The Great Chardo Swap, an initiative spearheaded by Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI) Principal Scientist Belinda Kemp, aimed to explore what dictates the style of a wine — the winemaker or the terroir.
The initiative saw a dozen winemakers from east and west of the Welland Canal swapping grapes to make Chardonnay. Beyond using the same juice, closures and bottles, winemakers had free rein to craft their wines however they desired. Thanks to a partnership with WineAlign, wine lovers can explore these exclusive bottles for themselves.
The wines crafted as part of this initiative are now available for purchase via WineAlign, and are sold by the case (12-bottles) for $299 plus shipping, with $150 from each case sale donated to the Karl J. Kaiser Memorial Fund to establish scholarships for students studying Oenology and Viticulture (OEVI) at Brock University. Following a purchase, the University will issue a charitable receipt for $150 by mail.
KARL J. KAISER
Remembered for his impact on the Niagara and Canadian wine industry and guidance in the creation of Brock’s flagship research institute and related programming in the 1990s, Karl J. Kaiser passed away in 2017 at the age of 76.
Kaiser, who graduated from Brock’s chemistry program in 1974, was an industry pioneer and the co-founder of Inniskillin Winery.
It was his desire for wine research and knowledge that, together with other industry visionaries, led to the development of Brock’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI) in 1996 and the Oenology and Viticulture (OEVI) undergraduate program that followed in 1997. Kaiser developed the OEVI wine chemistry course and was its first instructor in 1998.
He later became a CCOVI Professional Affiliate and returned on a regular basis to give lectures and seminars. He was also a researcher, working with CCOVI Director Debbie Inglis to understand more about Icewine fermentation and production.
First established by a gift from Kasier’s estate, the Karl J. Kaiser Memorial Fund looks to create scholarships for students studying Oenology and Viticulture (OEVI) at Brock to honour Kaiser’s love of learning and sharing his knowledge.
Those looking to support the memorial fund directly can make a donation at brocku.ca/donate by selecting the ‘Karl J. Kaiser Memorial Fund’ in the gift designation dropdown menu. The Kaiser Family is grateful for the community’s contributions and efforts to support the fund.
