Viticulture and Enology (BS)

What is A Viticulture and Enology (BS) Degree?

Viticulture is the study of growing grapes, while enology is the study of wine and winemaking. The two go together very well!  Both fields are based in sciences—chemistry, botany, agriculture–but some would say that each field also involves art—the art of creating a product that appeals to many senses and to personal tastes.  Earning a BS degree in Viticulture and Enology will mean that you will know about growing grapes, harvesting them, and turning them into wine.  To study in the field you will need to be well grounded in the natural sciences, so general education will include courses in biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, physics plus others.

After completing the sciences you’ll get into the specifics of viticulture and enology with coursework in things like entomology, hydrologic science, molecular and cellular biology.  There may be a foreign language requirement, plus you may have the opportunity for an internship, depending on where the school is located.  Viticulture and enology are fields in which you’ll want to select the school carefully.  Some schools’ programs have more of a scientific focus than others.  Plus, the location of the school will probably dictate the types of wines that will be the center of focus.   Some schools will include the business aspects or the aesthetic aspects of the wine industry more than others.