Nov. 25, 2002

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COLLEGE STATION – Acid was the topic that had students in this Texas A&M University class eagerly holding paper cups toward beakers of clear liquid.

A hint of green apple, a slight citrus twang, most agreed as discriminating taste buds sloshed various acids over their tongues.

What might be considered pure chemistry in some quarters is sheer fun for these 18 students taking the much sought after Principles and Practice of Wine Science class taught each fall by Dr. Greg Cobb, horticultural sciences associate professor.

"I figured we'd just crush some grapes and make some wine," said senior political science major Roger Fisher of Euless. "It's a lot of fun, but we also learn more, because it's an interactive class. We can actually see the mistakes we make instead of just looking at them on paper."

Cobb jokes that he teaches them "just enough to be dangerous in making wine" but adds, "it's a good way to introduce non science majors to chemistry."

The course started about four years ago with that in mind. The only prerequisite is that students must be 21 years old and able to go on a field trip to Fredericksburg, one of the state's most popular wine-making centers. Cobb said the course fills to its 18 student limit within seconds of registration opening each fall.

Yet, while it's true that many of the students take the class because it's known to be a "grade point average booster" or an "easy A," it's also a surprise to most in the class that one learns about acid, pH balance, metabolism and other hard core science principles as grape juice ferments before their eyes.

"I signed up for it because I needed agriculture science elective, and I thought this would be something different to try," admits Laura Moseley, senior agriculture science major. "Now, it's the only class I really actually want to go to."

Students will turn out two wines during the semester – the first considered a cheap, learning batch but the second a top quality jug worthy of the label: a computer generated picture of the class.

Cobb cautions the students there is no recipe for wine making; it's part art, part science.

"It's one of those things you've got to take your time doing," Cobb instructs as the class prepares to test acid levels in the jugs of wine each team is cooking up. "There is a quick and dirty way of determining roughly what the acidity level is, and yet that is something that most home winemakers don't do."

Cobb said though the course was designed to teach students about things like metabolism, fermentation and other chemical reactions, several former students have found new interests that led to career changes. Two former students, in fact, how have good jobs in the California wine-making industry.

"They were microbiology students who thought they were going to be lab technicians somewhere," he said. "Wine making requires a tremendous amount of chemistry."

"Mostly people my age drink beer because of the cost, and wine takes acquired taste," said senior biomedical science major Valeska Kroeger. "But I like wine but not beer, so I wanted to know what makes it."

An acquired taste has a lot to do with the wine-making process, Cobb noted. "What you really get with wine is about 70 percent smell and 30 percent taste."

He explained that one can smell a piece of rawhide without knowing what it tastes like. Put the rawhide in water for two days, however, and then a person can actually taste as well as smell it."

Regardless of how much chemistry the student soaks up in the course, most will agree that it was a great way to learn.

"I like wine, and I'd like to make it for fun," said Chandra Akins, senior international studies and French major from Allen.