Innovations from Brock University’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI) are being recognized for giving Ontario winemakers a more competitive edge.

The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) launched its Research is my business partner campaign on Monday, Jan. 27 detailing how its investment in academic research institutes such as CCOVI, is helping businesses. The relationship between CCOVI and Fielding Estate Winery in Beamsville was an example given, with CCOVI helping the winery grow its sparkling wine sales by 30 per cent.

Richie Roberts (BSc ’04), who has worked as winemaker at Fielding Estate for 12 years, calls himself a proud Brock University graduate.

“The time I spent at CCOVI was an integral part of my future career in the wine industry,” said Roberts. “Having different sites that are monitored through the Harvest Monitoring Program, the analytical services they have at Brock are really valuable.”

Fizz Club, a sparkling wine network that provides sparkling winemakers with the unique opportunity to compare notes and exchanges ideas, taste wines, hear about new research and visit sparkling wine regions, along with the Vine Alert program, a grapevine management and monitoring system for cold hardiness and injury, are some of the ways CCOVI is boosting the Ontario wine industry.

CCOVI Senior Scientist Belinda Kemp says in addition to the research winery at the Institute, CCOVI is also equipped with world-class equipment that was purchased from the CFI fund.

“The reputation of Ontario wines has grown so much over the past 10 years,” saidKemp. “We’ve got a very good reputation for innovative techniques during winemaking. We also have some amazing equipment that’s been purchased from the CFI fund that’s been fundamental in allowing us to pursue this project from the winemaking side and also the science side.”

“Being recognized on a national scale reinforces the groundbreaking research we do at CCOVI,” said Director Debbie Inglis. “We’re grateful for the support we’ve received from the Canada Foundation for Innovation, which has also allowed us to play a key role in cultivating the success of the Ontario wine industry and contribute to the industry across Canada.”