Students in Umpqua Community College’s Southern Oregon Wine Institute (SOWI) Wine Making & Viticulture program are celebrating an exceptional showing after earning four medals in two prestigious wine competitions, highlighting the quality of their hands-on education and the Umpqua Valley grapes they transformed into award-winning wines.
The students’ most recent success came at the 2026 Pacific Northwest Wine Competition, where they earned:
- Double Gold Medal — 2023 Pinot Noir
- Silver Medal — 2023 Tempranillo
The Pacific Northwest Wine Competition is one of the region’s most respected wine competitions, featuring 644 entries that were evaluated through blind tastings by a panel of industry professionals. The Double Gold designation is awarded only when every judge unanimously awards a wine Gold, making it one of the competition’s highest honors.
These awards followed another strong performance at the 4th Annual West Coast College & University Wine Festival, held June 13 at Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria, California. In UCC’s first appearance at the event, students earned:
- Gold Medal — 2023 Tempranillo
- Bronze Medal — 2023 Pinot Noir
Both award-winning wines were crafted by students in UCC’s Wine Making & Viticulture program using grapes grown in the Umpqua Valley. Throughout the program, students gain experience in every stage of the winemaking process—from vineyard management and harvest through fermentation, bottling, labeling, marketing, and tasting room operations.
“The real story is what our students have accomplished,” said Joel Goodwillie, UCC Winery Manager. “Every bottle recognized in these competitions was produced through the dedication, skill, and teamwork of our students. These awards reflect the hands-on education they receive and the pride they take in producing exceptional wines from Umpqua Valley fruit.“
The Southern Oregon Wine Institute combines classroom instruction with immersive, real-world learning in a commercial-scale teaching winery and an award-winning five-acre vineyard. Located in the Danny Lang Teaching, Learning & Event Center, the program prepares students for careers in wine production, vineyard management, winery operations, and wine business while also serving as an incubator for emerging wineries and entrepreneurs.
As Oregon’s wine industry continues to grow, UCC’s Wine Making & Viticulture program provides multiple educational pathways through certificates in Wine Production, Vineyard Management, and Winery/Tasting Room Management, equipping students with the practical skills employers value.
The recent awards recognize not only the quality of the wines, but also the success of UCC’s experiential learning model, where students leave the classroom with real-world experience and nationally recognized accomplishments.
For more information about the Southern Oregon Wine Institute and Umpqua Community College’s Wine Making & Viticulture program, visit umpqua.edu/wine.
