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Categories: CCOVI Newsletters
News
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Brock set to share cutting-edge wine research with return of CCOVI Lecture Series
MEDIA RELEASE: 10 JANUARY 2018 –R00006
Wine aficionados from around the world can soak up Brock University’s leading grape and wine research as the Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI) Lecture Series returns for its 11th year.
Ten speakers from across CCOVI’s network of researchers, scientists, fellows and professional affiliates are participating in this year’s series. Topics will span a wide range from the debate over screw cap versus cork closures on wine bottles, to why we buy certain sparkling wines and the latest research on cold hardiness, leaf removal impacts and extracting polyphenolics during ice syrup production.
The series has become a highly anticipated event both locally and for those accessing the lecture remotely through livestreaming capabilities. In 2017, the CCOVI Lecture Series garnered more than 1,200 views from 51 countries around the world.
“We are pleased to once again bring the latest in grape and wine research from the lab to the classroom,” said CCOVI Director Debbie Inglis. “Sharing knowledge and providing outreach opportunities like the lecture series is an important part of CCOVI’s mandate and is of tremendous benefit to our industry and our students.”
The series will begin Monday, Jan. 15 with a special presentation of the late Karl Kaiser’s popular talk, “Pinot Noir: The savage yet seductive grape,” by Flat Rock Cellars winemaker David Sheppard.
Having worked predominantly on Pinot Noir production alongside Kaiser at Inniskillin makes Sheppard uniquely qualified to pay tribute to the industry icon though sharing his still-relevant lecture with a new audience.
“Being able to once again share Karl Kaiser’s lecture and record it for future generations to access is so exciting,” said Inglis. “He was a gifted educator and there is no better way to pay tribute to his life’s work than beginning our lecture series by educating a new generation.”
The free lectures start at 2 p.m. every Monday and will take place in room H313 of the Mackenzie Chown complex at Brock University. Paid parking is available in the nearby Lot E. The lectures will also be available to watch online by visiting webapp.lifesizecloud.com
For more information and to see archived lecture videos, visit the CCOVI Lecture Series website.
2018 CCOVI Lecture Series:
Jan. 15: David Sheppard, Winemaker, Flat Rock Cellars
“Pinot Noir: The savage yet seductive grape.”Jan. 22: Janet Dorozynski, Trade Commissioner, Canadian Wine, Beer, Spirits and Tourism at Global Affairs Canada
“Promoting Canada internationally through wine and food.”Jan. 29: Belinda Kemp, CCOVI Senior Oenologist, Brock University
“How method, timing and severity of leaf removal impacts Cabernet franc wine flavour.”Feb. 5: Ronald Jackson, Wine Writer, Author
“Get corked (the intricacies of cork closures and their alternatives).”Feb. 12: Annette Nassuth, Associate Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Biological Sciences, University of Guelph
“Do grapes SCREAM for frost tolerance?”Feb. 26: Jim Willwerth, CCOVI Senior Viticulturist, Brock University
“Effects of abscisic acid form, concentration and application timing on grapevine cold hardiness.”Mar. 5: George Soleas, President and CEO at LCBO
“TBA”Mar. 12: Tek Thongpapanl, Professor of Marketing and Product Innovation,
Marketing, International Business & Strategy, Goodman School of Business, Brock University
“Why we buy the sparkling wine that we buy.”Mar. 19: Baozhong Meng, Associate Professor, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph
“Grapevine viruses, their impact and their distribution in Ontario.”Mar. 26: Jeff Stuart, Associate Professor of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Mathematics and Science, Brock University
“Sweet, sticky, and healthy — using metabolomics to develop a ‘green’ protocol for extracting resveratrol and other polyphenolics from the waste pomace of ice syrup production.”For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:
* Dan Dakin, Media Relations Officer, Brock University [email protected], 905-688-5550 x5353 or 905-347-1970
Brock University Marketing and Communications has a full-service studio where we can provide high definition video and broadcast-quality audio.
