The Science of Wine

Reviewed by Mathew Benoit, COO of Learn Brands · October 2026

A customer asks for something dry, then reaches for a wine that smells like ripe peaches. A guest is sure sulfites give them headaches. A buyer wants to know why the oaked Chardonnay costs more. Each one has a clear answer, and each answer comes back to one of five things.

The Science of Wine is a free wine course that covers those five things in about 15 minutes: fermentation, acid, tannin, sulfites, and oak. You don't need a science background. Each lesson is a short narrated video that gives you the idea, what to know, and where you taste it in the glass.

What you'll learn

Five lessons, one for each thing that shapes a glass of wine.

Lesson 1 is fermentation. Yeast turns the sugar in grape juice into alcohol. You'll learn what dry means, why a fruity wine can still be dry, and how the alcohol percentage on a label works as a clue to body.

Lesson 2 is acid, the thing that makes wine taste crisp and makes your mouth water. You'll see why cooler climates give higher-acid wines, where the buttery note in some Chardonnay comes from, and why high-acid wines work so well with food.

Lesson 3 is tannin, the drying grip in red wine. You'll learn where it comes from, which grapes run high and which run low, why a big Cabernet tastes smoother with steak, and how to tell tannic from dry.

Lesson 4 is sulfites, the preservative that keeps wine fresh. You'll learn why almost every wine contains some, what "Contains Sulfites" on a U.S. label does and doesn't tell you, how organic labeling changes the picture, and what is known about the headache question. It also covers where your role stops when someone brings up a health condition.

Lesson 5 is oak, where vanilla, toast, and spice come from. You'll compare new and used barrels and American and French oak, and learn what unoaked means on a label.

How the course works

The course is five short narrated videos, one per lesson. Watch each one through to unlock the next.

It closes with a five-question final quiz, one question per lesson. Four out of five passes. It is online and self-paced, and it works on a phone, tablet, or desktop.

Who this is for

Retail and on-premise staff who field wine questions on the floor every shift. Distributor sales reps who need a clean talking point in front of a buyer. And wine drinkers who want to understand what is in the glass and shop with more confidence.

The course speaks to all three, in plain language.

What you walk away with

You'll be able to explain what dry means and read alcohol as a clue to body. Spot acid and use it to match wine with food. Tell tannic from dry. Answer the sulfite question accurately and know where your role stops. And tell an oaked wine from an unoaked one by smelling it before you sip.

Free to enroll. Self-paced. Certificate on completion.

The Science of Wine FAQ

Is this course free?

Yes. The Science of Wine is part of the free Core Education Suite, free to take and free to assign to your team. No cost, no subscription, no card required. A certificate is issued on completion.

How long does it take?

About 15 minutes, self-paced: five short video lessons and a five-question final quiz.

Do I need a science background?

No. The course is written in plain language for people who sell, serve, or drink wine. There are no formulas to learn.

What does dry mean in wine?

Dry means not sweet. A wine is dry when the yeast finishes fermenting and almost no sugar is left. A dry wine can still smell like ripe fruit, and people often say dry when they mean tannic, the gripping feel some red wines leave on your gums. Lessons 1 and 3 sort out both.

Do sulfites in wine cause headaches?

People often blame sulfites, but whether they are responsible is unclear, and it looks unlikely. People who get wine headaches usually point to red wine, yet white wine generally contains more sulfites. Sulfite sensitivity is real but uncommon, and it is more common among people with asthma. The course is general education and does not give medical advice. Anyone with asthma or a diagnosed sensitivity should read the label and check with their doctor.

How is this different from Wine Essentials?

Wine Essentials is the fuller foundation on grape varieties, regions, and styles. The Science of Wine is the 15-minute explainer on why wine tastes the way it does. They work well together, in either order.

Can I enroll my whole team?

Yes. Create a free company account, assign the course, and track who has started and finished from the Learn Brands dashboard.

Get certified

AFNA Wine Certified is the industry's first credential in alcohol-free and alcohol-removed wine, built for sommeliers, retailers, and hospitality pros. Buying for a team? Register your business free and assign seats across your whole staff.

Related courses

Pair this with Wine Essentials for grape varieties, regions, and styles, and The Professional's Guide to Alcohol Tasting to build your tasting skills. The written companion is our wine training guide for retail and restaurant staff. For a quick preview of Lesson 1, watch the wine fermentation video. Browse the free Core Education Suite.

About the reviewer
Mathew Benoit is COO of Learn Brands. He has a family liquor store background, spent more than eight years as Marketing Director at the distributor Vinocopia, and has represented brands nationally. Read Mathew's full bio.