Certificate Program in Winemaking for Online Learners
The innovative Certificate Program in Winemaking for Online Learners is the product of a partnership between the world-renowned Department of Viticulture and Enology at UC Davis and UC Davis Extension, the continuing education branch of UC Davis. The certificate program is designed for individuals employed in the wine industry around the world who cannot attend courses at UC Davis, but who wish to understand the science of wine production and how to apply that science in their winery. Due to the intensive interaction between student and instructor, courses two through five are limited in enrollment to approximately 40 students.
Applying to the program
- If you are interested in completing the Winemaking for Online Learners Certificate Program, you must apply for acceptance into the program.
- Students will be expected to pay a one time, non-refundable certificate fee of $75 when enrolling in course two, Wine Production.
- Please review Course Fees and Policies and Chemistry Requirements before applying to the program.
About the Program
The certificate consists of five quarter-long (10 week) courses that are taught via distance learning. The first class, Introduction to Winemaking, is an introductory, lower-division class that is taught every quarter. It consists of lectures recorded on DVDs by faculty of the Department of Viticulture and Enology. The remaining four classes are all equivalent to upper-division science courses and are quite demanding in terms of time and content. The second class is Introduction to Wine Production. Please note: Due to high demand for the Winemaking for Online Learners Certificate Program, there is a waiting list for this course. The third class is Quality Control and Analysis in Winemaking. The fourth class is Wine Stability and Sensory Analysis. The fifth distance class is Viticulture for Winemakers. With the exception of the first course, all courses are limited in enrollment to 40 students to insure sufficient student/instructor interaction. All courses are offered multiple times during the year. Students must receive a grade of "C" or better in each course to earn this certificate.
Wine Production Waiting List
- There is currently a 12 month waiting list for the course Wine Production.
- Students will be notified when there is space available in the next offering of the course. If you decline that space, you will be contacted once more. However, if you choose to decline a second time, you will be dropped from the certificate program.
Non-degree credit
Although the courses draw heavily on material from the UC Davis curriculum, with the exception of Introduction to Winemaking, the courses are not duplicates of courses taught in the degree program at Davis. The classes are graded and rigorous, as are the courses within the degree program, but the online classes are somewhat less focused on theory and assume that the student has some practical experience in wine production. When successfully completed, these courses lead to a certificate in winemaking and cannot be applied to a degree program at Davis or elsewhere.
| UNITS | F | W | SP | SU | ||
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| REQUIRED COURSES | Introduction to Winemaking | 3 | 
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| Wine Production for Distance Learners | 4 |
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| Quality Control and Analysis in Winemaking | 4 |
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| Wine Stability and Sensory Analysis for Distance Learners | 4 |
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| Viticulture for Winemakers | 3.5 |
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Online Learning format |
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Required Courses
Introduction to Winemaking
3 quarter units academic credit, XD3.
Whether you’re interested in a career in the wine industry or are just a devoted enophile, you can take this unique course at home, at your convenience. Using 28 hours of recorded DVD lectures, become acquainted with the fundamental processes involved in winemaking through a combination of general and technical information. Learn about the history of wine, wine and health issues, how to interpret a wine label and the international wine industry. Lectures are provided by faculty in the Department of Viticulture and Enology, UC Davis. This class also features a supporting website that includes hundreds of full-color photographs and other helpful material for online study. The curriculum of this course is an exact duplicate of the curriculum of VEN 3 Introduction to Winemaking, the UC Davis undergraduate course in viticulture and enology.
This is the first course in the Winemaking for Online Learners Certificate Program. It can be taken as an individual course or as part of the certificate program. If you are interested in the certificate program, you must complete an application in addition to enrolling for this course. The application may be found on our website. This course must be completed with a grade of "C" or better in order to continue to course two in the certificate program.
How you benefit
- Flexibility to view recorded courses at any time
- Email access to instructor
- Access to this top-quality, college-level course from anywhere in the world
- Internationally recognized program and instructors
Who should enroll
Individuals working in the wine industry and affiliated networks, entry-level winery employees, wine marketing and hospitality workers, distributors, restaurateurs and wine enthusiasts.
