Dookie's history of teaching winemaking and viticulture dates back to the end of the 19th century when the winery was built in 1896.
These days the winery is equipped with all the modern tools to for boutique winemaking. Our students undertake wine and viticulture intensives at Dookie to learn about the science of grape growing and wine-making as well as the operation of the winery.
Vine to wine intensive
In our Vine to Wine intensive subject they create wine from the harvest to the bottle. Students also visit vineyards in the King Valley, Nagambie Lakes and Goulburn Valley regions to learn about the wine industry and how wine is made.
Masters research projects program
At postgraduate level, students are able to conduct research projects on wine through the Masters research projects program offered by the School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem. Our students study the influence of different types of saccharomyces and non-saccharomyces yeasts on the phenolic and volatile composition of wine. In addition to traditional winemaking, students also participate in developing innovative new styles of wine through flavouring and fortification.
Bertie wines
Bertie wine is produced at Melbourne University’s historic 1886 Dookie Campus winery in North Central Victoria.
Made under the supervision of winemaker Chris Barnes, the grapes are sourced from the Dookie Campus vineyard (white) and from vineyards owned by the Tallis family, a few kilometres up the road from the Campus (red), with whom the Dookie Campus has shared a long history.
The wine is named after Bertie the Black Labrador, who sadly passed away in April 2025. Bert was owned by Chris Barnes and became a much-loved mascot of the winery and the Dookie campus. He accompanied students in the winery and to the vineyard, where he loved helping with everything from pruning to picking.