Wine Tasting: Sensory Techniques for Wine Analysis on Coursera

Created by UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education and hosted on the Coursera platform, this online course consists of pre-recorded video lectures, auto-graded and peer-reviewed assignments and community discussion forums. This course is self-paced and designed to teach you a new skill in as little as 4-6 weeks.

With its roots in ancient cultures as early as 6,000 BC, wine has long been part of the human experience. Today, increasing worldwide interest in wine and its complexities and varieties has created an international market valued at $304 billion annually. For the learner who is just getting started in the study of wine, this self-paced course will help you take the first steps toward understanding the physiological process of wine tasting. The first module will explore types of wine and help you set up your own tasting. You’ll also begin to build a sensory vocabulary. In module two you will review classic wine types of the world and set up flights of specific wines. Later we’ll examine the various faults and defects that can appear in wine as well as techniques for spotting problems. In week four we’ll delve into the complex world of wine and food pairings, and its “seven deadly sins.” The course will culminate in a peer review project in which you will apply the knowledge and sensory techniques you have developed throughout the course to assess a specific wine.