UGA Cortona Viticulture & Enology - Maymester 2026

Program Dates: May 10 - June 2, 2026*

* May 10 is the last possible day to depart US for Italy (May 11 - arrival date).

†  Approximate 2026 cost, including deposit. The final program fee is subject to change depending on student enrollment.

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Course Description

The Viticulture and Enology course is co-taught by professors from the Departments of Horticulture, Plant Pathology, and Food Science & Technology. You'll study the health implications of wine consumption, characteristics of different grape varieties, cultivation techniques, grapevine diseases, and pest management. Enology topics covered include wine types, steps in the winemaking process, microbiological and chemical processes associate with vinification, and the sensory implications of winemaking decisions.

The setting for the UGA Cortona Program is the small, quiet, walled hilltown of Cortona, Italy. Centrally located within the Tuscany region on the crest of Mont S. Egidio overlooking the vast Val di Chiana, Cortona is surrounded by beautiful olive groves, vineyards, rich valley farmland and immense history.

The town of Cortona is a veritable museum that offers the student a rich artistic and historical environment that reveals itself through fine examples of Etruscan, Roman, Romanesque, and Renaissance art and architecture. Since 1970, the small community of Cortona and the University have shared a mutual tradition of goodwill and respect where the local government and citizens provide generous support and encouragement to the Program and its students.

In this idyllic environment, the UGA Cortona -Viticulture and Enology Maymester Program provides a challenging opportunity for the serious student who wishes to combine international travel with an intensive period of classroom work while merging with the lifestyle and culture of a typical Italian community. Students live in a newly renovated 15th century monastery that provides premium studio spaces and living quarters with historic surroundings. 

Academic Program

PATH, HORT, or FDST 3050 - Viticulture and Enology in the Mediterranean Region (4 credit hours)

Program Faculty:

• Dr. Phil Brannen (Plant Pathology)
• Dr. Abhinav Mishra (Food Science & Technology)
• Dr. Sarah Lowder (Horticulture)

Prerequisites: HORT 2000 or (BIOL 1103 and BIOL 1103L) or BIOL 1107-1107L or PBIO 1210 or equivalent. 

The format will consist of a combination of lectures, horticulture and sensory labs, as well as field trips to vineyards and wineries.  

Housing and Meals

Breakfast:
A continental breakfast is served every morning at the Kehoe Building. Continental breakfast consists of bread, jam, fruit juice, and coffee or tea. Students who want or need additional food for breakfast may buy groceries and keep them in the student refrigerator.

Lunches: 
Lunch while in Cortona and on field trips will be on your own. In Cortona, there are many options for an inexpensive quick lunch at local grocery stores and bars, as well as numerous full-service restaurants. For lunch, sandwiches are available at most bars and grocery stores in town. A "toast" in Italy is a grilled ham and cheese sandwich, and most bars will offer other choices as well. Any of the grocery stores in town will prepare a sandwich made to your specifications or you can buy your own fruit, cheese and bread. The range of restaurants in Cortona varies from first-class full menu restaurants to more inexpensive places where you can order a pizza or a plate of pasta. If you would like to go to a full-service restaurant for lunch, the prices will generally be higher, and you will pay for service. A cover charge is automatically added to your bill, and you are also expected to tip your waiter. Sitting down in a restaurant means possible waiting times, as food in Italy is cooked only after you order it. In Cortona, smaller family-run restaurants are usually fairly inexpensive and provide an opportunity to make friends with the Cortonese.

Dinners:

Evening meals are shared as a group according to the Maymester program itinerary (typically 4 nights a week) during Maymester programs. While in Cortona, the group meals will be covered by a well-known and respected restaurant in the region. Students are responsible for their weekend dinners and can choose to prepare their meals or eat at one of the many restaurants in Cortona.

Program Costs

This cost is subject to change based upon budgetary approvals. Tuition is not included in this cost. See bursar.uga.edu for tuition rates. The cost of the program includes:

• Program Deposit (due after acceptance to program) - applied towards total program cost
• International Health Insurance (UGA requirement)
• Charter bus transportation on all planned field trips
• Charter bus transportation from beginning cities to Cortona, and from Cortona to program ending city
• Shared hotel accommodations when traveling and dorm in Cortona
• Breakfast and dinner while traveling with the program group
• Dinner 4 days a week while in Cortona
• Breakfast 7 days a week while in Cortona
• Program t-shirt

Should you require additional information, please contact us by e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by phone at 706-542-7120.

Scholarships

Scholarship opportunities are available for UGA Cortona students. Click here to learn more.

Accommodation Statement

UGA education abroad programs strive to provide reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities. Areas of disability include, but are not limited to visual, hearing, learning, psychological, medical, and mobility impairments. If you receive disability-related accommodations at UGA or at your home university, or if you anticipate needing accommodations at your overseas site, you will arrange for them with your study abroad program director and the staff in the Disability Resource Center. Examples of accommodations include note taking assistance, extended test time, a quiet testing location, alternative text/media, and accessible housing. Please provide information about your accommodation needs at least 4 weeks prior to departure in order to allow time to arrange for accommodations. Students are asked to disclose disability-related needs prior to the start of the program to help ensure that there are no delays in accommodations and that the student can enjoy the full study abroad experience.

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