A new university degree: "Towards the terroir through geo-sensory tasting"

Created by the Faculty of Geography and Planning in collaboration with the University of Fine Wines and the University of Strasbourg Foundation, this degree aims to give professionals and connoisseurs new tools with which to describe and bring out the best in great wines. Thanks to the contribution of both geography and neuroscience, students will be able to rediscover the alchemy between earth, wine and climate. This will involve applying knowledge of the terroir to blind tasting sessions. This state diploma (diplôme universitaire) in continuing education will allow people from all backgrounds interested in entering the profession to become future experts able to identify the geographical origin of a wine. This diploma, the only one of its kind in France, focuses on the particular requirements of terroir-specific viticulture. Mastering these requirements requires knowledge of the history of a place, the geography, geology, pedology and climate of terroirs, and sociological and religious aspects as well as neuroscience. The course focuses on geo-sensory analysis. This technique alone allows us to understand and describe the deep-lying links connecting terroir wines and their place of origin using simple, accessible and universal terminology relating to their mouth feel. This diploma therefore combines academic and professional expertise. The University of Strasbourg thus reiterates its willingness to embrace professional and international components while remaining firmly rooted in its home region.