Alum bottles innovation while growing a family legacy
Emily Hodson M.S. ’03 balances innovation, family legacy, and sustainability through her love of winemaking.
Hodson earned her master’s degree in food science and technology after realizing she wanted to work outdoors and experience the rhythm of the seasons.
“My parents had decided to buy this farm in Virginia and move from our home in Florida to Virginia,” Hodson said. “I was like, ‘My parents have lost it.’ But I came to Virginia to help them move, and I just needed a few months to figure out my next steps.”
While helping her parents, she fell in love with the vineyard — Veritas Winery and Vineyards in Charlottesville — and later became the head winemaker.
“I fell in love with being outside, farming, and watching the seasons,” Hodson said.
Hodson was at an industry event when someone mentioned Virginia Tech’s program in enology, or the science of winemaking, housed in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
“I loved the idea of a food science degree because I’m kind of a science nerd. I adored my food science degree. I didn't even know that it was an option in the world,” Hodson said. “We were learning how to do packaging and figure out the head pressure of pumps and how to sanitize. This whole world of food and food science was really intriguing.”
Winemaking is a little bit different in Virginia compared to other wine regions, making innovation a significant component of the equation.
“Innovation is crucial to winemaking in Virginia because we have a lot of different variables compared to other wine regions,” Hodson said. “We have very rich soils and we also have more rainfall than other typical wine growing regions.”
A single decision can completely change a wine’s taste. Hodson said Virginia Tech gave her confidence in her decision-making.
“My degree at Tech really laid the foundation for understanding all of the different decisions I have to make and feel comfortable about it,” Hodson said. “At Tech, I really learned the science of wine, and it allows me to really think outside of the box.”
Hodson represents the vineyard’s second generation. Her entire family plays a part in making Veritas successful. Looking ahead, Hodson is focused on preserving and strengthening the family business.
“We just have this wonderful sense of all rowing the same boat,” Hodson said. “I want the Veritas legacy to continue.”
Written by Emily Southern, a senior majoring in multimedia journalism and student writer for Virginia Tech Marketing and Communications
