Enology and Viticulture

The Enology and Viticulture program at Appalachian State University provides science-based, practical outreach and education to wine grape growers and wine producers. The goal of this program is to elevate the quality and profitability of wine, wine grapes, and other fermented value-added products in the region. Since 2010, we have provided quality monitoring analysis for approximately 25 percent of the North Carolina wine and grape industry through the Enology Services Lab. In addition to chemical analysis, the lab provides winemakers with sensory analysis of products, which is a vital quality control service in high demand from the industry. Educational outreach projects of the Enology and Viticulture program include collaborative production workshops and individualized feedback to producers based on lab analysis. The program also devotes time to surveying the needs of industry stakeholders through research, statewide meetings, and business surveys.

The wine industry in North Carolina is a significant tourism-based economic driver, centered on profitable agricultural value-added products. Small businesses account for the majority of growth in the wine and brewing industries in the Southeast. The initiatives of the Enology and Viticulture program support rural development and agritourism by directly contributing to the sustainability of the wine industry in North Carolina. Appalachian State University supports this grant-funded program by providing lab space and investing in an innovative four-year Fermentation Science degree program to collaborate with the ongoing outreach projects.

The long-term goal of this outreach program is to support grape, wine, and other craft beverage producers across the Southeast in creating high quality, marketable products and sustainable agricultural businesses.

Program Sponsors: