Mission and Vision

Master Vigneron Academy^®

“A vigneron is someone who husbands the vineyard for winemaking. In modern practice, what that means is that it is the person that directs the crews that gets the job done.”

Mission

Winegrowers understand that vineyards are at the heart of producing world-class wines and that highly skilled vineyard supervisors are the key to bringing out the best in their vineyards. In 2012, the Lake County Winegrape Commission established the Master Vigneron Academy® to:

Cultivate a professional workforce of highly skilled and knowledgeable supervisors, and;
Institute an industry-wide standard by which a supervisor’s knowledge and achievement are formally recognized and rewarded through completion of an accredited training program leading to a certificate.

Credential of Master Vigneron^CM, the flagship MVA program, was designed specifically for experienced vineyard supervisors and foremen. The concept is credited to Randy Krag, former Vineyard Manager with Beckstoffer Vineyards – Red Hills, and a former Board Member and Research and Education Chairman with the Lake County Winegrape Commission.

Crew Lead Certificate training was added in 2020 to provide crew leaders with training in leadership and communication. This program introduces Crew Leaders to the nuts and bolts of their supervisory role and helps build critical skills in areas such as communication, conflict resolution, and avoiding favoritism.

Ag Labor Management continuing education has been presented in a two-day, in-person seminar format. In 2020, this program was reinvented for a virtual platform offering vineyard supervisors the opportunity to continue building their communication and leadership skills.

Learn more about these programs:

Emphasis on Sustainability

One of the primary focuses of California winegrowers is achieving “sustainability.” The Lake County Winegrape Commission contends that what often is overlooked in sustainable farming is the human element. The Master Vigneron Academy program addresses the training needs of supervisors and represents an investment in a critical piece of sustainable farming—people.

Vision for a Long-Term Future

With its proven program, comprehensive curriculum, and flexible schedule, the Master Vigneron Academy can be easily replicable and localized by other winegrape regions across California.

Regions that implement the Master Vigneron Academy will:

Support the professional development of experienced vineyard supervisors
Increase the quality of their region’s winegrapes and wines
Promote the sustainability and reputation of California vineyards

To that end, key partners are needed to formalize a statewide certification process to make the Credential of Master Vigneron a recognized industry standard and to promote the expansion of the program to other regions across the state. If you represent a wine region interested in delivering the MVA program, please contact us.