Cal Poly's College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences offers a unique interdisciplinary major in Wine and Viticulture. All students in the major are educated about all aspects of the wine industry, with a curriculum that combines an understanding of vineyards, winemaking, and wine business.

Professional positions within the grape and wine industry are now multi-dimensional, with winemakers and grape growers working together. To develop successful strategies, management teams must understand all aspects of wine.

The major is based on fundamental and applied sciences, modern agribusiness principles, and appropriate social sciences; plus, it encompasses grape cultivation, enology and wine business. The curriculum fosters an academic alliance among production agriculture, food science and agricultural business interests, and provides an academic understanding of the "vine to glass" opportunity.

Concentrations

Viticulture

Quality Grape Growing

Intensive training in all aspects of quality wine grape production. Students learn site evaluation and vineyard development, disease and pest management, sustainability, and state-of-the-art cultural practices. Graduates typically become vineyard managers, pest control advisors, or vineyard owners.

Enology

The Science of Winemaking

The science of winemaking with its creative and practical application. Students monitor and assess wines and winemaking choices using sensory, chemical and microbiological analyses. Graduates are able to make creative winemaking decisions, manage a winery and provide successful solutions to winemaking challenges. Enology is the science of wine and winemaking. Apply a strong foundation in chemistry and microbiology as you study winemaking from vine to glass.

Wine Business

Wine Marketing, Distribution, and Sales

Students learn financial management principles of vineyard and winery operations, strategic planning, branded wine marketing, packaging, wine consumer behavior, and government compliance. Graduates are prepared for a variety of wine industry careers, with many planning to operate vineyards or wineries of their own.