Vintner Doug Shafer elected to Napa Valley College Viticulture, Winery and Technology Foundation Board of Directors
The Napa Valley College Viticulture, Winery and Technology (VWT) Foundation board of directors elected Vintner Doug Shafer to join its board at its regular December board meeting. The non-profit VWT foundation, an auxiliary organization of the Napa Valley Community College District, supports the College’s VWT instructional program by administering the sale of wines produced by the college and providing community advocacy and supportive services to enhance the program.
Shafer joined Shafer Vineyards as winemaker in 1983 and took over the reins as president in 1994. He continues to oversee the daily operations of the winery and vineyards as well as sales and marketing. In 2012, University of California Press published “A Vineyard in Napa,” Shafer’s memoir, recounting 40 years inside the Napa Valley wine industry. Since 2018 he has hosted a popular wine podcast called “The Taste” with nearly 60 episodes. Shafer has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors throughout his career including the 2010 James Beard Foundation Award for “Outstanding Wine and Spirits Professionals,” which he shared with his father.
“It’s an honor to join the board of the Napa Valley College’s Viticulture, Winery & Technology Foundation. The wine community has been incredibly kind and generous to me, and I am excited to do what I can to support the next generation of winemakers,” said Shafer.
“Doug is both an accomplished winemaker and business leader with deep roots in our local community,” said Dr. Robert Frost, interim superintendent/president at Napa Valley College, who also serves as chair of the VWT Foundation. “He serves as an outstanding example for our students and will most certainly enhance the board’s connection to local industry. We are fortunate to have him join our board.”
Napa Valley College’s VWT program is one of the largest college viticulture and winemaking programs in the country, with an annual enrollment of as many as 800-1,000 students, students, complete with a five-acre vineyard and commercial winery. Students in the VWT program can obtain either a certificate or a two-year associate of science degree, specializing in viticulture, enology or wine marketing and sales. The majority of students are already actively working in the wine industry and taking classes to advance their careers.
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