Viticulture

General

• Code: TΑBO-34-Γ4
• Semester: 3rd
• Study Level: Undergraduate
• Course type: Special Background
• Teaching and exams language: Greek (English for Erasmus students)
• The course is offered to Erasmus students
• Teaching Methods (Hours/Week): Lectures (2) / Laboratory Exercises (1)
• ECTS Units: 3
• Course homepage: https://eclass.emt.ihu.gr/courses/FD325/
• Class Schedule:
  • Tue 10:00 - 12:00: Θεωρία
  • Tue 12:00 - 13:00: Εργαστήριο

Course Contents

Α. Theoretical Part of the Course

• Grapevine and wine origins. Commercial importance of grapes and grapevine products. Grape production in Greece and worldwide.
• Morphology and anatomy of the grape General form of the plant, parts of the vine.
• Physiology of the grapevine. Water relation, nutrient uptake, photosynthesis, respiration.
• Phenology and growth cycle. Vegetative cycle (bleeding, budbreak, shoot growth, bud development and dormancy).
• Reproductive cycle of the grapevine (Inflorescence, flower formation, pollination, fertilisation, fruit set, etc.).
• Chemical composition of grape and fruit quality. Water, sugars, acids, phenolics, etc.
• Trellising system and pruning – Crop management: pruning, irrigation, fertilisation, natural vegetation management, soil treatment, etc.

Β. Laboratory part

The laboratory exercises are based on the theoretical modules and include observation of morphological characteristics and growth cycle of the vine, pruning, visits to to vineyards, wineries, farm equipment shops etc.

Educational Goals

The course of viticulture aims to allow students

• to get a good knowledge about the basic rules and principles in viticulture,
• to be familiar with the morphology and anatomy of the grapevines,
• to understand the vegetative growth cycle and the reproductive functions of the vine,
• to assess the needs of the vine under the environmental conditions and apply viticultural practices in order to improve the yield of a vineyard and optimise the quality of the grapes,
• to develop scientific and technical knowledge in order to evaluate any issues related to the vine’s growth and productivity.

General Skills

• Search for, analysis and synthesis of data and information, with the use of the necessary technology.
• Adapting to new situations.
• Decision-making.
• Team work.
• Project planning and management.
• Respect for the natural environment.
• Production of free, creative and inductive thinking.

Teaching Methods

• In the classroom, face to face.

Use of ICT means

• Basic software (windows, word, power point, the web, etc.).
• Support of learning process through the electronic platform / e-class.

Teaching Organization

Students Evaluation

1. Written work and public presentation.
2. Final exams:
   • multiple choice questionnaires and
   • short-answer questions.

Recommended Bibliography

1. ΑΜΠΕΛΟΥΡΓΙΑ, Ν.Α. Νικολάου, Εκδόσεις: Σύγχρονη Παιδεία, 2020.
2. ΑΜΠΕΛΟΥΡΓΙΑ, Μ.Ν. Σταυρακάκης, Εκδόσεις: Εμβρυο, 2019.
3. ΑΜΠΕΛΟΥΡΓΙΑ ΓΙΑ ΚΡΑΣΙΑ ΠΟΙΟΤΗΤΑΣ, Α. Τσακίρης, Εκδόσεις: ΨΥΧΑΛΟΥ, 2016.
4. The Science of Grapevines (Second Edition), Edit by Markus Keller, Academic Press, 2020, ISBN 978-0-12-816365-8.
5. Managing Wine Quality (Second edition) – Volume One: Viticulture and Wine Quality, Edit by Andrew G. Reynolds, In Woodhead Publishing Series in Food Science, Technology and Nutrition, Woodhead Publishing, 2022.
6. Wine Science (Fifth Edition) – Principles and Applications, Edit by Ronald S. Jackson, In Food Science and Technology, Academic Press, 2020.

Related Research Journals

1. Vitis,
2. Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research,
3. American Journal of Oenology and Viticulture,
4. Journal of Wine Research,
5. Plants.