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Flat Rock Cellars Winemaker David Sheppard, left, with the late Karl Kaiser. Sheppard will kick off the 2018 CCOVI Lecture Series Monday, Jan. 15 by giving a talk originally presented by Kaiser titled “Pinot Noir: The savage yet seductive grape.”
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Ontario grant helps Brock create first-of-its-kind wine sensory lab
MEDIA RELEASE: 8 january 2018 –R00004
The Ontario Government has announced $960,000 in funding to help Brock University create the world’s first augmented reality, virtual reality and sensory reality consumer laboratory.
The new money from the Ontario Research Fund matches a recent federal grant, and combines with support from the grape and wine industry that will enable Brock’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI) to launch the landmark facility, to be known as the R3CL.
The Ontario grant was announced Monday, Jan. 8 by Reza Moridi, the Minister of Research, Innovation and Science. The $1-million R3CL lab is part of a $2.4-million project that will greatly enhance CCOVI’s research and studies into fermentation, wine flavor and consumer behavior.
Moridi said Monday the Brock lab is one of 53 projects at 17 post-secondary institutions the province is investing nearly $137 million in through the Ontario Research Fund.
“We are pleased that the Ontario government recognizes the important role Brock University’s research plays in helping Ontario’s grape and wine industry be more strategic and successful in a competitive global marketplace,” said Brock University President Gervan Fearon.
After making the announcement Monday, Moridi was invited to test out the virtual reality technology that will be included in the $1-million R3CL (Physical, Augmented and Virtual Reality Consumer Lab), which will be used to create a variety of environments in which people purchase and consume wines. Researchers will study how a range of factors such as sights, sounds and smells impact choice and impression of wine.
“Supporting Ontario’s researchers as they make breakthrough discoveries will help advance technology and drive economic growth across the province,” said Moridi. “Making sure they are working in state-of-the-art facilities with the most up-to-date technology will help researchers do their best work and lay the groundwork for new products and services, and economic opportunity for people in Ontario.”
The $2.4-million project also includes expanding the capacity of CCOVI’s research winery to include a state-of-the-art fermentation facility, as well as the purchase of several advanced analytical instruments required for grape and wine flavour and aroma analysis.
“We’re thrilled to see that addressing the research priorities of the grape and wine industry is in direct alignment with the provincial priorities of supporting world-class research, commercialization and innovation,” said Brock University Vice-President, Research Tim Kenyon.
CCOVI Director Debbie Inglis said the research at Brock has a direct impact on Ontario’s $4.4-billion wine industry.
“CCOVI’s research tackles priority areas of the grape and wine industry. By working together between the government, academia and industry, we’re able to put forward solutions that help drive our economy forward,” said Inglis, pointing out that a recent economic impact study found CCOVI contributed more than $91 million and the equivalent of 307 jobs to Ontario’s economy.
For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:
* Dan Dakin, Media Relations Officer, Brock University [email protected], 905-688-5550 x5353 or 905-347-1970
Brock University Marketing and Communications has a full-service studio where we can provide high definition video and broadcast-quality audio.
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Categories: Media releases -
Funding announcement scheduled for Monday at Brock
THURSDAY, JANUARY 04, 2018
Ontario Minister of Research, Innovation and Science, Reza Moridi will join Brock University President Gervan Fearon and others Monday for a significant provincewide funding announcement that will include Brock’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute.
The announcement will take place Monday at 10:30 a.m. in Brock’s Mackenzie Chown Complex, H Block Room 313.
What: Brock University research funding announcement
Who: Minister of Research, Innovation and Science, Reza Moridi and Brock University President Gervan Fearon
Where: Brock University, Mackenzie Chown Complex, H Block Room 313
When: Monday, Jan. 8, 10:30 a.m.
