GTU Students Completed Autumn Industrial Practice at Large Georgian Winemaking Enterprises

Students of the bachelor’s and master’s programs of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Biosystem Engineering of the Georgian Technical University completed autumn industrial practice, which aims to familiarize them with the planning and organization of the harvest, wine production methods, including the Georgian traditional method, equipment operation, processes in the winemaking enterprise, and enological materials used in production, and practical training.

For the purpose of conducting training courses, future winemakers were distributed to wineries located in the viticulture and winemaking regions of Western and Eastern Georgia, such as “Teliani Valley”, “Sevsamora”, “Chateau Mukhrani”, “Dugladze Winery”, “Wine Company Shumi”, “Mtevino”, “Shilda”, “Alexandrouli”, “Konchos Marani”, “Kimdzmarauli Marani”, Bolnisi Family Winemakers Association – “Wine Bolnisi” LLC, Irma Chanturia Wine Laboratory.

As Professor of the GTU Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Biosystems Engineering and Head of the Department of Viticulture and Enology, Nino Chkhartishvili said that representatives of the private and government sectors of viticulture and enology have made a special contribution to the training of professional staff.

“On behalf of the Georgian Technical University, I want to express my special gratitude to the representatives of the private and government sectors of viticulture and winemaking, the LEPL Agricultural Research Center of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture and the National Wine Agency, the companies – “Teliani Valley”, “Sevsamora”, “Chateau Mukhrani”, “Dugladze Winery”, “Wine Company Shumi”, “Mtevino”, “Shilda”, “Alexandrouli”, “Konchos Marani”, “Kimdzmarauli Marani”, the Bolnisi Family Winemakers Association “Wine Bolnisi”, and the Irma Chanturia Wine Laboratory LLC. The companies annually make a significant contribution to the development of practical skills of future viticulturists and winemakers, and to the practical strengthening of theoretical knowledge.”

In the process of implementing viticulture and winemaking educational programs, special attention is paid to production practices. During this period, in the spring-autumn semesters, students actively participate in the most significant operations of viticulture and winemaking, such as spring work in the vineyard, determining and planning the harvest time, receiving and processing grapes at the enterprise, etc. The autumn semester is especially important for master’s students, which is the period of implementing the experimental part of the master’s thesis.

Negotiations are underway with Western European universities to implement international internships, which aim to involve Georgian and foreign students in exchange programs. We had a similar practice. Within the framework of cooperation with Ariel University of the State of Israel, 5 students visited the Georgian Technical University and underwent industrial practice in the Kakheti and Kartli regions, – said Professor Nino Chkhartishvili.

Bachelor’s and master’s students in viticulture and winemaking annually undergo field and industrial practices according to the program based on a memorandum signed between the Georgian Technical University and the private sector representatives.