Are you one of the growing numbers of wine aficionados? Does the pop of a cork and a sip of a good chardonnay give you a thrill? If so, you’re not alone. We Americans are becoming a nation of wine drinkers.

During these tough economic times, affordable luxuries are performing well in the marketplace. A trip to the vineyards of France or Italy may be out of your budget range, but you can sit down with friends and enjoy a glass of pinot noir. And more often than not, that pinot is going to be a domestically produced wine.

Career opportunities in this exciting field are many and varied – and so are the training options. Historically, the craft of viticulture was taught in specific agricultural programs at universities. But with vineyards flourishing from New York to California and from Texas to Oregon, training programs are springing up at culinary institutes, hospitality schools and even at community colleges.

The Finger Lakes region in New York has long been a producer of excellent wines and recently Finger Lakes Community College in Geneva, New York inaugurated their first wine program. This two-year program offers a degree in viticulture and wine technology and is the only one of its kind offered at a northeastern community college.

“The people who owned the wineries and vineyards wanted us to create a two-year degree program that would serve their needs, so they would have employees who were well-rounded,” said Jana Lamboy, assistant professor of ornamental horticulture. “Besides vocational training, employers wanted the new workers to be well-spoken, to have computer skills and to understand chemistry.”

There are other excellent training options as well. Chefs and other hospitality industry professionals need to have good education in wines, and many culinary programs have excellent courses. In addition, the beverage industry is heavily dependent on advertising and promotion. Crafting the right image for a vintage is every bit as important as blending the right bouquet.

Opportunites are blooming in sales and distribution as well, however if you are interested in exploring a career in the wine industry, the experts recommend you get some basic training. Excellent on line programs can get you started on the road to a career with real growth potential. So the next time you pop a cork, stop and consider if you want to do this for a living. Bottoms up!