has created. Various kinds of technical means and techniques at the winery. These two processes are inseparable from each other and are considered only in combination. Yes, it is a thousand times so!
But! Imagine a small farm where one specialist works both in the field and in the winery. He does an excellent job with his duties in both directions - the "hot time" at the winery replaces intensive work in the field and, in principle, everything can be covered. Then, for example, over time, the farm evolutionarily increases due to the acquisition of new lands for viticulture, now the total planting area reaches several tens, and then hundreds of hectares. Sooner or later, and inevitably, this same winegrower-winemaker will decide to delegate some of his duties in the field or at the winery to an assistant, choosing one of the specializations for himself as the main one or transferring both jobs to assistants, and he himself will take the position of the main one. If such a system develops in more than one decade, sooner or later those who work only at the winery and those who work only in the field will appear at the enterprise.
In our country, due to the historically established organizational and technological conditions, there will always be large (several hundreds of hectares or more) and small forms (several tens of hectares or less), which will require both "generalists" and "narrowly specialized" professionals.
I will answer a possible question: to what extent do generalists have more knowledge in both areas than, for example, winemakers in viticulture, and vice versa? In Russia, student winemakers are taught the basics of viticulture, ampelography*, and winegrowers are taught the basics of winemaking and grape processing in general (for juice, for example).That is, for example, a winemaker educated in Russia has quite normal knowledge and ideas about how a grape plant is cultivated, what operations are carried out during the year in a vineyard, and much more, but this does not mean at all that this same winemaker himself can conduct all work in the field, replacing the grower and fully managing the process in the field. The winemaker will evaluate the quality of the past flowering, analyze how the maturation is going, choose best time for harvesting and much more, but he will certainly not be able to identify chlorosis or a lack of magnesium in the soil, he will not be able to build the correct protection against pests, he will not accurately determine soil erosion by the first signs that appear, and much more. Also, the grower, in principle, knows quite well what is happening at the winery, he will be able to process the grapes and discard the must, but he will most likely miss the time to introduce enzymes, be puzzled by the selection of a yeast race, think hard about the technological processing of wine and much more.
How good is all this (judging by end results) do Western specialists - "generalists", you ask? Especially those with a couple of hundred rows of grapes and a simple hangar as a winery? Who do not have all this staff of agronomists, entomologists, chemists and microbiologists?
In fact, they all take samples of soil, vines, berries to the ubiquitous small special laboratories, invite disease experts to inspect vineyards, doing simple analyzes on their own. They have enough special knowledge and experience to understand when something goes wrong, or intervene in the process if necessary. This system is time-tested, justified and effective.
So how is it right to train specialists for large wineries (there are no options for small farms - only “generalists”)? Separate winegrowers and winemakers separately, or is it ..? The question is open.
Brewing in Munich
Brewing was practiced in ancient Egypt, but learning this craft from scratch is best in the homeland of Oktoberfest. Previously, training, as a rule, took place at the brewery itself on the job. Recently, however, there has been a growing trend to study brewing as an academic specialty, which is popular with both German and international students. In Germany, you can master this specialty in Berlin and Munich.
Short-term training can also be completed in the Czech Republic - seminars and trainings at English language offers the Research Center for Brewing and Malt Production in Prague. Those interested can choose from three programs: a general course on microbiology of beer, microorganisms in brewing and a practical course for microbiological technologists. True, you will have to unite in groups - applications for participation are accepted from two or more people.
Stefan Geppert
Faculty Coordinator Beverage and Food Technology TUM
“Creating this program, we set ourselves the task of facilitating the admission process for applicants as much as possible. Perhaps the only non-standard requirement is that applicants have a 6-week practice before entering a university or a special education as a brewer. The meaning of this requirement is that we train those who really know what they will have to face in the future, and make their choice consciously. Approximately 10% of our students are foreigners, which is quite a lot for a specialty where teaching is conducted exclusively in German. Every year, students from all over the world come to study with us. Most of the students after receiving a bachelor's degree continue their studies for a master's degree. After graduation, graduates often get jobs at supplying plants as design engineers for specialized equipment. Our alumni include many international sales professionals. Recently, the demand for quality control specialists has increased in European countries, which is also often chosen by our students as a future field of activity.”
