Enology 2
A.Y. 2025/2026
Learning objectives
This course, as a whole, completes the oenological knowledge introduced in Oenology 1. It equips students with an understanding of finishing techniques and the production of special wines, as well as the expertise for accurate sensory evaluation of the final product and its production intermediates. The course is divided into two modules, each with specific learning objectives.
The first module aims to provide students with fundamental theoretical concepts for the correct management of winemaking processes. Knowledge gained in prerequisite courses will be extensively reviewed and enriched with new information, all geared towards understanding the principles of winemaking. Students will delve into the stages involved in producing red, white, sparkling, and passito wines, and comprehend how and which chemical, biochemical, microbial, physico-chemical, and technological factors influence the final product's characteristics.
Module 2 's objective is to provide students with theoretical and practical competencies for applying sensory methodologies within the oenological supply chain.
The overall educational goal of the course is to provide, through lectures and practical laboratory exercises, a general understanding of the mechanisms of wines' sensory properties (and defects) perception. Furthermore, it aims to develop knowledge regarding the main sensory analysis methods useful for analysing and resolving issues related to wine ageing and maturation, comparison with competitor products, evaluating the conformity of wine products to company sensory standards, and managing and monitoring product sensory quality throughout the entire production chain.
The competencies acquired in Module 2 integrate and complement the knowledge already provided in other courses within the curriculum, such as oenological chemistry, oenological microbiology, and Oenology 1, enabling the evaluation and optimisation of wine quality through sensory approaches.
The first module aims to provide students with fundamental theoretical concepts for the correct management of winemaking processes. Knowledge gained in prerequisite courses will be extensively reviewed and enriched with new information, all geared towards understanding the principles of winemaking. Students will delve into the stages involved in producing red, white, sparkling, and passito wines, and comprehend how and which chemical, biochemical, microbial, physico-chemical, and technological factors influence the final product's characteristics.
Module 2 's objective is to provide students with theoretical and practical competencies for applying sensory methodologies within the oenological supply chain.
The overall educational goal of the course is to provide, through lectures and practical laboratory exercises, a general understanding of the mechanisms of wines' sensory properties (and defects) perception. Furthermore, it aims to develop knowledge regarding the main sensory analysis methods useful for analysing and resolving issues related to wine ageing and maturation, comparison with competitor products, evaluating the conformity of wine products to company sensory standards, and managing and monitoring product sensory quality throughout the entire production chain.
The competencies acquired in Module 2 integrate and complement the knowledge already provided in other courses within the curriculum, such as oenological chemistry, oenological microbiology, and Oenology 1, enabling the evaluation and optimisation of wine quality through sensory approaches.
Expected learning outcomes
Upon completion of the course, students will be capable of executing a complete oenological production, leveraging acquired knowledge and sensory evaluation tools.
Module 1 will enable students to:
understand special maceration techniques and their effects on product characteristics; evaluate and apply factors crucial for managing malolactic processes, wood ageing, stabilisation, and refinement.
Grasp the winemaking processes for sparkling wines and passito wines, allowing them to determine the most appropriate processing conditions to achieve desired analytical results.
Familiarise themselves with the principles of wine packaging and the primary factors influencing it.
Practical exercises will equip students with the skills to perform calculations essential for managing cellar processes. Students will be able to both evaluate the adopted production process, connecting it to the achieved oenological outcome, and to describe and report on it with precision and clarity. The knowledge and skills gained will form a valuable foundation for independent, in-depth study and expansion of their understanding.
Upon completion of Module 2, students will be able to:
critically analyse and resolve sensory problems related to wine production and ageing by selecting and applying the most appropriate sensory methodology; design and manage a sensory analysis laboratory, organising professional tasting sessions and ensuring adherence to scientific protocols; critically process and interpret data collected from sensory analyses using advanced statistical tools to draw valid conclusions and support business decisions.
Students will be able to: Communicate and collaborate effectively with various company departments, particularly those involved in the commercialisation and marketing of viticultural and oenological products, to integrate sensory analyses into sales strategies;
independently continue to study and deepen their understanding of sensory sciences, constantly updating themselves on new analysis methodologies and emerging trends in the oenological sector.
Apply sensory knowledge in innovative contexts, adapting learned methodologies to new products, markets, and challenges related to wine quality.
