Syllabus- Plant Sciences 307, 1 Credit
History and Evaluation of Wine in America
Fall 2016
Instructor: Ron Smith, Ph.D. Professor Emeritus
Office: Loftsgard Hall; Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
Phone: 701-231-7971; Cell- 701-630-2226
Text: Strongly suggested; Wine Wise – Your Complete Guide to Understanding, Selecting,
and Enjoying Wine. Authors: Kolpan, Smith, & Weiss; The Culinary Institute of America. A
user friendly book for the wine lover who simply wants to know more about this enjoyable
elixir of life.
Justification: Being a multi-billion dollar industry, grapes are the highest value fruit crop
in the U.S. and processing the fruit for wine increases its value from three - to – ten fold. Recent studies have revealed that California is home to fewer than half the wineries
in the United States, with its expansion being dwarfed by upstart states like Pennsylvania,
Michigan, and Colorado. Much of the growth is driven by increasing sophistication in taste
by the American consumer, the demand for science-based information on the successful
growing and marketing of grape wines, and any nutritional or medicinal benefits that may
be derived from moderate consumption of this beverage.
Thomas Jefferson, our country’s 3rd President, is credited with providing some initial
appreciation of wine. His travels through Western Europe – France, Germany, and Italy, in
particular - and his extensive note taking on his experiences in attempting to grow wine
grapes of equal quality in the Colonial States and their subsequent failure, will be part of
the nucleus of this course. Students will be versed in Jefferson’s travels, his experiences,
and the contribution his efforts made to the eventual development of the wine industry
and American culture will be explored. For the purpose of this course, he is considered
America’s 1st sommelier! The course will provide some basic botany, history, cultural
requirements, and techniques of processing grapes into consumable wine.
Also explored and discussed, will be the impact of the Volstead Act – 18th Amendment the “Prohibition” – period in America that lasted for 13 years. The fact that this irrational
act by the government literally made every American a criminal, spurred the growth of
illegal alcohol production, bootleggers, moonshiners, and a gangster subculture that thrived
during this period. In their attempt to control the drinking of American citizens,
government agencies spent a disproportionate amount of money, lost tax revenues due to
the Prohibition, and the Amendment ended up a total failure.
The course will complement offerings in horticulture, other plant sciences, and general
education for those who want to gain a life-long appreciation and learning experience in
this dynamically expanding industry.
Course Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to:
1. Have a concrete knowledge of our 3rd President, Thomas Jefferson; know the basic
role he played in the initial stages of the wine industry in America; and the nonpolitical contributions he made to American culture.
2. Understand how government actions, whether they be the ‘Prohibition’ (Volstead
Act), or WWII, impacted the wine industries in America and Europe.
3. Have an appreciation of the economic impact the wine industry can have on
employment opportunities, and local and state budgets.
4. To become thoughtful consumers of this important American beverage
Course Description:
This is a practical course in wine appreciation. Students will ‘make’ some wine at
“Uncorked” in Fargo, and bottle it when fermentation is finished. Wine tasting is needed
to link sensory perceptions to wine characteristics; however, wine tasting is not required
to take this course, but must have proof of being 21.
This course will be presented mostly via the Power Point medium, depicting the travels of
Thomas Jefferson through Western Europe (France, Germany, and Italy) to learn of the
grape growing and wine producing techniques that make a successful business. Being multilingual – most especially in French - Jefferson was able to extract specific details that
would otherwise have been lost in translation. His early attempts and failures at Monticello
and of his dreams of what American wine production would eventually become will be
discussed.
Class discussions will also include: How the wine industry gradually grew along with the
expansion west – New York State, Missouri, Ohio, California, along with the wines of
Washington and Oregon, How Prohibition - the 18th Amendment - created more problems
than it solved; how American wines were considered ‘inferior’ to the wines of Europe; how
that changed through blind tastings of French judges on May 24, 1976; what the industry
has gone through to meet expectations and demand; and how the demographic shift from
hard liquor, to beer, and now to wine, has taken place. Outside speakers will fill knowledge
or expertise gaps in wine/food parings, the fermentation process, and the successful
marketing of wine.
Wine tastings and evaluation at the Alumni Center, as well as a trip to Carlos Creek Winery
in Alexandra, Mn will be an integral part of this course. All students participating in the
wine tasting will have to be over 21.
Note: I am the father of a recovering alcoholic son. This would also be a subject that I
will address as well, letting you know the extent of setback that addiction to alcohol can
cause to a vulnerable individual.
Course Prerequisites:
A driver’s license or other means of legal identification showing
age to be 21 or older; registered at the Junior/Senior level at NDSU for the current
semester, a basic understanding of biological sciences.
