Bachelor of Viticulture and Oenology
First-year Bachelor of Viticulture and Oenology student Ajay Chavan admits that farming isn’t his forte, but says he wanted a qualification that could provide a similar sort of lifestyle.
“A rural lifestyle really appeals to me, and I wanted to study something that would let me be outdoors a lot of the time, but that didn’t involve farming. A BV&O at Lincoln seemed like the perfect balance,” he says.
And Ajay already has big plans for his degree.
“Eventually, I would like to own my own vineyard,” he says, “but that’s a wee way off yet. I don’t really like red wine, so it will probably be a white wine-producing vineyard.”
Ajay says learning about all the different aspects of grape-growing and wine-making is eye-opening, and says he finds studying soil science and its relationship with wine production particularly enjoyable.
“I’m finding that looking at soil composition’s impact on viticulture is actually really interesting,” he says.
Ajay says he wants to work on a vineyard after he completes his degree and also hopes to utilise his qualification when he travels overseas.
“I would love to visit Italy and travel around Europe, sampling different wines as I go. Wine is very much a global commodity, and I think my skills would serve me well no matter where I went,” he says.
Ajay is the recipient of a sports scholarship and plays for the Christchurch Sydenham Cricket Club. He also plays social soccer for Lincoln University and is a member of a wine appreciation group on-campus.