July 6, 2026 2:50 a.m. 

Students in Umpqua Community College’s Southern Oregon Wine Institute Wine Making & Viticulture program have earned four medals in two prestigious wine competitions, highlighting their hands-on education and the Umpqua Valley grapes they transformed into award-winning wines.

A UCC release said the students’ most recent success came at the 2026 Pacific Northwest Wine Competition where they earned a Double Gold Medal for the 2023 Pinot Noir and a Silver Medal for the 2023 Tempranillo. The 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.

At the 4th annual West Coast College & University Wine Festival, held June 13th at Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria, California, students earned a Gold Medal for the 2023 Tempranillo and a Bronze Medal for the 2023 Pinot Noir.

Throughout the Wine Making & Viticulture 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.

UCC Winery Manager Joel Goodwillie said, “The real story is what our students have accomplished”. Goodwillie said, “Every bottle recognized in these competitions were 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 program provides multiple educational pathways through certificates in Wine Production, Vineyard Management, and Winery/Tasting Room Management, equipping students with the practical skills that employers value.

For more information about the Southern Oregon Wine Institute and UCC’s Wine Making & Viticulture program, go to: www.edu/wine.