Last updated: June 15, 2007 @ 11:59AM

Oenology and Viticulture

This program is offered through the Department of Biological Sciences

Chair
Gary Pickering

Co-ordinator, Experiential Learning/Co-op
E. Brian Grant

Instructors/Senior Demonstrators
David Hulley, Kevin W. Ker, Christopher Waters, Linda Bramble

Senior Laboratory Demonstrator
Gail Higenell

Participating Faculty
Carman Cullen, Daryl Dagesse, Helen Fisher, Debra Inglis, Isabelle Lesschaeve, Wendy McFadden-Smith, Gary Pickering, Andrew G. Reynolds, Anthony B. Shaw

Co-operating Faculty from:
Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Computer Science, Earth Sciences, Geography, Mathematics, Marketing, International Business and Strategy and Physics

General Information

Administrative Co-ordinator
Barb Tatarnic

905-688-5550, extension 4652
Inniskillin Hall 206
http://www.brocku.ca/ccovi/acad/

A four-year Honours Co-operative program leading to a Bachelor of Science in Oenology and Viticulture is designed to meet the growing needs of the grape, grape juice and wine industries of cool climate regions. The aim of the program is to provide a comprehensive scientific education combined with both hands-on and industrial experience in Oenology and Viticulture, along with exposure to marketing, tourism and wine appreciation. Since "wine begins in the field and ends in the glass", our graduates will be trained to work in the vineyard and the winery or may become owners and operators of vineyards and wineries. The program encompasses the scientific disciplines pertaining to the grape and wine industry such as sensory science, biochemistry, biotechnology, chemistry, microbiology, genetics, cell and molecular biology, plant physiology and environmental biology. The program can enable our graduates to pursue higher education in any of these disciplines.

Industry experience is considered to be an essential part of our students' preparation. In order to gain that experience all students are required to participate in Co-op work terms. Students will participate in a minimum of three work terms as indicated in the program of study. Each student is required to do at least one work term in a vineyard setting and one at a winery during the harvest and crush.

These work terms will be paid positions providing a meaningful, academically relevant employment experience within the grape and wine industry. The primary goal of the Oenology and Viticulture Co-op Program is to arrange and monitor placements within the Canadian industry. However, suitable international work terms may be used to meet the program requirements. In addition to the current fees for courses in academic study terms, students are assessed an administrative fee (see the Schedule of Fees).

A student must register for the appropriate work term before starting employment. Each student's performance will be evaluated using a combination of employer questionnaires, journals and work term reports. Unsatisfactory work term evaluations may result in a student being asked to withdraw from the program.

Work terms will normally be done as indicated in the Program of Studies but other sequences are possible. For more information consult the Co-ordinator of Experiential Learning/Co-op and the Experiential Learning Opportunities section of the calendar.

The program of Oenology and Viticulture is associated for the purposes of research with the Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI).

Program Notes
  1. Students are required to complete three Co-op work terms. Students must contact the Co-ordinator of Experiential Learning/Co-op regarding these courses.
  2. ECON 1P91 and 1P92 are strongly recommended as the Social Science context credit.
  3. Because of the Fall term crush placement, all academic credits in year 4 should be taken in the Winter and Spring terms. Students participating in a crush placement may not register for other courses without approval of the Co-ordinator of Experiential Learning/Co-op.
  4. In all 20 credit degree programs at least 12 credits must be numbered 2(alpha)00 or above, six of which must be numbered 2(alpha)90 or above and of these, three must be numbered 3(alpha)90 or above.

Honours Program (Co-op only)

Year 1
·   OEVI 1P20
·   BIOL 1F90
·   CHEM 1F92
·   MATH 1P97 and 1P98
·   PHYS 1P23 or 1P93
·   one Humanities context credit or Social Science context credit (see program note 2)
Year 2
·   OEVI 0N01 or 0N02
·   OEVI 2P45 and 2P99
·   BIOL 2F01 and 2P96
·   CHEM 2P20, 2P21 and 2P42
·   SCIE 0N90
·   the Humanities context credit or Social Science context credit not taken in year 1
Spring/Summer Sessions:
·   OEVI 0N31 and 4P30
Year 3
·   OEVI 0N01 or 0N02 (not taken in year 2)
·   OEVI 3P21, 3P25, 3P98 and 4P20
·   BCHM 3P01
·   BIOL 2P98
·   BTEC 3P50
·   one of OEVI 2P97, BIOL 2P94, 3P43, 3P51, 3P64, 3P91, BTEC 2P09, 2P63, 3P62, 3P93
·   one elective credit
Spring/Summer Sessions:
·   OEVI 0N32 and OEVI 4P30 (if not taken in year 2)
Year 4
Fall Term:
·   OEVI 0N33
Winter Term/Spring/Summer Sessions:
·   OEVI 4P30 (if not taken in year 3) and 4P92
·   OEVI 4F90 and 4F91, or OEVI 4F92 and one elective credit
·   CHEM 3P41
·   one of OEVI 2P97, 3P12, 4P93, BIOL 3P43, 3P51, 3P64, 3P91, 4P03, 4P06, 4P57, 4P58, 4P64, BTEC 3P09, 3P62, 3P93, 4P08
·   one elective credit (see program notes 3 and 4)

