Oregon alumnus turns German degree into a winemaking career in Austria
 

When Owen McNally, BA ’23, arrived at the University of Oregon, he never imagined that his journey would lead him to a career in winemaking—let alone in Austria.

Originally an architecture major, he decided to change his major to German after a class sparked his interest. A year-long exchange program in Tübingen, Germany deepened his passion for language and culture. After graduating, he gained hands-on experience at a winery in the Willamette Valley before moving to Austria’s Wachau Valley. Today he works as an assistant winemaker for a company called Tegernseerhof. 

There, he is involved in nearly every aspect of the business—from planting new stalks, to crushing grapes, bottling and labeling wine, selling it, and more.

“I guess you could say my job is pretty much vineyard to glass,” McNally said. 

Entering college, McNally never expected to work in the wine business or speak fluent German, but through a process of self-discovery and getting outside of his comfort zone, he has created his own unique path.

“I was studying German for my BA language requirement, and I always had an interest in the German language. The program was very good at the UO; everybody you learn from is a native German speaker. Just getting to immerse yourself in a new culture with such a fascinating language drew me to the idea of [studying abroad]. COVID was also happening when I was in college, so I really wanted the opportunity to travel and make up for the time that we spent online. So, I did an exchange year in Germany through the university.”

After returning from his exchange and graduating, McNally landed a management position at a winery in the Willamette Valley, where he had previously worked in college. As he spent more time in the winemaking business, his love for the work grew and he decided to pursue wine as a career. However, he felt his life was missing one thing: the opportunity to use his German degree. 

“I was thinking to myself, ‘I really want to speak German and live in Europe again. Why don't I just go work for a vineyard in Austria or Germany?’ So I put my resume up. The education I got in Germany and at the UO gave me an advantage because I spoke German.”

He uploaded his resume to a website called weinjobs.com, an online job board for opportunities in the wine industry in German-speaking countries. McNally's now boss and owner of Tegernseerhof, Martin Mittelbach, contacted him through the website, offering him a role to help make wine and conduct tastings bilingually. Before he knew it, McNally was packing his bags for Austria, ready for a new adventure.

During harvest season, the work is intense, and the days are long. With only three to four employees in the cellar at a time, the Tegernseerhof team is all-hands-on deck for about two months, working twelve to thirteen hours a day.

“During the harvest, we work non-stop, [and] we don't have days off. Around 6:00 in the morning you get there, and you immediately start working, . . . cleaning all the equipment. By 8:00 or 9:00, the vineyard team begins bringing in grapes, so I do a sugar test and weigh them. That way we can analyze the yield from certain vineyards and the quality of the fruit that we're getting.”

While working for a family-owned winery proves to be a full workload, McNally also takes time to explore his new surroundings and to soak in the Austrian culture.

“I would say the biggest takeaway from working for a family winery is it's really busy all the time. [When I have breaks], I definitely explore the country. I've been to other wineries, and I've seen some sites of historical significance.”

McNally has been enjoying his time across the world from his Portland-area hometown, but has yet to decide where his future will take him next. He plans to stay in the wine business, but is weighing his options on continuing his career in Europe or eventually making his way back to the US. 

“I definitely want to stay here for two years, and then after that I will ask myself whether I want to remain in Europe and continue with this, or do I want to take my experience back to the United States where, you know, it could be valuable experience? I just don't know yet.” 
 

Through all of the uncertainty McNally has faced over the past few years and the hard work he has put in, he offers sage advice to current students and fellow recent graduates.

“Don't be afraid of going to a new country and to go outside of your comfort zone. Everything will be okay! There are always support systems in place for you.”

—By Olivia Arciniega, UOAA student associate, class of 2026