Raising a glass to graduand Jenny Chen and her global wine journey

Jenny’s always been fascinated by the science of flavours and ingredients, making the degree a perfect fit, but she never expected just how far it would take her.

She’ll cross the graduation stage in May, but to get there she had to cross the globe. She recently returned from a semester abroad at Hochschule Geisenheim University in Germany, adding an international perspective to her studies.

The exchange gave her the chance to travel across Europe and build upon what she learnt at Lincoln. It allowed her to step beyond winemaking and explore more of the business side of the industry, including international trade, marketing and sales.

“Meeting students from all over the world – China, Japan, Italy, Slovakia, India, and Georgia, to name a few – was one of the most valuable aspects,” Jenny said.

“I loved that outside of the classroom, every gathering, every shared bottle of wine, was an opportunity to broaden our worldviews and deepen our understanding of different wine cultures.”

Jenny got to attend major industry events such as ProWein and network with wineries across the world.

She was proud to hear the high praise for New Zealand wines so far away from home.

“It reaffirmed my belief in our country’s reputation for premium quality.”

While studying here in New Zealand, Jenny loved being able to produce her own wine with a group of her classmates. Together they worked through every step of the process, from growing the grapes to serving the first glass.

Her group’s chosen variety, Savagnin Rose, was a rare find — mistakenly planted in the Lincoln University vineyard under the belief it was Gewürztraminer.

“We named it ‘Bittersweet,’ a reflection of both its aromas and flavours, as well as our feelings throughout the winemaking journey.”

Outside of class, Jenny also enjoyed being an active member of the Wine Club (yes, that’s real) and helped build connections on campus through the Lincoln University International and Cultural Society (LUICS), serving as co-president her second year. 

Jenny’s dedication to the craft was recently recognised with a Graduate Women Canterbury scholarship. The financial support will help her focus on further studies in the wine field and assist her in attending future tasting events.

As for what’s ahead? She’s still in search of her favourite wine – perhaps it’ll be one she produces herself one day. She dreams of planting a vineyard and creating her own wine label.

For now though, Jenny’s keeping her options open for a role that lets her explore both the viticulture and business side of the industry she’s grown to enjoy from her exchange.

It’s a long way from her first WINE101 class, when she knew little more than the difference between red and white wine. Now, she’s stepping into the industry with knowledge, global experience, and a big vision to work towards. 

Cheers to your future, and congratulations on your graduation. 

Want to see what a day in the life of Jenny at ProWein was like? Check out her video on our Instagram here 

If a career in winemaking interests you, check out our Bachelor of Viticulture and Oenology 

Jenny in Geisenheim