Editors Note: This is the fourth of a six-part series exploring the drinking culture in State College. This installment focuses on the academic side of wine tasting.

When the instructor arrived -- seven minutes late and pushing a cart loaded with glasses and bottles of wine -- the class didn't quiet down, but began to bustle with activity.

That may be because in the class, Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management 497D (Wine Appreciation) students learn about the history of wine, wine regions and wine types. And, of course, they sample the spirits.

New this semester, the class was developed to keep the university "current" as wine drinking becomes more popular, said course instructor Peter Yersin. Knowledge of wine drinking is also becoming more desirable socially and for its health benefits, he said.

"We feel wine has become popular enough as a vital part of hospitality and people's personal lives to stand on its own," he said.

The class is modeled after one currently offered at Cornell University, where it has 750 students in each section.

Though this semester it is offered only to students in the major -- 48 students are currently enrolled in the wine appreciation class -- Yersin said he recognizes the university-wide interest in the class.

"We see the potential for this to grow into a much larger class," he said. "The world is into wine."

Hubert Van Hoof, director and professor of hospitality management, said the course will be available to students in any major this summer, and its availability in the fall semester and as a continuing education course is a possibility.

An education in wine appreciation is something Stage College Borough Council President Cathy Dauler said she finds positive for the student body.

"I think that if people learn how to enjoy wine with food, then that's not a bad thing," she said.

The class could help students change their cultural view on alcohol consumption, Dauler said.

"The emphasis doesn't have to be on the quantity," she said.

Students, who must be 21 years old, sign contracts promising to consume the alcohol responsibly.

Liz Lamar (senior-HRIM), who is taking the class, said her friends think it is a joke that she drinks during class.

"Most people -- students -- have no idea how much there is to learn," she said.

Aspiring to be an event planner, Lamar said the ability to know which wines to serve with meals is an important business skill.

"If a customer wants wine with a meal, I can say, 'Oh well, this will work perfectly,' " she said.

The wine class branched off of HRIM 411 (Beverage Management and Wine Selection), which studies liquor and beer as well as wine, and has a more business-minded approach, Yersin said.

Yersin has taught Beverage Management for 10 years and is training for certification as a wine specialist, he said.

After glasses were handed out, bottles of wine were passed down the aisles, and students poured one ounce of each type. Over the course of an hour, students each consumed 4 ounces of wine -- one ounce below a legal serving, Yersin said.

But instead of drinking it right away, the students swirled each wine thoughtfully, smelled it and held it up to the light, studying its color.

Yersin gave students worksheets listing the four bottles of wine they would taste, with blanks left for their impressions of taste, smell and sight. They were asked to consider the appearance, color, aroma, body and other characteristics.

That evening they sampled a sauvignon blanc, two different chardonnays and a riesling. They were all California wines, the subject of the day's class. Yersin lectured about the history of California wineries for the last 30 minutes of class.

The previous class, students had sampled chocolate, peppers and other foods to develop their taste buds, Yersin said.

Student participation was very active during class, with students shouting the flavors they tasted and asking many questions.

"I like that you sit here and throw anything out there," said Nic Pelaez (senior-HRIM), who sat in the back row.

The first wine students tried was described as "a light-bodied, fruit-forward selection." Placing their noses deep inside the glasses and inhaling in short bursts, students debated the difference of smells in the wines between that of Granny Smith and Golden Delicious apples, wildflowers and honeysuckle, and ruby red and yellow grapefruit.

Lamar said Yersin encourages appreciation of wine, regardless of a student's taste.

"It's like you're your own expert," she said.