Foundations of Wine Science

Postgraduate | 2026

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Area/Catalogue
BUSI 5028
Course ID icon
Course ID
201793
Level of study
Level of study
Postgraduate
Unit value icon
Unit value
6
Course level icon
Course level
1
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Inbound study abroad and exchange
Inbound study abroad and exchange
The fee you pay will depend on the number and type of courses you study.
Yes
University-wide elective icon
University-wide elective course
Yes
Single course enrollment
Single course enrolment
Yes
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Note:
Course data is interim and subject to change

Course overview

Foundations of Wine Science aims to give students an understanding of basic viticultural, oenological and sensory principles and practices. Topics covered include grape varieties; grapevine structure and function; the annual growth cycle of the grapevine; the factors that influence crop yield; the grapevine source/sink balance; berry development and composition; wine classification; the unit operations involved in winemaking; the taste and olfactory system; and taste and aroma interactions. Practical sessions will focus on grapevine anatomy, variety identification and berry ripening, along with technical wine evaluation (i.e. training in the recognition and evaluation of different wine styles and their characteristic sensory attributes).

Course learning outcomes

  • Describe the morphology, annual growth cycle and fruit development of the grapevine
  • Understand the photosynthetic process and explain the influence of factors such as light and temperature on photosynthetic activity and grape composition, yield and quality
  • Outline the processes involved in winemaking that occur before, during and after fermentation, and how these influence wine style and quality
  • Differentiate the basic sensory processes, their application to technical wine evaluation and the sensory attributes characteristic of different wine styles
  • Communicate the results of experimental data in written form

Prerequisite(s)

N/A

Corequisite(s)

N/A

Antirequisite(s)

N/A