Wine and Viticulture (WVIT)

Introduction to the wine and viticulture program. Emphasis on curriculum and career planning. Credit/No Credit grading only. 1 lecture.

Introduction to wine grape growing, winemaking, and wine business. Brief history and overview of major global wine regions, including growing conditions, grape varieties, winemaking styles, and wine business practices. 4 lectures.

Introduction to the science of winemaking: development of wine components in grapes, grape maturation, harvesting, pre-fermentation wine-making methods, alcoholic fermentation, malolactic fermentation, wine maturation and post fermentation practices, wine spoilage, maintenance of wine integrity. 4 lectures.

Fundamentals of grape growing, with emphasis on wine grapes. Fundamentals of vine anatomy and physiology, development and phenology, trellising systems, soils, climatic factors, vineyard establishment, grafting, irrigation, fertility, harvest practices, pruning, major pests, and major varieties and rootstocks. Not open to students with credit in WVIT 231. Course may be offered in classroom-based or online format. 4 lectures. Crosslisted as PLSC 232/WVIT 233. Formerly AEPS 232/WVIT 233.

Directed group study of selected topics. The Class Schedule will list topic selected. Total credit limited to 8 units. 1 to 4 lectures.

Fundamentals of viticulture and enology. Overview of grapevine physiology, major varieties, soils, climatic factors, management practices and wine regions of the world. Exploration of wine fermentation, finishing, aging, bottling and wine chemistry. Compare red, white, sparkling and fortified wine production. Not open to students with credit in WVIT 202 or WVIT 233. 4 lectures. Fulfills GE Area Upper-Division B (GE Areas B5, B6, or B7 for students on the 2019-20 catalog).

Wine yeasts, bacteria, and molds: morphology and methods of identification; successful alcoholic and malolactic fermentations; management and prevention of unwanted microbial growth; micro-organisms and flavor development. 3 lectures, 1 laboratory. Crosslisted as MCRO/WVIT 301.

Alcoholic and malolactic fermentation, maturation, stabilization and bottling of finished wines. Not open to students with credit in WVIT 404, WVIT 405 or WVIT 406. 1 lecture, 1 laboratory.

Advanced viticulture theory and practice, with an emphasis on fall season activities. Identification of rootstocks, wine and table grapes, species taxonomy and diversity, and breeding for grapevine improvement. Field trips may be required. Course may be offered in classroom-based or online format. 3 lectures, 1 laboratory. Crosslisted as PLSC/WVIT 331. Formerly AEPS/WVIT 331.

Advanced viticulture theory and practice with emphasis on winter season activities. Pruning to influence vine balance, productivity, training and trellising systems, vineyard establishment, cover cropping and weed management. Field trips required. 3 lectures, 1 laboratory. Crosslisted as PLSC 336/WVIT 332. Formerly AEPS 336/WVIT 332.

Advanced viticulture theory and practices with emphasis on spring activities. Vine source/sink relations, factors impacting yield and berry composition, the role environmental conditions on vine physiology, and canopy management. Field trips required. Course may be offered in classroom-based or online format. 3 lectures, 1 laboratory. Crosslisted as PLSC 337/WVIT 333. Formerly AEPS 337/WVIT 333.

One or two quarters spent with an approved wine industry employer engaged in wine production or related agribusiness and viticulture activities. Applying and developing production and managerial skills and abilities. One unit of credit may be allowed for each full week of completed and reported internship. Total Major credit limited to 6 units. Total credit limited to 12 units. Credit/No Credit grading only.

Wine pricing as it relates to quality, packaging, and service. Distribution options with emphasis on the three tier system, promotional strategies, including public relations, mass media advertising, personal selling, and direct marketing. Domestic and international marketplaces. 4 lectures.

Factors driving direct-to-consumer initiatives in the US wine business: tasting rooms, wine clubs/mailing lists, eCommerce, telemarketing, and events. Using current research and case studies to explore features of a direct-to-consumer approach, while facilitating compliance. Topics include: experiential marketing, social media, brand differentiation. 4 lectures.

Application of statistical theory to design research to examine the wine and grape markets. Research examining the evaluation of appropriate data collection methods, quantitative analyses, and interpretation of primary and secondary wine and grape industry data. 4 lectures. Formerly WVIT 444.

