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MANA GEMENT Students Need Brix and Business Panel discusses importance of learning economics and sales By Andrew Adams G raduates from wine schools across the world know the relationship between pH and free sulfur, but they may not have as good a handle on analyzing a profit and loss sheet or anticipating how currency fluctuations could render their wines less competitive. Technical education in the wine indus- try is at a level unmatched in the history of winemaking. Teaching the business of wine, however, has lagged behind wine and grapegrowing science. "I strongly believe that wine industries around the world are far too technocratic—produc- tion and product-oriented—whereas it is a business like any other, which must make profit to survive," said Johan Bruwer, a Dr. Huiqin Ma presents the latest trends in wine consumption and production in China. professor with the University of Adelaide School of Agriculture, Food & Wine. Winemakers, of course, need to make palatable and sound wine to sell it. But as the wine world rapidly globalizes and consumer demand increases, those in the wine industry need to have a better grasp on the business and economics that drive sales. That was the consensus reached by a group of international wine business academics and industry executives who gathered in late April at Sonoma State University in Rohnert Park, Calif., for a conference about wine business education. Experts from schools in Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, China, Eng- land, France, Germany, Italy, New Zea- land, South Africa and Spain attended the conference. PERFECT FOR SENSITIVE GRAPES HEART OF THE FINGER LAKES 159 ACRES: =/80 Tillable; Land sloping toward 1100' East Shore Cayuga Lake. Should be good for vinivera grapes. Truly a unique, pristine and private property in the Heart of the Finger Lakes. Property flanked by two streams, gulley. Victorian 5 bedroom, 1.5 baths. $1,499,000 Senecayuga Properties, LLC 97 Fall St., PO Box 386, Seneca Falls Mel Russo Office: 315-568-9404 • Cell: 315-246-3997 senecayuga@aol.com • www.senecayuga.com Licensed Real Estate Broker/Owner Market Research for Wineries and Suppliers WinesVinesDATA WWW.WINESANDVINES.COM 64 WINES & VINES SEPTEMBER 2012