We are cancelling our Fall 2020 Winemaking Course due to COVID-19 restrictions. All students currently registered will be contacted by Sarah Smith (sswurz@stonefieldcellars.com) to be refunded. We will reevaluate our ability to hold Winemaking Courses in Spring 2021.
Want to Make Wine?
Stonefield Cellars hosts two Winemaking Courses per year (in the spring, and in the fall) taught by Robert E. M. Wurz, Ph.D.
In six classes over 9 weeks, this course covers the full winemaking process: from fermentation to bottling. Learn techniques to start or improve your own home winemaking while creating your own wine during class in small teams of 2-4 & hone your wine evaluation skills with classes on sensory evaluation training and food and wine pairing.
Course Classes:
Mondays 7:00-9:00 pm in the Stonefield Cellars Production Room.
1st Class: Introduction – Basics of fermentation and winemaking.
2nd Class: Principles of Winemaking – Racking, barrels, oak alternatives, tannins. Wines of the world.
3rd Class: Wine sensory evaluation. Food and wine pairing.
4th Class: Defects and Problems: Causes and remedies, fining agents, additives, filtering.
5th Class: Blending, tasting panel, and bottling preparations.
6th Class: Bottling, Labeling, Wrap-up, Exam.
Cost: $185
Provided: Materials, extensive winemaking notes, snacks, and 3 bottles of wine bottled by the class.
Must be at least 21 years old to participate.
Class size limited to 16 people.
Additional Class Wine will be available for $13.95 per Bottle
Registration: You can join our Spring 2021 Interest List by calling Sarah at 336-644-9908 during regular business hours or emailing Sarah at sswurz@stonefieldcellars.com.
We are continuing to practice our COVID-19 safety precautions, please read below for our updated guidelines:
- We will be setting up the barrel room to create sufficient distance between student seating and supplying individuals wine tasting supplies for each seat during the tasting and lecture portion of this class.
- We will be conducting a lab portion for this class with individual lab supplies and lab stations spaced out at sufficient distances in the production room.
- Please wear a face covering at all times while inside the winery building (including the production room) and during interactions with others that are not in your safe bubble (family/friends you came with). You do not have to wear your mask during our wine tasting/discussion session of the class while actively consuming wine, but you will need to wear it during the lab portion of the class.
- Course notes that contain all the information gone over in that class will be sent out to the students after each session. If you experience viral symptoms or need to skip a class for social distancing, please inform the T.A. Sarah at sswurz@stonefieldcellars.com.
Instructor Biography
Robert E. M. Wurz, Ph.D. – Robert is a native of Napa Valley, CA. He received his doctorate in wine chemistry from the University of California, Davis. He has taught wine making classes at Patrick Henry Community College in Virginia, at Stonefield Cellars Winery in Stokesdale, NC, and is currently the winemaker for Stonefield Cellars Winery in Stokesdale, NC.