Topics from the nitty-gritty of vineyard soils to wine sales over the Web will be examined March 9 to 12 during a UC Davis executive education program on the business and science of wine-making in Sacramento, Calif.

About 50 middle and senior managers from the wine industry are expected to attend the third annual UC Davis Wine Executive Program, a joint offering of the university's Graduate School of Management and its Department of Viticulture and Enology.

The innovative program is tailored for professionals from large and small wineries, vineyards, industry suppliers, distributors, financial institutions, service providers and other associated sectors. In its first two years it drew more than 110 wine industry decision-makers from 10 states as well as France, England, Australia and the Caribbean.

Sessions open to the media include:

• "The Wine Industry: A Global Perspective" with Robert Smiley, dean of the management school and a wine economist, at 8 a.m. Tuesday, March 11;
• "The Vineyard and Winery of the Future" with Cooperative Extension Specialist James Wolpert and Professor Roger Boulton of the viticulture and enology department at 8 a.m. Wednesday, March 12; and
• "Crushing the Competition: Marketing for the Wine Industry" with Professor Prasad Naik of the management school at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 12.

The sessions will be held in Suite 100 at One Capitol Mall, Sacramento. Registration is required for those other than members of the media, and space is still available.