Brock University’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI) has raised $30,000 in support of the Karl J. Kaiser Memorial Fund through its Great Chardo Swap initiative.

The fund establishes scholarships for students studying Oenology and Viticulture (OEVI) at Brock.

Dedicated to advancing the Canadian grape and wine industry, CCOVI developed the Great Chardo Swap to showcase different styles of Chardonnay, Ontario’s most widely planted white vinifera grape. The project, which brought together 12 of Niagara’s top winemakers to explore the impact of terroir versus winemaking, resulted in a limited release of unique Chardonnays from two vintages and vineyards in Niagara.

“The Great Chardo Swap has been a true collaboration from beginning to end. It would not have been possible without our incredible industry partners, from the participating winemakers to the wonderful team at WineAlign,” said CCOVI Director Debbie Inglis. “Karl was an incredible innovator and leader in the Ontario wine industry and we look forward to leveraging the funds raised to support the next generation of winemakers.”

CCOVI partnered with WineAlign to facilitate the orders of the Great Chardo Swap wines, which gave consumers the unique opportunity to explore 12 exclusive wines from each vintage developed as part of the initiative while supporting Brock students. The wines were released in February 2023 and sold quickly, with wine lovers across the country eager to try the unique offerings.

Bryan McCaw of WineAlign is pleased to have had the chance to support the country’s foremost wine research institute and to assist in bolstering the fund for future generations studying grape and wine science at Brock.

“We’re happy that our Exchange service was able to facilitate the Great Chardo Swap sales and charitable contributions for such a worthy cause,” he said. “We’ve been steadfast in our support of the Ontario and Canadian wine industry since our inception 15 years ago.”