Place :
Angers (France)

Duration and period :
3 weeks in november of first yean N - 6 ECTS credits

Objectives :
  To understand the concept of wine "terroirs"*.
  To know the various methods of characterization of the wine terroirs and their applications.
  To understand the links between terroir and typicity of the wines.
  To understand the different quality indications(AOC, DOC....) in Europe and their relations with the terroir.
  To integrate the concept of terroir in the implementation of actions of development of the wine productions (commercialisation).

Contents :
  vine growing and concepts of terroirs
  Components of the terroir and Influence on the vine
  Elements of geology and soil science
  Vine measurements
  Characterization methods of the terroirs
  AOC in France and zoning
  Historical and social role of the localization of the vineyards of quality
  Characterization of the terroirs in Switzerland, Italy, Hungary, Greece, Portugal, Spain
  Basic concepts of geographical information systems (GIS)
  Cartography of the terroirs on the scale of an AOC and of a domaine
  Sustainable Management of the vineyard landscapes
  Vineyard landscapes descritpions

Evaluation
Oral examination presentation
Descriptive and analytical report of a European wine area

* terroir : all factors having an influence on the type of wine made in a defined area, usually soil and exposure, climate are considered but also the intervention of man.