Deliberating where to study? Look no further!
In response to the rising need for skills and professionalism in the wine industry, the Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment of Jerusalem's renowned Hebrew University has opened Israel’s first graduate academic degree program in winemaking.
Offering an International MSc in Viticulture and Enology, this unique, tailor-made program is intended for newcomers to the industry and wine connoisseurs alike.
Our program in viticulture and enology stands out by utilizing Israel's unique assemblage of environments, innovative agriculture and wine-making history, stressing both ancient and modern wine production techniques. With such diverse climate, soil and topography from north to south, the country is a heavenly microcosm for learning the art of cultivating vineyards and wine-production, an art that has put Israel high on the world wine map.
Over the past decade, Israel has experienced a striking growth in its wine industry and a surging local and international market for its excelling wines. The number of wine makers has increased from just a handful to hundreds of commercial and boutique wineries today, and is on the rise.
Wine and the Holy Land have been intertwined since Biblical times. There are dozens of references to wine in the Bible, showing its significance to Jewish and Christian cultures. Hundreds of ancient winepresses dating thousands of years old are scattered across the land in fields, villages, cities and deep in the desert, proof of a prolific wine-making industry in Biblical times.
Today, the small country is patterned with vineyards, from the luscious mountainous area of the northern Golan Heights and Galilee, through the charmingly rural central, humid coastal area, to the delightful sight of green vineyards in the heart of the dry Negev Desert, where the wonderful Negev Wine Route boasts a spread of boutique, family-owned vineyards which thrive due to state of the art drip irrigation technology (>>>link)
Learning how to cultivate vines under such harsh conditions is a specialty and one of the unique highlights of the program; other leading wine-producing countries, such as France, the USA and Australia, are starting to face similar challenges due to rapid climate changes. Spanning four consecutive semesters, the program is comprised of scientific studies at its campus based in the central, thriving city of Rehovot, as well as practical hands-on learning at the renowned Sorek Winery facility and vineyards.
The curriculum covers a wide array of topics from the vine to the wine, and from artistic wine-making to modern commercial production, instilling you with the knowledge on how to make your next bottle of fine wine. These include:
The Vineyard: soil, water, fertilization, meteorology, grapevine anatomy and physiology, principles of grapevine growing with an emphasis on semi-arid zones and global warming, grapevine pests, weeds and diseases.
Wine Production: principles and application in the production of various wines, equipment for production and packing of wine and operation of a winery, micro-vinification, chemistry and stability of wine and wine microbiology.
Wine Analysis: biosynthesis of taste and odor factors, sensory evaluation of different wine types, from Israel and around the world.
The Wine-Making business: topics include economics, management and marketing in the wine industry.
And that's not all. The curriculum of the program includes a professional workshop in Italy or France, where students get to know and accompany international experts. Finally, on completion of the program, the students can intern at a commercial winery in Israel or overseas.
Whether your palette can tell the difference between earthy and nutty, or if you're still struggling to differentiate between dry and semi-dry, the international program can elevate you to the next level and jumpstart an exciting, worldwide career as part of the new generation of skilled wine professionals. Studies at The Hebrew University also give you a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet with other vine and wine lovers from around the world to collaborate, experiment, work hard and enjoy what viticulture has to offer.
You will also get to know the wonderful landscapes of Israel, the marvelous areas for hiking or biking, the fascinating history and archeological wonders in the country, and the diverse art and cultural scene the country is famous for.
There is one more added value - the people. Throughout your studies you will meet pioneering and dedicated, idealistic and entrepreneurial people of the land who, to paraphrase Israel's first Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion, have done the unimaginable, and have truly made the desert bloom.
For more information on MSc in Viticulture and Enology in Israel, click here >>