The Lake County Winegrape Commission is ready to celebrate completion of the 2015 Master Vigneron Academy (MVA) and congratulate the nine participating vineyard supervisors on their achievement.

During the month of July, the class stepped up its curriculum speed to ensure the group would finish its planned schedule prior to this year's early grape harvest, said Paul Zellman, LCWC's Education Director. He said preparations are under way for a graduation celebration for two MVA classes, 2014 and 2015.  

Organized and sponsored by the Commission each year, the MVA is presented over eight months. The curriculum for the Spanish-language professional development course is designed to strengthen each supervisor's knowledge of viticulture and the wine industry, while fostering an in-depth understanding about the supervisor's role in implementing quality winegrowing practices and improving farmworker productivity.

At Foundation Plant Service labs and Russell Ranch, the MVA group was given a tour of the lab facilities and of the Russell Ranch grapevine repository. At the UC Davis facilities, students were led through the winery and brewery and participated in a discussion of varietal recognition, trellis styles, and vineyard development. While at Novavine's Woodland Field Operations, the students toured propagation blocks (about 4.8 million vines growing on 120 acres) and had an opportunity to see the 2010 Protocol mother blocks.

Class participants for 2015: Roman Calderon and Osbaldo Puhida, both of Beckstoffer Vineyards - Red Hills; Ruben Perez Lepiz of Bella Vista Farming Co.; Marie Azucena Garcia Garcia and Ismael Sonato, both of JAC Ag Services; Juan Calvillo and Jose Calvillo, both of Rogers Vineyards; Fernando Martinez of Six Sigma Vineyards; and Gerardo Cortez of Trinchero Family Estates.

Congratulations, MVA Class of 2015!