CCOVI's annual grape and wine lecture series returns this week.

A host of Canada’s grape and wine experts are set to share their knowledge as the 2013 CCOVI Lecture Series launches a new season on Jan. 30 at Brock University.

Taking timely research out of lab and into the classroom is once again the goal as the nine-week series covers a range of subjects for grape growers and wine makers.

Topics include: addressing best practices for vine health; the opportunities and risks of climate change and understanding wine language from a taster’s perspective.

All lectures take place at 2:30 p.m. in room H313 of the Mackenzie Chown complex at Brock University, and are free for anyone to attend.

Again this year the lectures will be available via live webcast, and will be archived. The success of last year’s series didn’t end with the final lecture. Archived online videos of the 2012 lectures have been viewed more than 1,500 times in more than 30 countries around the world.

“Being able to archive the presentations online has allowed CCOVI to expand our outreach activities from our own backyard to a truly global audience,” said CCOVI Director Debbie Inglis.

To watch the live webcasts or archived videos, go to brocku.ca/ccovi

Parking is available in Lot E at a rate of $2.50 per hour.

Lineup and dates for the 2013 CCOVI Lecture Series:

* January 30: Kevin Ker, CCOVI Professional Affiliate, Industry Consultant in vineyard management, KCMS Applied Research and Consulting. “Vine Nutrition 101: Healthy Vines Make Hardy Vines!”

* February 13: George van der Merwe,CCOVI Fellow, Associate Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph. “Getting Started in Wine Fermentations: Challenges the Yeast has to Overcome.”

* February 27: Daniel O’Gorman, CCOVI Professional Affiliate, Research Biologist, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre (PARC), Summerland, B.C. “Development of a DNA Macro-array for Detection of Young Vine Decline Pathogens.”

* March 6: Tony Shaw, CCOVI Fellow, Professor of Geography, Brock University. “Climate Change: Opportunities and Risks for Ontario’s Established and Emerging Wine Regions.”

* March 13: Ronald Jackson, CCOVI Fellow, wine writer and author. “Wine Language: Insight into the Mind of the Taster.”

* March 20: Maxim Voronov, CCOVI Fellow, Associate Professor of Strategic Management, Brock University. “Legitimizing Ontario Fine Wine: Encountering Globalization, Managing History.”

* March 27: Debbie Inglis, CCOVI Director and Researcher, Associate Professor of Biological Sciences, Brock University. “Appassimento Wines: Developing a Signature Style for Ontario.”

* April 3: Jeffrey Stuart, CCOVI Fellow, Associate Professor of Biological Sciences, Brock University. “Bioactive Polyphenols from Wine Grapes.”

* April 10: Jim Willwerth, CCOVI Staff Scientist, Brock University.”Getting Through the Winter: Updates on Freeze Protection and Cold  Hardiness Research.”