Certificate in Grape and Wine Technology

Eligibility requirements:

For those individuals having completed an undergraduate degree in biological sciences or chemistry or some related area (biotechnology, biochemistry)

or

For those individuals admissible to the University with relevant work experience in the grape and wine industry.

See "Requirements for a Certificate " under Academic Regulations concerning transfer credits and letters of permission.

Students must maintain a minimum 70 percent average in the required and additional courses listed below to continue in the certificate program.

The certificate is awarded upon completion of the following courses with a minimum 70 percent overall average:
·   OEVI 1P20, 2P45, 2P99, 3P21, 3P25, 3P98, 4P20 and 4P30
·   one credit from OEVI 2P97, 3P12, 4P92, 4P93, BCHM, BIOL, BTEC or CHEM courses numbered 2(alpha)00 or above

Minor in Oenology and Viticulture

Students in other disciplines may obtain a minor in Oenology and Viticulture within their degree program by completing the following courses with a minimum of 70 percent average:
·   OEVI 1P20, 2P45, 2P99, 3P21, 3P25, 3P98, 4P20 and 4P30

Course Descriptions

Note that not all courses are offered in every session. Refer to the applicable term timetable for details.

# Indicates a cross listed course
* Indicates primary offering of a cross listed course

Prerequisites and Restrictions

Students must check to ensure that prerequisites are met. Students may be deregistered, at the request of the instructor, from any course for which prerequisites and/or restrictions have not been met.
OEVI 1P20
Introduction to Wines
Survey of wine producing regions of the world; principles of wine production. Topics include grape growing, fermentation and stabilization of wine, application of sensory science to the evaluation of wine quality, health aspects, classification, regulation and marketing of wine.
Lectures, 2 hours per week; lab, 2 hours per week.
Note: materials fee required. Students must be a minimum of 18 years of age.

OEVI 2P45
Cultural Practices
Site selection, pruning, training, canopy management, crop control, mechanization, soil management and vineyard establishment.
Lectures, lab, 6 hours per week; field trips.
Restriction: open to OEVI majors and OEVI certificate students or permission of the instructor.
Prerequisite: OEVI 2P99.
Note: field trip fee required. Students must be a minimum of 18 years of age.
Completion of this course will replace previous assigned grade and credit obtained in OEVI 3P45.

OEVI 2P97
Introduction to Soil Science
(also offered as GEOG 2P97)
Physical, chemical, biological, and hydrological processes within the soil system, their interrelationships and relationships between these processes and the potential use of the soil. Emphasis on soils in Southern Ontario and individual student analysis of those soils.
Lectures, lab, 5 hours per week.
Restriction: open to OEVI, GEOG (single or combined) and GEOG (Honours)/BEd (Intermediate/Senior) majors until date specified in Registration guide.
Prerequisite: GEOG 1F91 or permission of the instructor.

OEVI 2P99
Grapevine Biology
Varieties, rootstocks, clones, physiology and biochemistry of grapevine growth and fruit maturation; soil science, winter hardiness; grapevine propagation.
Lectures, 3 hours per week; lab, 3 hours per week.
Restriction: open to OEVI majors and OEVI certificate students or permission of the instructor.
Prerequisite: BIOL 1F90 and CHEM 1F92.
Note: field trip fee required. Students must be a minimum of 18 years of age.

OEVI 3P12
Climate and Winegrape Production
(also offered as GEOG 3P12)
Climatological aspects of winegrape production emphasizing selected wine regions of the world. Effects of climate, weather-related diseases, topography, soil and viticultural practices on winegrape production.
Lectures, lab, field work, 4 hours per week.
Restriction: open to OEVI, GEOG (single or combined) and GEOG (Honours)/BEd (Intermediate/Senior) majors until date specified in Registration guide.
Prerequisite: GEOG 2P04 or permission of the instructor.
Note: students enrolled in the OEVI program and OEVI certificate students are permitted to register without the prerequisite.

