Wine / Enology Grape Chemistry Group

Wines and Vines Course

IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR PROSPECTIVE SPRING 2008 STUDENTS: If you are not registered and wish to add, you MUST attend the first class meeting and sign the ADD sheet provided at the beginning of class. There will be no exceptions to this procedure. Wines and Vines is a popular class, and only a fraction of those wishing to add can be accommodated.

In addition:

  • all students MUST be 21 by January 15th, 2008
  • This class is not open to audit students and no students will be allowed to add as audits.

Email:

Course Title: Wines and Vines
Course #: FST. 3114 and HORT. 3114
Instructor: Dr. B. W. Zoecklein - Dept. of Food Science and Technology
Credits: 3 hours
Schedule: Lecture: 5:00 - 6:15 pm, T/TH, Whittemore 300
Sensory Labs: 5:50 - 8:30 pm, Owens Banquet Hall - North, Feb 12, 19 & 26, March 18, April 1 & 15. You must attend each sensory session.
Office: Food Science and Technology, Room 14
Administrative Assistant:
TA:

Denise M. Gardner
Room A-3, Food Science Building
Office Hours By Appointment Only
email:
phone: 540-231-9843

Required Texts: The University Wine Course, M. W. Baldy
Windows on the World Wine Course, Kevin Zraly
Teaching Aids: Handouts and slides. Handouts will be distributed once.
Office Hours TBA

Students practice opening sparkling wine at a sensory session, spring '99.
 Students practice opening sparkling wine at a sensory session in spring of 1999

Assignments
Food and Wine
Wines and Vines Photos
Grades and Answers!

bottles and grapes horizontal rule

Major Topics Covered:

  • The theory and practice of sensory evaluation.
  • The science of winemaking - white table wine production.
  • Grape varieties used in white wine production.
    • The sensory evaluation of white wines.
  • Red table wine production.
  • The grape varieties used in red wine production.
    • The sensory evaluation of red table wines.
  • The production of sparkling wines.
  • The grape varieties used in sparkling wines.
    • The sensory evaluation of sparkling wines.
  • The production of dessert wines.
  • The grape varieties used in dessert wine production.
    • The sensory evaluation of dessert wines.
  • Basic viticulture principles
  • Why all great wines are made in vineyards.
  • Wines of the world:
    • United States (California & Virginia)
    • Germany
    • France
    • Italy
    • Spain
    • Portugal
  • Reading and understanding wine labels.
  • Selecting wines.
  • Food and wine pairing.
  • Wine and health.
  • Wine and society - alcohol abuse.
  • Grape and wine research conducted at Virginia Tech

Goals for the Semester:
The student will:

  1. be able to define the basic wine types and explain how they are made.
  2. learn a systematic technique for the sensory evaluation of wines.
  3. be able to correctly use basic terms to discribe the sensory properties of wines.
  4. sample a variety of wine types and styles produced around the world.
  5. learn how the sensory characteristics of a wine arise from the vineyard and winery.
  6. learn the concepts of food and wine pairing.
  7. understand wine label information.
  8. know and understand about the health and social issues surrounding wine.
  9. understand basic winemaking.
  10. know how and where they can continue to learn more about wines.

Course Requirements and Restrictions

  1. All students must pay a laboratory fee of $40. FEE MUST BE PAID BY 1/22/08 AND IS NONREFUNDABLE.
  2. All students must attend at least 4 additional sensory sessions held in the Food Science and Technology Building.
  3. Students must participate in all sensory sessions and at least one sensory lab set-up (requires being at Owens by 5:15 on the day assigned). Sensory session dates: 5:50 - 8:30 pm, Owens Banquet Hall - North, Feb 12, 19 & 26, March 18, April 1 & 15. You must attend each sensory session.
  4. Students must be at least 21 years old by January 15 th, 2008.
  5. Attendance of lecture and lab is mandatory; seating is assigned.
  6. The use of Tech Notes or any other notes for fee service is not permitted in this course and will constitute a violation of the Virginia Tech Honor Code

Grading:
Unannounced quizzes and class participation - 7%
Exam 1 - 29% (Time TBA)
Exam 2 - 29% (Time TBA)
Final Exam - 35% (Time - consult class schedule) and consists of Exam 3 PLUS A CUMULATIVE SECTION
The lowest quiz score will be dropped. There will be no makeup quizzes.
Exam Types: Mainly multiple choice, also short answer and essay
PASS/FAIL STUDENTS MUST ATTAIN AN AVERAGE OF 70% OR MORE TO PASS.

Much of the lecture material will be complemented by assigned readings. Exams and quizzes will cover both lecture and reading material. Lectures will be supplemented by handouts and slides, therefore, your participation in class is critical to a full understanding of the subject matter. All aspects of course work are covered by the Virginia Tech Honor Code.

Since sensory evaluation is an essential component of this course, all students must be at least 21 years old by January 15th, 2008 - no exceptions will be allowed. Each student must sign an age waiver honoring that declaration.

Laboratory fee of $40.00 will cover the cost of renting the room and purchasing the wines used for evaluations. The fee must be paid by Tuesday, January 22, 2008 by check or money order made payable to Wines and Vines, Virginia Tech. Checks will be accepted during class meetings. At other times, payment must be deposited with Terry Rakestraw in the Food Science and Technology building. Please avoid paying with cash. There will be no refund of the lab fee.

Any student who fails to pay the laboratory fee by 1/22/08 will be either dropped from the course or will receive an incomplete!

"Wine is one of the most civilized things in the world, and one of the material things of the world that has been brought to the greatest perfection, and which offers a greater range of enjoyment and appreciation than, possibly, any other purely sensory thing that may be purchased." -- Ernest Hemingway