Oenology Training Course

Lesson 1 • Grape Berry Composition

Examines sugars, acids, phenolics, and aroma precursors within the berry. Links berry chemistry to fermentation inputs and final wine style.

Lesson 2 • Introduction to Winemaking Chemistry

Introduces pH, titratable acidity, sulfur dioxide, and redox potential as core chemical parameters. Grounds students in the analytical language used throughout the course.

Lesson 3 • Principal Grape Varieties

Surveys major red and white cultivars, their ampelographic traits, and flavour profiles. Provides the variety knowledge required for blending and style decisions.

Lesson 4 • Terroir and Climate Influences

Defines terroir as the interaction of soil, climate, and topography on grape character. Connects site selection to wine typicity and regional identity.

Lesson 1 • Pre-Fermentation Juice Treatments

Covers cold settling, flotation, enzyme additions, and initial sulfur dioxide dosing. These treatments protect juice quality and prepare it for controlled fermentation.

Lesson 2 • Grape Reception and Sorting

Details receiving protocols, optical and manual sorting, and initial quality grading. Sorting directly controls the raw material quality entering fermentation.

Lesson 3 • Harvest Timing and Maturity Assessment

Covers sugar, acid, and phenolic ripeness indices and sampling methods. Accurate harvest timing is the first critical quality decision an enologist makes.

Lesson 4 • Destemming, Crushing, and Pressing

Explains destemmer-crusher mechanics, whole-cluster pressing, and press fraction management. Equipment settings at this stage determine extraction levels and juice quality.

Lesson 1 • Temperature Control and Fermentation Vessels

Compares stainless steel tanks, concrete eggs, and oak vessels for temperature and oxygen management. Vessel choice and temperature regime define fermentation character and style.

Lesson 2 • Yeast Biology and Ecology

Examines Saccharomyces cerevisiae physiology, indigenous yeast populations, and competitive dynamics. Understanding yeast ecology underpins inoculation and fermentation management choices.

Lesson 3 • Commercial Yeast Selection and Inoculation

Covers strain selection criteria, rehydration protocols, and inoculation rates for diverse wine styles. Proper inoculation prevents stuck fermentations and shapes sensory outcomes.

Lesson 4 • Nutrient Management and Stuck Fermentation

Addresses yeast assimilable nitrogen, micronutrient additions, and protocols for restarting stuck fermentations. Nutrient management is critical for fermentation completion and aroma quality.

Lesson 1 • Cap Management Techniques

Covers pump-over, punch-down, rack-and-return, and rotary fermentation for cap management. Each technique delivers different extraction intensity and oxygen exposure levels.

Lesson 2 • Pressing and Post-Fermentation Operations

Covers press timing, press fraction integration, and immediate post-fermentation stabilisation steps. Decisions here determine final tannin structure and wine volume recovery.

Lesson 3 • Maceration Theory and Extraction

Explains anthocyanin and tannin extraction kinetics, maceration duration, and temperature effects. Extraction control is the defining skill in red wine quality management.

Lesson 4 • Extended Maceration and Thermovinification

Examines post-fermentation maceration for tannin softening and thermovinification for colour extraction. These advanced techniques expand the enologist's toolkit for specific wine styles.

Lesson 1 • Rosé Production Methods

Compares direct pressing, saignée, and short maceration for rosé colour and style. Colour extraction control and aromatic freshness are the key technical objectives.

Lesson 2 • Oxidative Protection in White Winemaking

Covers inert gas blanketing, antioxidant additions, and reductive handling from press to tank. Oxidative protection is the primary quality lever in white wine production.

Lesson 3 • Skin-Contact and Orange Wine Techniques

Details maceration duration, phenolic extraction, and oxidative handling for skin-contact white wines. Provides the technical framework for producing structured, textured white wines.

Lesson 4 • Juice Clarification and Settling

Explains static settling, centrifugation, and flotation for white juice clarification. Turbidity level at fermentation onset directly affects aromatic intensity and fermentation kinetics.

Lesson 1 • MLF Inoculation and Monitoring

Addresses bacterial strain selection, inoculation timing, and paper chromatography or enzymatic monitoring. Controlled MLF onset prevents spoilage and ensures complete conversion.

Lesson 2 • Microbial Stabilisation Strategies

Addresses SO2 management, sterile filtration, and heat treatment for microbial stability. Microbial control prevents refermentation and spoilage in bottled wine.

Lesson 3 • Protein Stabilisation and Fining

Covers heat test, bentonite dosage trials, and alternative protein fining agents. Protein haze prevention is essential for white and rosé wine shelf stability.

Lesson 4 • Tartrate Stabilisation

Explains cold stabilisation, electrodialysis, and carboxymethylcellulose inhibition of tartrate crystal formation. Tartrate stability is a commercial requirement for most bottled wines.

Lesson 1 • Lees Maturation and Battonage

Explains sur lie maturation, battonage frequency, and mannoproteins' role in texture and stability. Lees contact is a key technique for building mouthfeel and aromatic complexity.

Lesson 2 • Blending Strategy and Execution

Covers component analysis, bench trials, and sensory evaluation for constructing final blends. Blending is the enologist's most powerful tool for achieving consistent wine quality.

Lesson 3 • Wine Chemistry During Maturation

Examines polymerisation, esterification, and oxidative reactions that transform wine during maturation. Understanding maturation chemistry enables accurate prediction of wine evolution and style.

Lesson 4 • Alternative Oak and Micro-Oxygenation

Addresses oak staves, chips, and micro-oxygenation as cost-effective alternatives to barrel maturation. These tools allow oak and oxygen management across diverse production scales.

Lesson 1 • Core Laboratory Analytical Methods

Covers titration, spectrophotometry, enzymatic assays, and gas chromatography for routine wine analysis. Accurate laboratory data drives every corrective and preventive winemaking decision.

Lesson 2 • Pre-Bottling Preparation and Filtration

Covers final analytical checks, fining adjustments, and filtration train design before bottling. Pre-bottling preparation ensures chemical, microbial, and sensory readiness.

Lesson 3 • Bottling Line Operations and Closures

Explains filling, corking, capping, and closure selection for oxygen ingress control and shelf life. Bottling line management is the final quality gate before wine reaches the consumer.

Lesson 4 • Sensory Evaluation and Panel Training

Addresses triangle tests, descriptive analysis, and defect recognition for structured sensory evaluation. Sensory data complements analytical data in quality control decision-making.