St. Catharines, Ontario—The focus will be on creating balanced wines, when Brock University’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI) launches its fifth annual lecture series next week. Webcast live from Brock on Jan. 18, CCOVI enologist George Kotseridis will address “Targeting wine balance using biological deacidification methods and by monitoring polyphenolic maturity.”

The entire 12-lecture series presented by noted Ontario researchers and wine industry experts is scheduled for Wednesday afternoons at 3 p.m. eastern time through mid-April and will be webcast live on brocku.ca/ccovi. Viewers may access the site as early as an hour before the start of the lectures. Archived videos of previous lectures will be available at the same website.

Research presented in these annual lectures has become a valuable resource for grapegrowers and winemakers. The findings are applied to industry use in Niagara, across Canada and internationally. Last year’s series drew web viewers from around North America and as far away as Europe.

CCOVI director Debra Inglis has said that the series remains the only one of its kind in Canada. “It’s an excellent way for CCOVI to share significant information and at the same time offer innovative outreach services that benefit the grape and wine industry.”

Future lectures
The complete program of dates, speakers and topics follows. For more information, or directions for those who want to attend the free lectures in person at the Mackenzie Chown complex at Brock University, visit brocku.ca/ccovi.

• Jan. 25: Karl Kaiser, co-founder Inniskillin Wines: “Chemical decidifications in winemaking.”

• Feb. 8: Antonia Mantonakis, associate professor of marketing, Brock University: “Does a wine’s name influence consumer taste perception?”

• Feb. 15: George Kotseridis, CCOVI enologist: “Targeting wine balance using biological deacidification methods and by monitoring polyphenolic maturity.”

• Feb. 29: Kevin Ker, industry consultant, KCMS Applied Research and Consulting: “How growing season weather patterns affect vine hardiness.”

• March 7: Vincenzo DeLuca, professor of biological sciences, Brock University: “Ice wine grapes are biochemically active between September and harvest.”

• March 14: Wendy McFadden-Smith, tender fruit and grape IPM specialist, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs: “What we’ve learned about sour rot: an update on research.”

• March 21: Ralph Brown, professor, School of Engineering, University of Guelph: “New tools to fine-tune quality harvests.”

• March 28: Jim Willwerth, CCOVI viticulturist: “Beating the cold: Best viticulture practices to maximize hardiness.”

• April 4: George van der Merwe, professor of molecular & cellular biology, University of Guelph: “Getting started: Adaptation of wine yeast to early fermentation stress.”

• April 11: Andy Reynolds, CCOVI researcher, professor of biological sciences, Brock University: “New adventures in vineyard geomatics.”

• April 18: Jeffrey Stuart, associate professor of biological sciences, Brock University: “Investigating resveratrol’s anti-cancer and neuroprotective effects.”

• April 25: Don Cyr, associate professor of finance, Brock University: “A cost-benefit analysis of entering and exiting vineyard operations in Niagara: 1997-2010.”