Vineyards and wineries together directly contribute more than $200 million and 5,000-plus jobs to the regional economy. But when combined with the booming tourism market of hotels, restaurants, and tour companies whose explosive growth is rooted in the popularity of Santa Barbara wine country, it’s quite possible that the wine business — with an overall impact estimated to be $1.7 billion annually, according to a forthcoming study commissioned by the Santa Barbara Vintners' Association — is indeed the county’s number one economic engine.
Alfredo Koch at Allan Hancock College wants to keep it that way. As coordinator of the Santa Maria–based community college’s agribusiness program, Koch offers two-year tracks in viticulture, winemaking, and wine business — altogether attracting about 500 associate-degree-seeking students per year — as well as a variety of affordable classes for newcomers to the industry and working professionals alike to continue honing their skills.
“In order to remain competitive and keep our very nice industry, it’s very important to invest time and resources into education and research,” said Koch, who worked on his family’s vineyards in Argentina from age 5 before heading north for graduate degrees from Cal Poly and UC Davis. “It’s essential, I would say. Nowadays, you cannot afford to damage the wines or make wrong decisions in the vineyard. You realize many years later, and it could be really expensive.”