By Callum Ludwig
Upper Yarra Secondary College is hard at work conducting its second annual harvest from the on-site vineyard.
Students from all year levels are invited to participate in the picking of the grapes, which have been tended to and grown by students completing the VET Certificate Two in Wine Industry Operations in Year 10.
Innovation Specialist and VET teacher Marcus Cook said despite the tough conditions faced since last year’s harvest, the yield is reasonably good.
“Last year we produced four tonnes of grapes and this year with frost and heat we’ve got somewhere between two or three tonnes,” he said.
“With these, we make pinot noir, grapes are sent to Yarrawood Estate and fermented there. We get the bottles back, the students design the label and we sell them on from here.”
From the 2021 course graduates, two students have gone on to find regular work in the winery operations of Yarrawood Estate.
Mr Cook said there are plenty of opportunities for students to be involved with the harvesting process and to learn about wine making in a world-renowned destination like the Yarra Valley
“After last year’s picking, students have done the pruning and managing of the canopy, tying down the canopy ready for this year,” he said.
“Then when it starts to flower, we reduce florets if we need to, and move bird-affected or diseased-ridden fruit, as well as secondary unripe that don’t go into the final product.”
Year 10 Wine Industry Operations VET student Samantha Spinks said she has enjoyed learning about the science behind wine making.
“I’ve learned about when to pick the grapes, the sugar levels of them, and when they’re just right to make wine,” she said.
Ms Spinks is interested in a career in wine operations after completing her education and encouraged other UYSc students to get involved with the vineyard.
Mr Cook hopes more wineries will link up with the school in the future.
“We’re hoping that we get a few other wineries involved and students can be job-ready to either work in hospitality or work as a farmhand,” he said.
“It’s a new process, and there is no other school in the Upper Yarra that runs a course like this. The more stakeholders we’ve got involved, the better the outcomes will be for the students.”