Course Credit: 1 credit hour
Intended Class Schedule:
We have 15 weeks in which to get acquainted with and taste some excellent wines. You will
also painlessly learn about some of the history behind wine’s development in America, and
the rest of the world.
All of this will include getting acquainted with the wine bottle, labels, and closure; ‘making’
your own wine – second class – tasting wine at the Alumni Center, at my home, and at Carlos
Creek Winery. Tasting wine is NOT a requirement of taking the course, but I assume the
tasting part is what most will be interested in!
I will do my best to make the “History and Evolution” part of the course as interesting as
possible. I will elude in part to such famous and infamous characters on the world stage as:
Napoleon and Champagne; Thomas Jefferson and French, Italian, and German wines, with
his attempts to create his own European vineyard and winery; the Gold Rush that moved
wine making west; the lead-up to the Prohibition and its consequences, including the
elevation of such gangsters as Al Capone; the Roosevelt’s, both Teddy and Franklin and
their impacts on wine; the impact of WWII and its influence on wine around the world; the
“1976 Judgment of Paris” and how it opened the world to great wine other than French,
and where the wine industry stands today, and the external threats (weather, government
and media) it faces to succeed.
There will be 2 Exams during the semester, more to be sure you are soaking up something
more than just the wine you taste, and not to flunk anyone. They will be announced and
discussed one class meeting before the actual Exams.
Final week of class is 12/12 – 16; Final Exam tentatively set for Wednesday, 12/14, 10:30 –
12:30
Organization of the Class:
Student enrollment has to be limited so that the wine making, wine tasting, and the Carlos
Creek Winery field trip don’t become unwieldy.
The course will begin with the history of wine being imported into the United States under
British rules; the importing of Madeira port that became a favorite of George Washington;
the role of Thomas Jefferson’s interest in attempting to develop America’s own wine
industry; Jefferson’s unique character that makes him a historical standout; the role of
Missionaries in spreading and nurturing the developing wine industry; the surprising rise of
Missouri as a good source of wine developed by German immigrants; problems of grape
growing; the wine regions of New York State; early wine promotions – Taylor Wine, Gallo
Wine, etc.; President Nixon’s “Toast to Peace” with Chou En-lai of China in 1972,
Schramsberg Champagne, still the most popular Champagne used in White House
celebrations; how Prohibition impacted the wine industry and how loopholes developed; the
impact of wine industry on the economy; wine tasting and paring with food; and finally, the
controversy over corking of wine, the alternatives attempted and the future of wine
bottle closure.
The students will be evaluated as shown below. The student presentation will involve
giving an oral presentation using PowerPoint, on some aspect of the history of wine in
America. The topic must be approved by the instructor. Potential topics include the
Prohibition, the development of the wine industry in the Finger Lakes Region of NY,
the impact of the wine industry development in Missouri, the influence of the Gold
Rush on wine development in California, or the development of “wine” from fruits
other than grapes. The subject selection is literally endless, so make it a fun,
educational presentation – no longer than 12 minutes. Strongly encouraged: work in
pairs.
Evaluation:
Exam 1…………………………………………………………………………..100 pts.
Exam 2 ………………………………………………………………………….100 pts.
Final Exam …………………………………………………………………… 100 pts.
Field Trip to Carlos Creek Winery ……………………….Optional; strongly encouraged
Student Presentation………………………………………………….100 pts.
Total points possible:
300 pts.
*Note: A “keep you on your toes quiz or two may pop up in class….” And will be
included in the final grade
Grading: Grades will be determined based on the following criteria:
90% > = A
80% - < 90% = B
70% - < 80% = C
60% - < 70% = D
Activities and attendance Requirement:
The course will be conducted mostly with Power Point lectures, punctuated with guest
speakers, examples, and demonstrations. Field trips to local wine establishments will be an
integral part of the course.
The course activities means attendance and participation is important. Should you miss
any class or field trip, it is the student’s responsibility notify me, and to make the effort
to obtain the missed information from other students.
Special Accommodations:
Any student with disabilities who needs special accommodation in the course is encouraged
to speak with the instructor as soon as possible so appropriate arrangements can be made.
Academic Responsibility and Conduct:
Students are expected at all times to perform their own work unless working in a group is
required. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to: cheating, plagiarizing,
fabrication of information or citations, facilitating acts of academic dishonesty by others,
submitting work of another person or work previously used without informing the
instructor, or tampering with the academic work of other students. Penalties for academic
dishonesty are outlined in NDSU University Senate Policy, Section 335: Code of Academic
Responsibility and Conduct, and may lead to disciplinary sanctions include a failing grade
for the course. (https://www.ndsu.edu/fileadmin/policy/335.pdf)