Utah’s connection to wine is older than its modern reputation suggests. In the 1860s, Mormon pioneers planted vineyards in southern Utah near Toquerville and St. George, producing sacramental and table wines before Prohibition and cultural shifts ended the practice. A modern revival began in the 1980s, led by small producers in the high-desert regions of Moab and the Wasatch Front, where warm days and cool nights proved ideal for hybrid and Rhône varieties.
Education has followed this quiet resurgence. The Wasatch Academy of Wine, founded in 1991, is the state’s oldest and most established wine school. Based in Salt Lake City, it offers professional certification through the Wine Scholar Guild, including the French, Italian, and Spanish Wine Scholar programs.
Another major institution, the Wine Academy of Utah, provides Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) certifications and customized training for restaurants, distributors, and enthusiasts. These two schools anchor Utah’s professional education scene, combining credentialed learning with community outreach.
Although Utah’s wine production remains modest, its education programs are sophisticated—blending global wine knowledge with local passion in one of America’s most unlikely but fastest-maturing wine cultures.
