ITHICA, N.Y. — Cornell University plans to launch a 2,400 square-foot teaching winery at the Cornell Orchards this fall to enhance the education of tomorrow’s enologists and viticulturists.
In New York alone, the number of wineries has jumped to 212 from nine 30 years ago.
As a result, more skilled experts than ever are needed to manage the growing number of vineyards and wineries in the region, said Thomas Burr, associate dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and director of the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva.
New major
Already, Cornell has a new undergraduate major in enology (winemaking) and viticulture (grape growing) under review and continues to conduct research to benefit New York’s wine and grape regions, from Lake Erie to Long Island.
The teaching winery is now in its design phase, although the project has not yet undergone site review. The facility will be an addition to the existing Pomology Cold Storage Building, where the Orchards Store is located.
Ramon Mira de Orduna Heidinger, Cornell associate professor of enology, said the facility is expected to have “several additional temperature-controlled rooms, giving us the ability to efficiently teach winemaking procedures and chemical and microbiological analyses to our students.”
