Wine tasting and appreciation courses

see the Cape Wine Academy web site

Online resources

A comprehensive and free guide to home winemaking can be found at http://www.geocities.com/lumeisenman/

But the hands on course below is certainly worth attending if you want to see the theory in action !

Garagiste (small scale) winemaking course

The Next course will be held on 30 May to 1 June 2008.

The number of people making wine at home has increased significantly in the past few years. The University of Stellenbosch has come to realise the need for a comprehensive course on small-scale winemaking for the general public, which is why we offer, for the fifth year in a row, a winemaking course for people interested in producing quality small-scale wines in the comfort of their homes.

In small-scale winemaking, wine is normally produced from 20 kg to a tonne or two of grapes. Those wishing to attend the course will have the opportunity to observe the use of small-scale winemaking equipment, as well as taste a large number of wines that were produced on small scale.

The course focuses on all production aspects of small-scale winemaking:

•   Different grape cultivars and characteristics
•   Ripeness and quality parameters of grapes
•   Harvesting of the grapes
•   Crushing, de-stemming, pressing and juice treatments
•   Alcoholic fermentation
•   Skin contact in red wine and different colour extraction methods
•   Malolactic fermentation
•   Racking of wine
•   Fining of wine
•   Ageing of wine in oak barrels
•   Alternative oak products
•   Stabilisation of wine
•   Filtration of wine
•   Sparkling wine, semi- sweet and noble late harvest wine production garagiste style
•   Port production garagiste style
•   Bottling of wine
•   Additives that can be added to wine
•   Problems that can arise in small-scale winemaking and how to solve them
•   Wine tests that can be done at home
•   Equipment used in small-scale winemaking
•   Suppliers of small-scale winemaking equipment

The course will be presented by Dr Wessel du Toit, senior lecturer in Oenology (Wine science) at the Department of Viticulture and Oenology at the University of Stellenbosch. Partakers will also receive a comprehensive set of notes and a list of companies selling small-scale winemaking equipment. The course will be presented in English, but partakers can receive either English or Afrikaans notes. Upon completion of the course, each partaker will also receive a certificate. 

Date: 30,31 May, 1 June 2008
Venue: J.H. Neethling Building, Victoria Street, University of Stellenbosch
Duration: 18 hours (Friday night, full Saturday and half of Sunday)
Cost:  R2 200 per person (including notes)

Those interested can contact Wessel du Toit for a registration form.           
Email: wdutoit@sun.ac.za