Folsom Lake College
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Home Catalog Programs of Study List of Programs Viticulture

Viticulture

Overview

The viticulture program is designed to train and develop students who can either work in an existing vineyard/winery business or transfer to a four-year degree program in viticulture, enology, or a related field.

Degrees and Certificates Offered

  • A.S. in Viticulture and Enology
  • Small Winery Marketing Certificate
  • Division Dean Dr. Lorena Navarro
  • Department Chair Dr. Dominik J. Green
  • Phone (916) 608-6615
  • Email navarrl@flc.losrios.edu

Associate Degree

A.S. in Viticulture and Enology

This program will provide foundational knowledge and skills for the next generation of wine-grape growers and wine producers in the Sierra Nevada foothills region of northern California. The program offers introductory training appropriate for local and regional wine-related employment opportunities and for further training at 4-year programs in viticulture and enology. Students will gain fundamental skills that will help prepare them to maintain and manage a wine grape vineyard, the wine production process, and an introduction to business methods used to promote and market grapes and/or wine.

Catalog Date: August 1, 2026

Degree Requirements
Course Code Course Title Units
CHEM 339 Introduction to Fermentation Chemistry 4
VITI 300 Viticulture and Enology 3
VITI 301 Viticulture Practices from Bud Break to Harvest 3
VITI 303 Viticulture Practices from Harvest through Dormancy 3
VITI 304 Wine Component Tasting, Hospitality and Service, and Food Pairing 3
VITI 308 Fruit to Wine - Enology 3
A minimum of 9 units from the following: 9
CHEM 305 Introduction to Chemistry (5)
   or CHEM 400 General Chemistry I (5)
BIOL 310 General Biology (4)
   or BIOL 400 Principles of Biology (5)
A minimum of 1.5 units from the following: 1.5
VITI 305 Wines of the World (1.5)
VITI 306 Wines of California (1.5)
VITI 307 Wines of the Sierra Foothills (1.5)
A minimum of 6 units from the following: 6
BUS 300 Introduction to Business (3)
BUS 350 Small Business Management/Entrepreneurship (3)
SPAN 401 Elementary Spanish I (4)
Total Units: 35.5

The Viticulture and Enology Associate in Science (A.S.) degree may be obtained by completion of the required program, and either (a) the Local General Education Pattern or (b) the California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC), plus sufficient electives for a total of at least 60 units. See FLC graduation requirements.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to:

  • assist in the management of a wine grape vineyard including maintenance of vineyard rows, implementation of integrated pest management plan, and evaluation of grapes for wine production.
  • assist in the production and marketing of the vineyard grapes and/or a winery's wines.
  • analyze and appraise wine for its faults and desirable qualities.
  • assist in maintaining a winery's tasting room with hospitality services and wine and food pairings.

Career Information

Technical jobs as assistant vineyard manager, assistant winemaker, cellar worker, and laboratory technician. Non-technical jobs as event manager, logistics coordinator, sales representative, and tasting room associate.

Certificate

Small Winery Marketing Certificate

The program offers comprehensive marketing and management training and workforce development to wine growers, vintners and tasting room operators in the El Dorado and Amador wine areas.

Catalog Date: August 1, 2026

Certificate Requirements
Course Code Course Title Units
BUSTEC 332 Advanced Business Applications 3
MKT 300 Principles of Marketing 3
VITI 304 Wine Component Tasting, Hospitality and Service, and Food Pairing 3
VITI 306 Wines of California (1.5) 1.5
VITI 307 Wines of the Sierra Foothills 1.5
A minimum of 2 units from the following: 2
WEXP 498 Work Experience in (Subject) (0.5 - 4)
BUSTEC 362 Comprehensive Electronic Spreadsheets 2
Total Units: 16

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to:

  • record, classify, summarize and report the business transactions of an organization.
  • develop a comprehensive winery marketing plan.
  • evaluate the benefits of using a variety of marketing tools including advertising, publicity, social media marketing and customer relationship marketing.
  • identify marketing techniques used to create high velocity sales including online tools, social marketing and customer relationship marketing tools.

Career Information

Winery tasting room coordinator Winery social marketing associate Winery event coordinator Winery customer relationship specialist

Viticulture (VITI) Courses

VITI 300 Viticulture and Enology

  • Units:3
  • Hours:36 hours LEC; 54 hours LAB
  • Prerequisite:None.
  • Transferable:CSU; UC
  • Catalog Date:August 1, 2026

The course is an introduction to viticulture and enology practices and will explore the history, principles, and practices of wine grape production and an introduction to enology. Additional topics will cover the history of wine grapes, the current status of wine grape industry, and the classification of wine grapes. The basic principles of vineyard establishment and management will be covered as well as the basic principles of enology. Field trips may be required. A lab/field notebook may be required.

VITI 301 Viticulture Practices from Bud Break to Harvest

  • Units:3
  • Hours:36 hours LEC; 54 hours LAB
  • Prerequisite:None.
  • Advisory:VITI 300
  • Transferable:CSU
  • Catalog Date:August 1, 2026

This course will cover viticulture practices for the spring and summer growing seasons, from bud-break to harvest. The course will focus on canopy management and wine grape harvest. Canopy management topics will include trellising, suckering, crop estimation, leaf and cluster thinning, petiole analysis, fertilizer application, pest control, and irrigation practices. Wine grape harvest will include quality control measures including measuring Brix, pH and total acidity of grapes samples. This course is a continuation of VITI 300, Viticulture and Enology. Field trips may be required.

