If you’re interested in wine, there’s a good chance you’ve heard of the grape variety ‘Müller-Thurgau’. It was created at the same location where you’ll find Geisenheim University (HSG) today, a place that lives and breathes wine. They offer various programs related to wine business, wine production, beverage technology, and agriculture, to name a few. UNG and HSG cooperate, and in the summer semester of 2024 I had the opportunity to study in Geisenheim with the Erasmus+ program. I recommend you do as well!
Considering I don’t speak German, the program most suitable for me was ‘International Wine Business’, given in English. Essentially, this program is focused around the business and marketing side of wine, as opposed to the production. Seeing as my major is viticulture and oenology, this provided a great opportunity to diversify my experience. HSG is used to receiving students from abroad, and everything from the enrollment process to getting settled as I arrived was streamlined and easy. The provided assistance really takes a lot of pressure off, and makes the experience much more enjoyable.
‘International’ is not just in the program name – the majority of the students were from abroad, and I studied with people from Bolivia, South Africa, Georgia, and Canada, among others. A decent part of the class was made up of German students as well, resulting in a lovely mix of cultures, languages, and personalities. Social gatherings both within and outside of the university were frequent, fun, and interesting. Since we all shared the same interest in wine, conversations could go from football (European Championship during this time) to phenolics without skipping a beat. Weekly gatherings by the old wine barrel on campus, where you could always get to know new people and new wines, was especially memorable.
Lectures were similar to what I’m used to at UNG. There was a MiTeam equivalent where all material was uploaded and easily accessible, and I never had trouble understanding what was expected of me. The professors were competent, helpful, and passionate. We had a fair amount of guest lecturers from various parts of the wine industry, something that is always interesting and brings new perspectives. One thing that differed considerably from UNG was the amount of tastings and masterclasses. We had an average of two tastings per week, and I have tried more wines in one semester at HSG than five semesters at UNG. I believe this drastically improves the students’ ability to understand wine, and is something I would love to see more of at UNG. In addition to tastings, I had the opportunity to join several day trips to other wine regions.
Geisenheim is a cute, small town in the middle of the wine region Rheingau. The region is overflowing with wine producers, and there are several in walking distance from the Geisenheim town center. The railroad that runs along the Rhine river provides access to the rest of Germany, and Frankfurt Airport is only an hour away. One stop with the train gets you to Rüdesheim, a beautiful historical town with lots to see and do. And if you’re craving a bigger city, the same train will take you to Wiesbaden in less than an hour.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Geisenheim, and when I return to Slovenia it is with more experience, new personal and professional relationships, and a broader, deeper, and more diverse understanding of the wine industry. I encourage you to seek out the same experience if you get the chance!
