(NVR) - For more than 30 years, Napa Valley College has been teaching students the ins and outs of the wine industry, and for the last few years they’ve also been crafting award-winning wines.

“Winning double gold in the San Francisco Chronicle wine competition for our 2013 Pinot Noir is wonderful recognition of all the excellent work being done by our students and cellar crew,” said Paul Gospodarczyk, who is the head winemaker and one of the instructors for the NVC’s Viticulture and Winery Technology (VWT) program.

“It also speaks to the many people who have supported and fostered the program over the years,” such as Dr. Stephen Krebs, who grew the grapes for the winning wine and whose life’s work is responsible for much of the VWT.

In 1984, the Napa Valley College board of trustees approved the creation of the program, and two years later, Krebs, known by many as “Dr. Grapes,” joined NVC. Krebs retired at the end of 2014 but still retains the title of professor emeritus of viticulture at the college.

“There are two mandates for California community colleges,” Krebs explained. “One is to provide freshman and sophomore courses for transfer to four-year institutions, but the other important mandate is to provide vocational training programs for local businesses and industries, and of course the first thing that comes to mind here in Napa is wine. So over the years, the NVC VWT has evolved into what it is now, a world-class institution serving the community that has supported it over the years. The various programs provide hands-on skills to those interested in working in the wine industry and a launching pad for others who want to continue their education.”

Students in the VWT program can either obtain a certificate or a two-year associate of science degree, specializing in viticulture, winemaking or wine marketing and sales.

The program took years to build into what it is today, but planting a vineyard straight away provided needed initial funding.

“My predecessor had established the first vineyard entirely through donations from the local wine industry,” said Krebs. “That was especially important in the early days because we sold the fruit to local wineries and the money was kept in the department so we could build up an inventory of equipment and supplies.”

By 2002, they had grown, and through a donation from the Napa Valley Vintners’ wine auction were able to build a teaching winery.

“Eventually, by 2008, we were able to divert the grapes back into our own winery,” said Krebs. “We were the first California community college with a bonded winery permit, which allowed the sale of wine, and now all winery operations are funded directly through the sale of our wine, whereas the faculty are paid by the college.”

Over the years, the program has trained thousands of students.

“Many of our students go on to become excellent winemakers, such as Nicki Pruss, who eventually became winemaker at Napa’s Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars,” said Gospodarczyk.