Te Awa cellar supervisor Jason McCluskey could have studied towards a winemaking qualification at just about any leading institution in the world. After considering his options, the American chose the Graduate Diploma in Oenology offered at EIT.
Graduating this year, Jason says his class was very international. The cohort included Indians, English and Chinese as well as one New Zealander.
Born and raised in Arizona, the 31-year-old joined the US Air Force straight out of school. He was taught Arabic in the services and worked as a linguist.
He decided, however, that he wanted a more lifestyle-oriented job and in 2008 secured a vintage position in his home state. Relatively new plantings of Rhone varieties grow at 1200-1400 metres above sea level in Arizona, he says - "the elevation helps counter the heat but they have to irrigate".
After harvest, he was keen to travel and headed to New Zealand where he worked for Delegat's in Blenheim before returning to the US. In Oregon, a well-recognised wine producing state, he worked for a winery making Pinot Noir.