OEVI 3P21
Wine Processing and Equipment
Theory and operation of grape and wine processing equipment in commercial wineries, including crushers, presses, filters, pumps, tanks; winery layout; sanitation and waste water management.
Lectures, lab, 6 hours per week.
Restriction: open to OEVI majors and OEVI certificate students or permission of the instructor.
Prerequisites: OEVI 3P25 and CHEM 1F92; PHYS 1P23 or IP93.
Note: materials fee and field trip fee required. The laboratory section will include fermentations to demonstrate the equipment being used. Students must be a minimum of 18 years of age.

OEVI 3P25
Wine Chemistry
(also offered as BCHM 3P25)
Sugars, acids, nitrogenous compounds in grape juice; antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of sulfur dioxide; must adjustments; biochemistry of alcoholic and malo-lactic fermentation; bitartrate and protein stability; fining agents; wine aging and phenolic oxidation. Laboratories include juice/wine chemical analysis, fermentation and stability tests.
Lectures, lab, 6 hours per week.
Restriction: open to OEVI, BCHM, BIOL (single or combined) and BTEC majors and OEVI certificate students or permission of the instructor.
Prerequisites: BIOL 2F01, CHEM 2P20 and 2P42.
Note: materials fee required. Students must be a minimum of 18 years of age. It is strongly recommended that students take BCHM 3P01 prior to or concurrent with OEVI 3P25.

OEVI 3P98
Wine Microbiology
(also offered as BIOL 3P98)
Identification and enumeration of indigenous micro-organisms in grape must. Alcoholic fermentation; metabolism of nitrogen compounds and organic acids; production of sulphur compounds; killer yeasts; malolactic fermentation; wine spoilage micro-organisms; genetic improvement of wine yeasts.
Lectures, lab, 6 hours per week.
Restriction: open to OEVI, BCHM, BIOL (single or combined) and BTEC majors and OEVI certificate students or permission of the instructor.
Prerequisites: OEVI 3P25, BCHM 3P01, BIOL 2F01 and 2P98.
Note: students must be a minimum of 18 years of age. It is strongly recommended that students take BIOL 3P50 prior to or concurrent with OEVI 3P98.

OEVI 4F90
Research Project
Experimental research carried out under faculty supervision.
Restriction: open to OEVI majors with approval to year 4 (honours) and permission of the Chair.
Note: to be taken concurrently with OEVI 4F91.

OEVI 4F91
Thesis
Thesis will incorporate results of the research project and will form the basis of a seminar presented by the student.
Restriction: open to OEVI majors with approval to year 4 (honours) and permission of the Chair.
Note: to be taken concurrently with OEVI 4F90.

OEVI 4F92
Library Research Essays
Students will carry out two detailed studies of the scientific literature under faculty supervision.
Restriction: open to OEVI majors with approval to year 4 (honours).
Note: for students not registered in OEVI 4F90 and 4F91. The results of the studies will be presented in major essays and presented as formal seminars. One research topic is to be completed each term.

OEVI 4P20
Sensory Evaluation of Wine
Measurement techniques used in the sensory evaluation of wine, physiology of taste and olfaction, chemistry of aroma and flavour, origins of off-odours in wines and readings in current topics in sensory evaluation and sensory science.
Lectures, 2 hours per week; lab, 3 hours per week.
Restriction: open to OEVI majors and OEVI certificate students or permission of the instructor.
Prerequisite: MATH 1P98.
Note: materials fee required. Students must be a minimum of 18 years of age. It is strongly recommended that OEVI 3P25 be taken prior to OEVI 4P20.

OEVI 4P30
Grape Pest Management
(also offered as BIOL 4P30)
Biology and dynamics of grapevine pest activity - insects, diseases, weeds, nematodes, vertebrates. Integrated pest management approach looking at all aspects of control chemical, biological, cultural. Application techniques, pest identification and monitoring.
Lectures, lab, 6 hours per week.
Restriction: open to OEVI, BCHM, BIOL and BTEC majors and OEVI certificate students or permission of the instructor.
Prerequisite: OEVI 2P99.
Note: field trip fee required.