Categories: Media releases -
CCOVI in the news – 2018
December 28, 2018 – Wines in Niagara – Meet Niagara’s King of Fizz, plus 40 fabulous sparkling wines from Ontario and B.C. for New Year’s
December 18, 2018 – The Standard – NIAGARA UNCORKED: The Fizz Club strives for sparkling excellence
December 14, 2018 – The Brock News – Counsellor’s Day helps highlight Canada’s only wine and grape science undergraduate program
December 12, 2018 – CHCH News – What’s in a wine label
December 12, 2018 – The Brock News – How Fizz Club is shaping Canadian sparkling wine
December 12, 2018 – The Brock News – Look at the label when choosing wine this holiday season
December 10, 2018 – Gismondi on Wine – Sparking interest in sparkling
December 7, 2018 – CBC The Sunday Edition – Think paying more for wine guarantees good quality? Think again
December 4, 2018 – The Grower – Canadian sparkling wines are strong global contenders
December 4, 2018 – Newstalk 610 CKTB – Sparkling wine showcase at Brock
December 4, 2018 – About Fort Erie – Brock University to host Canada’s Fizz Club meeting
December 3, 2018 – CHCH News – Growing demand for sparkling wine in Ontario
December 3, 2018 – The Brock News – The secret Fizz Club for Canada’s winemakers
December 3, 2018 – Wines in Niagara – British wine writer treated to world’s largest tasting of Canadian sparkling wines at Brock
December 1, 2018 – Wines in Niagara – Ontario wine industry giants, Brock U research builders Ziraldo and Kaiser cited with elite award
November 30, 2018 – The Brock News – CCOVI hosts world’s largest tasting of Canadian sparkling wine
November 27, 2018 – The Brock News – Winery hosts OEVI students for tour and co-op opportunities
November 26, 2018 – Niagara This Week – Provincial chamber honours Ziraldo, Kaiser with lifetime achievement award
November 26, 2018 – The Brock News – Industry giants and CCOVI builders, Ziraldo and Kaiser cited with elite award
November 24, 2018 – CHCH News – Icewine harvest begins
November 24, 2018 – CTV News – Early Icewine harvest
November 18, 2018 – The Standard – Reality series Cork Screwed pops open at screening
November 15, 2018 – The Brock News – Strong Brock presence at international wine awards
November 8, 2018 – Toronto Life – Q&A: The winemaker behind Foreign Affair Winery’s award-winning Dream 2015 and its upcoming LCBO release
November 2, 2018 – The Standard – ‘There will be more Brock across Niagara’: Fearon
October 26, 2018 – The Grower – Low-cost virus testing now available to grape growers
October 24, 2018 – Wines in Niagara – Cuvée Grand Tasting to celebrate Ontario VQA wine for 31st year
October 22, 2018 – The Brock News – CCOVI research vineyards to tackle climate change challenges
October 18, 2018 – OZY – So long, beer goggles. Hello, VR wine goggles
October 16, 2018 – The Brock News – Cuvée Grand Tasting to celebrate Ontario VQA wine for 31st year
October 11, 2018 – The Brock News – Co-op gives award-winning student winemaker a career boost
October 4, 2018 – The Brock News – Brock grad wins top international wine award for third time
October 2, 2018 – The Brock News – TV show shines spotlight on CCOVI and Niagara wine
September 26, 2018 – The Brock News – Brock’s CCOVI helps to Educate Your Senses
September 25, 2018 – The Brock News – CCOVI student named Rising Star at Grape and Wine
September 24, 2018 – The Brock News – Brock Night at Grape and Wine creates perfect blend
July 25, 2018 – The Brock News – Global wine icon visits Brock
July 23, 2018 – CBC – Vineyards welcome hot and dry weather
July 20, 2018 – The Grower – Celebrating cool climate Chardonnay
July 17, 2018 – Elle Canada – Dream job alert: The Canadian who became a master winemaker
July 7, 2018 – Newstalk 610 CKTB – Audio clip with Director Debbie Inglis
July 5, 2018 – Niagara This Week – ‘We have to be ready for anything’: MacAulay
July 5, 2018 – Newstalk 610 CKTB – Audio clip from The VIP Lunch with Lee Sterry
July 5, 2018 – Newstalk 610 CKTB – Government commits $8.4 million to establish Canadian grape and wine science cluster
July 4, 2018 – St. Catharines Standard – $11M funding announced for grapes and wine
July 4, 2018 – Cogeco – Wine Industry Funding
July 4,2018 – CHCH – Niagara wine industry gets funding boost
