Research linked to Brock’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute continues to turn heads in the world of grape and wine science.

Two Brock graduate students brought home first place for their presentations at the 48th Annual Conference of the American Society for Enology and Viticulture – Eastern Section (ASEV-ES).

Master of Science (MSc) in Gene Biotechnology candidate Nadine Ott-Peon (BSc ’21) and MSc in Biological Sciences candidate Daniel Phillipow (OEVC ’23) tied for the top spot in the ASEV-ES Student Oral Presentation Competition on July 11.

“It was an honour to be invited to participate in this competition as it was my first time speaking formally about my research,” said Phillipow. “Presenting to a crowd of more than 100 scientists, researchers, professors and colleagues was daunting in and of itself, but it is humbling and validating to have my work recognized.”

Phillipow and Ott-Peon, who are working with Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute Director Debbie Inglis on their research, competed with seven other PhD and master’s from several American universities, including Cornell University, the University of Arkansas and North Carolina State University.

Each student had 20 minutes to present and answer questions about their research. With only a half-point scoring difference between Ott-Peon and Phillipow, the judges awarded them a tie for Best Oral Presentation Enology — a first in the competition’s history.

Phillipow’s research explored the use of a locally isolated yeast strain to enhance the aromatic profile of wine and mitigate the negative effects of grape infections from sour rot and Botrytis in white wine production.

His work was also recognized by the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention in February with a second-place win for best poster. He has also previously received the W.D. Hatch Memorial Scholarship for an outstanding full-time student in a graduate program.

For her presentation, Ott-Peon shared her research into yeast aldehyde dehydrogenase enzymes — the proteins responsible for an increase in acetic acid production in Icewine fermentation in a response to high sugar stress during the fermentation.

Ott-Peon has previously won an American Society for Enology and Viticulture-Eastern Section scholarship for her research, as well as received the Donald Ziraldo-Laura McCain CCOVI Director’s Award for a full-time graduate student with a research focus on Icewine.

“Both Nadine and Daniel have dedicated their passion and time into their research,” said Inglis. ”To see it recognized by their peers is a testament to their efforts and reflects well on the training they receive at Brock University.”

To learn more about ongoing research and education opportunities in grape and wine science, please visit brocku.ca/CCOVI