Viticulture and Enology Student Spotlight: Matthew Hoogendoorn

 

Q: When do you intend to graduate?

Hoogendoorn: "I intend to graduate in the Spring of 2024."

Q: What is your current degree? 

Hoogendoorn: "My current goal is to get a Bachelor's of Science in Enology and a minor in Viticulture. The reason I was drawn to this major is because I fell in love with working harvests. When learning more about the process of making wine I became hooked, and as time went on I wanted to learn more about how I could make this passion of mine a reality for a career."

 

Q: Why did you choose to attend Fresno State?

Hoogendoorn: "I chose it based on the schools reputation for helping produce very talented winemakers, along with my experience working with some of those winemakers who attended Fresno State. I grew up in Lake County, California but the majority of my family are located in the San Joaquin Valley, an area I’ve always enjoyed visiting because of its diverse culture and natural landscape full of beauty. I’ve had great memories of fishing the Delta and spending the holidays and summers in Manteca where both my parents met. Those warm summer nights have always held a special place in my heart, and being at Fresno State makes me feel at home." 

 

Q: What do you consider your hometown (and state/country/etc if applicable) and / or where are you a native of?

My hometown is Middletown California. 

Q: Did you have any other family members that are Fresno State graduates? 

Hoogendoorn: "None of my family attended Fresno State, but my grandmother has always told me that’s where she would have liked to of gone to school." 

 

Q: Which classes and faculty members have had the biggest influence on you while at Fresno State?

Hoogendoorn: "All faculty has touched me, however these two professors really challenged me along with sparking new interests and ideas that I can take With me for the rest of my life. Dr. Anil Shrestha taught me about agroecology which I enjoyed learning about immensely. His lectures and presentations really resonated with me, and I feel like I've benefited from his philosophy in understanding the whole picture. His honesty surrounding controversial topics, and teaching style is unique and refreshing. I feel like he's helped spark an interest for me in caring about the health of a vineyard along with what goes on in the cellar.  Dr. Miguel Pedroza’s knowledge is vast, and his ability to teach students about what is going on at a molecular level in the production of wine in all aspects from yeast to grape to equipment is not only fascinating but extremely valuable. Working multiple harvests has given me plenty of material for questions to ask Dr. Pedroza, and he has always been there to give me his honest opinion when I pick his brain. Our conversations involving wine are some of the most in depth I have had with any other professor or wine professional. I am so grateful to have this professor in my corner."

 

Q: What companies have you done any internships/part-time jobs while at Fresno State and what were your titles and responsibilities?

Hoogendoorn: "At Laura Michael Wines I have never had an official title. If there were a title, I’ve been called a cellar rat. During harvest I would assist on crush days, press days, racking, cleaning. I would assist in whatever task they needed done." 

Q: How did these internships help you professionally, and what skills did you develop you can apply to your career?

Hoogendoorn: "I would say these internships helped me out professionally by exposing me to real life situations at a winery. Learning how to work in a high stress environment and stay calm, along with understanding your surroundings and always taking into account safety of others. Working many harvests got me more familiar with the equipment and understanding the terminology used in a wine cellar, like knowing what a sump cart is, or knowing how to operate a Waukesha pump and understanding the difference between a positive displacement pump and a centrifugal pump. Skills in the cellar were gained with experience and every harvest I would gain more skill in work efficiency, confidence, and leadership."

Q: At the internships, what were some of the most memorable experiences?

Hoogendoorn: "The memorable experiences for me are the "first time" moments. Those feelings of anxiety and uncertainty combined with excitement and eagerness resonated with me forever. The first time I performed a tank dig-out was loud and exciting, I remember my coworkers yelling at me and cheering me on while I was shoveling the leftover grape skins (Marc) out of a tank of fermented Syrah. The trick is to keep the shovel low and scoop along the bottom of the stainless steel tank and not overexert yourself by performing the dig-out this way. Of course, there are times when you are in that confined space and you need to put some inertia into trying to knock off the mountain of grapeskins you are digging out." 

 

Q: What was your background in agriculture before you started at Fresno State ?

Hoogendoorn: "Where do I begin? I started bottling wine for Laura Michael Wines back in 2010 for fun, at that time it was known as Zahtila Vineyards and was and still is known for its Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon from Calistoga and Rutherford. My first taste of harvest was in 2012 when I was approached by a childhood mentor and friend Jeremiah Moore who at that time was running the chemistry department for Sterling Vineyards. I had a mortgage already at this time and a full-time job at Mount View Hotel and spa, and to work harvest I had to step away from the hotel. It was a tough decision, but a necessary one for me to pursue my dreams. At Sterling Winery I was a lab technician, here I was able to perform lab work and develop skills in calibrating machines, performing lab analysis, and asking the winemakers questions when the time was okay to do so. Working at Sterling Winery gave me my first idea of what working harvest is like in a larger production facility. I was allowed out of the lab to measure Brix and temperature during fermentations, but I was also given cellar tasks, which got my interest in working in the cellar and understanding the hard work that goes into making wine, of course, this was limited since I was needed in the lab." 

