Ontario wine industry focus of Brock wine lectures

Note: Some very interesting lectures are coming at Brock’s Cool Climate Oenology & Viticulture Institute. Here’s a rundown of the talks so you can mark your calendar.

The 2011 lecture series at Brock’s Cool Climate Oenology & Viticulture Institute (CCOVI) will be its biggest ever, and feature the expertise of CCOVI Researchers, Fellows and Professional Affiliates from across Canada.

The fourth annual CCOVI series begins in January and runs for 14 weeks, as scientists and other experts examine issues important to grape growers and wineries. Topics range from viticulture and winemaking to business practices, wine marketing, policy and culture.

Last month, 11 new CCOVI Fellows and Professional Affiliates joined the CCOVI network in support of the grape and wine industry. As part of their affiliation mandate, they will present findings from their research at public seminars such as the CCOVI Lecture Series. Included in this year’s line-up are our new affiliates in British Columbia, from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre (PARC) in Summerland, B.C., bringing a new dimension to the series.

The series will take place between January and April, 2011. Come and join us Wednesdays from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in Mackenzie Chown in room H313 at Brock University. Admission is free and all are welcome.

Schedule for the 2011 CCOVI Lecture Series:

• Jan. 19: Michael Ripmeester, Chair and Professor of Geography, Brock University, “Memory in a bottle? Heritage, identity and wine in Niagara.”

• Jan. 26: Annette Nassuth, Associate Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, “Empowering growers: using molecular tools to select for freeze-tolerant grapes.”

• Feb. 2: Debbie Inglis, CCOVI Director and Associate Professor of Biology, Brock University,“Lady bugs and green bell peppers: methoxypyrazine (MP) removal from grape juice using  MP-binding proteins.”

• Feb. 9: Tony Shaw, Professor of Geography, Brock University, “Climate change in Ontario’s wine regions: the good and bad news.”

• Feb. 16: Narongsak (Tek) Thongpapanl, Associate Professor of Marketing and New Product Development, Brock University, “What does it take for local restaurants to promote local wines?”

• March 2: Janet Dorozynski, Global Practice Lead, Foreign Affairs and International Trade, “The future of Canadian wine exports: lessons learned and learning from the best.”

• March 9: Jim Willwerth, Viticulturist, Brock University, “Coming out of the cold: the state of the vine.”

• March 16: Linda Bramble, Wine Author, “Why entrepreneurs decided to regulate themselves: the paradoxical story of VQA.”

• March 23: Gary Pickering, Professor of Biology, Brock University, “Super-tasters, winemakers and other freaks: the taste genetics of alcoholic beverage behaviour.”

• March 30: Alexandra Mayeski, Lawyer, “Legal barriers to market access for Canadian wine.”

• April 6: Carl Bogdanoff, Pat Bowen, Tom Lowery, Kevin Usher, Research Scientists, PARC,“Science: a key ingredient in BC wine production.”

• April 13: Lester Kwong, Assistant Professor of Economics, Brock University, “The pricing of organic wines.”

• April 20: Ronald Jackson, Wine Author, “Botrytis – the Jekyll-and-Hyde fungus.”

• April 27: Gerry Neilsen; Daniel O’Gorman, Research Scientists, PARC, “Using nitrogen fertilizers to increase grape quality; Grapevine trunk diseases.”

NOTE: Pay-and-display parking ($2.50/hour) is available in Lot E.
For the complete 2011 CCOVI Lecture Series schedule, which runs until April 27, go to brocku.ca/ccovi, then click on “Outreach Services” and “CCOVI Lecture Series”.