Alexander Holm
student majoring in Brewing and Beverage Technologies TUM
“I became interested in brewing as part of the culture, customs and traditions of Germany since my school days. I have always wondered why huge amount only a few breweries have survived and why the culture of brewing in many German cities is gradually becoming a thing of the past and only a few so-called “beer capitals” remain, around which all production is concentrated. After serving in the army, I had an internship in two German breweries in advance, after which I had no doubts about the choice of my future profession. I decided to study at this faculty because of the wide range of subjects taught. It is during your studies that you understand what complex and complex problems a master brewer or process engineer faces every day. The brewing process and preparing the product for market entry is one of the most complex alcoholic beverages, in them any oversight, even the most insignificant at first glance, can ruin the reputation of the manufacturer. What attracts me most of all in my studies is how closely technical, natural and economic disciplines are intertwined in this specialty. This allows you to look at this field of activity from different angles. I have not yet decided what exactly I will do in the future. It is possible that I will be involved in the optimization of production processes in the brewery, such as cleaning and maintenance of equipment, or I will represent the interests of the industry in trade unions.
Winemaking in Tuscany
You can study winemaking in France, Italy and Spain - mainly on master's programs. Those who want to get a new specialty in the shortest possible time should go to Tuscany - the Florence University of the Arts offers training in the one-year program "Winemaking and Oenology", specially designed for foreign students. In addition, there teaching is conducted in English. Studying on the course does not require special preparation - both beginners and professional sommeliers will be able to master it.
Training under this program is divided into two levels, summer and autumn: from the simpler to the more complex. During the training, students will learn how to properly taste and serve wine, get acquainted with various varieties of Italian wines (and Tuscan wines in particular) and will be able to master the intricacies of enogastronomy - the art of combining various varieties wines with certain dishes. The course costs €7500.
Alternative options:
Those who prefer Chianti Rioja can enroll in a master's program at the University of Rovira and Virgilia in Catalonia. Students are offered a choice of two approaches: a specialty in Oenology and Biotechnology with a strong research component, or a more pragmatic version for students who have completed a bachelor's degree in management, economics or tourism. Tuition here is around €3,000.
Its Master's Program in Oenology one of the oldest public universities in France, the University of Montpellier, also has one. It is open to students with a bachelor's degree in agronomy or food technology. Here, close attention is paid not only to winemaking technologies, but also to management and marketing in the wine industry.
The Faculty of Oenology at the University of Bordeaux II Segalen accepts students for specialist, master's and doctoral programs. But for those who dream of becoming a sommelier, it is better to choose a shorter and more specialized training option - a five-month wine tasting course.
Livia le Divelech
professor of oenology at the Florence University of the Arts
“Our course is available to a wide range of students. Enrollment for the first level is open to anyone with a high school diploma. As practice shows, most of our students already have a first education and come to us to improve their skills or simply because they want to learn something new. In this sense, our course is arranged in an accessible way: we start with the basics of winemaking, gradually bringing students to an advanced level. The program has grown in popularity over the past two years. More and more students from all over the world come to us not only because they are interested in the process of wine production, but also because they are interested in the culture and history of Italy, as a country with the richest wine-making traditions. Career opportunities for our students are varied. Thanks to this program, they will be able to master a number of key winemaking disciplines, such as marketing, viticulture and oenology, international wine production, the characteristics of Tuscan wines, as well as the production of regional Italian wines, etc. For this reason, some students are employed in the field of marketing communications, others prefer to work in wineries, and some continue their scientific activities.”
Josh Pylipov
student of the Florence University of the Arts under the program "Winemaking and oenology"
“Even in my first year at the institute, I realized that I wanted to be a professional winemaker. After some time, I literally fell ill with oenology. Perhaps this is the most universal science, because it covers a huge range of disciplines: history, art, natural sciences, cultural studies, natural history. The most interesting thing in all this for me is not so much the opportunity to try different types of wines, but communication with people and immersion in the history of the country. Daily wine tastings are an invaluable experience in getting to know the specific characteristics of the grapes. I dream of someday setting up my own vineyard and building a winery. After completing the course, I plan to enroll in a master's program in the specialty "Viticulture and Winemaking" and, if possible, get practical experience in some Italian winery.
watchmaking school in switzerland
It is no coincidence that Swiss watches are known for their quality and variety - in Switzerland, traditionally, special attention was paid to teaching watchmaking. The first watch school was opened in 1824 in Geneva. Now training as a watchmaker lasts three to four years. After successfully passing the final exam, the graduate is issued a Swiss qualification certificate, recognized throughout the world. The requirements for education in this specialty are the same throughout the country and are strictly observed by watch companies and educational institutions. There are two forms of training in watchmaking: double practical-theoretical training at the enterprise and full-time training in watchmaking school. It goes without saying that both forms of study assume that the lion's share of the student's time will be spent in the watchmaking workshop.