Development of digital marketing skills (audio and video) and techniques to produce content for wineries and evaluate results. Emphasis on regulatory restrictions in wine marketing, return on investment strategy, optimization and analytic metrics and customer acquisition costs. Course may be offered in classroom-based or online format. 4 lectures.

Winery laboratory practices. Basic principles, techniques, and interpretation of common analyses for sugars, acidity, nitrogen, alcohol, volatile acidity, sulfur dioxide, phenols and color; wine and must amelioration, amendment effects, usage, calculations and procedures of addition. 3 lectures, 1 laboratory.

Individual investigation, research, studies, or surveys of selected problems. Total credit limited to 6 units, with a maximum of 4 units per quarter.

Planning, managing and implementing harvest in the pilot winery; sanitation practices; monitoring grape maturity; handling juices and musts; alcoholic and malolactic fermentation, general cellar practices; sensory and laboratory analyses. 3 lectures, 1 laboratory.

Planning, managing and implementing harvest in the pilot winery; sanitation practices; monitoring and maintaining wine integrity; planning for bottling; blending trials; general cellar practices; sensory and laboratory analyses. 3 lectures, 1 laboratory.

Planning, managing and implementing the preparation of wine for bottling; blending; fining; filtration; bottling; conducting general cellar practices; sensory and laboratory analyses. 3 lectures, 1 laboratory.

Comprehensive survey of major grape pests including diseases, insects, weeds, vertebrates, and nematodes. Identification and biology of grape pests and natural enemies, monitoring, and integrated pest management (IPM) strategies, including cultural, biological, and chemical controls. Guest lectures. 3 lectures, 1 activity. Crosslisted as PLSC/WVIT 414. Formerly AEPS/WVIT 414.

Legal aspects of wine making/marketing. Emphasis of both Federal (Tax and Trade Bureau) and State business requirements as well as State and Federal regulations impacting winery and viticultural practices in California. 4 lectures.

Winegrape vineyard management practices including: financial projections and budgeting, contracting and supervision of labor, trellis installation and repair, irrigation systems maintenance, fertilization and spray scheduling. Field trips required. 3 lectures, 1 laboratory.

Professional selling in the wine industry. Selling wine through the seven avenues of wine distribution in the 3-tier system. Exploration of aspects of wine selling, from customer relation management to cultural and legal differences among states. How strategies for selling differ for various sized wineries. 4 lectures.

Evaluation of wines using the techniques in sensory evaluation. Difference and rating tests; descriptive analysis and pairing of wine and food. 3 lectures, 1 laboratory.

Scope and elements of the international wine logistics system including supply and distribution channels, transportation, inventory, warehousing, packaging and order processing. 4 lectures.

The strategic planning process for wine businesses. Development of a complete business plan with careful adherence to the unique and complex regulations that apply to wine businesses. The business plan will include specification of the product, distribution, finance, and marketing. 4 lectures.

Selection and analysis of wine and viticulture business problems and opportunities in directed group-based projects. Problems typical to those that graduates may encounter in marketing and management in the wine and viticulture industry. Formal report and presentation required. 4 lectures.

Current issues and trends in viticulture, enology and wine business. Career opportunities and planning for WVIT majors nearing graduation. 2 seminars.

Completion of a research proposal and comprehensive literature review, including analysis of experimental results from published peer-reviewed articles in enology and/or viticulture. Written and oral presentations. 4 lectures.

Involvement in the experimental design, execution, data analysis and reporting of research under the direct supervision of faculty. Completion of several critiques of current peer-reviewed journal articles in enology and/or viticulture. Total credit limited to 4 units.

Directed group study of selected topics for advanced students. Open to undergraduate and graduate students. The Class Schedule will list topic selected. Total credit limited to 8 units. 1 to 4 lectures.

Directed group laboratory study of selected topics for advanced students. Open to undergraduate and graduate students. The Class Schedule will list topic selected. Total credit limited to 8 units. 1 to 4 laboratories.

Advanced sensory evaluation of wines. Human physiology and wine chemistry in the interphase of wine sensory analysis. Wine varieties and styles, including selected appellations of Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Chile, Argentina, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and United States. 3 lectures, 1 laboratory.