Viticulturist

Viticulturist
A viticulturist studies and applies growing processes of grape vines to produce the amount and quality of grapes necessary for wine production. They must have an understanding of optimum ripeness and proper harvesting of grapes. They also design and implement pest and disease control programs following pest management practices and a sustainable farming approach.
What Responsibilities Will I Have?:
- Produce grapes under a wide variety of natural conditions
- Manage both table and wine grapes
- Understand optimum ripeness and proper harvesting of grapes
- Design and implement pest and disease control programs
- Use plant, climate and soil moisture monitoring equipment for scheduling irrigation
- Diagnose and solve viticulture problems
- Collect, organize and report viticulture data to support farming and marketing decisions
- Direct and supervise staff
- Provide feedback and guidance to wine farmers/vineyard managers to yield the best results
- Maintain direct contact with the winemaker to communicate grape characteristics needed to begin the winemaking process
Recommended High School Courses:
The following high school courses are recommended: agricultural education, biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics.
Education/Training Required:
A bachelor’s degree in viticulture, oenology or horticulture is required. A master’s degree in viticulture, oenology or horticulture is also often a requirement.