One of the oldest watchmaking schools in Switzerland, known throughout the world, is located in the German-speaking part of Switzerland, in the city of Grenchen. You can study full-time at school in two specialties: watch repair and watch production. The training lasts 4 years and involves attending classes 1-2 times a week. The rest of the time the student puts into practice the acquired knowledge. This can be done both at the school itself and at the watch company. The curriculum includes such disciplines as the history of watchmaking, production and technical fundamentals, metalworking technology, physics, electrical engineering, drafting, as well as English and French. The language of instruction is German. True, such an education will cost a lot - 15,500 Swiss francs per year (about € 12,500). It will also be necessary to additionally pay for tools for work - 5000 Swiss francs (about €4000).
Watch school graduates should be able to perform a wide range of work from the repair of both electronic and mechanical watch movements to the creation of new watch models. This includes the ability to produce spare parts, including those for antique clocks.
Alternative option:
For those who already have some experience in watchmaking and want to improve their skills, the Hessian watch school offers a two-year program in the specialties "watchmaker-specialist" and "watchmaker's restorer". In addition, the school regularly organizes various refresher courses for specialists of any level.
Daniel Wegmüller
Rector of the School of Watchmakers in Grenchen
“The graduates of our school work for the largest watch manufacturers around the world. It is not so easy to get a student's place in the Swiss watchmaking school, and the number of applicants is increasing every year. In addition to the general requirements for applicants (the presence of a certificate of complete secondary education - T & P), in order to study at our school, you must have a good command of physics, mathematics and know the basics of technical drawing. Each of the applicants must pass a general entrance exam in these disciplines. In addition, the future watchmaker should be able to work with his hands, and his essential qualities should be scrupulousness, attention to detail and the ability to concentrate. Students must be prepared to sit long hours in a lab or workshop. Professional prospects depend entirely on the individual abilities and desires of the students. Many go to work for watch companies, design bureaus, laboratories or warranty workshops. Some of them get jobs in prestigious watch boutiques as repairmen or consultants. The most ambitious of them go abroad, where they sometimes head entire chains of watch shops or service centers.”
The winemaker develops recipes for wines and cognacs, thinks over the composition of drinks and monitors the technology for the sale of the finished product.
Wage
650–1000 USD (personal-ua.com)
Place of work
Winemakers work on private wine farms, as well as large factories for the production of wines and cognac.
Responsibilities
The main duty of the winemaker is the creation of mariage and blending. Marriage is a mixture of alcohols in certain proportions when creating cognac. A blend is a mixture of grape varieties in the development of a wine recipe.
The work of a specialist begins with the selection of raw materials, requires the concentration of taste and olfactory receptors, as well as developed mental abilities. The winemaker must feel the flavors and understand what place they will take in the finished product.
When the recipe is made, the winemaker manages the production process and monitors compliance with recipe standards. finished product being tasted. The work is completed only when the drink is bottled and sent to the warehouse.
Important qualities
The winemaker must have a delicate taste and sense of smell, a good memory for tastes, colors and smells, be diligent and attentive, accurate and have analytical thinking.
Reviews about the profession
“I have my own approach to each grape variety. I put a lot of soul into wines, as into children, and in the family every child is given a lot of attention. For example, I invest a lot of time, effort and money in the babyasca negra variety: it is distinguished by pink berries, and the intense color of the wine is achieved with great difficulty.”
From an interview with a Romanian winemaker.
stereotypes, humor
At the exhibition in Paris, the Armenian cognac with three stars took the 1st place, and the five-star brandy did not get into the prize-winners at all.
- Why did it happen? Armenian winemakers were asked.
- We are surprised! From one barrel they poured ...
Education
To become a winemaker, you need to get a higher specialized education in the specialty "technology of fermentation and winemaking". The direction is presented at the St. Petersburg State University of Low-Temperature and Food Technologies.
Agrarian universities in Moscow: State University for Land Management (GUZ), Moscow State Agroengineering University. V. P. Goryachkina (MGAU), Russian State Agrarian University - Moscow Agricultural Academy named after K. A. Timiryazev (RGAU - Moscow Agricultural Academy), Moscow State Academy of Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnology named after K. A. Timiryazev K. I. Scriabin (MGAVMiB).
