Well, for some at the University of Otago summer is also a time for school, but one class will not have to put the down the wineglass.
Summer school began on Monday, including the tourism class Introduction to Wine Business, in which students learn about the culture and economics of the beverage,
while getting to sample a few drops.
Course co-ordinator Associate Prof Joanna Fountain said across the course students would sample about 50 different wines from around New Zealand and the world.
During workshops, they would compare the flavour profiles of each wine to identify what made each place and method unique.
"The best way to learn about wine is experimentation," she said.
The students were asked what flavours they could taste in each wine and the answers were sometimes surprising.
In a past course there was a student who said one wine tasted like "the changing rooms at the Hanmer Springs hot pools."
The answer was not incorrect, as there were hints of sulphur in the wine.
They moved through the wines by variety, sauvignon blanc one week then pinot noir another.
On the course were food technology, tourism and business students, as well as some who worked in hospitality and wanted to understand their products better.
Others just liked wine and needed the credits, she said.
It was not just fulltime students however. Some people simply wanted to further their understanding and appreciation of the drink.
It was a fun course that combined a love of wine with a nuanced education of the business behind it, Prof Fountain said.
New Zealand’s wine industry was worth $2 billion and it was important students understood its place in the economy.
Students would study certain aspects of the business and even design their own wine label for an assignment.
"You’ve got to understand your target market and how you brand a wine."
Summer school runs until February 17.
