Viticulture and Enology: An Educational Wine Tour 

The course gives both a general overview of the Italian viticulture and a systematic description of the grapevines. The students will study the history of viticulture, the life cycle of a vineyard and of a grapevine, and the processes that took place to arrive at modern viticulture. Course topics include environmental analysis, the choice of the right rootstocks for varying conditions, crafting techniques, canopy systems, trellis control, protections from pests and diseases, cultivation issues that positively or negatively affect winemaking, and cost management factors. Emphasis will be put on comparative cultivation systems among conventional, organic and biodynamic techniques. An introduction to microbiology will help students completing all aspects related to enology. Students have the opportunity to learn directly from wine producers through a series of activities held in professional contexts. This course also features a field learning component in relevant Italian locations to supplement and enrich academic topic.