The Sonoma State University Wine Business Institute is excited to share that they recently paired with Domaine Chandon to offer a seminar series with wine industry professionals of the Napa Valley on Nov. 4 and Nov. 5. 

Chandon was the first winery in the United States established by a French wine producer, Moët & Chandon. The origin of Domaine Chandon dates back to 1690. It became the first French-owned sparkling wine venture in the U.S in 1973. 

Aside from the sparkling wine, they also produce still wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. Chandon is located in Yountville, which is local to Sonoma State and is in the Napa Valley.

Students can thank Ray Johnson, director of the Wine Business Institute, for this connection resulting in an invitation to the seminar. He is constantly working to keep positive relations in the wine industry and forming relationships that benefit Sonoma State students. This past year, Johnson participated in a panel discussion at the Direct to Consumer Symposium with Matt Wood, who is the Chandon Estate director.

“It’s a commitment of resources for a company to host our seminars on their estate and something you don’t typically see,” Johnson said.

However Chandon has opened their doors to our students to give them a better insight into the wine industry.

Although this seminar may not help students directly with getting jobs or internships, it helps them  make connections.

“One of the great benefits to students who participate in our programs are the great relationships that are made with industry professionals or organizations via the transformational learning experiences we provide,” said Erin Ringstad, assistant program coordinator for the Wine Business Institute.

Early registration for the event ends on Oct. 28 for the Nov. 4 seminar and Oct. 29 for the Nov. 5 seminar. The cost for early registration is $150 and after that the cost increases to $180.

The two-day seminar has three sessions, each lasting four hours. The first is Budgeting, Forecasting and Best Practices for Wine Businesses. 

This section goes over the basics of the best planning strategies for wine industry businesses. The next is Practical Strategies to Increase eCommerce, which focuses on the design of the company’s website and using social media to increase the user’s experience. The last seminar is called Direct to Consumer Marketing. This section focuses on sales that are made due to newsletters, wine club activity, events and other strategies that aren’t online.

“It’s always an honor to receive these endorsements from the wine industry. Connections like this, to the wineries of California, open the door to career opportunities for all of our students. The more often that Sonoma State is top-of-mind with the leaders of the wine industry, the more that the value of our degrees raise higher,” said Johnson.

The employees of Domaine Chandon are also welcomed to enroll in this seminar. This gives them the chance to further their knowledge and expertise in the wine industry, and it adds more connections that SSU students can make while at the seminar. 

If interested in this opportunity visit sonoma.edu/winebiz for more information on how to sign up for the seminar.