I have been very interested in taking courses about wine. The online winemaking class through Washington State University was in a stand and deliver format. The instructor used slides to present the material. The audio included much more information than printed on the slides. If one downloads the pdf of the slide, they can view most of the text for the audio. The class lacks video that would enhance many of the concepts.
Who should take the online winemaking class?
Be forewarned that there is a dose of science and math associated with the content of this class. Of course you could skip those slides, but that could have a negative impact on your learning. The current class would be appropriate for individuals working in a winery, learning the trade from a winemaker. The class will help fill in some of the theory behind concepts. Individuals who are making wine at custom crush facilities, may be interested in the class if the science and math do not turn them off. Home winemakers could also benefit from many of the concepts discussed, however the class is designed for winemakers in wineries and not the home winemaker. The class would be a bit of overkill for wine enthusiasts who want to know how wine is made. It is easy to loose interest with the more scientific concepts and math formulae. However if a wine enthusiast likes the math and science, then the class may be a good value.
I found the best time to take the class was in the fall when I could observe or practice what was talked about in the class. If you do not have access to a winery that allows you to work in the winery, then you will get less out of the class. After I completed the class, I was glad that I took it. Ocassionally the different winemakers I work with had different opinions than what was discussed in the class. However I found this to be positive. I recalled what Kevin Robinson, winemaker at Brassfield Estate Winery in Clearlake Oaks, California told me, “Winemakers are like snowflakes. Each one is different.”
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