(Obra de Don Bosco en Rodeo del Medio, Mendoza) – With a ‘Solidarity Tea’ as the first event, the historic house of studies in Mendoza kicked off a year of celebrations marking six decades of commitment to the formation of professionals in the wine and food world.
The Don Bosco Faculty of Oenology and Food Science is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2025. Founded on 31 October 1965 in Rodeo del Medio, Mendoza, it was the first university institution of its kind in the whole of Latin America. The Faculty came into being at the request of industrialists and authorities who saw in Salesian education an opportunity to professionalise the wine sector, in a context of industry growth and the need for excellent formation.
Its origin, however, goes back a long way. As early as 1901, the Don Bosco Work in Mendoza trained young people in trades related to rural work and wine production. Always at the forefront of progress, the institution has adapted its training offerings to the needs of each era, establishing itself as an undisputed point of reference for technical and university formation in the region.
The celebrations for this important anniversary officially began on Saturday, 28 June, with a solidarity event. A ‘Royal Solidarity Tea’ was held in the ‘Pioneros’ room of the Faculty, organised together with the ‘Comisión de Reinas de la Vendimia de Maipú’. Each member of the committee sponsored a canteen, and all proceeds from the tickets went towards the purchase of food, clothes, school supplies and other essentials for children in different neighbourhoods. More than 150 people participated, in an atmosphere of joy, music, traditional dances and family spirit.
Various academic, cultural and celebratory activities will take place throughout the year. These include:
• Technical conferences with experts in the field;
• The launch of a new degree course in oenology;
• A professional olive oil tasting in the historic Casa ‘Las Bóvedas’ in August;
• A wine tasting at the National Wine and Grape Harvest Museum in September, coinciding with Oenologist Day;
• The central event on 31 October, the day of its foundation.
The Don Bosco Faculty was the first in Latin America to award a degree in a degree in Oenology and the Fruit Industry. The inaugural ceremony was attended by the then President, Arturo Illia. Today, graduates from this institution are recognised professionals in wineries and factories in Argentina and around the world, and the Faculty continues to pioneer the development of an integral formation with a strong practical basis.
Currently, degree courses are offered here:
• sommeliers ( 2 years)
• Bromatología (3 and a half years, intermediate degree)
• Oenology and the fruit industry
• Food technology (4 years).
Its infrastructure includes vineyards and olive groves, a wine cellar, an oil mill, a canning factory, state-of-the-art laboratories and sensory analysis rooms. Here, students produce their own wines, oils, sparkling wines, beers and preserves, integrating theory and practice from origin to final product.
The link with the professional world is another of its hallmarks. Through agreements, internships, exchanges and international experiences are developed. In addition, the Padre Francisco Oreglia Centre for Research, Development, Extension and Services (CIPFO, in Spanish) allows students and teachers to participate in applied research projects.
‘Proud of its history and projected into the future,’ the institution says, ‘the Don Bosco Faculty of Oenology invites the entire community to participate in this very special year.’
Source: ANS – “Agencia iNfo Salesiana”