Alumni – Where are they now…

1764 Vineyards

During a wine tasting trip through the Verde Valley in 2012, the dream to start our own vineyard was born.  Being two long time city dwellers, we first had to figure out where to start. The answer was clear, enter Yavapai College’s Viticulture and Enology Program.

In June of 2014, we moved to Cottonwood and entered Julia into YC’s  program where she would go on to earn an AAS degree in Viticulture and Enology in 2016.  Empowered with this knowledge and the support of our family and friends, we found a property in 2016 and took our next step to fulfilling our dream of growing wine grapes in the Arizona sun. During her time as YC, she not only gained an education that would lay the groundwork for what was to come next,she also gained many new friendships with amazing instructors and staff, and other students truly passionate about wine.

Securing her degree in 2016, we bought property in Cochise County Arizona, and in May of 2018 we planted our first acre of vines, Petit Verdot.  Since then, we have added Picpoul Blanc and Vermentino with more to come.

Lisa Russell

Have you experienced a certain restlessness in your thoughts, or heard a voice in the back of your head, suggesting that it might be time for a career shift? Lisa Russell knows that feeling. She received her degree in Interior Design and worked in the field for 18 years before she decided to pursue her real passion: wine. Lisa’s life-pivot is already paying dividends in terms of realigning her interests along a workaday trajectory: She is the Tasting Room Manager at the Southwest Wine Center. She was also named Viticulture Student of the Year at Yavapai College for 2015. “The Viticulture and Enology Program enables students to learn, in a hands-on way, everything from soils and the cultivation of grape vines to the processing of grapes and the winemaking. As a student, you really get a deep understanding of this burgeoning industry and what place you may have in its further development.”

Heart Wood Cellars

They left the corporate life and moved from Tokyo, Japan to Cornville, Arizona for big blue skies, fresh clean air, small rural setting, open spaces, diverse topography and down-to-earth people. They wanted to spend more time together, enjoying nature and exploring the next phase of their life with plans to contribute and participate in a growing sector of the economy. That growing sector was the Arizona wine industry. Heart Wood® Cellars is the brainchild of winemakers and Yavapai Viticulture and Enology graduates of 2015 Valerie and Daniel Wood. Heart Wood Cellars is the first licensed Alternating Proprietorship in Arizona and is making wine at Four-Eight Wineworks co-op. Focusing on crafting bold, complex and elegant red wines, Heart Wood Cellars released their first vintage which was 2016 in July 2018. We are creating quality wines we love, to share our passion with friends, family and Arizona wine lovers, “ Valerie says.

Niles Johnson

“Since finishing the classes, I have been fortunate enough to work in the tasting room for Page Springs Cellars and have been taken on as a cellar intern for Arizona Stronghold. The opportunities to learn and grow have been phenomenal at both places. A few classmates and I have been making slow-but-steady progress in converting my garage into an extremely small-scale winery with the goal of being able to continue learning and, hopefully, make some wines that we can share friends with pride.”