The Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI) Lecture Series returns next week with a full slate of cutting-edge research from grape and wine industry experts.

Now in its 14th year, the 2021 edition of the series will feature 10 speakers from across CCOVI’s network of researchers, scientists, fellows and professional affiliates. Lectures will cover a wide array of topics, including consumer insights and preferences in the local and provincial wine industry, the use of augmented reality in wine marketing, research on cold hardiness and vineyard pests, and grapevine virus research and certification.

Since launching in 2007, the CCOVI Lecture Series has attracted thousands of guests to take in the lectures at Brock University and more than 10,000 people have viewed the videos online.

“Although this has been a challenging year for everyone, the institute has still produced a great deal of critical research with applications for grape growers and winemakers across Canada,” said CCOVI Director Debbie Inglis. “Our lecture series puts that research directly into the hands of the industry, providing tailored, real-world solutions to industry priorities from vine to glass.”

The free lectures, which are open to the public, begin Wednesday, Jan. 20 with Brock’s Gary Pickering, Professor of Biological Sciences and Psychology. The lectures will take place remotely via livestream every week until March 31. Due to current health and safety protocols, there will be no in-person attendance. The lectures are typically held every Wednesday afternoon at 3 p.m., with the exceptions mentioned below.

The lectures can be viewed here live each week, and are then archived on the CCOVI Lecture Series website.

2021 CCOVI Lecture Series schedule

Wednesday, Jan. 20: Gary Pickering, Professor of Biological Sciences and Psychology, Brock University — Bursting the bubbles: Consumer insights on Ontario sparkling wine highlight opportunities

Wednesday, Jan. 27: Sudarsana Poojari, CCOVI Senior Virologist, Brock University — Advances in grapevine certification standards

Wednesday, Feb. 3: José Ramòn Urbez Torres, Research Scientist, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre — Be aware! Do not get caught! Understanding and managing grapevine trunk diseases, the sleeping giant in your vineyard

Wednesday, Feb. 10: Wendy McFadden-Smith, Tender Fruit and Grape IPM Specialist, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs — Going viral: Update on grapevine virus research project in Ontario

Wednesday, Feb. 24: Tom Lowery, Research Scientist, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Agriculture Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre — Sustainable management of leafhopper pests of grapevines

Wednesday, March 3: Belinda Kemp, CCOVI Senior Oenologist, Brock University — Ontario wine consumers’ perceptions of buying local wines and predictors of their future local wine purchases

Wednesday, March 10: Annette Nassuth, Associate Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph — GRAPEling with low temperatures

Wednesday, March 17: Joachim Scholz, Assistant Professor, Goodman School of Business, Brock University — Augmented reality marketing in the wine industry

*Special lecture date
Tuesday, March 23: Jim Willwerth, Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences, Brock University — The impact of cultivar, clone and rootstock selection on grapevine cold hardiness

*Special start time of 1 p.m.
Wednesday, March 31: Lester Kwong, Associate Professor of Economics, Faculty of Social Sciences, Brock University — Judging wines: Preferences, evaluation and aggregation