What is the difference between a vinologist and an oenologist?
Behind your favorite wine lies a whole world of knowledge and expertise. There is even so much to learn about wine that entire courses of study and professions are devoted to it. You may already be familiar with the vinologist. But you can also become an oenologist. What exactly is that? And how does an oenologist differ from a vinologist?
Admittedly, there are quite a few moments when I open a bottle without thinking twice. Not thinking about the wine you are drinking is not something vinologists and oenologists do. Yet they both approach it in a different way.
The vinologist
A vinologist is someone with a wealth of wine knowledge. They know everything about grape varieties, wine regions, climate influences and soil types, and how all these factors affect one another. Vinologists are also experts in vinification: the process by which grapes are ‘transformed’ into wine. And then there is something else these wine geeks know a great deal about: flavors. At wine school, not only theory but also practical skills are tested through blind tasting. As a result, a (good) vinologist can often guess during a tasting session which region a wine comes from and which grape varieties it was made from. Sometimes they can even identify the vintage!
The oenologist
An oenologist also knows a great deal about wine, but specifically about the technical side of viticulture and winemaking. This expert is essentially concerned with agricultural science focused on wine. You could say that an oenologist is more involved with the scientific aspect of wine. Think of the biochemical aspects of winemaking. For example, an oenologist knows which soil type is best for a grape variety, which aspect of a hill allows the vines to thrive, whether or not pesticides should be used and what nutrients a grape variety needs.
University education to become an oenologist
Did you know that you have to complete a university degree if you want to become an oenologist? The University of Bordeaux, Stellenbosch University in South Africa and The University of Adelaide in Australia are universities where you can study to become an oenologist. If you want to take it one step further, you can become a Master of Wine. But that is not for everyone. Literally. Every year, only 80 people from around the world are admitted to the years-long Master of Wine program. Worldwide, there are only 400 people who hold this title. In the Netherlands, there are 3 Masters of Wine, including Cees van Casteren, known for the book Tasting Like a Pro.
The sommelier
Besides the vinologist and the oenologist, there is also the sommelier. There are many misconceptions about this profession, such as the idea that they ‘just pour a bit of wine’. Technically speaking, they do that too, but they do much more than that. For example, they advise guests on suitable wine-and-food pairings. They also tell you more about the wine’s origin and flavor before or while pouring it. Another task on a sommelier’s list: purchasing wine for the restaurant where they work. Quite the busy bees, those sommeliers. Did you know that there are also beer sommeliers? They do the same as wine sommeliers, but with (yes, you guessed it) wine.
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