Student Learning Outcomes
- Analyze and describe various vinification methods
- Derive meaning from experience, as well as gather information from observation through proper tasting procedures
Overview of Place-based Learning Activities
Students will engage in place-based learning activities focused on vinification practices. Through a partnership with The Julia Child Foundation and Red Hook Winery, students will study the process of wine making at Red Hook Winery. The hands-on process will include fermentation, barrel samples, wine blending and marketing. The result of these learning activities will include wine produced for use in the Janet Lefler Dining Room at New York City College of Technology, CUNY.
On September 23 and September 30, students will meet at 10:20 at Red Hook Winery, 175 Van Dyke St Pier 41 Suite 325A, (south side of pier) Brooklyn, NY 11231. Class will be dismissed at 1:00 to allow time for travel.
Equipment Required
- Create an OpenLab account and Join the 2024 Wines of the New World course.
- City Tech Chef Jacket (or lab coat), Black Pants, comfortable rubber soled shoes, hair pulled back, no jewelry.
- Electronics: Laptop or tablet to access the OpenLab site, Camera
Action to be taken
- Read about the mission of the Julia Child Foundation
- Read about the origin of Red Hook Winery, their wine makers and the wine they make
- Follow @profgoodvino, @citytechhmgt, @juliachildfoundation and @redhoodwinery on Instagram and other social media platforms
Pre-Reading Place Based Learning Activity
- (BEFORE 9/23) Oxford Companion to Wine, New York (page 507-510), Viticulture, Vine Growth Cycle, Oenology, Wine Making, Press, Pressing, Oak, Blend, Blending
- (BEFORE 9/30) Seven Fifty Daily, May 2019, The Role of Major and Minor Grapes in Wine Blending, https://daily.sevenfifty.com/the-role-of-major-and-minor-grapes-in-wine-blends/
- (BEFORE 9/30) Wine Folly: http://winefolly.com/tutorial/famous-wine-blends/
Step One (complete individually)
Sommelier Speak due before 8:00pm the night before the first session.
- Find your team number below, identify the menu item assigned to you, think about the taste of the menu item from the Culinary II menu.
- Team #1: Baked Fish Filet with Tomatoes and Mushrooms: Miguel and Kaylin
- Team #2: Broiled Salmon with Béarnaise Sauce, Pommes Natures and Sautéed Zucchini: Aeshah and Kristen and Kenny
- Team #3: Braised Beef Jardinière and Duchess Potatoes: Melissa and Shaina
- Team #4: Grilled Skirt Steak with Chimichurri Sauce: Guests
- Using your textbook, identify and list three different wine styles you believe will pair well with the menu item assigned to you.
- Next, choose one of the wines for which you will state the grape varieties, and describe the region and production method. Then describe the characteristics of the color, aroma and taste of the wine (use your tasting notes a guide).
- Your research will be submitted via the OpenLab by creating a post on our course site. Title the post “Sommelier Speak”, add the text, choose the category “Student Wine Maker Journal”, and publish your work.
- The information above should be expressed in approximately 250-300 words.
Step Two (complete as a team)
Student Blend due before 8:00pm the night before the second session
- Consider the base wines tasted at Red Hook Winery. What aromas and flavors were evident?
- Consider the menu item your team is assigned. What are the dominant flavors?
- Discuss what wines you might blend together to make a wine that will pair well with your team’s menu item. Keep notes to be shared on the OpenLab site.
- Your notes will be submitted via the OpenLab by creating a post on our course site. Title the post “Student Blend, Expectations”, add the text, choose the category with your team number and name, and then publish your notes.
- The information above should be expressed in approximately 200-250 words.
Step Three (complete as a team)
Student Blend due before 8:00pm six days after the second session
- Consider the process you engaged in to make your final wine.
- Explain the process used to develop your final blend.
- Did the process differ from what you expected?
- Did the blend smell and taste as you anticipated?
- Was your blend identified by your peers as the “winning blend”?
- Your reflection will be submitted via the OpenLab by creating a post on our course site. Title the post “Student Blend, Final”, add the text of your reflection, choose the category with your team number and name, and then publish your notes.
- The information above should be expressed in approximately 300-400 words.
Step Four (complete as a team)
Write a Shelf Talker due before 8:00pm six days after the second session
A shelf talker is a marketing tool, the audience is the consumer at the point of purchase. They are used extensively in the wine and beverage industry. Create shelf talker for the wine you and your teammate made. The shelf talker must contain the following information:
- A name for your wine
- Percentage of grape varieties and location of vineyard(s)
- Tasting notes
- Food pairing suggestion
- Be sure to indicate if your wine was chosen to be served in the Janet Lefler Dining Room
Your team’s shelf talker will be submitted via the OpenLab by creating a post on our course site. Title the post “Shelf Talker, [name of wine]”, add the text, choose the category with your team number and name, and then publish your notes.
Step Five (complete individually)
Reflection due before 8:00pm six days after the second session
Review the following prompts, choose two to reflect on.
- How much do you know about vinification and/or blending before the project began?
- What problems did you encounter during this project?
- How do you feel about the experience you had?
- What did you learn about yourself as a learner during this project?
- What is the one thing you want people to know when they learn about your project?
- What do you want to learn more about?
Write a reflection responding to the two prompts you chose; your reflections should be approximately 300-400 words long. Upload the reflection to BrightSpace.
Step Six (complete individually)
Saying Thank you due before 8:00pm six days after the second session
- Write two business style thank you notes.
- One addressed to Red Hook Winery
- The other addressed to the Julia Child Foundation
- Explain what you learned through this project and how you believe each organization contributed to your overall college experience.
Upload both thank you notes to BrightSpace.
Blending Session Directions
- With the Red Hook Winery winemaker, taste of the base wine and record tasting notes, (3 minutes)
- Using small measuring equipment and the tasting notes of the base wine, create various combinations of a blended wine to match the desired wine style (30 minutes)
- maintain blend percentages for all wines blended
- maintain tasting notes
- Submit the final blend to Red Hook Winery wine maker for blending
- While waiting for the wine to be blended,
- Name your wines
- Write a draft of a “shelf talker”
- Identify information that would be on a label
- Blind taste each wine created by each team of students, record tasting notes for each wine
- Select a white and red wine to be created for City Tech and poured in the Janet Lefler Dining Room. Consider:
- color
- nose
- mouthfeel
- taste
- balance
- food pairing
September 23 Time Line
10:20 Students arrive at the winery
10:30 Group tour of the winery
- identification of equipment
- evaluation and discussion of grape stems
- smell and possibly taste grape juice or fermenting must
11:30 Barrel tasting
12:15 Lunch, discussion of proposed blend
12:45 Review of assignment requirements
1:00 Depart the winery
September 30 Time Line
10:20 Students arrive at the winery
10:30 Blending instructions
10:45 Blending begins
11:45 Groups identify and confirm a desired blend and begin blending wines
11:50 Students clean and organize the station. Prepare tasting glasses
12:00 Lunch, discuss shelf talker
12:30 Blind tasting, selection of City Tech’s new wine and discussion
1:00 Depart the winery
Final Blend
Team #1,
Team #2,
Team #3,
Team #4,
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