12/27/2024 9:26:12 AM	VIT 131 Course Outline as of Fall 2022	Changed Course
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr:  VIT 131	Title:  FRUIT QUALITY ASSURANCE
Full Title:  Working with Your Winemaker - Fruit Quality Assurance
Last Reviewed:9/13/2021

Units		Course Hours per Week			Nbr of Weeks	Course Hours Total
Maximum	1.00	Lecture Scheduled	9.00		2 max.	Lecture Scheduled	18.00
Minimum	1.00	Lab Scheduled	0		2 min.	Lab Scheduled	0
		Contact DHR	0			Contact DHR	0
		Contact Total	9.00			Contact Total	18.00
		Non-contact DHR	0			Non-contact DHR Total	0

Total Out of Class Hours:  36.00

Total Student Learning Hours: 54.00

Title 5 Category:  AA Degree Applicable
Grading:  Grade or P/NP
Repeatability:  00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As: 
Formerly: 

Catalog Description:

The primary aspects of wine grape quality improvement will be covered. The student will write a detailed plan to improve fruit quality in the vineyard, and then assess and evaluate the degree of improvement achieved. This short course also addresses enhanced communication skills between the grower and the winemaker or grape buyer.

Prerequisites/Corequisites:

Recommended Preparation:
Eligibility for ENGL 100 or ESL 100

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description:

The primary aspects of wine grape quality improvement will be covered. The student will write a detailed plan to improve fruit quality in the vineyard, and then assess and evaluate the degree of improvement achieved. This short course also addresses enhanced communication skills between the grower and the winemaker or grape buyer.

(Grade or P/NP)
Prerequisites:
Recommended:Eligibility for ENGL 100 or ESL 100
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:		Effective:		Inactive:
Area:
CSU GE:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
IGETC:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
CSU Transfer:		Effective:		Inactive:
UC Transfer:		Effective:		Inactive:
C-ID:

Certificate/Major Applicable: Both Certificate and Major Applicable

COURSE CONTENT

Student Learning Outcomes:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Identify, assess and recommend vineyard practices that will improve wine grape quality.

2. Develop a written farming plan for the

implementation of fruit quality improvement practices.3. Evaluate the effectiveness of the farming plan.

4. Describe the roles of grower, winemaker and grape buyer.

 

Objectives:

At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Identify and describe how specific vineyard practices can improve fruit quality.

2. Develop and write a detailed vineyard farming plan to implement fruit quality improvement practices.

3. Develop and write an assessment plan to quantify and evaluate the level of fruit quality improvement.

4. Explain how fruit quality assessment plans can be effective.

5. Explain the different roles of grower, winemaker and grape buyer in grape contract negotiation.

Topics and Scope

I. Overview of Wine Grape Quality Assurance Practices

    A. Canopy management

    B. Deficit irrigation

    C. Vine nutrition

    D. Use of technology, e.g., Normalized Differential Vegetative Index (NDVI), remote imagery, canopy sensors, leaf pressure chambers

II. Identification Vineyard Problems that Limit Fruit Quality

    A. Non-uniform ripening

    B. Poor irrigation/fertilization

    C. Vine vigor imbalance

III. Writing a Vineyard Management Plan

    A. Specific vineyard problems requiring attention

    B. Farming practices that address the specific problems

    C. Appropriate timing of the farming practices

IV. Evaluation and Assessment of Wine Grape Quality

    A. Targeting specific wine styles

    B. Fruit parameters that result in a specific wine style

    C. Post-harvest wine evaluation

    D. Determination of which specific vineyard practices contributed to specific wine flavor/color/aroma characteristics

V. Writing a Wine Grape Quality Assessment and Evaluation Plan

    A. Correlate vineyard practices to fruit parameters at harvest

    B. Correlate vineyard practices to wine quality

    C. Evaluation of the level of fruit quality improvement

VI. Communication with Winemakers and Grape Buyers

    A. Roles of grower, winemaker, and grape buyer

    B. Identification of shared goals

    C. Solicitation and utilization of feedback

VII. Grape contract negotiations

    A. Different types of contracts

    B. Fruit parameters

    C. Timing

    D. Delivery

    E. Price (per ton vs. per acre)

VIII. Determination of optimum time/conditions for harvest

    A. Winery tank space and capacity

    B. Picking bin size options

    C. Trucking

    D. Night harvest vs. day harvest

Assignments:

1. Write a vineyard management plan that incorporates various fruit quality assurance practices (6-10 pages)

2. Write one plan for assessment, implementation and evaluation of vineyard management plan (5-7 pages)

3. Research multiple grape contracts and summarize pertinent negotiation points (2-3 pages)

4. Quizzes (2)

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.

Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.		Writing 45 - 60%
Vineyard management plan and assessment plan
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 15 - 25%
Research multiple grape contracts and summarize pertinent negotiation points
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.		Skill Demonstrations 0 - 0%
None
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 20 - 30%
Quizzes
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 0 - 0%
None

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

Instructor prepared materials

The Code of Sustainable Winegrowing Practices Workbook. 4th ed. Wine Institute of California and the California Association of Wine Grape Growers. 2020.

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