From Passion to Procurement

For Calen Joubert, a European wine buying manager at Vinarchy, wine isn’t just part of his job—it’s his passion. Beginning his career in fine dining as a sommelier, Calen quickly became captivated by the world of wine. 

“It gave me an early opportunity to explore the incredible diversity, history and sensory beauty that the world of wine has to offer,” he said. 

That early fascination set him on a path into the wine industry and deepened his desire to understand every aspect of the winemaking process. 

“Although I've worked in wineries across four vintages, I wanted to strengthen my technical understanding of the winemaking process from vine to bottle,” said Calen. 

Drawn to the online Winemaking Certificate Program at UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education, Calen appreciated the program’s strong emphasis on the technical and scientific framework of winemaking. 

“Pursuing the certificate program has been a personal passion, but it’s also a valuable way to complement my experience and upskill in my current role,” he said. “Building strong relationships with winemakers, both internally and externally, is a key part of what I do, and these studies have been a natural step in helping me contribute more meaningfully.” 

Since completing the program, Calen has gained a more comprehensive understanding of winemaking--increasing his confidence with winemakers and enhancing his perspective as a buyer. 

“This program has added a valuable new string to my bow,” he said. 

Can you tell us a little about yourself and your current role as a wine buying manager in the UK? 

I grew up on South Africa’s east coast, a region more famous for sugar cane plantations and surf breaks than vineyards and winemaking. Like many in the industry, I found my way into wine later in life. Today, I’m responsible for sourcing and managing our bulk wine and finished goods imports into the UK, working closely with our team to support our wider business with local distribution and distribution across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. 

What does a typical day look like for you? 

Working in this role, within a global Fast-Moving Consumer Goods wine company means each day brings something new. From tastings and tenders to quality reviews and supplier management, it’s a fast-paced, collaborative environment that’s both challenging and full of learning opportunities. 

How did you balance the online program with your full-time professional responsibilities? 

Everyone has their own rhythm when it comes to peak focus, and for me, that’s early mornings. I built a routine around that—studying for a couple of hours before work and adding extra time on weekend mornings. It helped me maintain a healthy work–study–life balance, with evenings mostly free. 

The habit quickly turned into momentum, and before I knew it, I’d crossed the finish line. The course content was challenging but genuinely captivating, which made it easy to stay engaged week after week. 

What aspects of the program stood out to you as most valuable or surprising? 

The final course in the program—Stability and Sensory Evaluation—was a real highlight for me. The stability modules revisited key concepts from earlier courses, but with deeper application in chemistry and operations, making it a fitting recap and sign-off. 

The sensory evaluation section was equally engaging, offering fascinating insights and hands-on experiments to conduct at home. It was a great way to round off the learning journey. 

How has the program changed the way you view wine from a technical perspective? 

The program gave me a deeper appreciation for the full spectrum of wine—from large-scale commercial production to the finest small-batch releases. Each plays a vital role in the industry, and they coexist in a way that’s both complementary and essential. 

How have you applied what you learned directly to your work? 

The course has helped me contribute more confidently and meaningfully to our quality assurance conversations—especially when troubleshooting issues that arise with bulk wine imports. Understanding defect prevention and management, which are core themes throughout the program, has strengthened my ability to engage with technical challenges and support our QA team more effectively. 

Has the program influenced the way you approach tasting, evaluating or selecting wines? 

Blending sessions with our winemaking teams have become even more rewarding since completing the certificate. I’ve learned to assess wines both holistically and analytically—dissecting elements like thiol- or ester-led profiles in white blends, for example. This deeper understanding helps us refine our wines, align with marketing and commercial briefs and ultimately make choices that resonate with consumers. 

How do you see the knowledge you gained supporting your career growth in the wine industry? 

Procurement roles—regardless of the sector—naturally dovetail with technical and quality teams. In the wine industry, that means close collaboration with winemakers. I’ve already seen the difference that deeper technical knowledge makes, and I hope it gives me an edge in working more effectively across functions, while continuing to build out my skill set. 

What advice would you give to wine professionals who might be considering continuing education in winemaking? 

One of the joys of working in the wine industry is being surrounded by ambitious, passionate people. It’s a real testament to how we continue to navigate global headwinds—whether agricultural, consumer-driven, legislative or bureaucratic. 

This program offers deep technical insight into the winemaking process from vine to bottle. Whether you're a sommelier, marketing executive, logistics specialist or aspiring winemaker, the program provides valuable knowledge to help you thrive and adapt. In an industry like ours, it’s essential to diversify, upskill and persevere.

Get inside the journey

See how alumni transformed their careers and discover more first-hand experiences. Read more student success stories and outcomes from our program.