July 4, 2018 – iPolitics – MacAulay to unveil ‘major investment’ in grape and wine research in Niagara-on-the-Lake
July 4, 2018 – The Brock News – Brock to play key role in new national grape and wine research cluster
June 2018 – Vines Magazine – Megan’s Way (page 11)
June 20,2018 – St. Catharines Standard – Wine by any other label would taste as sweet
June 15, 2018 – Gary Killops – International Cool Climate Wine Symposium set to highlight Canada’s wine industry
June 15, 2018 – The Brock News – International Cool Climate Wine Symposium set to highlight Canada’s wine industry
June 14, 2018 – Gary Killops – Fizz Club on tour: Canadian sparkling winemakers are Italy bound
June 14, 2018 – Erie Media – Fizz Club on tour: Canadian sparkling winemakers are Italy bound
June 14, 2018 – The Brock News – Fizz Club on tour: Canadian sparkling winemakers are Italy bound
June 14, 2018 – A Must Read – 2018 Experts’ Tasting profiles Niagara’s peninsula’s stunning range of Cab Franc
June 5, 2018 – St. Catharines Standard – Niagara Uncorked: Cabernet Franc Success in Niagara
May 30, 208 – Erie Media – Brock wine research highlighted among international experts
May 28, 2018 -The Brock News – Brock wine researcher highlighted among international experts
May 14, 2018 – Godello – Tasting Ontario part two: Chardonnay
May 10, 2018 – Bay Street Bull – This Canadian women is one of Napa Valley’s best winemakers
May 7, 2018 -Vividair- Vineyard drone study
May 6, 2018 – Erie Media – Top VQA wine promoters honoured at Experts Tasting
May 2018 – The Grower – Weather Vane
May 3, 2018 – The Brock News – Top VQA wine promoters honoured at Experts Tasting
April 21, 2018 – Dine Magazine – Hooray for Cuvée
April 20,2018 – Forbes – Women of the wine world at Vinitaly International: why now?
April 13, 2018 – Wine Discovery – Conversations at Cuvée 2018
April 10, 2018 – Ag Innovation – Research institute helps make Ontario wines world class
April 9,2018 – Fresh Plaza – Ontario growers researching possibility of new table grape variety
April 3, 2018 – The Brock News – Brock grad recognized as rising star in the Ontario hospitality industry
March 31, 2018 – Sparkling Winos – A Sparkling Recap of Cuvée 2018
March 29, 2018 – Palate Practice – Another year, another Cuvée
March 29, 2018 – Ontario Universities – Counting the ways we can work together for prosperity
March 29, 2018 – Wines in Niagara – Buhler returns to Niagara to take the reins as winemaker at Henry of Pelham
March 27, 2018 – AgInnovation Ontario – Research institute helps make Ontario wines world class
March 26, 2018- Canadian Grapes to Wine Spring Edition – Wine shortage
March 26, 2018 – Orchard and Vine Magazine – Studying the virtual reality of wine production
March 26, 2018 – The Brock News – Inaugural Winemaker of Excellence awarded at packed Cuvée Grand Tasting
March 26, 2018 – Gary Killops, Wine, Beer, Food, Travel- Inaugural Winemaker of Excellence awarded at packed Cuvée Grand Tasting
March 25, 2018 – Your TV Niagara, Cogeco – 2018 Cuvée Grand Tasting
March 24, 2018 – The Grower – Vineyard Excellence Honoured
March 19, 2018 – The Brock News – Tickets selling fast for Ontario’s biggest VQA celebration
March 14, 2018 – St. Catharines Standard – NIAGARA UNCORKED: Barrelling Annie and entry-level whisky (Cuvée weekend)
March 12, 2018 – Erie Media – Cuvée 2018 toasts 30 years of excellence in Ontario wine
March 9 ,2018 – About Fort Erie – Cuvée Grand Tasting Celebrates 30 Years
MARCH 8, 2018 – Palate Practice – Gearing up for another Cuvée
March 8, 2018 -The Brock News – Cuvée 2018 toasts 30 years of excellence in Ontario wine
March 2018 – Better Farming magazine – Educating a ‘blossoming’ industry
March 2, 2018 – Brock News – LCBO President and CEO to present at CCOVI Lecture Series
February 26, 2018 – The state of winemaking in the Finger Lakes – Connections with Evan Dawson
February 23, 2018 – The Brock News – CCOVI helping to put Niagara on map as world-class wine destination
February 7, 2018 – Wines in Niagara – The wine wire: Olympic wines, Brock’s sensory lab, wine & chocolate, cider school rules, Ed Clark’s about-face
January 29, 2018 – Wine Enthusiast – Do Your Genes Predict Your Wine Preference?