Module 1 will enable students to:
understand special maceration techniques and their effects on product characteristics; evaluate and apply factors crucial for managing malolactic processes, wood ageing, stabilisation, and refinement.
Grasp the winemaking processes for sparkling wines and passito wines, allowing them to determine the most appropriate processing conditions to achieve desired analytical results.
Familiarise themselves with the principles of wine packaging and the primary factors influencing it.
Practical exercises will equip students with the skills to perform calculations essential for managing cellar processes. Students will be able to both evaluate the adopted production process, connecting it to the achieved oenological outcome, and to describe and report on it with precision and clarity. The knowledge and skills gained will form a valuable foundation for independent, in-depth study and expansion of their understanding.
Upon completion of Module 2, students will be able to:
critically analyse and resolve sensory problems related to wine production and ageing by selecting and applying the most appropriate sensory methodology; design and manage a sensory analysis laboratory, organising professional tasting sessions and ensuring adherence to scientific protocols; critically process and interpret data collected from sensory analyses using advanced statistical tools to draw valid conclusions and support business decisions.
Students will be able to: Communicate and collaborate effectively with various company departments, particularly those involved in the commercialisation and marketing of viticultural and oenological products, to integrate sensory analyses into sales strategies;
independently continue to study and deepen their understanding of sensory sciences, constantly updating themselves on new analysis methodologies and emerging trends in the oenological sector.
Apply sensory knowledge in innovative contexts, adapting learned methodologies to new products, markets, and challenges related to wine quality.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Prerequisites for admission
The course is aimed to finalize the knowledge provided by the course of Oenology 1, embedding information of specific wine making and sensory evaluation methods which need the concepts of statistics. Therefore, the student must have passed the exam of Oenology 1 and, possibly, either the exam of Statistics or "Abilità informatiche, statistiche e di gestione dati in azienda vitivinicola".
Assessment methods and Criteria
The examination of the Sensory Analysis section consists of an oral test with open-ended questions on the topics covered during lectures and laboratory exercises. The evaluation parameters will include the accuracy of the answers, the appropriateness of the language, and the ability to synthesize when addressing sensory issues related to the wine sector. No intermediate tests are foreseen. To take the exam, students must register by the deadline through the institutional platform Unimia. The partial grade will be communicated verbally to each student at the end of the exam session.
Any materials useful for the test (e.g., statistical tables, calculators) will be provided by the teacher.
The trial related to the Technology of Wine Making Processes section is oral and it is aimed to assess the knowledge related to wine making and packaging processes.
The evaluation parameters considered are: the ability to apply general knowledge to specific winemaking applications, the correctness of the answers, the appropriateness of the language, and the ability to summarize.
To take the exam, students must register themselves by the provided deadline, using the institutional website Unimia. Each of the examination grades, as thirties, will be personally communicated to each student at the end of each examination section.
The final grade is the weighted average of the grades achieved with the two partial scores and it is communicated by an automated e-mail by the verbalization system of UniMi.
Students with specific learning disabilities or other disabilities are requested to contact the teacher via email at least 15 days before the exam session to agree on any personal compensatory measure. In the email addressed to the teacher, the respective University services must be reported in CC: [email protected] (for students with LD) and [email protected] (for students with other disabilities).
Any materials useful for the test (e.g., statistical tables, calculators) will be provided by the teacher.
The trial related to the Technology of Wine Making Processes section is oral and it is aimed to assess the knowledge related to wine making and packaging processes.
The evaluation parameters considered are: the ability to apply general knowledge to specific winemaking applications, the correctness of the answers, the appropriateness of the language, and the ability to summarize.
To take the exam, students must register themselves by the provided deadline, using the institutional website Unimia. Each of the examination grades, as thirties, will be personally communicated to each student at the end of each examination section.
The final grade is the weighted average of the grades achieved with the two partial scores and it is communicated by an automated e-mail by the verbalization system of UniMi.
Students with specific learning disabilities or other disabilities are requested to contact the teacher via email at least 15 days before the exam session to agree on any personal compensatory measure. In the email addressed to the teacher, the respective University services must be reported in CC: [email protected] (for students with LD) and [email protected] (for students with other disabilities).
