Foundations of Wine Studies: Viticulture, Vinification, and the Language of Tasting

Wine is made in the vineyard before it is made in the winery. Understanding why a Burgundy smells of forest floor rather than fruit, or why a Riesling from the Mosel tastes different from one made a hundred miles east from the same grape, requires knowing how soil, climate, canopy management, yield, and winemaking decisions accumulate to produce a specific sensory profile. Without that framework, wine tasting is a collection of impressions rather than a coherent body of knowledge. By the end of this course you will be able to describe how key viticultural variables — climate, soil, aspect, and vine training — influence grape composition, explain the major winemaking processes for still, sparkling, and fortified wines, use a structured tasting methodology to systematically evaluate a wine's appearance, nose, and palate, and identify the principal wine regions and their defining characteristics. What you will learn: - Viticulture fundamentals: the vine growth cycle, canopy management, and how yield affects concentration - Climate types and their effect: cool vs. warm vs. hot climate signatures in acidity, alcohol, and aromatics - Soil science for wine: the role of drainage, mineral content, and heat retention in viticulture - Vinification of white and red wines: crushing, fermentation, maceration, pressing, and aging options - Malolactic fermentation and its effect on texture and acidity in wine - Sparkling wine production: traditional method, tank method, and carbonation — how they differ in style - Fortified wines: the role of spirit addition in Port, Sherry, and Madeira styles - Structured tasting methodology: the systematic approach used in professional wine examinations This course is organized as detailed readings covering the vine, the winery, and the evaluation framework in sequence. Annotated diagrams illustrate the vine growth cycle, a winery production flow, and a structured tasting grid. Case studies compare how the same grape variety — Chardonnay — expresses differently across Chablis, Burgundy, California, and Australia, tracing each viticultural and winemaking variable responsible for the difference. This course is designed for wine students, hospitality professionals, and enthusiasts who want a serious analytical framework for their wine knowledge. No prior wine education is required. This course is educational; professional sommelier certification requires formal examination through recognized bodies such as the Court of Master Sommeliers or the Wine & Spirit Education Trust.