January 22, 2018 – The Brock News – International sommeliers tour CCOVI
January 20, 2018 – CBC Radio Canada – La réalité virtuelle pour augmenter les ventes de vins canadiens
January 20, 2018 – CBC Radio Canada – Viticulture Virtuelle
January 19, 2018 – Le Régional – Les chercheurs donnent à l’industrie du vin une longueur d’avance
January 16, 2018 – The Brock Press – Brock wine research to be advanced by provincial funding
January 16, 2018 – The Hamilton Spectator – Provincial funds help Brock create wine consumer lab
January 13, 2018 – SooToday.com – Karl Kaiser, cofounder of Inniskillin wines, remembered
January 12, 2018 – Niagara This Week – Flat Rock Cellars’ David Sheppard kicks off CCOVI Lecture Series
January 11, 2018 – Gastronomía & Cía – Primer laboratorio de vinos de realidad aumentada, virtual y sensorial del mundo
January 10, 2018 – The Drinks Business – TOP 5 MULTI-SENSORY DRINKS EXPERIMENTS
January 10, 2018 – Beverage Daily – Canadian university to create wine consumer lab
January 9, 2018 – Niagara This Week – Provincial funds help Brock create wine consumer lab
January 9, 2018 – AM 900 CHML – CCOVI Mediated Wine Lab Funding
January 9, 2018 – Northern Ontario Business – Cheers to research funding
January 9, 2018 – CBC Radio Sudbury/RADIO-CANADA -Le vin produit en Ontario sous la loupe d’universitaires
January 9, 2018 – CBC Radio Windsor/RADIO-CANADA -Programme de viticulture à l’Université de Brock
January 9, 2018 – CBC Radio Toronto/RADIO-CANADA – Vin et réalité augmentée
January 9, 2018 – Newstalk 610 CKTB – BROCK RECEIVES ONTARIO GRANT TO CREATE WINE SENSORY LAB
January 8, 2018 – YourTV Niagara – Brock CCOVI Announcement
January 8, 2018 – Welland Tribune – Provincial grant for Brock wine research
January 8, 2018 – Wine Business magazine – Ontario grant helps Brock create first-of-its-kind wine sensory lab
January 8, 2018 – CHCH Hamilton – Wine sensory lab
January 8, 2018 – St. Catharines Standard – Provincial grant for Brock wine research
January 8, 2018 – The Brock News – State-of-the-art fermentation equipment part of government funding
January 8, 2018 – The Brock News – Ontario grant helps Brock create first-of-its-kind wine sensory lab
January 7, 2018 – CHCH News – Ice Wine
January 5, 2018 – CBC Hamilton – Wine lovers rejoice, extreme cold snap is good news for icewine
January 4, 2018- The Brock News – Funding announcement scheduled for Monday at Brock
January 4, 2018 – Niagara This Week – Brock’s CCOVI working to be a leader in cider boomCategories: In the news -
As cider booms, Brock’s CCOVI continues to be a key industry partner
MEDIA RELEASE: 14 December 2017 – R00236
Grocery stores across the province are vying to be one of 95 new retailers authorized to sell cider to Ontario consumers next year.
With Ontario’s thirst for cider far from quenched, Brock University’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI) continues to be at the forefront of advancing the booming industry.