How does this online course work?
You will take the course under the supervision of faculty from the Department of Viticulture and Enology, UC Davis. You receive a set of DVDs comprising all course lectures (approximately 28 hours in total), a course reader and access to the class website that can be used to review lecture and slide material.
Interaction with the instructor is via email. The DVDs can be viewed at the time and place of your choosing, as long as all relevant material has been covered before midterm and final deadlines. Expect to spend approximately 8-10 hours per week viewing lectures and reviewing materials for this class. While the time you spend each week may fluctuate to accommodate your schedule, completion of the course does require considerable time and effort on your part. The mid-term and final exams must be completed in the presence of an approved proctor and post-marked by a specific date. Detailed guidelines for choosing a proctor will be sent upon enrollment. Past proctors have included work supervisors, librarians, extension agents and others. If you wish to audit the course (for the same fee), you are not required to identify a proctor.
Sections of this course open for enrollment:
- Introduction to Winemaking
starts September 28
Wine Production for Distance Learners
4 quarter units academic credit, X402.21.
Download course outline 
(85 KB)
This is the second course in the Winemaking for Online Learners Certificate Program. It can be taken as an individual course or as part of the certificate program, however enrollment priority is given to certificate program students. Please note: Due to high demand for the Winemaking for Online Learners Certificate Program, there is a waiting list for this course. In order to be added to the waiting list for Wine Production you must first complete and submit an application. If you are accepted, you will be placed on the waiting list and you will be notified via email when there is space available in this course.
The curriculum of this course is closely based on the curriculum of VEN 124 Wine Production, the graduate course offered by the Department of Viticulture and Enology, UC Davis. Both courses are taught by Professor Linda Bisson, Ph.D.
This course presents an overview of all technical aspects of wine production with an emphasis on fermentation management and pre-fermentation processes, options and strategies. You will receive the same lecture material as students in VEN 124 with the addition of online lab exercises augmented by student reports. The class is limited in size to 40 students to insure student/instructor interaction.
Unlike Introduction to Winemaking, this course expects and requires significant interaction with the instructor and fellow students in the form of readings, lab reports and exercises, which you will submit via the Internet. Wine Production focuses primarily on prefermentation decisions and the management of alcoholic and malolactic fermentations. To a lesser degree, it addresses post-fermentation wine processing, which is covered in much greater detail in Wine Stability and Sensory Analysis. Topics addressed include: the influence of grape composition and ripening on harvest decision and resulting wine style; grape and must processing (including juice and must treatment and additions); the alcoholic fermentation with emphasis on yeast biology, fermentation management, and understanding and rectifying problem or stuck fermentations; the biology of lactic acid bacteria and the management of the malolactic fermentation; and cellar operations and wine stability, including a review of clarification, filtration, fining, aging and blending of wines.
Prerequisites:
Introduction to Winemaking, (3 units of academic credit) or possible substitution of winery work experience. This is the second course in the Winemaking for Distance Learners certificate program and you must successfully complete (with a grade of c or better) the prerequisite in order to take this course. Also successful completion of college level courses in chemistry and biology are required. Call Kaddie Kandola at (530)757-8552.
This course is not currently scheduled.
Quality Control and Analysis in Winemaking
4 quarter units academic credit, X402.22.
This is the third course in the Certificate Program in Winemaking for Online Learners. This course can only be taken as part of the complete certificate program.
The curriculum of this course is based on a combination of topics covered in two UC Davis graduate courses in the Department of Viticulture and Enology: VEN 123 Analysis of Musts and Wines and VEN 128 Wine Microbiology.
Receive an introduction to the principle chemical and microbiological factors and analyses that influence wine production, and the effects of these processes on wine production. Developed with specific winemaking stages in mind, you will explore combined theory and practical winemaking analytical methods, the applications of which are important at various times and critical decision-making moments during winemaking. You'll receive information for understanding the parameters of juice, fermentation, wine ageing and conservation, problem solving, bottling and legal issues. Aspects of microbial control from grape harvest to bottling of wine will also be presented. These practical winery analyses will demonstrate various physical, chemical, biochemical, and microbiological methods. Emphasis will be given to competency in the theory and calculations of wine chemical and microbiological analyses toward wine quality controls.
