Peter Mandl’s story is a great case in point: his dedication, a clear vision and ideal qualifications from IMC Krems have landed him a dream job – and led to a wine project all of his own. Peter is a graduate of the International Wine Business bachelor programme, which is taught entirely in English. Since finishing his degree, he has been working under 2020 Falstaff Winemaker of the Year Fritz Miesbauer for two of Austria’s longest-established premium wineries: Weingut Stadt Krems and Stift Göttweig. Peter Mandl is a Wachau valley man through and through. An avid sportsman and admirer of the finer things in life, the 27-year-old spoke to us about what motivates him, as well as his experience and goals. “Simply coming from this particular region fuelled my interest in wine, but I have to admit that my knowledge of the wine industry was still pretty basic. And these days, English skills are a must for everyone. Starting a career that combined my origins and my cosmopolitan outlook was very appealing, and there’s nothing more exciting than working in the international wine business. Wine culture and the culture of enjoyment surrounding it as a drink is something that connects people in every corner of the world.”
Leading lights on the international wine scene
The degree programme had a strong international focus, with the emphasis on the global wine industry. The lecturers on the programme included international movers and shakers as well as leading industry experts, like Jason Turner, Georg Meissner and Andreas Wickhoff MW to name but a few. That was very important because it gave me some fascinating insights. We regularly went on excursions to some great wineries. I learned a lot from the sector-specific courses, as well as courses like Viticulture, International Agriculture and Trade Policies, and Wine Export Markets. And obviously, my internship at Weingut Stadt Krems in the fifth semester was really important. I have fond memories of my exchange semester at the University of the West of England in Bristol in the UK. Right after finishing my degree I picked up where I left off at Weingut Stadt Krems, and now I’m responsible for export markets including Scandinavia, the UK and Asia. I’m certain that without this degree I wouldn’t have been able to develop the skills I need for my job. I’ve also put the theories I studied into practice, and in 2016 I launched my own wine project together with my brother – it’s called Weinhauerei 378 and it gives me a practical outlet for my passion for wine. My brother Florian and I have built up this small winery in Wösendorf. We try to follow old artisanal techniques and every year we bring out a limited-edition Grüner Veltliner and Riesling.
What Peter’s boss says about him
“As Managing Director of Weingut Stadt Krems, I’m delighted to see that young people are receiving top-quality training and developing exactly the sorts of skills required for an export-driven business like ours. I’m very happy that Peter is part of our team,” says Fritz Miesbauer proudly.
Peter’s tip
“I’ve got a really important piece of advice for applicants: try to see the bigger picture and make sure you are receptive to all of the different insights that this international degree programme has to offer,” Peter Mandl recommends. “Above all, make use of your contacts and acquaintances, and try to spend a semester or do an internship abroad."
