Course list

Interested in expanding your knowledge of wines? Whether you're an industry professional or simply a wine enthusiast, this hands-on course takes you on a journey through the winemaking process, from grape to glass. Learning from world-renowned industry experts from Cornell, you will learn to successfully identify the components of wine and how they affect perceptions before exploring your personal palate and conducting sensory evaluation, using sight, smell, taste, and touch. You will explore various wine growing techniques and analyze how geography and climate impact the grape. Finally, you will identify the correct service and storage approaches to use based on the type and style of wine.

This program is intended for use by persons of legal drinking ages under the relevant applicable laws where they reside. Students will need to purchase wine, sugar, and other items commonly found in grocery stores to participate in tasting exercises.

This course will guide you in exploring eight important wine regions of France: Alsace, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Loire Valley, Rhône Valley, Languedoc-Roussillon, and Provence. You will start with an overview of the French wine laws and classification system, then you will begin your study of each region. Within each region, you will consider its unique history with winemaking, how the climate affects grape growing and winemaking, the grape varietals and wine styles most associated with that region, and its unique classification system and labeling requirements, You will finish your course by selecting a winery from four of the regions and researching them, along with a specific wine from each, to summarize how these varied aspects of wine production — climate, viticulture, winemaking practices, and classifications — work together to produce the great French wines that are known and respected worldwide.

The following course is required to be completed before taking this course:

  • Wine Essentials

In this course, your journey with French wines culminates with a wine-tasting experience. You will select and compare two to six wines from the eight wine regions we studied. In addition to reviewing important wine label terms, you will explore how the French wine market works and the factors affecting wine prices. You will then prepare for a casual, at-home wine tasting, which includes selecting wines to share and determining appropriate food pairings. During your event, you will observe how different people interpret different wines. You will also consider the ways in which the wines are distinct from each other and compare your expectations to your experiences as well as the experiences of your guests.

The following courses are required to be completed before taking this course:

  • Wine Essentials
  • Foundations of French Wines

Important: Alternatives can be made for those who do not drink alcohol, who are in areas where alcohol purchases or consumption are not allowed, or who are in circumstances where in-person gatherings are either not allowed or not recommended.

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