CCOVI is the only institution in Canada to offer a certification in cider production through the Cider Institute of North America, and it also provides analytical testing services to help cider makers deliver the best product possible.
CCOVI’s Continuing Education Manager Barb Tatarnic says that pairing the foundational educational program with testing services brings a holistic approach to the learning process.
“CCOVI has been able to branch out into an industry that is important here in Niagara and all across Canada,” Tatarnic says. “By delivering the foundational learning elements and then providing the opportunity to test the finished product, we are ensuring cider makers are delivering the quality of product their communities are looking for.”
Maintaining quality from the orchard through to the consumer’s glass is especially crucial when dealing with cider because the product is less established with consumers, adds CCOVI’s Steven Trussler.
“If a consumer tries a faulted product they may simply decide they don’t like cider and that’s a lost customer,” says Trussler, who is the CINA certified instructor in the institute’s cider program. “Having that baseline of knowledge across the country helps producers make a higher-quality product and increases the number of cider consumers, which benefits everyone.”
Cole Ford, lead cider maker at Shiny Apple Cider in Niagara-on-the-Lake, uses a range of services provided by CCOVI as a quality control measure for his products.
“The services provided by CCOVI allow us access to fast, reliable and consistent results, which, for a small-to-medium-sized business like Shiny Apple, is key in providing our consumer the kind of cider they have come to expect from us,” he says.
Ford also says the industry is changing as fast as it is expanding. This forces producers like him to constantly learn new things in order to provide cider products that satisfy changing consumer demands.
“Education is key to improving any industry, and having more courses and more diversity in those courses can only help improve Ontario’s cider industry,” he adds.
With that in mind, CCOVI will be expanding its cider offerings to include more advanced courses in the near future. This would add to the growing number of continuing education courses now offered by the institute, which has more than tripled over the past year. The number of people accessing those courses has also increased significantly, rising from 77 in 2016 to 247 in 2017.
“You can’t stand still when it comes to the direction the industry is evolving,” says Tatarnic. “They always want to learn more, and we want to be at the forefront for those next offerings and learning opportunities.”
After attending a masterclass in advanced cider production last month, taught by renowned cider expert Peter Mitchell at Cornell University, Tatarnic says the seeds were sown for CCOVI to take that next step in further educating the industry.
Mitchell says he’s glad to see such significant growth in the Canadian cider industry and that Brock is in the perfect position to further drive that industry forward.
“As part of the Cider Institute of North America, Brock is uniquely placed and appropriately resourced to take a leading role in Canada in the provision of training, skills and technology development and transfer to new and aspiring cider and perry production enterprises,” he says.
For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:
* Dan Dakin, Media Relations Officer, Brock University [email protected], 905-688-5550 x5353 or 905-347-1970
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Categories: Media releases -
CCOVI’s Fizz Club goes national as it toasts five years at Brock
media release: 13 December 2017 – R00235
As wine consumers begin pondering which bottle of bubbly to serve this holiday season, 40 winemakers from across Canada gathered at Brock University to swap secrets for making the best sparkling wine.
The fifth anniversary of the annual Fizz Club, organized by Brock’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI), took place Thursday, Dec. 7 in Inniskillin Hall.
Restricted to sparkling winemakers only, the sold-out event allowed those in the industry to discuss triumphs and challenges and to learn about new research projects taking place at CCOVI and around the world.
The theme this year was From Field to Fizz, which took a vine-to-glass approach for the first time by including research and discussions on both viticulture practices and winemaking, including CCOVI research on leaf removal, clones and soil type trials and their impact on sparkling wine quality.
CCOVI senior oenologist Belinda Kemp, who has been organizing the event since its inception in 2013, said she is excited by how much it has grown.
“When we started this, there were fewer than 40 wineries making sparkling in the province and most of the winemakers who attended Fizz Club were based in Niagara,” she said. “Five years later, the event continues to sell out and we have winemakers coming from all across Canada, which is fantastic.”
The growth in popularity of Fizz Club is reflective of the massive growth in the sparkling wine industry. As Kemp pointed out, the number of wineries with a sparkling wine program in Ontario has ballooned to 90 and is constantly increasing. This year’s Fizz Club drew in attendees from across Ontario as well as B.C. and Nova Scotia.
