FNH 330 starts Jan. 5, 2012 & finishes April 2012 (Final exam - TBA)
**** All students need to pay their lab fee $50 (preferably cheque payable to UBC with your
name & SN) at their first lab (T/Th) and collect their ISO wineglasses at their first lab – this is
essential in order to begin tasting wines in week 2. Lab fees can be paid to Dr. McArthur in Room
133 MCML Bldg also. Students must attend the lab that they are registered for.
The first labs will cover basic (important!) sensory training that will be very useful for technical wine
evaluation in the regular labs.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
FNH 330 “AN INTRODUCTION TO WINE SCIENCE”
INSTRUCTOR: Dr. David McArthur: david.mcarthur@ubc.ca; room 133 MacMillan (MCML) Bldg
UBC-Vancouver; 604 209 5243 TAs: Chloe, Paul, Gemma and Rosy.
COURSE FORMAT - Primary course topics are the elements of viticulture & vinification involved in
quality wine production, wine industry regulations, the terroir and classic wines of certain significant
wine-producing areas of the world, and trends in wine production. Consideration is given to the role of
wine on health and society, and the marketing of wine.
Lecture/discussion class Tuesday and Thursday 5:00 – 5:50 pm (PPP and notes via Vista) First class
is Jan. 5th, 2012 in MCML 166 – please pay lab fee after this lecture.
Lab periods: Either Tuesday or Thursday 6:00 to 7:00 pm starting Jan. 10th (labs start the following
week after classes begin)
These labs provide training in sensory evaluation and demonstrate wine profiles of selected wine
"types" from various wine-producing regions of the world. Note that several early labs may go slightly
over time (5-10 minutes). MacMillan 154, 256, 258, 260
AT YOUR FIRST CLASS - students are required to pay a sum of $50 - cheque payable to UBC to
provide for training materials, wine+food pairing items, wine, and glasses (3 INAO glasses each to be
cleaned and kept by the student). All lab payments must be completed not later than January 10th,
2012; a late fee may apply thereafter . Except under extraordinary circumstances, there will be no
refunds of the lab fee as wine & supplies have been purchased based upon student registration and
costs are non-refundable.
Students pick up their glasses as they pay their lab fee when they attend their first lab period –
NOTE: bring something like a Tupperware/Rubbermaid container (about 8-9 inches long and
wide, and 4 inches deep) with a clean cloth towel to wrap the glasses so they don’t hit & break
each other (example: see pictures below). Bring glasses to all of your labs. Take the glasses home
for cleaning and bring back for each lab. Each ISO wineglass is about 6” x 3” x 3”. Cardboard is not
recommended as it gives an off odour to the glasses.
Also, bring a spit-cup (any opaque, plastic tumbler) and water-bottle to all of your labs – we will
be starting the first week.
Also, the lab book & aroma chart are on VISTA – print and bring to all labs.
Note wines are tasted, but there will be NO CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL. Failure to
comply with this rule will result in student failure and expulsion from the course without refund.
The list of class wines to be tasted (about 20-30) will be available once it is finalized early January.
Power Point Lectures and Word Notes will be on VISTA for FNH 330. Note that exams will cover
the lecture material especially (PPP and word documents) – readings from wine texts (see below) are
helpful and provide depth, but the examinable material is provided in lecture and via VISTA mainly.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:
1) Discuss the role of wine as a specialty food and its impact on nutrition, health, and society,
2) Begin to critically assess specific classes of wine for attributes and basic faults,
3) Begin to relate viticulture, geography, & climate to a typical wine profile for example wine regions,
4) Explain basic fermentation processes & describe the production of various classes of wine,
5) Compare and contrast the wine classification and appellation system of example wine regions.
EVALUATION
Quiz (TBA)
20%
Midterm exam (TBA)
35%
Final exam (TBA)
45%
Note: Exams may include a sensory evaluation of wine, faults and/or wine-type identification.
TEXTS – Optional, but recommended. Suggested readings are indicated in the syllabus below.
***Encyclopedia by Tom Stevenson 4™ EDITION (2005). (TS). (Note: readings support, but do not
substitute for lecture & Vista notes, or lab participation) (a limited supply of discount books are
available at Book Warehouse on 10th Ave – texts may be also purchased via Chapters/Amazon online)
also worthwhile is
The World Atlas of Wine by Hugh Johnson & Jancis Robinson 5TH EDITION (2001 also 6th ed
is out)
Tentative LECTURE (MCML 166) & LAB OUTLINE (presentation order of wine may be altered)
WEEK 1 Lecture (SEE Vista notes; also see lab directions for each week)
An overview of course topics and requirements
A brief history & overview of wine & society; regulations & economics considerations
Pre-lab - time permitting: the components of wine assessment
*All sections pickup ISO glasses & pay lab fees by first class,
WEEK 2 Lecture (Reference: Vista)
Continued- history & overview of wine & society; regulations & economics considerations
Viticulture, terroir and wine
Pre-lab: the components of wine assessment; white wine varietals LABS: always put your labeled
wine glasses, spit cup, & aroma chart into your assigned lab room MCML 256, 258, 260, 154
BEFORE lecture. Bring your lab book & water bottle when you come to lab. Lab fees & glasses
– USE LAB-BOOK and start Analytical sensory evaluation exercises– training: aroma recognition
and retrieval.
