Overview of world viticulture and winemaking

Objectives and competences

The student is aquatinted with the history of vine growing and winemaking and their present world status. He/she learns about geo-climatic conditions, typical grape varieties and winemaking techniques of the most well-known world viticultural areas. In addition, the reasons behind local characteristics and particularities of grape and wine production as well as the main quality assurance systems and wine label information are presented. The course thus provides the basic knowledge required to understand and recognize the specific characters of the wines with different origin.

Prerequisites

Not required.

Content

LECTURES:
• Short overview of viticulture and winemaking history
• Overview of the most important world vine-growing and winemaking areas and their geo-climatic characteristics
• Microclimate, mesoclimate, macroclimate, »terroir«
• Overview of world grape/wine production and consumption
• Characteristics of the viticulture and winemaking of so-called Old versus New world classification
• Appellation systems - quality categories and wine label information and data given within different wine producing countries/regions
• The world most known special/fortified wines
• Critical analysis of the wines produced in different vine-growing areas with the emphasis on the relationship between their sensory properties and factors associated with their place of origin.

EXERCISES:
• Each student prepares and presents a seminar about viticulture and enology of one selected world vine-growing area.
• Degustation of world well-known and region-specific wines with a common discussion about the characteristics and particularities associated with its growing area.

Intended learning outcomes

The knowledge of basic viticultural and winemaking historical facts, world's most important wine-growing areas and their geo-climatic characteristics, the most important global grape varieties and vinification procedures as well as the world's most recognized wines.
The knowledge and understanding of: basic tasting approaches; impact of geo-climatic characteristics and world viticultural and wine making specifics on the final organoleptic wine characteristics.

Readings

• Clark O. 2011. Wine atlas: Wines and wine regions of the world (6th Edition), London, Pavilion Books Press, 400 pp. Catalogue E-version
• Johnson H., Robinson J. 2007. The world atlas of wine (6th Edition), Octopus Publishing group Ltd, 336 pp. Catalogue E-version
• Jackson, R.S. 2000. Wine science: Principles, practice, perception. London, Academic Press, 648 pp. Catalogue E-version
Slides, Miteam UNG classrom, Moodle UNG classrom.

Assessment

Preparation of seminar, written examination (25/75)

Lecturer's references

Assistant professor for the field Enology, a head of Wine research center at University of Nova Gorica.

Referenes.