According to the Canadian Vintner’s Association, the highest VQA wine growth category over the past year was sparkling rosé and sparkling white wine, with 12.5 per cent and 5.2 per cent growth, respectively.
Norm Cole, owner of Artus Bottling in Penticton, B.C., said he made the trip to Fizz Club after hearing buzz about it from the west coast wine industry.
“Like Ontario, there’s a huge thirst for sparkling wine knowledge in B.C.,” said Cole, whose company produces sparkling wine for wineries across the province. “It’s not easy to keep winemakers sitting in a room for a full day, but Fizz Club kept their attention that whole time. That tells you something.”
Brock grad Emilie Aubie (OEVC ’13), who is currently a winemaker at Andrew Peller Limited, said it was great to come back to Brock and learn about CCOVI’s new research, which was shared by Kemp and CCOVI senior viticulturist Jim Willwerth.
“You really see such a difference in those research wines that we tasted and it’s really exciting to know that what you do out in the vineyard really impacts the final product,” she said. “We all know that it does, but you can’t do the kinds of research trials that CCOVI does in the winery, so it’s exciting to see the viticulture differences play out in the wines.”
Thomas Bachelder, who attended Fizz Club for the first time this year, agreed that having access to the latest research is extremely beneficial to the winemaking process.
“It’s special because we don’t have this, that I know of, for any other wines and it’s great that Brock is giving us this platform,” he said. “Even the long-term winemakers with a lot of experience are here because they are in awe of what’s being done. We can’t do this on our own — we’re producers not researchers — so it’s great to see the research on this broader scale from CCOVI.”
Bachelder, who has worked both in the local wine industry as well as internationally in Chile and France, said he is excited about the explosion of the sparkling wine market in Canada.
He explained that Canada’s cool climate and unique terroir makes it well-suited for creating world class sparkling wines.
For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:
* Dan Dakin, Media Relations Officer, Brock University [email protected], 905-688-5550 x5353 or 905-347-1970
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Categories: Media releases -
2018 CCOVI Lecture Series Returns
The 2018 CCOVI Lecture Series will be returning on Monday, Jan. 15 with a tribute to the late wine industry mogul Karl Kaiser.
Long-time winemaker David Sheppard will kick-off the annual series by giving a special presentation of Kaiser’s popular talk, “Pinot Noir: The Savage Yet Seductive Grape” that day at Brock University.
Sheppard is a 35-year industry veteran and current winemaker at Flat Rock Cellars in Jordan Station. He also worked under the tutelage of Kaiser at Inniskillin in Niagara-on-the-Lake for 21-years (with a focus on the production of Pinot Noir).
Kaiser’s lecture on the Canadian-winter-friendly red wine grape was first given at the 2008 CCOVI Lecture Series.
Sheppard was a clear choice to give this lecture again, in Kaiser’s honour, because of his extensive industry experience and long-time working relationship with Kaiser. Having the ability to livestream and archive this lecture will also make it accessible to a much wider audience than when it was first given back in 2008.
Sheppard will be presenting the lecture on Monday, January 15 beginning at 2 p.m. It will take place in room H313 of the Mackenzie Chown Complex at Brock University. The lecture is free and open to the public. The lecture will also be livestreamed and details about accessing the stream will be posted on brocku.ca/ccovi.
The CCOVI Lecture Series will continue to run Monday afternoons until March 26 at the same time and location. The second lecture will be taking place on Monday, Jan. 22 from CCOVI senior oenologist Belinda Kemp. Her topic will be: “How method, timing and severity of leaf removal impacts Cabernet franc wine flavour.”
More information about the series and the complete list of speakers will be announced in the early 2018 and can be found here.
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University research saving Ontario vineyards one grape bud at a time
Media Release: 29 November 2017 – R00226
With erratic temperatures and extreme weather events on the rise, researchers at Brock University’s Cool Climate Oenology & Viticulture Institute (CCOVI) are working to make vineyards across the region more resilient to climate change.
