Wine Production and Business Management

Fast-track your wine career: hands-on vineyard training plus business management skills.
Immerse yourself in wine production and business management with Plumpton’s new degree. Gain practical experience in vineyards and wineries, learn viticulture, winemaking, and management, and complete a 150-hour industry placement. Blended delivery aligns with the harvest season. This foundation degree in Wine Production and Business Management offers a fast-track route into the wine industry, combining practical vineyard and winery experience with essential business and marketing skills.

You’ll learn how to manage a commercial vineyard, become a industry-recognised winemaker, and be able to analyse wine quality and gain hands-on experience at Plumpton’s vineyards and onsite winery. Plumpton's SMART Centenary Vineyard, focuses on agri-tech and precision winemaking. It's conveniently located close to Brighton and other transport hubs.

The programme is aligned with the Wine National Competency Framework (NCF)—endorsed by WineGB and the Vintners’ Company—ensuring graduates meet recognised industry standards. With a delivery model tailored to the wine production calendar and a September start to integrate harvest experience, you’ll gain real-world insight from day one.

Why study wine production and wine business management at Plumpton?

• 150-hour industry placement for practical experience

• Core topics include vineyard management, winery engineering, wine science, and ethical wine marketing

• Developed with industry input and endorsed by leading wine organisations

• Progression route to BSc Viticulture, Oenology & Business Management (Top-up)

• The University of Greenwich is Plumpton's internationally recognised validating partner

Plumpton College is the UK’s leading provider of wine education, home to the Wine Centre of Excellence and recipient of the Queen’s Anniversary Prize (2024) for its contribution to the English and Welsh wine industry.

Course Modules

This refreshed degree allows you to gain technical and business expertise to thrive in the wine industry and gives you the option to follow a wine business management pathway or a wine production pathway.

Year 1 - indicative modules
In the first year you will study:

• Viticulture & Vineyard Management (30 credits)

• Wine Science & Sensory Analysis (30 credits)

• Introduction to Business Management (30 credits)

• Practical & Academic Skills (30 credits)

Year 2 - modules
Students are required to study the following compulsory modules:

·        Establishing a Sustainable Wine Business (30 credits)

·        Industry Work Placement (15 credits)

·        Sparkling and Cool Climate Wine (30 credits)

First, students are required to choose a further 30 credits from the list below, depending on their chosen career ambition:

·        Wine Production and Analysis (30 credits)

·        Marketing and Content Creation (30 credits)

Then, students are also required to choose 15 credits from the list below:

·        Regional Wine Economics (15 credits)

·        Independent Enquiry (15 credits)

·        Research Methods and Statistics (15 credits) ~ compulsory for those wanting to top-up to the BSc (Hons) Viticulture, Oenology and Business Management degree.

Assessment on the foundation degree in Wine Production and Business Management is balanced, transparent, and developmental, supporting students to progressively build the academic, technical, and professional capabilities required for careers in the wine industry. A range of formative (practice) assessment activities is embedded within all modules to support skill development, confidence, and academic progression. These may include draft submissions, practical skills practice, tasting sessions, seminar activities, group work, and tutorial feedback.

Summative assessments are designed to evaluate technical knowledge, practical competence, analytical ability, and commercial awareness through a variety of industry‑relevant outputs. These may include practical competency assessments, logbooks, scientific and business reports, case studies, business plans, presentations, and independent research projects.

Assessment follows a clear progression model, moving from structured, foundational tasks at Level 4 through to more applied and evaluative work at Level 5, and culminating in independent, professional‑level independent enquiry. A varied assessment approach ensures students develop the ability to communicate effectively with technical, managerial, and commercial audiences, reflecting the diverse demands of the international wine industry.