Napa Valley College Estate Wines

06/17/2026

Meet the instructor of our Wine Wednesdays course - Dan Dawson.

With a wine career dating back to 1992, Dan has contributed to the evolution of Napa Valley as we know it today. This pro will lead you through a course that dives into the deep end, taking you on a tour of the best value wines the world has to offer. You will receive a history and geography lesson with each tasting, bringing the place and story of the wine into the classroom.

👉 Register today: https://loom.ly/MqUlPRU

06/15/2026

Our Friday Tasting guest this week, 6/19 is Aaron Ridgway, General Manger of the Americas for Wine Australia. An Australian native, Aaron spent many years post-graduation working in the world of Australian wine and wine journalism before relocating to the United States. He worked with Negociants until 2016 when he took his current position at Wine Australia. Focusing on the complexities and innovations of the Australian wine industry, Aaron works tirelessly to promote the wines of his home country in an incredibly competitive landscape. Join us in the Wine Education Center from 5:30 - 6:30 pm!

👉 Reserve your spot for this week's Friday Tasting: https://loom.ly/G8gBhAo

06/10/2026

Get in the Vineyard this summer! Enroll in VWT 229 — Summer Vineyard Operations

Taught by Program Coordinator Molly Hodgins, this hands-on course covers canopy management, irrigation, pest monitoring, yield estimation, and berry development — all in the NVC student vineyard. Designed to prepare students for entry-level vineyard work.

👉 Registration Open! https://loom.ly/GZKWGno

06/08/2026

Looking for something to do on Wednesday evenings this summer?
Wine Wednesdays with Dan Dawson are coming next month — Best Under-$25 Wines of the World Registration on Eventbrite

Four Wednesday evenings, four themed tastings, ten wines per session — all under $25 a bottle. Led by Napa Valley wine professional Dan Dawson, this series covers European classics, Southern Hemisphere producers, North American standouts, and wraps up with a blind tasting. Great for beginners and enthusiasts alike.

July 15 — Wines of Europe

July 22 — Southern Hemisphere

July 29 — North America

August 5 — Blind Tasting

Registration open! https://tinyurl.com/nvcwinewednesdays

06/04/2026

Help support the VWT Program! Our Teaching Winery is participating in the Napa Valley Vintners Barrel Auction. Profits from the auction will go back into the program to support student success. There is still time to make a bid!
Make your bid at: https://loom.ly/qsI620E
Lot closes Jun 5, 4:19 PM
Details of our barrel include:
Napa Valley College Estate Winery, 2025, Cabernet Sauvignon
Winemaker: David Nakaji
100% Cabernet Sauvignon
100% Young-Inglenook Vineyard, St. Helena
Aged in 100% new TW Boswell barrels

06/03/2026

The Donna Altes Hospitality Training Center is open!

Yesterday, The Napa Valley College Foundation held an intimate ribbon cutting ceremony for our partners and campus to celebrate the monumental achievement.

This opening completes the Napa Valley College Wine Education Complex alongside the Wine Spectator Wine Education Center that opened last fall. The Center was built through remarkable generosity — from Donna Altes, whose vision drove this project from the start, and from the estate of Evelyn Allen, a lifelong NVC student who first enrolled in 1944. We are proud to state that the entire complex was completed on time, on budget, and without public funding.

The facility features a working tasting bar, flexible event space, and hands-on classroom training areas covering wine sales, tasting room management, professional table service, and winery food programs. Our new “Wine Wednesdays” series will be the first program held in this building.

If you're curious about wine, hospitality, or the business of the tasting room, there's a course for you. Visit Napavalley.edu or email [email protected].

👉 Register for an event or course at the Wine Education Complex: https://loom.ly/RAYunAo
Napa Valley College

06/02/2026

We talk about vineyard terroir all the time. But what about the terroir of the oak forest? Join us this Friday with guest Glycine Bonneville-Jiang for a guided tasting exploring how oak origin shapes aroma, texture, and wine style.

Glycine Bonneville-Jiang is a winemaker and the R&D scientist at Cooperages 1912. With experience in Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Napa Valley winemaking, as well as PhD research in wine microbiology and sensory science at Cornell University, she brings together science, sensory exploration, and the craft of winemaking. Her work focuses on how oak origin, toasting, and élevage shape aroma, texture, and wine style.

When: Friday, 5:30–6:30 pm
Where: Napa Valley College Wine Education Center
Bring: 4 to 6 tasting glasses and your curiosity

👉Reserve your spot here: https://loom.ly/G8gBhAo

06/01/2026

Tickets on Sale! The Society of Wine Educators 47th Annual Conference at the Wine Education Complex — July 9–10

"Building Bridges" is the theme of this year's Conference, held at the NVC Wine Education Complex in collaboration with our Hospitality, Culinary & Tourism Management Department. Ten remarkable tasting sessions featuring wines from around the world follow, designed for educators, industry professionals, and serious enthusiasts.

The conference opens with a plenary session from Dean Doug Marriott of Napa Valley College and MaryAnn Worobiec of Wine Spectator, exploring how NVC connects with the wine community through its learning vineyard, winery, and tasting room. Ten sessions follow, designed for educators, industry professionals, and serious enthusiasts.

Tickets: at https://loom.ly/YzFQ99E

Registration is now open for SWE's Annual Conference! Join us at Napa Valley College for 10 sessions on “Building Bridges.”

05/29/2026

New this summer at Napa Valley College: Wine Wednesdays 🍷

Join Napa Valley wine professional Dan Dawson for a four-part tasting series exploring the best wines under $25 from around the world.

Whether you're just getting started or expanding your palate, this experience is designed for you!

Registration now open on Eventbrite - https://tinyurl.com/nvcwinewednesdays

Four Wednesdays. Four themes. Forty wines.

July 15 — Wines of Europe
July 22 — Southern Hemisphere
July 29 — North America
August 5 — Blind Tasting

Ten wines per session—all under $25 a bottle.

Wednesdays, 6–7:30 PM
Wine Education Center,
Must be 21+ to participate

05/28/2026

We are proud to share that Napa Valley College Estate Winery is participating in the Napa Valley Vintners Barrel Auction. Representing the college will be Professor Dave Nakaji.

This remarkable event supports well‑deserving local organizations, including youth‑focused health and wellness initiatives that make a lasting impact throughout our community—causes that strongly align with the mission and values of Napa Valley College.

Our Contribution: One barrel of 2025 Cabernet Sauvignon

Auction Date & Time: Friday, June 5, from 12:00–4:00 PM

Location: Robert Mondavi Winery

The Napa Valley Barrel Auction is the only place where guests can taste more than 100 wines directly from the barrel alongside the winemakers themselves. Guests enjoy an atmosphere buzzing with creativity and collaboration, culinary offerings from Napa Valley’s most celebrated chefs, and the opportunity to acquire wines long before they’re released—while making a meaningful difference with every bid.

👉 Learn more about the auction: https://loom.ly/61Y4P2E