Vineyards - Viticulture Program
Wineries - Enology Program
A vital component of the VESTA
program are the hands-on field experiences that are woven into
our courses. Students are required to participate in field
experiences through partnerships with area vineyards and
wineries.
Viticulture Program
Practicum Site Form - Vineyards
Those students enrolled in VIN 111, VIN 113, or
VIN 115 must contact a vineyard in their area that would
be willing to serve both as a mentor and a field practicum site
for the completion of their hands-on experiences in their
Viticulture class or classes. After securing a potential site, complete the
Field Site Form and email,
fax or postal mail to Michelle Norgren. Upon receipt of
the completed form, the cooperating vineyard will be
mailed complete information regarding their role as your mentor.
Field Practicum Experiences will
include:
VIN 111 - 16 hours of field
practicum time required
-
Soil sampling
-
Soil pH measurements
-
Implementation of soil fertility
plan
-
Identification and understanding of
various trellis systems
-
Stock selection
-
Planting methods
-
Proper planting methods
-
Post planting care
-
Identification of vine anatomy
-
Proper trunk and cordon selection
-
Proper vine training procedures
VIN 113 - 64 hours of field
practicum time required
-
Identification of vine anatomy
-
Identification of annual and
perennial growth cycles
-
Accurate identification of old
wood, diseased wood, live and dead buds, and basal buds.
-
Vine tying systems
-
Bud counts
-
Positioning of renewal spurs and
properly space fruiting spurs
-
Proper cordon tying
-
Balanced pruning
-
Calculation of number of buds to retain based on pruning weight
and appropriate balanced pruning formula.
-
Vine pruning using the results of appropriate balance pruning
formula
-
Bench trial propagation of preferred varieties
-
Produce a minimum of six rooted cuttings
-
Identification of major spring pest concerns
-
Early season pest management strategies
-
Identification of major fungal diseases at field site
-
Identification of insect pests at field site
-
Sprayer calibration
-
Application of herbicide spray
-
Application of
fungicide/insecticide spray
-
Application lime
-
Proper trellis maintenance
-
Water management strategies for field site
-
Desuckering and shoot thinning
-
Shoot thinning
VIN 115 - 64 hours of field
practicum time required
-
Petiole sampling
-
Participation in vine summer
fertility plan
-
Identification of major fungal
diseases at field site
-
Identification of major pests at
field site
-
Identification of major weed pests
at field site
-
Participation in a summer pest
management program
-
Sprayer calibration
-
Proper cluster thinning
-
Proper shoot positioning
-
Proper leaf removal
-
Participation in proper sampling
and lab analysis techniques to predict harvest
-
Participation in the harvest
operation
-
Participate in coordination of harvest transportation
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Enology Program
Practicum Site Form - Wineries
Those students enrolled in VIN 257
or VIN 259 must contact a winery in their area that would
be willing to serve both as a mentor and a field practicum site
for the completion of their hands-on experiences in their
Viticulture class or classes. After securing a potential site, complete the
Field Site Form and email,
fax or postal mail to Michelle Norgren. Upon receipt of
the completed form, the cooperating vineyard will be
mailed complete information regarding their role as your mentor.
VESTA Approved
Practicum Site
VESTA
approved practicum site will consist of the following
characteristics and must be approved by the VESTA Regional Center.
-
3+ employees (including
working owners and temporary/part time employees)
-
An active Barrel
program or access to one at a neighboring facility.
-
5+ years commercial
experience
-
Willingness to provide
a training experience for the VESTA student.
-
Access to the following
equipment: Crusher, Destemmer, Press, Filtration system, Bottling
line, Pumps
Field Practicum Experiences will
include:
VIN 257 - 128 hours of field
practicum hours required
-
Set up and operation of de-stemming and crushing equipment
-
Set up and operation of grape press equipment
-
Set up and operation of lees filter
-
Demonstrate fermentation monitoring by measuring Brix and
temperature
-
Cap management through one or more of the following techniques –
pump-over, punch-down, deluce, rotary fermentation
-
Barrel re-hydration, cleaning, sanitation and repair
-
Storage of full and empty barrels
VIN 259 - 32 hours of field
practicum hours required
-
Setup of pumps, flush lines, etc. to transfer wines.
-
Perform the safe transfer of wines in accordance with standard
operating procedures for racking, filtration, topping and
mixing.
-
Setup and perform laboratory for laboratory level fining trials
-
Perform cellar additions
-
Setup equipment and perform clarification of wines including
plate and frame filtration, pressure leaf, cross-flow, rotary
drum, and centrifugation, and rotary vacuum
-
Setup of equipment for laboratory level sensory evaluation,
chemistry, and volumes available
-
Perform wine blending and evaluate results
-
Develop a blending plan based on laboratory results
-
Setup and perform laboratory stabilization trials (microbial,
heat and cold)
-
Perform cellar stabilization operations
-
Setup a bottling line including tanks, filters, membrane
filters, filler bowl, etc.
-
Clean and sanitizing a bottling line
-
Conduct tests for integrity of the membrane filter and operation
of a bottling line.
-
Perform functions at standard steps in the bottling operation
-
Dismantle the bottling line, clean and sterilize in accordance
with standard operating procedure
-
Safely handle SO2, cleaning chemicals, ozone, acids, and
laboratory reagents.
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Michelle Norgren,
VESTA Regional Center of Excellence
Karls Hall 215
Missouri State
University
901 S. National
Springfield, MO 65897
Phone: 417-836-5053
Fax: 417-836-6979
email:
MichelleNorgren@missouristate.edu
