Whether you’re a passionate home winemaker or a seasoned professional, understanding why wine behaves the way it does can transform the way you make decisions in the cellar.
This comprehensive, self-paced course breaks down the science behind modern winemaking into clear, practical lessons you can immediately apply—no chemistry degree required.
Over six comprehensive modules, you’ll build a practical understanding of modern wine chemistry—from the fundamentals to advanced postmodern winemaking.
We summarize freshman chemistry concepts of atomic structure, the periodic table, nomenclature, and polarity and use them to examine the basics about acids (pH vs. TA: an introduction to chemical equilibrium).
We consider all aspects of sulfur dioxide in wine (a case study in wine chemistry).
We delve into crush chemistry techniques & fermentation strategies
Explores cellaring techniques, phenolic chemistry, enological oxygenation, methods of analysis and care, fining and stabilization.
Concerns all forms of spoilage and its treatment.
Goes beyond modern enology to explore the Postmodern Winemaking view, which concerns wine’s phenolic structure and reductive properties. Discussions include vine balance, ripeness, fermentation strategies, oxygenation, uses of oak, microbial stabilization strategies, emerging winemaking technologies, sulfite-free winemaking and more.
“What a great learning experience.”
“I didn’t think I would be teachable, but I walked away with a lot of information.”
“I’ve had 17 vintages…I learned a lot of new and valuable information about winemaking.”
“It doesn’t matter if you have a hundred years of winemaking or are just a beginner.”
” I have a degree in political science so I never got the chemistry. This was a great course to help me in the winery lab.”
Upon enrollment to this course, you will receive:
Receive a comprehensive hard-copy reference guide delivered straight to your door—perfect for following along during lessons and referring back to for future vintages.
Learn directly from Clark Smith through in-depth lessons you can watch anytime, pause, rewind, and revisit whenever you need a refresher.
Study at your own pace and return to the course whenever you need guidance, whether you’re preparing for harvest or troubleshooting a current vintage.
Access the course from your computer, tablet, smartphone, or TV, so you can learn wherever it’s most convenient.
Earn an official Certificate of Completion from Grapecraft Wine Academy to recognize your achievement.
to adapt the course material to your particular situation
Take-Home Messages from the Course
Winemaking Basics
Navigating the Postmodern Calendar
Clark Smith is one of California’s most widely respected winemakers. He has built many successful brands, consults on five continents, judges at several competitions and teaches at six universities.
Smith has made wine for 61 vintages (including 14 in the Southern Hemisphere).
Wine Business Monthly named him 2016 Innovator of the Year and listed him among the 48 Most Influential People in Wine in 2018. His revolutionary book, Postmodern Winemaking, was Wine & Spirits Magazine’s 2013 Book of the Year.
The course covers the principles of atomic structure, the periodic table, organic chemistry, equilibrium and acidity. No prior chemistry background is needed.
Prior experience with basic winemaking is assumed. The course is aimed at all levels: Beginners, novices, competent, proficient and masters of the craft. The course will take you to the next level.
Many highly experienced winemakers speak of benefiting from the unique perspective of the course. Experts including Joel Peterson and Sam Sebastian gave the course five stars.
The course consists of 88 short videos narrated with humor and entertaining technical animation that engage the student and illustrate concepts in a memorable style. Participants often remark that the course makes complex concepts surprisingly clear and digestible
The best winemakers never stop learning.
Discover the chemistry behind the decisions you make every day, gain practical insights you can apply in the cellar, and build a deeper understanding of what makes exceptional wines possible.