OEVI 4P92
Wine Marketing
(also offered as MKTG 4P92)
Understanding the wine consumer, segmentation, positioning, marketing mix, marketing research, marketing strategy, domestic and international wine marketing issues.
Lectures, case discussion, 3 hours per week.
Restriction: open to OEVI majors and OEVI certificate students or permission of the instructor.
Completion of this course will replace previous assigned grade and credit obtained in MKTG 2P52, OEVI 4V92 and SPMA 3P65.

OEVI 4P93
The Business of Grape Growing and Winemaking
Fundamentals of small business and corporate management in the context of the Canadian grape and wine industry and elsewhere. Understanding of the grape and wine value chain. Financial and technical requirements for starting a new grape/wine business. Critical paths in establishing a new vineyard or winery. Current challenges and business opportunities in the global wine industry.
Lectures, tutorial, 3 hours per week.
Restriction: open to OEVI majors, minors, Certificate students or permission of the instructor.
Prerequisites: OEVI 2P45, 3P21 and 4P30.

OEVI 4V90-4V99
Special Topics in Oenology and Viticulture
Selected issues in Oenology and Viticulture on the basis of faculty expertise.
Restriction: open to OEVI majors.
Note: under certain circumstances a student may carry out, under faculty supervision a detailed study of the scientific literature pertinent to a specific topic. The results of this study will be presented as a major essay and as a formal seminar.


NON-CREDIT COURSES
OEVI 0N01
Wine Appreciation I - Exploring Varietals
Special interest course focussing on tasting wines from Canada and around the world. Learn and improve your skills and be able to distinguish among wine varieties including Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Cabernet. Exploration of factors that affect wine quality.
Restriction: permission of the instructor.
Note: materials fee required. Students must be a minimum of 18 years of age. Available to the general public. Admission to the course requires application through CCOVI. OEVI majors may take this course in year 2 or year 3.

OEVI 0N02
Introduction to the Wines of Ontario
Special interest course focussing on the wines of Ontario: how they are grown and made. Become familiar with VQA wines and the viticultural areas in which they are grown.
Restriction: permission of the instructor.
Note: materials fee required. Students must be a minimum of 18 years of age. Available to the general public. Admission to the course requires application through CCOVI. OEVI majors may take this course in year 2 or year 3. Includes the Wine Council of Ontario Certification.

OEVI 0N03
Wine Appreciation II - Exploring Wine Regions of the World
Deepening and refining wine tasting skills as well as exploring the major wine regions of the world. Discover wines from historic Old World regions as well as emerging New World wine regions including South Africa and New Zealand.
Prerequisite: OEVI 0N01 or permission of the instructor.
Note: materials fee required. Students must be a minimum of 18 years of age. Available to the general public. Admission to the course requires application through CCOVI.

OEVI 0N04
Wine Sales and Service
Insight into the wine consumer, practice the dimensions of quality service and learn how to 'sell' wine through facilitation rather than a 'hard' sell.
Prerequisite: OEVI 0N02 or permission of the instructor.
Note: materials fee required. Students must be a minimum of 18 years of age. Available to the general public. Admission to the course requires application through CCOVI. Includes the CCOVI Wine Sales and Service Training Certificate.


EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING COURSE
OEVI 0N14
Experiential Learning: Ice Wine Production
Participation in the full range of procedures for ice wine production
Restriction: open to OEVI majors. Consult the Co-ordinator of Experiential Learning/Co-op regarding permission to register.

CO-OP COURSES
OEVI 0N31
Co-op Work Term
Work experience in viticulture.
Restriction: open to OEVI majors. Consult the Co-ordinator of Experiential Learning/Co-op regarding permission to register.

OEVI 0N32
Co-op Work Term II
Work experience in an appropriate sector of the Grape and Wine industry.
Restriction: open to OEVI majors. Consult the Co-ordinator of Experiential Learning/Co-op regarding permission to register.

OEVI 0N33
Co-op Work Term III
Work experience at a winery during the harvest and crush.
Restriction: open to OEVI majors. Consult the Co-ordinator of Experiential Learning/Co-op regarding permission to register.

OEVI 0N34
Co-op Work Term IV
Optional work experience in an appropriate sector of the Grape and Wine industry.
Restriction: open to OEVI majors. Consult the Co-ordinator of Experiential Learning/Co-op regarding permission to register.

OEVI 0N35
Co-op Work Term V
Optional work experience in an appropriate sector of the Grape and Wine industry.
Restriction: open to OEVI majors. Consult the Co-ordinator of Experiential Learning/Co-op regarding permission to register.