Winegrowing Operations

This subject is not offered in 2013.

128 hours. Students are expected to devote 8 hours per week (11 weeks) to this subject as well as attend a one-week residential school.

Attend the one week teaching block at the Dookie campus.

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

This subject is the second of two subjects that provides students with a basic understanding of grape growing and wine making. The viticulture component of the subject covers the climatic and site requirements for vineyard establishment and the reasons for choice of rootstock and scion for particular sites. The viticulture operations in winter and spring are explored with an emphasis on strategies for the optimisation of yield and quality of wine-grapes. The processes associated with post fermentation are addressed in both theoretical and practical situations. Evaluation of wine, wine styles and flavour characteristics are refined.

Students completing this subject should be able to:
1. Facilitate the post-fermentation activities in a winery under supervision in a safe and hygienic manner;
2. Understand the physiology of smell and taste;
3. Evaluate wines using developed sensory processes;
4. Assess individual wine styles;
5. Appraise vineyard site selection with regard to the nature of grape production, soil type, climatic and weather patterns, and pest and disease problems;
6. Analyse the processes involved in vineyard establishment and design including selection of cultivars and rootstocks, strategies for spacing, planting and training, and their interaction with trellis construction and design;
7. Demonstrate effective crop management through winter and spring vineyard operations; and
8. Suggest and implement techniques for improving grape quality through pruning, pest and disease management and soil management.

Examination (2 hours 40%; Assignment (1) 3,000 words (Viticulture) 20% ; Assignment (2) 3,000 words (Oenology) 20% ; Practical Book from Residential Block 20%.

Dry, P.R . and Coombe, B.G (eds) (2004) Viticulture. Volume 1: Resources. Winetitles, Adelaide.

Coombe, B.G. and Dry, P.R. (eds) (1992) Viticulture. Volume 2: Practices. Winetitles, Adelaide.

Rankine, B. (2004), Making Good Wine. Macmillan, Sydney, NSW.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.