Oenology
Encyclopedia
Oenology,[p] œnology (BrE
), or enology (AmE
) is the science and study of all aspects of wine
and winemaking
except vine-growing
and grape-harvesting
, which is a subfield called viticulture
. “Viticulture & oenology” is a common designation for training programmes and research centres that include both the “outdoors” and “indoors” aspects of wine production. An expert in the field of oenology is known as an oenologist. The word oenology is derived from the Greek
οἶνος - oinos, “wine,” and the suffix , -logia, "study of."
and M.S.
degrees in Oenology. Most Oenologists who hold doctorates hold them in related fields, such as plant physiology
or microbiology
. Oenologists often work as winemakers or find employment with commercial laboratories or with groups such as the Australian Wine Research Institute
.
Related non-academic titles include the Master of Wine
qualification and the more commercially oriented sommelier
qualification.
British English
British English, or English , is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the United Kingdom from forms used elsewhere...
), or enology (AmE
American English
American English is a set of dialects of the English language used mostly in the United States. Approximately two-thirds of the world's native speakers of English live in the United States....
) is the science and study of all aspects of wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
and winemaking
Winemaking
Winemaking, or vinification, is the production of wine, starting with selection of the grapes or other produce and ending with bottling the finished wine. Although most wine is made from grapes, it may also be made from other fruit or non-toxic plant material...
except vine-growing
Vine
A vine in the narrowest sense is the grapevine , but more generally it can refer to any plant with a growth habit of trailing or scandent, that is to say climbing, stems or runners...
and grape-harvesting
Grape
A grape is a non-climacteric fruit, specifically a berry, that grows on the perennial and deciduous woody vines of the genus Vitis. Grapes can be eaten raw or they can be used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, wine, grape seed extracts, raisins, molasses and grape seed oil. Grapes are also...
, which is a subfield called viticulture
Viticulture
Viticulture is the science, production and study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in the vineyard. When the grapes are used for winemaking, it is also known as viniculture...
. “Viticulture & oenology” is a common designation for training programmes and research centres that include both the “outdoors” and “indoors” aspects of wine production. An expert in the field of oenology is known as an oenologist. The word oenology is derived from the Greek
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
οἶνος - oinos, “wine,” and the suffix , -logia, "study of."
Accreditation
An increasing number of universities now offer B.S.Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
and M.S.
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
degrees in Oenology. Most Oenologists who hold doctorates hold them in related fields, such as plant physiology
Plant physiology
Plant physiology is a subdiscipline of botany concerned with the functioning, or physiology, of plants. Closely related fields include plant morphology , plant ecology , phytochemistry , cell biology, and molecular biology.Fundamental processes such as photosynthesis, respiration, plant nutrition,...
or microbiology
Microbiology
Microbiology is the study of microorganisms, which are defined as any microscopic organism that comprises either a single cell , cell clusters or no cell at all . This includes eukaryotes, such as fungi and protists, and prokaryotes...
. Oenologists often work as winemakers or find employment with commercial laboratories or with groups such as the Australian Wine Research Institute
Australian Wine Research Institute
The Australian Wine Research Institute , established in 1955, is owned by the country’s wine industry and is funded by grape growers and wineries with matching funds from the federal government...
.
Related non-academic titles include the Master of Wine
Master of Wine
Master of Wine is a qualification issued by The Institute of Masters of Wine in the United Kingdom...
qualification and the more commercially oriented sommelier
Sommelier
A sommelier , or wine steward, is a trained and knowledgeable wine professional, commonly working in fine restaurants, who specializes in all aspects of wine service as well as wine and food matching...
qualification.
External links
- Bibliography of basic current books about wine and winemaking
- Oenologist.com - Online resource about wine and professionals in the wine industry