Napa Valley College Teaching Winery
- Napa Valley College Teaching Winery
- winery@napavalley.edu
About
The Napa Valley College Estate Winery is more than a production facility — it is a living classroom set in the heart of one of the world's most celebrated wine regions.
Founded in 2008 as the first winery on a community college campus in California to be fully bonded and licensed to produce and sell wine, the NVC Estate Winery exists for one purpose: to give students a complete, uncompromised experience of the winemaking craft. Every wine we produce is grown on our five-acre estate vineyard and processed in our on-campus cellar. From the first pruning cut to the final label affixed to the bottle, every step is a teaching moment.
The Napa Valley Vintners, Trefethen Family Vineyards, The Wine Spectator, and many other donors have helped Napa Valley College build a premier winery operation. The high-quality wines we produce are a reflection of the community's commitment to education and to Napa Valley College.
Our Facilities
The Teaching Winery
The NVC Teaching Winery and Cellar occupies a dedicated production facility on the main Napa campus, fully equipped to support every stage of commercial winemaking. The space is integrated directly into the Viticulture and Winery Technology curriculum, meaning students work here as part of their coursework — not as observers, but as the winemaking team.
The facility includes:
Crush Pad & Receiving Area — Where harvest begins. Students receive and sort fruit from the estate vineyard and donated lots, operate destemming and crushing equipment, and make early winemaking decisions about pressing and maceration.
Fermentation Area — Housing both stainless steel tanks and open-top fermenters, this space is where students monitor and manage alcoholic and malolactic fermentation, conduct pump-overs and punch-downs, and track the chemistry of developing wine.
Barrel Cellar — A working cellar where students gain hands-on experience with barrel aging, topping, and sensory evaluation. Current inventory includes 2023 and 2025 Cabernet Sauvignon, with one barrel of the 2025 vintage contributed to the Napa Valley Vintners Barrel Auction.
Bottling & Labeling Station — Students complete the full production cycle by operating bottling equipment, corking, capsule application, and label runs. The inaugural 2025 Rosé and 2025 Sauvignon Blanc were both processed and labeled here by the VWT 280 class.
The Teaching Vineyard
A 5-acre estate vineyard on the Napa Valley College main campus, including a diverse vineyard library block with multiple varietals. Students gain hands-on training in pruning, canopy management, and harvest — overseen by Program Coordinator Molly Hodgins.
The Wine Education Complex
The Wine Education Complex represents a significant expansion in Napa Valley College's history of wine education — a multi-phase building that brings together state-of-the-art instructional facilities, community gathering spaces, and professional training environments under one roof on the main Napa campus. The Complex is made up of the Wine Spectator Wine Education Center and the Donna Altes Hospitality Training Center.
The complex is the result of sustained investment from the NVC Foundation, Wine Spectator, and a community of donors who share a belief that world-class wine education belongs here in Napa Valley, and at Napa Valley College.
The Wine, Food & Hospitality Training Institute
The Wine, Food & Hospitality Training Institute offers community-based courses and professional development experiences designed for working adults, industry professionals, and anyone curious about Napa Valley's most celebrated industries.
Educational wine tastings, featuring selections from top wineries, led by expert vintners in a classroom setting: NVC Wine Education Center.
We invite you to participate in an ongoing wine-tasting series, hosted on campus. Initiated by Professor Paul Wagner and organized by Enoch Shully. Following the successful inaugural launch of the series in the summer of 2024, we are pleased to continue offering these tastings. Every Friday, a guest vintner will showcase their wines, expound upon their winemaking philosophy, and engage in discussions regarding the current challenges and triumphs of the wine industry, all within a classroom setting. This presents a remarkable opportunity to savor exceptional wines while gleaning insights from industry experts.
All attendees must be 21 or older to participate in this event. By purchasing tickets, you confirm that you are 21 or older and acknowledge responsibility for complying with all laws and regulations regarding the consumption of alcoholic beverages. A valid ID will be required to participate.
Best Under $25 Wines of the World
What's $25 get you in a bottle of wine? Find out as Napa Valley wine pro Dan Dawson leads you in each wine's history, geography, & tasting!
Look carefully, research a little, and understand the style of wines you like and you can receive a lot more than you first imagined! This class dives into the deep end by tasting the fullness of the wines, learning the character and value, and with each wine, you will receive a history and geography lesson, bringing the place and story of the wine into the classroom.
All attendees must be 21 or older to participate in this event. By purchasing tickets, you confirm that you are 21 or older and acknowledge responsibility for complying with all laws and regulations regarding the consumption of alcoholic beverages. A valid ID will be required to participate.
Coming Soon!
