Successful Home Winemaking

Learn to make better wine at home. Whether you’re making your first batch or are an experienced home winemaker looking to improve your skills, this two-day course offers a hands-on introduction to the art and science of winemaking.

Designed for wine enthusiasts and home winemakers, as well as viticulturists who want to make wine from the grapes they grow, this course provides foundational scientific knowledge and practical skills you can apply to small-scale wine production. Through lectures, demonstrations and hands-on exercises, you’ll learn to make informed winemaking decisions, monitor fermentation and understand the scientific principles behind each step of the process. You’ll also have opportunities to ask questions, share experiences and discuss your own winemaking challenges.

By the end of the course, you’ll have the practical knowledge and confidence to successfully turn grapes into finished wine.

Learning Outcomes

  • Calculate appropriate additions of yeast, nutrients and other winemaking inputs
  • Inoculate juice and manage alcoholic fermentation
  • Monitor fermentation kinetics and interpret changes throughout fermentation
  • Evaluate nutrient needs and make appropriate additions
  • Perform basic wine analyses and interpret results to guide winemaking decisions
  • Manage malolactic fermentation
  • Explain the principles and purposes of fining and filtration
  • Apply appropriate aging, stabilization and storage practices
  • Prepare wine for bottling and apply basic bottling techniques
  • Apply essential sanitation practices and properly use equipment for small-scale winemaking

Skills You Will Gain

  • Small-scale winemaking
  • Fermentation management and monitoring
  • Winemaking calculations
  • Yeast inoculation and nutrient management
  • Basic wine analysis
  • Malolactic fermentation management
  • Winemaking troubleshooting
  • Wine stabilization and storage
  • Bottling preparation
  • Winery sanitation

Course Format and Pacing

This live, in-person course takes place over two (2) consecutive days. Course materials and an instructor announcement about parking and attire will be provided in Canvas, UC Davis CPE’s learning management system. Students must be at least 21 years old to attend.

Academic Units
0
Section Number
264VIT214
Instruction Method
Classroom + extended classroom

Section Notes

Access to your course in Canvas will be available 7 days before the course start date. Course start and end dates, as well as live sessions (if applicable), are subject to change.

Please wear closed toe shoes and clothing appropriate to work around dyes that will stain. Be advised that our teaching labs observe OSHA rules. There is no eating or drinking of liquids (including water) allowed in the labs.

 

 

Enrollment Policies

Drop requests (withdraw with a refund) will be approved, less a $50 processing fee, if the request is received before the refund deadline.View complete enrollment policy information, including details on withdrawals and transfers.  
 
Refund Deadline: 5/17/2027. Refunds and/or enrollment transfers will not be approved after this date.  
 
Students enrolling after the first day of class are expected to reach out to their instructor to make sure they receive all content and are on track with the course.
 

Technical Requirements

To ensure your success in this course, please review our technical requirements page. https://cpe.ucdavis.edu/areas-study/online-programs/technical-requirements

Discounts

CAAA Member Discount

Current members of the Cal Aggie Alumni Association (CAAA) and other UC alumni associations receive 10% off the course fee of one course per quarter, not to exceed $100. If you don't have your discount code, contact CAAA at [email protected] to request it.