For two decades, the Department of Viticulture & Enology has offered VEN 3 “Introduction to Winemaking” as a Summer Study Abroad.  The location of this Study Abroad is in the historic city of Dijon, France–the capital of Burgundy. This course introduces students to winemaking and covers topics such as grape varieties, grape production, fermentation science, wine styles, alcohol and health, sensory evaluation, wine history, and an overview of the major wine regions of the world.  As a Summer Study Abroad course, the class is condensed into four weeks and students earn 8 quarter units.  

In addition to covering the lecture material (3 quarter units) that is taught in the on-campus course during the academic year, the Summer Study Abroad includes several Field Trips (5 quarter units) that complement the in-class lecture material. The central location of Dijon in eastern France provides an opportunity to visit many of the major French wine regions, including Alsace, Burgundy (Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune, Mâconnais), Jura, Beaujolais, the northern and southern Rhone Valley, and Provence. These trips include visits to wine producers as well as special tastings and meals. Additional side trips explore local history or other sites of interest such as olive oil producers, cooperages, and distilleries. 

In recent years, the program became available to students enrolled at any of the University of California campuses.  To find out more about the 2024 VEN 3 Summer Study Abroad, please visit (and share) this link: https://globallearning.ucdavis.edu/pathways/academics/studyabroad/sa/france_wine