Hoogendoorn: "Following harvest, I was able to get my job back at the hotel. Lucky for me Michael Woods the owner of Mount View Hotel & Spa has always supported his workers while they are going to school and pursuing their goals. At this time I was working at the hotel, helping at Laura Michael wines, Laura and Michael Swanton gave me the opportunity to help them during harvest on "crush days.” I was excited to have the chance to work at a place like Laura Michael wines, because it is a much smaller production winery  which produces less than 2500 cases annually I was able to understand the attention to detail and also get my hands dirty. Michael and Laura Swanton have always helped me pursue my aspirations in wine. At this point in my life I spent a lot of my time in Calistoga. I would work both jobs during harvest, one being at the hotel and the other at the winery, the whole time still chipping away at school. This lasted between 2013 and 2016. Around this period in my life, I knew something was missing. I needed to pursue my education but I also wanted to get back into the cellar and learn more, so I once again left the hotel and took a position as a cellar intern at Brassfield Estate Winery to follow a favorite winemaker of mine Matt Hughes who had previously been at Six Sigma ranch. Matt is a wealth of knowledge, and while working here I was able to improve my skills in the cellar drastically, along with my confidence through the help of the cellar team and winemakers. After harvest I got my job back at the hotel and again was able to help during harvest at Laura Michael Wines, and still.......chipping away at the JC. Before the harvest of 2019, I saw an opportunity on winejobs.com for a harvest internship at Marcassin. I could not pass this up and I immediately within seconds applied. I was given the job after an interview and in 2019 I worked for Marcassin which is a winery owned and operated by John Wetlaufer and Helen Turley. The winemakers at Marcassin were two Fresno State Graduates Ryan O'Donnell and Amanda McPhee. Both winemakers reinforced a new philosophy of winemaking for me along with cleanliness and cellar practices. At Marcassin I was able to look at making wine from a completely different perspective. The experience was one of the most rewarding I've ever had in my entire life. In 2020 I worked at Tamber Bey vineyards for harvest. This was a great opportunity, because of the outstanding wines they make, but also the chance to work in a custom crush facility as well. Having the chance to be exposed to different varieties of grapes combined with the factor of the fruit being sourced from unique vineyards is awesome. I enjoyed this harvest despite the pandemic and fires because I had the chance to work with Derek Flegal who as I mentioned earlier went to Fresno State. Derek’s knowledge of wine is outstanding, and his work ethic and leadership skills are some of the best I’ve seen. He’s shown me firsthand what it takes to be a winemaker and has always been open to giving advice and answering questions of mine even before I worked as an intern at Tamber Bey Vineyards. Derek's helped inspire me to pursue my degree at Fresno State. I can’t wait to work with him again this harvest." 

 

Q: Have you participated in any other outreach activities/events that benefited the community?

Hoogendoorn: "I have not, however I do volunteer for the Napa Valley Vintners Association I have been involved with barrel auction and most recently with Collective Napa Valley barrel auction. Both organizations provide valuable donation for the community, especially farm workers." 

 

Q: Have you traveled to any professional conferences, and what did you gain from those experiences?

Hoogendoorn: "I was an associate wine judge at the North Coast Wine Challenge. There I was able to meet other wine professionals, restaurateurs, and even Master Sommeliers. It was cool to see how my palate stood with other professionals when judging wines. This was event was held in 2018. Daryl Groom and the Press Democrat and other wine professionals help put this event on." 

 

Q: Have you overcome any challenges to get where you are today that have shaped who you are?

Hoogendoorn: "In 2015 I was affected by the Valley Fire which at the time was the third-most destructive wildfire in California history. My parents lost their home, which was the only home I ever knew growing up. They moved in with me and my now wife Laura while I continued my studies and work, as my uncle rebuilt their home. The experience was tough because from the Valley fire you were either directly affected by it or somebody close to you, or someone they knew were affected. Growing up in a small town everyone knows everybody. The pain and suffering has lingered around the pines of Middletown even to this day. This event shook me to my core, and taught me humility. I have been a more compassionate and humble person, because of the experience. It was literally the fire that lit the candle under me that got me going into really trying to get into Fresno State."

Q: Are there any other interesting notes about yourself that you would like to include?

Hoogendoorn: "I have worked 10 harvests I have worked for companies like Sterling Vineyards, Laura Michael Wines, Brassfield Estate Winery, Marcassin, and Tamber Bey. I have tasted wines  while visiting the wine countries of Argentina, Italy, and Spain. This upcoming harvest of 2022 I was given the opportunity to work part-time at Tamber Bey Vineyards while going to school. I have to thank Derek Flegal ( Fresno State graduate ) for the internship offer and I am grateful to Barry and Jennifer Waitte (owners of Tamber Bey Vineyards) for allowing me to work harvest part-time while going to college. I am very fortunate to have people who care about my future endeavors and who want to help me along the way."

 

Q: What’s your potential next career step, and what job/profession/company/etc. or how do you plan to use your degree eventually?

Hoogendoorn: "I have a tremendous desire to work in France following my graduation, but I'm not limited to just that country. I'd be open to working internships in Italy, Spain, Germany any where overseas would be great. I believe adding international experience to your résumé is valuable. I also believe working in other states is valuable, so Oregon is at the top of my list as well. Ideally following my graduation and after working harvest overseas, I would apply for a position at a winery and when given the job I’d do my best to be a great member of their team, hopefully for a very long time."