Center Opens to Support North Carolina Wine

DOBSON, N.C., Nov. 9, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Shelton-Badgett North Carolina Center for Viticulture and Enology opened its doors at Surry Community College on Friday, November 5th. The Center was hailed by Governor Beverly Perdue as the facility that will provide the "backbone" for the state's growing wine industry.

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The $5 million facility is the centerpiece of SCC's Viticulture & Enology program, which for the past decade has prepared students for careers as winemakers and vineyard managers. The 16,000-square-foot building includes a bonded commercial winery, a microbiology lab, a research library, classrooms, and a 3,800-square-foot assembly hall designed to host industry events.

In her keynote address for the grand opening, Perdue praised the positive impact the Center will have on the state's economy. Perdue noted that North Carolina is 7th in the nation in wine production, directly accounting for 5,700 jobs and an economic impact of almost $1 billion. There are more than 90 wineries and 400 vineyards across the state.

"This is an industry that is waking up in North Carolina. I have every reason to believe that North Carolina will become a national and international leader in wine because of the investment that you're making here, and the fact that this community college now has the infrastructure to train the workforce for the 21st century," Perdue said. "Today is a big day for North Carolina. Today is a day that will be written about in history books."

The center is named after the Shelton-Badgett family, which founded Shelton Vineyards in 1999 and played an integral role in starting SCC's Viticulture & Enology program that same year. Shelton Vineyards has grown to become one of the largest producers of wine on the east coast, spurring the development of many more wineries in the area. Both Shelton Vineyards and SCC are in the Yadkin Valley, North Carolina's first federally designated winemaking region. Many of the area's grapes are grown on former tobacco farms.

"I think this is an example of what we can do in Surry County if we all work together to create new ideas, new ventures and new ways to make money," Ed Shelton said at the grand opening. "The key is to make a profit and create jobs, and as long as we can do that, we have a great future here."

SCC's Viticulture & Enology program has 42 graduates and 53 students currently enrolled. Under the leadership of instructors Gill Giese and Molly Kelly, students in the program have produced wines that have won medals at national and international competitions. The program teaches the entire process of making wine, from growing grapes in SCC's on-campus vineyard to bottling and selling the finished product. Numerous graduates have gone on to found their own wineries.

The Shelton-Badgett North Carolina Center for Viticulture & Enology was funded from NC General Assembly appropriations, NC Community College System grants, NC state bonds, and private donations. Blue Ridge Enterprises Inc., of Mount Airy, NC, was the project's general contractor. Little Diversified Architectural Consulting of Charlotte, NC, was the project's architectural firm.

SCC officials first earmarked funds for the center in 2001. They spent several years planning and raising money for the project's completion. Perdue thanked the many involved for dreaming big and following through on that vision. The result is a center that embodies the efforts of all who have built the state's wine industry from the ground up, enabling a brighter economic future for North Carolina.

"This is a great day," said SCC President Deborah Friedman. "It is a great day to recognize that a vision has become a reality."

About Surry Community College

Surry Community College was founded in 1964 and is located in Dobson, North Carolina. As one of the state's 58 community colleges, it serves Surry and Yadkin counties. Currently, Surry offers thirty degree programs, seventeen diploma programs, and twenty-four certificate programs; with hundreds of continuing education courses and seminars. The college, under the direction of President Dr. Deborah Friedman, has a mission to promote personal growth and community development through excellence in teaching, learning, and service.

SOURCE Surry Community College