Technologies and enological processes
Course syllabus
Introduction to the course, the examination method and the didactic supports. The maceration phenomena. Co-polimerization phenomena involving proanthocyanindins and anthocyanins. The pyranoanthocyanins. The co-pigmentation.
Role and managing of oxygen diffusion in fermentative maceration.
Special macerations: skin prefermentative maceration, thermal maceration, flash detente, warm post fermentative maceration. Carbonica maceration for beaujolais wine. Structure and technology of wine making vats: the rational vinification vat and the main vinification vats (Gimar Selector system, Ganimede system, the rotomacerators, etc).
Functional properties of either concrete or oak wood wine making vats. Wine making in earthenware jars according to the Kaketian approach.
Wood barrels: wood composition, natural compounds and wood toasting induced compounds, oxygen transfer through the wood and its interaction with tannin, the role of hydration.
Wine racking over wine aging. The handling of new barrels or old barrels. The cleaning methods. Calculation exercises concerning the managing of refilling and SO2 addition.
Managing and phenomena on MLF. Tool and effects of LABs coinoculation.
Colloidal stabilization and suitable coajutants.
The conductivity methods for measuring the tartaric stability of wine. The chemical (additives, ion-exchange resins), physical (heat) and physical-chemical (electrodialysis).
Sparkling wine from champenoise method: managing of grape ripening, harvest and must production. The presses for sparkling wine production and their rational use. Malolactic fermentation for sparkling wine. The tirage and the preparation and inoculation of pied-de-cuve. Selection parameters of yeast strain for sparkling wine. Sparkling wine ageing and classification. The structure of airtight vat. Wine making for sparkling wine production.
Wine making from shrivelled grape. Grape shrivelling methods and technology. Effect of shrivelling on grape weight, sugar content, malic and tartaric acids, proanthocyanidins, anthocyanin, terpenes, glycerol,acetic acid, aldheydes and higher alcohols. Production of Vin Santo and fundamentals of major Italian Passito wines.
Botrytis and its growth on grape. Enzyme activities of Botrytis and their effect on grape and wine. Comparison of grey and noble rot concerning growth and functional behaviour. Wine making from noble rot and sensory and compositional properties.
Calculation exercises, revision of topics based on student's questions. Concepts and definitions of the Packaging operations. Materials in the wine industry. Technological functionality and food contact compliance. Heat treatments for stabilization, bottling and packaging techniques. The conditioning techniques. Closing systems.
Role and managing of oxygen diffusion in fermentative maceration.
Special macerations: skin prefermentative maceration, thermal maceration, flash detente, warm post fermentative maceration. Carbonica maceration for beaujolais wine. Structure and technology of wine making vats: the rational vinification vat and the main vinification vats (Gimar Selector system, Ganimede system, the rotomacerators, etc).
Functional properties of either concrete or oak wood wine making vats. Wine making in earthenware jars according to the Kaketian approach.
Wood barrels: wood composition, natural compounds and wood toasting induced compounds, oxygen transfer through the wood and its interaction with tannin, the role of hydration.
Wine racking over wine aging. The handling of new barrels or old barrels. The cleaning methods. Calculation exercises concerning the managing of refilling and SO2 addition.
Managing and phenomena on MLF. Tool and effects of LABs coinoculation.
Colloidal stabilization and suitable coajutants.
The conductivity methods for measuring the tartaric stability of wine. The chemical (additives, ion-exchange resins), physical (heat) and physical-chemical (electrodialysis).
Sparkling wine from champenoise method: managing of grape ripening, harvest and must production. The presses for sparkling wine production and their rational use. Malolactic fermentation for sparkling wine. The tirage and the preparation and inoculation of pied-de-cuve. Selection parameters of yeast strain for sparkling wine. Sparkling wine ageing and classification. The structure of airtight vat. Wine making for sparkling wine production.
Wine making from shrivelled grape. Grape shrivelling methods and technology. Effect of shrivelling on grape weight, sugar content, malic and tartaric acids, proanthocyanidins, anthocyanin, terpenes, glycerol,acetic acid, aldheydes and higher alcohols. Production of Vin Santo and fundamentals of major Italian Passito wines.
Botrytis and its growth on grape. Enzyme activities of Botrytis and their effect on grape and wine. Comparison of grey and noble rot concerning growth and functional behaviour. Wine making from noble rot and sensory and compositional properties.
