You discover the entire process

The Vinifera EuroMaster program offers comprehensive learning outcomes in viticulture, enology, and wine business management. Graduates of the Vinifera program will be well prepared to identify, analyse and communicate issues regarding the complete process, from grapes and wine production, estate/cellar technical management to business/marketing activities.

Program outcomes

Proficiency

in viticulture and grape production

Expertise

in enology and wine-making techniques

Skills

in wine business management and marketing

Ability

to conduct research and development in the wine sector

Graduates are able to analyse and solve problems related to advisory or policy activities within viticulture and winemaking development, in national or international companies or organisations. In some countries, only a Master’s degree in Viticulture and Enology allows graduates to use adequate protected professional titles. The course aims for quality-oriented, economical, and sustainable vine cultivation, grape processing, and wine marketing.

You develop your soft
and hard skills

The following competences are established and developed within the VINIFERA program to enhance learning outcomes:

Methodological and professional competences 

Recognizing complex tasks from technical and economic contexts in the vine and wine sector, to comprehend and to solve them competently and efficiently.

Scientific competences 

Range from basic skills for independent scientific work, especially with regard to acquisition and evaluation of literature, to the preparation of scientific texts and the critical handling of primary and secondary sources.

Language and social skills 

A wide opportunity of language training helps students to improve their language skills. Communication skills are of major importance and provide the ability to interact with people of diverse cultural backgrounds effectively and appropriately. Other important elements are teamwork, presentation and moderation skills.

9 modules punctuate your education

Economics

to have a global view of wine markets, their structures and regulatory systems (OIV, CMO…)
to understand production and consumption situation, international trade, bulk wine markets, and the economics of international firms that operate in the wine sector
to have a managerial view of the wine market, with a special emphasis on international business strategies of wine companies, and marketing, both at strategic and operational level
to understand the concept of market planning, business positioning, marketing mix management

Enology

Unit of Grape & Wine Composition

to know the major and minor components in musts and wines
to understand the technical repercussion of must components
to understand the sensorial repercussion of musts and wine components
to understand the nutritional repercussion of musts and wine components

Unit of Microbiology & Fermentation

to understand the metabolism of yeast and bacteria relevant for wine making (alcoholic & malolactic fermentations),
to know the population dynamics from vineyard to the fermentation processes (AF & MLF), also comparing spontaneous fermentation with use of microbial starter cultures
to understand the impact of yeast and bacteria nutrients on course of fermentation and formation of positive and negative aroma compounds
to be able to select procedures for yeast and bacteria
to have a global view about the construction of genetically engineered wine yeasts and their properties
to be familiar with the methods of microbial spoilage of grapes, musts and wine
to understand lagging and stuck fermentations and problem solving operations
to understand the biochemistry of yeast autolysis and impact on wine aroma

Project Management

Unit of Experimental Methodology and Statistics

to be able to design simple experiments
to know how to avoid observation errors and prejudice
to be able to apply the statistical methods commonly used in viticulture, enology and wine economics
to be able to interpret results obtained by using statistics
to know know less common statistical methods (e.g. principal component analysis, cluster analysis, discriminant analysis)
to be able to use statistical programs for data analysis

Unit of Research Project Organisation

to be able to identify technical and scientific questions and problems
to establish a bibliography for discovering the current state of art on a specific topic
to be able to propose experimental designs (factors analysed, measurements, replicates required)
to be able to handle, analyse and discuss data
to be able to present research results to a public
to be able to write and summarise scientific reports
to be able to work in research teams (coordination and structure, milestones)

Vine Biology

Unit of Vine Anatomy and Genetics

to acquire basic knowledge of higher plant internal and external anatomy, at a whole plant level, as well as organ and tissue level.
to understand the principles of grapevine development and adaptation mechanisms that determine usual practices of grapevine management (pruning, hedging, yield control…)
to have a global view about the principles of Mendelian, quantitative and molecular genetics and to the genetic peculiarities of the grapevine genome
to understand the strategies for genetic improvement of a perennial heterozygous crop and how molecular/biotechnological approaches are applied to speed up breeding programs

Unit of Ampelography

to be able to apply the methods used in ampelography
to know the systematics of species and rootstocks and main grapevine cultivars
to be able to determine the main cultivars in the field

Vine Ecology and Physiology

Unit of Vine Physiology

to get theoretical knowledge on basic grapevine physiology, growth and development
to learn about the interaction between abiotic factors, vine physiology, development, fruit growth and composition
to learn about about the eco-physiological differences across various grapevine varieties
to understand specific aspects of nutrient acquisition
to be able to apply research methods for physiological studies
to be able to use specific decision making tools to measure vine and fruit physiological parameters
to get a first insight in remote sensing approaches

Unit of Vine Ecology

to know how the sites characteristics (soil and climate) interact with viticultural practices (irrigation, soil preparation, cover crops; nutrient supply),
to learn how to evaluate/measure the soil and climate parameters,
to be able to assess and to correct soil problems: soil acidity, pH, erosion, poor organic matter content, salinity,
to understand the potential impact of climate factors – temperature (including winter and spring frosts), light, rainfall, hail, and wind – on vine and vineyard performances
to be able to characterize current or new sites/terroir from a soil and climate perspectives.

Viticulture

to know about the choice of cultivation practices in relation to the ecophysiology of the vine and the environment
to know innovative techniques closely linked to research
to know about adaptation of the vineyard management to either the valuation of terroir in the context of sustainable viticulture, or to an industrial approach of wine productions and derivatives
to know about global aspects of technical approaches for temperate, worm/dry and tropical viticulture
to know about the biology and epidemiology of the main pests, diseases and weeds of vines in the world, how they interact and to understand integrated and organic strategies of control
to know tools for the diagnosis of pests and diseases

Wine Analysis

Unit of Wine Analysis

to understand the role of analytical chemistry on grape and wine quality control
to be able to interpret the wine analyses results in order to decide and to control the wine treatments as well as the assessment of legal and commercial wine specifications.

Unit of Wine Sensory Analysis

to know the theoretical background of sensory analysis
to understand the main principles and techniques applied in sensory analysis
to be able to carry out quality control from the harvest to the final product ready for the customer
to be able to ensure the traceability of the product thanks to a relevant tool of Descriptive Sensory Analysis
to be able to implement comparative and descriptive tests
to be able to use a robust and repeatable method in order to taste some international wines

Wine
Processing

Unit of Wine Making

to understand the wine making process in white and rosé wines
to understand the wine making process in red wines
to understand ageing of white and red wines (vat/barrel)
to have a global knowledge about other kinds of wines: Sparkling, fortified, sweet wines

Unit of Post-vinification

to understand and predict the main physico-chemical changes and alterations liable to occur in wines;
to control the methods used to assess the risks and the stabilization methods implemented (unit operations, fining, additives…) in order to prevent them and ensure product conservation;
to know theoretical and applied basis for the implementation and control of the unit operations used for wine (must) clarification and microbiological stabilization;
to have a global view about wine packaging technologies.

Terroir and Company auditing

to have a first overview concerning worldwide viticulture
to know the basic technologies for the cultivation of grapevine and the production of grapes for winemaking
to be aware of the main characteristics and challenges of the wine wector
to understand the ongoing activities in vineyards and cellars around Montpellier and know the special professional features of this region
to have basic knowledge of chemistry, biochemistry and physics necessary to follow the enological courses.
to know the basic technologies and equipment for winemaking
to have experience in intercultural communication and in working in multicultural groups
to be familiar with the financial aspects of wine company management
to understand the interactions between vineyard, wine production and commercial aspects (systematic approach)
to be able to implement practical methods in company auditing