T Lab Sections 1-4 (MCML 256, 258, 260, 154)
Th Lab Sections 5-8 (MCML 256, 258, 260, 154): Analytical sensory evaluation exercise– training:
aroma recognition and retrieval. Wine review: TBA
WEEK 3 Lecture (Reference: Vista notes)
Continued- Viticulture, terroir and wine
Pre-lab: the components of wine assessment; red wine varietals.
T Lab Sections 1-4 (MCML 256, 258, 260, 154) &
Th Lab Sections 5-8 (MCML 256, 258, 260, 154): Analytical sensory evaluation exercise for red
wines– training: aroma recognition and retrieval. Wine review: TBA
WEEK 4 Lecture (Reference: Vista)
Viticulture & Oenology Harvest considerations and the initial grape processing steps: whites
versus reds.
Grape processing and fermentation, whites versus reds.
T Lab Sections 1-4 (MCML 256, 258, 260, 154) &
Th Lab Sections 5-8 (MCML 256, 258, 260, 154): Analytical sensory evaluation exercise– training:
aroma recognition and retrieval. Wine review: TBA
WEEK 5 Lecture (Reference: Vista)
Oenology Grape processing and fermentation, whites versus reds, wine ageing, oak and faults.
Quiz material up to & including (includes relevant lab info, but no wine ID/tasting component)
T Lab Sections 1-4 (MCML 256, 258, 260, 154) &
Th Lab Sections 5-8 (MCML 256, 258, 260, 154): Wine review: TBA; time permitting: faults.
Review the label information.
WEEK 6 Lecture (Reference: Vista)
Oenology: Fermentation continued; post-fermentation: whites versus reds. Wine ageing, oak & faults.
Specialty Winemaking – Sparkling Wines and Sweet Wines. TBA
T Lab Sections 1-4 (MCML 256, 258, 260, 154) &
Th Lab Sections 5-8 (MCML 256, 258, 260, 154): Amarone (dry recioto), Sparkling wine
(Champagne); sweet fortified wine (Port). Review the label information.
WEEK 7 Lecture (Reference: Vista)
Specialty Winemaking – Sparkling Wines and Dessert Wines
Wines of the old world: Some history, cru classé, AOC: infrastructure & regulations
T Lab Sections 1-4 (MCML 256, 258, 260, 154) &
Th Lab Sections 5-8 (MCML 256, 258, 260, 154): Sensory exercises and Wine review: TBA
WEEK 8 Lecture (Reference: Vista)
Wines of the old world: Wines of the old world: France & its appellations.
Wines of the old world: Germany & its appellations.
T Lab Sections 1-4 (MCML 256, 258, 260, 154) &
Th Lab Sections 5-8 (MCML 256, 258, 260, 154):
Wines TBA
WEEK 9 Lecture (Reference: Vista)
Wines of the old world: Germany & its appellations. Wines of the new world: USA – California &
the PNW
(Tentative – discussion of Italy & Spain - time permitting)
T Lab Sections 1-4 (MCML 256, 258, 260, 154) &
Th Lab Sections 5-8 (MCML 256, 258, 260, 154): Wine review: TBA
WEEK 10 Lecture (Reference: Vista)
MID-TERM EXAM (50 minutes) Includes material from & including week 4 to week 9 (includes
lab info, but no wine ID component)
Wines of the new world: USA – California & the PNW
T Lab Sections 1-4 (MCML 256, 258, 260, 154) &
Th Lab Sections 5-8 (MCML 256, 258, 260, 154): Wine review: TBA
WEEK 11 Lecture (Reference: Vista)
Wines of the new world: California & the PNW, Wines of the new world: Canada
Wines of the new world: Australia
T Lab Sections 1-4 (MCML 256, 258, 260, 154) &
Th Lab Sections 5-8 (MCML 256, 258, 260, 154): Wine review: TBA
WEEK 12 Lecture (Reference: Vista)
Wines of the new world: Australia
Wine & health, Food & wine pairing discussion
T Lab Sections 1-4 (MCML 256, 258, 260, 154) &
Th Lab Sections 5-8 (MCML 256, 258, 260, 154): Wine review: TBA wine & food pairing
WEEK 13 Lecture (Reference: Vista)
Wine & health continued
Review - time permitting.
T Lab Sections 1-4 (MCML 256, 258, 260, 154) &
Th Lab Sections 5-8 (MCML 256, 258, 260, 154): General review of theory/labels
FINAL EXAM: time and date TBA tentatively rm 166 Theory: 1.5 hours
Lab exam (15 minutes duration and students must be in their proper section/lab-room – tentatively the
same as during the term):
YOU WILL NEED 2-3 CLEAN ISO WINE GLASSES, WATER & YOUR SPITCUP; no other
accessories can be used.
Students in sections 1-4 will begin about 15 -30 minutes after the theory exam finishes (will be
called into the class-labs after the TAs pour the mystery wines). Students in sections 1-4 should have
already placed their glasses into their regular lab-room (256, 258, 260, 154 MCML) before the theory
exam.
Students in sections 5-8 will begin after the first 4 sections finish and clear the lab rooms, and after
they place their glasses into their regular lab-room (256, 258, 260, 154 MCML) allowing time for the
TAs to pour the mystery wines– about 45-60 minutes after the theory exam.