VITI 303 Viticulture Practices from Harvest through Dormancy

  • Units:3
  • Hours:36 hours LEC; 54 hours LAB
  • Prerequisite:None.
  • Advisory:VITI 300
  • Transferable:CSU
  • Catalog Date:August 1, 2026

This course will cover viticulture and enology practices from post-harvest in the fall to bud break in the spring. The course will cover winter pre-pruning, pruning relative to bud break, vineyard management during dormancy, grapevine diseases and post-harvest practices for irrigation, fertilization, erosion control, cover crops and vineyard winterization. Planting of vines as well as grafting of new varietals to an existing rootstock will be covered. Field trips may be required. A field notebook may be required.

VITI 304 Wine Component Tasting, Hospitality and Service, and Food Pairing

  • Units:3
  • Hours:54 hours LEC
  • Prerequisite:None.
  • Enrollment Limitation:Students must be 21 years of age or older.
  • Transferable:CSU
  • Catalog Date:August 1, 2026

This course covers organoleptic wine evaluation, how to pair foods to wine, and wine service hospitality.  The course covers organoleptic tasting techniques of wine including varietal characteristics, wine styles, and identification of wine flaws. The course is designed for wine industry personnel and wine enthusiasts. A materials fee of $50.00 is required and payable upon registration.

VITI 305 Wines of the World

  • Units:1.5
  • Hours:27 hours LEC
  • Prerequisite:None.
  • Enrollment Limitation:Students must be 21 years of age or older.
  • Transferable:CSU
  • Catalog Date:August 1, 2026

The course examines some of the most popular wine varietals of the world compared and contrasted to their California counterparts. Each week we will examine a different grape or related group of grapes and their expression in wine, e.g., California Cabernet Sauvignon, to a similar Chilean varietal, or French Bordeaux. A materials fee of $75 is required and payable upon registration. A field trip may be required.

VITI 306 Wines of California

  • Units:1.5
  • Hours:27 hours LEC
  • Prerequisite:None.
  • Enrollment Limitation:Students must be 21 years of age or older.
  • Transferable:CSU
  • Catalog Date:August 1, 2026

This course examines some of the wine varietals grown and produced in California. Each week the course will examine a different grape or related group of grapes and their expression in different regions or appellations of California. A materials fee of $50.00 is required and payable upon registration. Field trips may be required.

VITI 307 Wines of the Sierra Foothills

  • Units:1.5
  • Hours:27 hours LEC
  • Prerequisite:None.
  • Enrollment Limitation:Students must be 21 years of age or older.
  • Transferable:CSU
  • Catalog Date:August 1, 2026

This course introduces some of the wine varietals grown and produced in California's Sierra Foothills appellation. Each week the course will examine the expression in wine of different varietals of grape, related group of grapes, or a particular vintners varietals of wines produced in the Sierra Foothills. A materials fee of $50.00 is required and payable upon registration. Field trips may be required.

VITI 308 Fruit to Wine - Enology

  • Units:3
  • Hours:36 hours LEC; 54 hours LAB
  • Prerequisite:None.
  • Enrollment Limitation:Must be 21 years of age.
  • Transferable:CSU; UC
  • Catalog Date:August 1, 2026

This course is an introduction to the science of wine production from grapes and other fruits to the bottle. Topics covered include the history of wine production; grape varieties and wine types; influence of climate and soil; wine fermentation including assessment of wine qualities, handling, racking, aging, bottling, wine disorders and remedies; and legal compliance. The production of fruit wines may also be covered. Some labs involve local field trips. A lab fee will be assessed to cover the costs of grapes and bottling. Students will have the opportunity to take wine home with them made during the semester.

VITI 498 Work Experience in Viticulture

  • Units:0.5 - 4
  • Hours:27 - 216 hours LAB
  • Prerequisite:None.
  • Enrollment Limitation:Student must be in a paid or non-paid internship, volunteer opportunity, or job related to career interests.
  • Transferable:CSU
  • General Education:Local GE L7B
  • Catalog Date:August 1, 2026

This course provides students with opportunities to develop marketable skills in preparation for employment or advancement within the field of Viticulture. Course content will include understanding the application of education to the workforce; completing required forms which document the student's progress and hours spent at the work site; and developing workplace skills and competencies. During the semester, the student is required to attend orientation. Students must complete 27 hours of related paid or unpaid work experience for .5 unit. An additional 27 hours of related work experience is required for each additional .5 unit. The course may be taken for a maximum of 16 units. Students should have access to a computer, the Internet, and some computer media such as a USB drive to store data files. Online students must have an email account. Only one Work Experience course may be taken per semester.

VITI 499 Experimental Offering in Viticulture

  • Units:0.5 - 4
  • Prerequisite:None.
  • Catalog Date:August 1, 2026

This is the experimental courses description.

Catalog