While consumers may not be reaching for a bottle of Soreli or Cabernet Volos this holiday season, Brock researchers say these new options are poised to make a splash in Ontario\u2019s wine industry.<\/p>\n
The University\u2019s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI) is exploring how these grape varieties can be used to make distinctive new wines that align with consumer trends and improve growers\u2019 sustainability efforts.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you look at the demographics, you see the older population is still going for the bold reds, whereas the younger generation is looking for lighter wines,\u201d says Jennifer Kelly, a Senior Scientist of Oenology at CCOVI.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to remain aligned with the desires of all consumers and producers \u2014 and our research and outreach activities at CCOVI will continue to have that focus \u2014 but this new research is really exciting for a new segment of consumers who want environmentally responsible wines with lower sugar and alcohol content,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
First grown in Europe in the early 2000s, Soreli and Cabernet Volos carry a significant proportion of genes from Vitis vinifera, <\/em>the species of grapevine from which wine has historically been made around the world.<\/p>\n Because they are more disease and cold resistant, these new varieties are well-suited to cool climate wine regions and reduce the need for pesticide use, making them more sustainable. They also have a shorter ripening season, which makes them good candidates for producing wines with lower alcohol and thus an attractive option for younger consumers<\/a><\/u>\u00a0seeking out these qualities.<\/p>\n Only a handful of Niagara growers are currently producing Cabernet Volos and Soreli, which were approved for use in Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA) certified wines earlier this year<\/a><\/u>. Kelly says a few industry partners graciously allowed CCOVI to purchase grapes for the project.<\/p>\n While making research wines from these grapes, the CCOVI team experimented with alternative yeast strains during the fermentation stage. This meant forgoing commercially available standard strains, often of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae<\/em>\u00a0species, for locally isolated strains of Saccharomyces uvarum<\/em>.<\/p>\n Kelly says the results so far have been favourable from both a production and sensory point of view.<\/p>\n \u201cThese yeasts naturally produce less alcohol because they consume the grape sugars differently,\u201d she says. \u201cInstead of turning as much sugar into alcohol, they create other compounds \u2014 some of which contribute to the wine\u2019s overall profile. The result is a lower-alcohol wine that still tastes balanced and expressive.\u201d<\/p>\n For Niagara wineries, this can create a very desirable outcome by giving the wines a distinct flavour.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is an opportunity to highlight their own microbial terroir, as the yeasts we are utilizing have taken up residency in the winery and may be unique to the vineyard, giving them a regional signature for the winery itself,\u201d Kelly says.<\/p>\n The CCOVI team has also been investigating the use of a post-fermentation filtration process that uses reverse osmosis to remove water and ethanol from wine.<\/p>\n \u201cWe take the wine and reduce its ethanol content by running it through this system, and with that, we have a higher level of control over the overall alcohol content of the wine,\u201d says Kelly. \u201cIf we desire to drop the alcohol by one or three per cent, we can calculate that and do that accordingly.\u201d<\/p>\n Working with Kelly is Holly Eaton (OEVC \u201925), who completed CCOVI\u2019s Certificate in Grape and Wine Science earlier this year and is now pursuing a master\u2019s in Biological Sciences at Brock. She is the first graduate student in Canada to conduct research in this area.<\/p>\n Eaton describes the new varieties as being similar to local varieties, with the Soreli \u201chaving characteristics of Sauvignon Blanc.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou get some of those familiar aromas when smelling it. If people really like Sauvignon Blanc, they will want to try this wine,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Kelly and Eaton are just a few months away from bottling the project\u2019s 2025 test wines.<\/p>\n \u201cOnce the wines are bottled, we will recruit a panel from within the University to come to our sensory lab to evaluate and provide feedback on flavour and aroma,\u201d says Kelly.<\/p>\n The team also plans to share updates on their findings and engage community and industry members in the process through the Institute\u2019s outreach efforts, such as conferences and the CCOVI Lecture Series.<\/a><\/u><\/p>\n