Calculation exercises, revision of topics based on student's questions. Concepts and definitions of the Packaging operations. Materials in the wine industry. Technological functionality and food contact compliance. Heat treatments for stabilization, bottling and packaging techniques. The conditioning techniques. Closing systems.
Teaching methods
The teaching methods will consist of:
- Lectures: aimed to teach the theoretical knowledge to both understand and apply the winemaking practices shown during the course.
- Calculation exercises: aimed at getting confident in solving quantitative problems usually occurring along with the winemaking processes.
- Educational visits: these are a major opportunity for students to face real production conditions learning specific technical issues and deepen the theoretical topics raised during the lectures.
- Lectures: aimed to teach the theoretical knowledge to both understand and apply the winemaking practices shown during the course.
- Calculation exercises: aimed at getting confident in solving quantitative problems usually occurring along with the winemaking processes.
- Educational visits: these are a major opportunity for students to face real production conditions learning specific technical issues and deepen the theoretical topics raised during the lectures.
Teaching Resources
- PowerPoint slides shown during the lectures and available on the myAriel web portal along with the bibliographic references therein reported.
- Handbook of Oenology vol. 1 and 2. Ribereau Gayon et al. (2018). Ed. Edagricole-New Business Media. Edizione 4.
- Handbook of Oenology vol. 1 and 2. Ribereau Gayon et al. (2018). Ed. Edagricole-New Business Media. Edizione 4.
Sensory Analysis
Course syllabus
Introduction to sensory analysis - Sensory perception mechanisms - Sensory stimuli in wines - The sensory lab, the panel of judges and the official sensory analysis methods - The psychophysiology of perception and the methods to minimize physiological and psychological errors - Methods for the selection, recruitment and training of judges (with practical activities in the sensory lab) - Experimental design and statistical processing of results (with practical activities in the informatics lab) - Discriminant and descriptive methodologies (with practical activities related to the wine sector in the sensory lab) - Hedonic methods - Olfactory defects perceivable in red and white wines - Sensory applications and research questions in the wine sector.
Teaching methods
The course will be delivered through:
Lectures: aimed at providing students with the theoretical foundations of sensory methodologies and data statistical processing, with an interactive approach to stimulate critical thinking.
Practical sensory laboratory activities: students will have the opportunity to organize and conduct tasting sessions, applying in practice the sensory analysis techniques learned during the lectures.
Practical computer lab activities: exercises using statistical softwares for the processing and interpretation of sensory data, promoting the development of computer and analytical skills.
Calculation exercises: dedicated to solving quantitative problems and processing sensory data, with the aim of improving data processing and result analysis skills.
Educational visits: offering students an important opportunity to observe and apply the knowledge acquired in real-world contexts.
The teaching materials will be available on the course's MyAriel website.
Lectures: aimed at providing students with the theoretical foundations of sensory methodologies and data statistical processing, with an interactive approach to stimulate critical thinking.
Practical sensory laboratory activities: students will have the opportunity to organize and conduct tasting sessions, applying in practice the sensory analysis techniques learned during the lectures.
Practical computer lab activities: exercises using statistical softwares for the processing and interpretation of sensory data, promoting the development of computer and analytical skills.
Calculation exercises: dedicated to solving quantitative problems and processing sensory data, with the aim of improving data processing and result analysis skills.
Educational visits: offering students an important opportunity to observe and apply the knowledge acquired in real-world contexts.
The teaching materials will be available on the course's MyAriel website.
Teaching Resources
1) E. Pagliarini, Valutazione sensoriale: Aspetti teorici, pratici e metodologici, Hoepli, Milano, 2021
2) Jackson, R. (2002). Wine Tasting: A Professional Handbook.
Supplementary teaching material is available on the MyAriel website portal.
2) Jackson, R. (2002). Wine Tasting: A Professional Handbook.
Supplementary teaching material is available on the MyAriel website portal.
Modules or teaching units
Sensory Analysis
AGR/15 - FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY - University credits: 5
Laboratories: 8 hours
Lessons: 36 hours
Lessons: 36 hours
Professor:
Laureati Monica
Technologies and enological processes
AGR/15 - FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY - University credits: 6
Lessons: 48 hours
Professor:
Tirelli Antonio Giovanni
Professor(s)