After experiencing an unusually mild October, southern Ontario was blasted with a mass of frigid air that caused a record-breaking cold snap in early November — putting grapevines at risk for early frost injury.
When the mercury plummeted, CCOVI researchers were already out in the vineyards collecting bud hardiness data for the VineAlert program. By also collecting data on grape bud survival rates after cold weather events, the Institute is able to give growers direction on how to manage any damage vines may have sustained.
“Thankfully, we had some data available and it didn’t get cold enough to damage the vines based on our preliminary bud survival data,” said Jim Willwerth, CCOVI’s senior viticulturist, “but the extreme variances in temperature are especially problematic when the grapevines are early in their cold acclimation process.”
Now in its ninth year, the VineAlert program tracks a grape bud’s ability to survive cold temperatures over the dormant season, from October to April, across Ontario’s key grape producing regions.
During that period, alerts indicating which grape varieties may see damage during a cold weather event are sent out to growers and researchers. This allows them to determine when they should utilize their wind machines or other freeze-avoidance technologies.
Kevin Donohue (BSc ’94), Vineyard Manager at Colio Estate Wines located on the north shore of Lake Erie, said the alert system acts as confirmation that the weather conditions warrant running his wind machine.
“VineAlert allows us to correlate real-time weather data with what is actually going on in the field,” said Donohue, who also graduated from Brock’s Grape and Wine Technology certificate program in 2002. “We can adjust some of our strategies for field operations to help us to get to the safest level of dormancy going into the winter months.”
Willwerth said monitoring the hardiness of the region’s grape buds is especially crucial in periods with volatile temperature fluctuations, including the shift from the cold below-average temperatures of early November to the above-seasonal temperatures experienced at present.
“With all these ups and downs in temperature, we worry the plants won’t acclimate well or they might de-acclimate prematurely, leading to spring frost injury,” he explained.
As weather patterns continue to become more unpredictable, it’s also important to monitor conditions on a long-term, historical basis in order to use that data to understand and predict the vines’ response. That’s why CCOVI researchers will be sampling more grape buds than usual this year in order to further bolster their cold hardiness database.
The goal is to improve predictive modelling to help growers better understand how their vines will react during erratic weather conditions.
Willwerth said the years of data will help researchers “further understand how growing season and variable winter conditions impact hardiness, which will allow us to better protect the vines and better understand how viticulture may change in the future.”
Willwerth operates the VineAlert program along with CCOVI Professional Affiliate Kevin Ker, of KCMS Applied Research and Consulting, and CCOVI Director Debbie Inglis.
For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:
* Dan Dakin, Media Relations Officer, Brock University [email protected], 905-688-5550 x5353 or 905-347-1970
Brock University Marketing and Communications has a full-service studio where we can provide high definition video and broadcast-quality audio.
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CCOVI mourns the loss of Dr. Karl Kaiser
It is with a sad heart that we offer our deepest condolences on the passing of industry icon Dr. Karl J. Kaiser. He was integral to the development of CCOVI and the OEVI undergraduate programs, as well as being actively involved with research and outreach initiatives. He was a visionary and pioneer, a brilliant scientist, gifted teacher, valued colleague and above all, a friend. His contributions, both professionally and personally, cannot be overstated and he will be sadly missed by our community.
Please read the story on Dr. Kaiser’s life and legacy in the Brock News:
https://brocku.ca/brock-news/2017/11/karl-kaiser-left-indelible-mark-on-brock-university/A celebration of life for Dr. Karl J. Kaiser will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8 at The Hare Wine Co., 769 Niagara Stone Road in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Written messages of condolence can be left on his memorial website, found here.
In lieu of flowers, the family is encouraging donations to the Dr. Karl J. Kaiser Memorial Fund at Brock’s CCOVI. The fund has been launched in honour of Dr. Kaiser’s love of learning and sharing his knowledge. Donations can be made at brocku.ca/donate or by phone at 905-688-5550 x4190.
-Sincerely,
Dr. Debbie Inglis and the entire CCOVI team
