Offering two certificate programs and hosting multiple events a year, the Gonzaga University Wine Institute crafts a blend of legal education, business education and immersive experiences that are meant to empower both lawyers and professionals in navigating the alcohol industry.
The wine institute was created in 2020 by Jessica Kiser, who serves as director of the Center for Law, Ethics and Commerce within the GU School of Law. Kiser said that though she holds an appreciation for wine and its agriculture, the GU Wine Institute isn’t designed to generate sommeliers.
“There are lots of programs throughout the country on how to make wine, how to grow grapes, but we really thought the way we could add value is by helping people with the internal management [of the wine industry],” Kiser said.
One way the wine institute aims to educate about the internal processes of the wine industry is with its certificate programs, which are overseen in partnership with the GU Center for Lifelong Learning. Through self-paced online coursework, students can obtain a Certificate in Wine Law and Business or a Certificate in Wine Operations.
Content of those courses includes readings, interactive assignments and original lecture videos which feature experts from across the wine industry. Recently, the institute has made it so that students can enroll in individual courses from within a program, without pursuing the full certificate.
Kiser said that certificates and courses from the wine institute do not provide credit toward a particular degree from GU. However, she said, this means that one does not need to be enrolled at GU or its law school to take the courses. In fact, Kiser said the program is marketed more toward active business and legal professionals than current GU law students.
“I think having the separate Wine Operations Certificate is partly to remind people that this isn’t just a law school offering, it’s not just for lawyers,” Kiser said. “It was never intended to be just for us.”
Yet, it is possible for university students to pursue a certificate, as GU law student Connor Martin did. Martin began working toward his Wine Law and Business Certificate in spring 2023 — before he started at GU law — and finished it by that same winter.
“I’m a big believer in certificate programs overall; I think that they can teach you a lot,” Martin said. “Before I went to law school, I got a paralegal certificate along with my bachelor’s degree. I’m a believer in those as being good ways for people to diversify themselves.”
Like Martin, Kiser said that having these certificates and specialized knowledge can help lawyers market themselves to clients in the alcohol industry or help those businesspeople themselves be successful.
The GU Wine Institute also hosts several events relating to wine — both in the Pacific Northwest and abroad. Kiser said that in each of these, the institute looks to highlight the significance of each region as it uniquely relates to wine — including urban winemaking in downtown Portland and the history of Tuscan vineyards.
In May 2026, the wine institute will host its “Umbria Experience,” which advertises an immersive stay in the Altarocca Wine Resort in central Italy, where guests will participate in tastings, tours and lectures from industry experts.
Martin explored events hosted by the GU Wine Institute in Florence, where the university hosts its flagship study abroad program. Martin said that though he grew up traveling to Italy with his grandfather and learned about its wine at a young age, exploring it again through the GU law school added a new depth to his understanding of the wine industry.
“We can talk about how wine tastes and things like that, but [in Florence] we’re going to go beyond that,” Martin said. “We’re going to talk about ‘What are the legal implications and the business implications of utilizing or of producing wine?’ There’s a lot there in both of those spheres, and there were things I didn’t know about.”
Whether conducting events or designing course material, Kiser said that overall, working for the wine institute surrounds her with a community that’s entertaining, complex and brings a dynamic aspect to law which she invites anyone to come explore.
“People who work in beer, wine and distilling are fun, interesting people, right? It attracts people who are entrepreneurial, and also people who are creative in a way that sometimes you don’t necessarily see in the law,” Kiser said. “It’s kind of like working with artists.”
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