Support Education With Each Sip By Purchasing These Student-Made American Wines

Wine making is a big industry, so much so that universities across the country offer degrees and programs that cover the subject, teaching viticulture and enology to future American winemakers. But typically, the wine they make, regardless of quality, doesn't make it into the hands of the public. That has changed recently, with some schools finally having the opportunity to put their programs to the test by selling their student-made wine. And buying them not only scores you top-notch wine, it actually helps support education.

For some college students, making a protein-packed dorm room breakfast is enough, but overnight oats and bowls of ramen have nothing on a good cabernet. At the University of California, Davis, for example, the Department of Viticulture and Enology has been teaching the craft of wine making for nearly 150 years, but the ability to sell student-made wines is a fairly new thing.

In California, Senate Bill 683, a law which passed in 2021, allows the university to pass on up to 20,000 gallons of wine to a nonprofit organization that coordinates sales to the public. Hilgard631 is the nonprofit set up to handle the sale of the university's student-produced wines, and it returns those profits in the form of student scholarships. The wines are made from grapes grown in California's Napa Valley and Yolo County, and while you have to go directly to the UC Davis Teaching and Research Winery facility to purchase the wine (and sadly, there is no tasting available), you'll get to see first-hand what your purchase is supporting. 

You can certainly buy a good wine on a budget, but when it comes to supporting students, budget shouldn't be top concern. With profits of the UC Davis wines going toward scholarships, you can purchase a quality bottle of 2020 cabernet sauvignon or 2024 sauvignon blanc knowing that you're helping preserve this centuries-old craft. Additionally, the fact that the entire process, from growing the grapes to bottling the wine, is used in educating students, you're also contributing to the sustainability of the industry.

UC Davis isn't the only school that lets you support education while sampling the fruits of student labor, nor is it in the only great wine-producing region in the country. New York's Finger Lakes region is also known for great wine thanks to its unique climate — steep slopes alongside deep lakes create an ideal grape-growing climate. The local community college that serves the region, Finger Lakes Community College, offers a viticulture and wine technology program that, similar to the UC Davis program, works with students to craft wine that can be sold online. And like the UC Davis student-made wine, it can be assumed that profits from FLCC's reds, whites, rieslings, and sparkling wines go back into the school's wine-making programs.

The wines you can buy from universities are a far cry from the mulled red wine you'll want to make for the holidays. These are grown from experience, crafted from science, and guided by knowledge. Not only is this a great way to sell wine and ensure wine-making education programs are well funded, but it's hopefully a trend we'll see shaping the future of the wine industry.