This spring, Saron Enyew ’26 completed an internship with the Virginia Winemakers Research Exchange in partnership with the Virginia Tech Research Center, in which she studied data on chemical compounds in wine.
“Winemakers add a lot of things to make the wine better, so what we were trying to study is, are the things they’re adding to the wine making it better or is it not helping?” she said.
When she first arrived at Bridgewater College, Enyew knew she wanted to study biology, later becoming interested in chemistry and consulting fields as well. She worked as a laboratory assistant in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and, as she neared graduation, she wanted to expand her skills in data analysis and went in search of an opportunity related to chemistry. Though there was not an existing internship at the time, Enyew reached out to Dr. Joy Ting, Research Enologist for Virginia Winemakers Research Exchange, and asked if she could do an internship in data analysis to learn the skill using her background in chemistry.
They agreed, and Enyew was tasked with analyzing a dataset about compounds in wine that affect its flavor. Each week, Enyew would receive data sheets and would then prepare reporting materials for participating winemakers, summarizing the analytical findings in a clear, accessible way, supporting data-driven winemaking decisions across the state.
Over the course of the internship, Enyew analyzed data from over 70 types of wine from more than 50 vineyards across Virginia. She also participated in a sensory session where participants tasted different types of wine and discussed how compounds and growing conditions of the grapes affect the flavor of the wine.
Enyew discovered through the internship that grape producers may not be fully aware of how their growing practices and additives influence the chemical composition of the final product.
“There is not a lot of funding for research within the wine industry,” she said.
Despite the high amount of chemistry and scientific knowledge that goes into production, the area has potential for growth in the future. Enyew is interested in contributing to the wine field whether in a winery, a lab or an extension.
Enyew, from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, graduated this spring with a B.S. in biochemistry with minors in psychology and biomedical science. This summer and fall she will work as a harvest intern with Common Wealth Crush Co. in Waynesboro, Va. Enyew says she will start off working in the tasting room to better understand how the taste of the wine translates into the lab and then she will learn how to make wine. Normally, a harvest intern would work solely in the cellar, measuring sugar, cleaning, getting grapes and monitoring sugar levels. This position, however, will be hybrid, combining both cellar and lab work.
Enyew said she looks forward to the potential for continuous learning as she delves into the wine industry.
“I get so happy when there’s something that I don’t know about or that I’m a beginner at because that’s one more thing now I can add to the list of things that I’ve learned.”
– Rosie Clark ’26
5/20/26