Prerequisites:
Introduction to Winemaking, Wine Production for Distance Learners, This is the third course in the Winemaking for Distance Learners Certificate Program and you MUST successfully complete (with a grade of "C" or better) all prerequisites in order to take this course.
This course is not currently scheduled.
Wine Stability and Sensory Analysis for Distance Learners
4 quarter units academic credit, X402.23.
This is the fourth course in the Certificate Program in Winemaking for Online Learners.
The curriculum of this course is based on a combination of topics from two UC Davis graduate courses offered by the Department of Viticulture and Enology: VEN 125 Wine Types and Sensory Evaluation and VEN 126 Wine Stability.
This is an introduction to the principle physical, chemical and microbiological factors and analyses that influence the stages of wine production from the end of fermentation to bottling as they apply to controlling wine stability and conservation. The focus will be on equipment and procedures suitable for smaller wineries.
This course will explore various methods for testing and controlling wine stability including: filtration, bentonite fining; metal stability, copper ion fining, protein and PVPP fining agents, blue fining; potassium bitartrate stability; ion-exchange processes, and oxidative and hydrolytic enzymes.
This course will include lessons on the basic anatomy and physiology of human organoleptic senses as they influence our interaction with wine. Basic sensory science analyses such as component recognitions tests, discrimination tests, paired comparisons, and triangular tests will be introduced, however, the emphasis will be on wine appreciation, not statistical analysis (UC Davis Extension offers a sensory science certificate course).
Developed with specific winemaking stages in mind, this course explores combined theory and practical winemaking methods, the applications of which are important at various times and critical decision-making moments during winemaking. They provide information for understanding wine ageing and conservation, problem solving, bottling and legal issues. These practical winery analyses will demonstrate various physical, chemical, biochemical, and sensory analysis methods. Emphasis will be given to competency in the theory and calculations of wine analyses and additions toward wine quality controls.
Learn how to:
- Clarify wine in an appropriate manner.
- Evaluate the stability of wine and suggest remedial action for problem wines.
- Use a systematic and scientific approach to the practice of assessing wine qualities that influence winemaking or purchasing decisions.
- Understand the principle mechanisms of sensory perception.
- Identify the major and minor components of wine and understand the importance of balance among components.
- Recognize major faults in wine such as imbalance, oxidation, microbial spoilage, and hazes.
- Apply fundamental principles of analytical chemistry and microbiology.
- Gain theoretical experience with some specific analytical methods and treatments used in winemaking.
- Evaluate the limits, advantages, and applications of a variety of analytical techniques in order to choose methods most appropriate for a given situation.
- Identify appropriate literature sources for analytical information.
- Appreciate the importance and relevance of ongoing quality control throughout the winemaking process.
Prerequisites:
Introduction to Winemaking, Wine Production for Distance Learners, Quality Control and Analysis in Winemaking, This is the fourth course in the Winemaking for Distance Learners Certificate Program and you MUST successfully complete (with a grade of "C" or better) all prerequisites in order to take this course.
This course is not currently scheduled.
Viticulture for Winemakers
3.5 quarter units academic credit, X402.25.
Through web-based lectures, supplemental readings and group web discussions, this course reviews how basic viticulture relates to wine production and quality. It will provide winemakers and enologists with an understanding of how winegrapes are grown, along with biological, environmental and management factors that influence fruit and wine quality. Students will also develop a hypothetical vineyard to meet their winemaking objectives.
This course is not currently scheduled.
For More Information
testimonials
I was in the first graduating class of the program and I cannot say enough good things about it. After the program I felt I had a greater understanding of what I was doing and found myself taking on tasks that I didn't have the confidence before to tackle on my own. With the information I learned through the program, I feel as if I not only can pull the hoses, but make the executive decisions as well!
Taylor Bartolucci, Madonna Estate
