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Studies & Degrees in Viniculture

Viniculture is the growing of grapes for wine and the making of the wine itself. Universities usually call the field viticulture and oenology (spelled enology in the United States): viticulture deals with the vineyard and oenology with the winery. A wine's quality depends on both, so most programmes teach the two together.

Students learn how the vine grows and how soil, climate and pests affect it, when to harvest, and how grapes become wine: fermentation, microbiology, wine chemistry, stabilisation and ageing. They also learn to analyse and taste wine in a structured way, to run winery equipment, to control quality and food safety, and to market the product. The bachelor's degree at the Universidad de La Rioja, for example, has three specialisations: viticulture and winemaking, oenological engineering and oenological chemistry. Chemistry and biology are the scientific base of the subject, and practical periods in wineries are a normal part of the training.

Qualifications and levels

  • Vocational training. In Spain, the higher vocational qualification (FP de grado superior) Técnico Superior en Vitivinicultura lasts 2,000 hours, according to TodoFP, the vocational training portal of the Ministry of Education. It trains students to plan and control grape production, the stabilisation and ageing of wines, and the marketing and logistics of a wine company.
  • Bachelor's degree. The Spanish degree is the Grado en Enología. At the Universidad de La Rioja it has 240 ECTS credits over four years and is taught on campus in Spanish; holders of the higher vocational qualification in Vitivinicultura can complete it in three years, according to the university. In Portugal the first degree is a licenciatura in oenology, offered for example by the Escola Superior Agrária de Bragança.
  • Master's degree. Official master's degrees in Spain have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits. Some deepen the science and technology of wine; others, taught in business schools, deal with wine trade and management.
  • Short courses. Hospitality and tourism schools teach wine tasting, sommelier skills and wine tourism. These courses train people to serve and sell wine, not to make it. Ask each school what recognition its qualification has.

In Spain, oenologist (enólogo) is a profession regulated by law. Law 50/1998 linked it to the university degree in oenology, which at that time was a licenciatura, and gave oenologists professional capacity over vineyard cultivation methods, winemaking, analysis, storage and conservation. Ask the university how its current degree relates to the regulated profession.

Where to study

SpainExchange lists 20 active schools for viniculture. Eleven are in Spain and five in the United States; Australia, Portugal, France and Slovenia have one each.

In Spain the subject is taught mainly at public universities in wine regions. The Universidad de La Rioja in Logroño admits 25 students a year to its Grado en Enología and states that students do their work placements in the region's wineries. The Faculty of Sciences of the Universidad de Cádiz, on the Puerto Real campus, lists Enología among its bachelor's degrees. The Universitat Rovira i Virgili in Tarragona, the Universidad de Extremadura, the Universidad Miguel Hernández, the Universidad de León and the Universidad del País Vasco are also on the list, together with hospitality schools such as CETT in Barcelona and the online school ESAH.

Abroad, the list includes the University of California, Davis, Colorado State University and two community colleges in the United States, Charles Sturt University in Australia, the University of Maribor in Slovenia and, in Dijon, the business school BSB, which has a School of Wine & Spirits Business. Teaching is normally in the language of the country.

Careers

Graduates work in wineries, vineyards, laboratories, regulatory bodies and wine trade companies. The Universidad de La Rioja names these career areas: managing and controlling wine production; chemical and microbiological analysis in laboratories; analytical and sensory control in wineries, vineyards and official centres; quality and food safety; vineyard optimisation; marketing in the wine industry; and teaching and research. Holders of the vocational qualification work as wine-production technicians, process supervisors and sensory analysts.

The sector is under pressure and needs people who can adapt it. According to the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV), climate events in both hemispheres made 2025 the third consecutive year with a low global vintage, and global consumption has declined in recent years.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between viticulture, viniculture and oenology?

Viticulture is the cultivation of grapevines. Oenology is the science of making wine. Viniculture refers to growing grapes specifically for wine and making it, so degree programmes usually combine viticulture and oenology.

How long does a degree in oenology take in Spain?

The Grado en Enología at the Universidad de La Rioja has 240 ECTS credits and lasts four years. The higher vocational course in Vitivinicultura lasts 2,000 hours.

Do I need a science background?

It helps. The subject rests on chemistry, biology and microbiology, and in Spain the degree belongs to the sciences branch. Check the admission requirements of each university.

Is a sommelier course the same as an oenology degree?

No. Sommelier and tasting courses train people to select, serve and sell wine. An oenology degree trains people to grow grapes and make wine, with laboratory and vineyard work.