Wine Business Institute Celebrating 25 Years

Wine Business Institute (WBI)

The Wine Business Institute (WBI) serves as an intellectual and industry center for faculty, students, and the business community. Founded in 1996 as a partnership between the wine industry and the School of Business and Economics at Sonoma State University, the WBI provides cutting-edge research that informs industry best practices and program curriculum. The WBI offers online and in-person wine-focused degrees and industry certifications.

2021 marks the 25th anniversary of the Wine Business Institute at Sonoma State University. We celebrate the institute’s legacy as a pioneer in providing wine business education and research and 25 years of working together with the wine community to advance the industry. Visit WBI 25th Anniversary to see how you can celebrate with us.

Important Dates:

April 5, 2023: Certificate in FA: Best Practices of Wine Industry Accounting Begins
April 30, 2023: Professional Wine MBA Application Deadline
April 30, 2023: Global Executive Wine MBA Application Deadline

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Connect with Us: winebiz@sonoma.edu | Wine Spectator Learning Center

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Today’s wine industry is changing rapidly. More than simply meeting the industry’s needs, the Sonoma Wine MBA —offered at both the Professional and Executive levels— is helping shape how the industry evolves within the demands of globalization, technology, and changing regulations.

Students are equipped with wine business knowledge and industry-specific tools and strategies to deliver results for organizations competing in today's global marketplace. Study alongside wine industry professionals and practitioners, from winemakers and viticulturists, to brand managers and distributors, to vineyard owners and winery executives.

“I was able to apply my learning to our strategic program as the director of the Board of Appellations St. Helena, and make an immediate improvement in staff management in a labor constricted market. I had 20 years of finance experience, but felt I had plateaued at a controller level. I decided to add a feather to my cap and when I was introduced to the Sonoma Executive Wine MBA at Sonoma State University, I knew my search was finished. In the program, I felt I had unparalleled exposure to a network of wine industry leaders.”

Claire Hobday, Executive Wine MBA '18 | CFO, C. Mondavi & Family

Wine Business Management alumni Andres Vignoni

“It is very useful to understand the U.S. market. As a fourth generation vintner, the Wine Business Management program is helping me to become a top winemaker. I now understand what is important in planning and designing a wine project or business.”

Andres Vignoni, Wine Business Management Certificate '18 | Winemaker, Viña Cobos, Argentina

“The program exposed me to different business models and made me a better business partner when I am at the table. Our family was in the middle of constructing Hyde Estate Winery and I wasn’t sure about the business plan once the building was completed. The Executive Wine MBA program provided resources - the wine business-focused curriculum and network of fellow students and professors - that helped me explore and develop our new winery into the successful business it is today.”

Chris Hyde, Executive Wine MBA '15 | General Manager & Owner, Hyde Vineyards | President & Owner, Hyde Estate Winery

"We're starting a wine business from the ground up, so I wanted to sharpen my overall knowledge with an MBA, while specifically studying the wine business. I now have so many different lenses with which to look at our business every day. Evening classes freed me to work hard alongside my family by day, experience amazing faculty who were ready to share their expertise, and study with some bright peers with whom I'll be in touch for the rest of my career."

George Hamel III, Professional Wine MBA '14 | Managing Director, Hamel Family Wines

“I was given the tools to align my business plan with my mission and vision, and grow a network of wine industry professionals. The instructor’s passion and desire for our success was the push I needed to launch my own wine label. It wouldn’t have happened without this program."

Tim Burgess, Certificate in Wine Entrepreneurship '14 | Executive Wine MBA '16 | Owner, Rally Point Wines

Felicia Prater '17, Sonoma Executive MBA in Wine Business

"The program is designed to elevate all students to their highest potential and our administrators make sure we have every tool and resource we need to succeed."

Felicia Prater '17, Executive Wine MBA | Founder & Chief Wino, The Urban Taste

"The business of wine is multi-faceted and increasingly complex. And with some 130,000 brands in the marketplace, the wine industry is one of the most competitive industries on earth. The need to have talented people who are well-prepared to successfully navigate the complexities and challenges of the wine industry is more important than ever. The Wine Business Institute is the only program of its kind in the U.S. dedicated to developing future wine business leaders."

Alex Ryan, President & CEO, Duckhorn Wine Company | Wine Business Institute Board Member

Shannon Donnell '14, Sonoma Executive MBA in Wine Business

"I chose the Executive Wine MBA at SSU to accelerate my career. It developed my big picture view – from finance and strategy to people development - and gave me the language to converse at the highest level. One of the best outcomes was evaluating my leadership style and learning how to enhance those traits to truly succeed in working with high performing teams."

Shannon Donnell, Executive Wine MBA '14 | Grower Relations & Vineyard Operations Manager, Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards

Undergraduate & Professional Programs in Wine Business

B.S. in Business Administration, Concentration in Wine Business Strategies

B.S. in Business - Concentration in Wine Business Strategies

Online Certificate in Wine Business Management

Online Certificate in Wine Industry Finance & Accounting

Online Program in Wine Sales Management Program

Wine Entrepreneurship Certificate

Wine Business Workshops

Wine Business Journal

The Wine Business Journal (WBJ) is the premier publication of the Wine Business Institute. WBJ publishes empirical and conceptual research in addition to industry and regional case studies.

The mission of the WBJ is to advance wine business theory, teaching, and practice through the generation, cumulation, and dissemination of knowledge with strong practical and theoretical implications. Anisya Fritz from Lynmar Estate, Vicky Farrow from Amista Vineyards, Edwin Adams, Jr. from American AgCredit, and Jon Moramarco from BW 166 serve as advisory editors to incorporate feedback from wine industry executives.

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Wine Spectator Learning Center

The Wine Spectator Learning Center, the home of the Wine Business Institute, is an education and industry hub designed around advanced-technology classrooms, a student commons and gardens, and a collaborative space for faculty and business leaders.
Thank you to everyone who made this building possible!

More about the Center

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