A new winery software donated by The Winemaker’s Database of Soquel that manages the production of the university’s wines is producing results for California State University, Fresno’s award-winning enology program.
Viticulture and Enology students and staff began using the software in the spring semester to integrate all aspects of the winemaking process from grapes to final bottled product bottle, said Ken Fugelsang, winemaster of the Fresno State winery.
“It provides a first-hand experience with a state-of-the-art system capable of tracking, auditing, and reporting for wine production and movement,” Fugelsang said. “A key feature of the software is the ability to provide up-to-the minute information on the status of the wine at each point within the winemaking process.”
The comprehensive user-friendly software was installed in Fresno State’s commercial winery during the 2001 spring semester, announced Robert Wample, chair of the Department of Viticulture and Enology and director of the Viticulture and Enology Research Center.
“In only a few short months of operation, I am pleased to report that our winery production supervisor says this new system is fantastic,” he said. “It eliminates hand records and provides permanent, historical records for future students to use.”
Wample lauded this first-time partnership with The Winemaker’s Database, which has been providing winery management software to wineries worldwide since 1985 and has processed millions of winery transactions.
Dr. James Vahl, president and chief executive officer of the California-based corporation, designed the software specifically for the wine industry after years of working as an enologist and winemaker.
“This software has become the most popular wine and production information program in the wine industry today,” said Vahl. “It enables winemakers and owners to make critical and qualitative decisions concerning their wine production.”
Leighton Richardson, chief operation officer for Winemaker’s Database, said his company’s goal in providing the software to Fresno State is to enable the university to more efficiently manage and accurately report the wine production.
“This will also provide an educational platform for exposing students to professional systems designed for winery record keeping, management, and operations,” said Richardson. “We have been very impressed with Fresno State’s interest and enthusiasm.”
The software will be demonstrated at the 52nd Annual Meeting of the American Society for Enology and Viticulture on June 29-30 at the San Diego Convention Center where Fresno State’s viticulture and enology programs and The Winemaker’s Database, Inc. will be exhibitors.
Sponsored by the American Society for Enology and Viticulture, this event is the premier annual scientific meeting for the wine and grape industry in the English speaking world.
Fresno State is the first and only university in the nation that is licensed to produce, bottle and sell wine commercially. For the past two years, the program has received top honors and several wine judging events, including the California State Fair Wine Competition, the New World International Wine Competition, Los Angeles County Wine Competition, and the Orange County Fair Wine Competition.
For more information about Fresno State’s enology program, visithttp://www.fresnostate.edu/jcast/ve/ or contact Wample at (559) 278-2089.
For more information on The Winemaker’s Database, visit its website at www.wmdb.com or call (707) 933-8635. For information about attending the 52nd Annual Meeting of the ASEV in San Diego, visit www.asev.org.
