New York’s wine scene has long roots — from the vineyards of the Hudson Valley and Finger Lakes to the vibrant wine-hospitality culture of New York City. As the industry expanded and professionalized, formal training for wine became more important.
One of the earliest dedicated wine-education institutions in the state is the International Wine Center (IWC) in Manhattan. It opened in 1982, making it one of the first wine‐and‐spirits schools of its kind in the U.S. In 1994 it became the first U.S. school to offer the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) programmes. Meanwhile, at Cornell University, an accredited “Intro to Wines” course began in the early 1950s, noted as the first wine course at any American university.
Today, New York’s wine-education landscape covers everything from professional certifications and sommelier training to viticulture and enology courses tied to its major wine regions. For students and professionals alike, these schools provide access to rigorous credentials and skill-building in wine business, tasting, vineyard science and more.
