Wine studies scholar examines viticulture and winemaking in upcoming virtual lecture
Linfield University wine studies instructor Toni Ketrenos will explore the forces that shaped winemaking from its origins on the slopes of Italy’s Mt. Etna to the present-day as part of the university’s Faculty Lecture Series. The virtual event begins at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 13 on the Linfield University YouTube channel.
In the talk, titled “The Contrade of Mount Etna: Among the world’s oldest and newest terroir,” Ketrenos will explore the soil, grapes, and economic factors that make—and break—a wine region.
Viticulture and winemaking took root on Mt. Etna at least 3,000 years ago. Pliny the Elder, Homer and Virgil all praised the quality of its wine. In the 18th century, Etna growers benefitted from prosperous trade with Great Britain and other northern lands lacking domestic wine production. By the 1960s, however, production slowed to just a trickle and production in stone palmento was outlawed in the 1980s. Then suddenly in the early 2000s, Etna wine became once again as hot as the gas and cinders that burst periodically from the volcano’s crater.
Ketrenos has worked in nearly all facets of the wine industry, including production, distribution and retail. She has represented a deep portfolio of wine imports across the Northwest, managed Oregon operations for one of the nation’s largest distribution networks and served as the corporate wine and beer buyer for a thriving regional grocery chain. She earned her diploma in wines from the Wine and Spirits Educational Trust (WSET) and is a certified specialist of wine in the Society of Wine Educators. She teaches the next generation of wine business leaders as part of Linfield’s Evenstad Center for Wine Education.
The presentation is part of Linfield’s Faculty Lecture Series, which shares the professional work and interests of the university faculty with the university and local communities. More information on the series, including the full schedule, is available. The series is sponsored by Linfield’s Office of Academic Affairs. For additional information, contact 503-883-2400.
