Dr. Andrew Reynolds:
Viticultural practices and their influences wine and juice quality, characterization of impact of terroir on the sensory properties of Niagara wines and factors influencing stuck fermentations.

Dr. Debra Inglis:
Study of volatile acid production during Icewine fermentation focusing on osmotic stress response in wine yeasts during fermentation of these high sugar juices.

Dr. Gary Pickering
Determining the role of oenological variables on the sensory & chemical properties of wine, including icewine; 'ladybug taint'; psychophysics and genetic variation in taste sensitivity; astringency & mouthfeel perception; saliva composition & oral tactile sensations.

Dr. Vincenzo DeLuca
Metabolic pathways in grape vines and the modifications required to consistently produce higher quality wine and biochemical pathways that occur in various medicinal plants.

The core researchers affiliated with CCOVI have been successful in securing collaborative and individual grants from national and provincial agencies, along with strong support from the Ontario grape and wine industry. Over the past five years, operating research grants from the NSERC strategic grants program, discovery grants program and CRD program have totaled over 2.1 million dollars to address problems faced by our industry.

Two key areas the institute has made significant advancements in are issues surrounding the flagship wine of the Canadian wine industry, Icewine (with an estimated value of $100 million from the 2004 harvest), and a new emerging pest in eastern North America, the multicoloured asian ladybeetle, identified as the number 1 threat to the $1.5 billion Ontario wine industry. Dr. Reynolds, an internationally renowned viticulturist, spearheaded a major grant in collaboration with Drs. Inglis (CCOVI), Pickering (CCOVI) and Brindle (Chemistry) to protect the authenticity of Canadian Icewines by identifying chemical and sensory markers unique to Icewine. Results from this project will lead to a diagnostic test to enable wine regulatory bodies to distinguish true Icewines from “faux” counterparts.

During this research, the team developed a standard inoculation method for Icewine fermentation that has now been adopted by the industry to ensure consistency of these difficult fermentations to maintain and improve Icewine quality. Dr. Inglis has recently identified the wine yeast gene responsible for producing high volatile acidity in Icewine that detracts from wine quality and is now working towards developing a wine yeast strain best suited to deal with the various stresses of Canadian Icewine production. Dr. Pickering was instrumental in coordinating investigations of the multi-coloured asian ladybeetle on Ontario wine quality. His work identified isopropyl methoxy pyrazine as the compound secreted by the beetle under stress causing the taint in Ontario wines.

The taint devasted the 2001 vintage, directly causing the industry multi-million dollar losses in sales not to mention the indirect cost to the reputation of Ontario wines. This work has now expanded into a joint strategic grant headed by Dr. Pickering to (1) study the behaviour of the beetle and understand its attraction to grapes (collaboration with Dr. Mark Sears, University of Guelph) and (2) to investigate remedial treatments to specifically remove methoxypyrazines from juice and/or wine (collaboration with Dr. Inglis, CCOVI).

The research team, encompassing the expertise of faculty in CCOVI and infrastructure at the institute, will address industry driven research priorities, and if successful, will funnel approximately $6 million dollars over four years into cool climate issues relevant to our local grape and wine industry in Ontario.

Vine Biology

Reynolds, A.G., J. Roller, A. Forgione and C. de Savigny. 2006. Gibberellic acid and basal leaf removal: implications
for fruit maturity, vestigial seed development and sensory attributes of Sovereign Coronation grapes. Amer.
J. Enol. Vitic. 57:41-53.

Viticulture practices

McFadden-Smith,W. and Pickering, G.J. (2006). Powdery mildew and fruit quality. IN Dris, R. (ed.) Crops:
Growth, Quality and Biotechnology. IV. Control of Pests, Diseases and Disorders of Crops. WFL Publisher, Meri-
Rastilan tie 3 C, Helsinki, Finland, 882-891. ISBN 952-91-8601-0.

Reynolds, A.G., P. Parchomchuk, R. Berard, A.P. Naylor, and E. Hogue. 2006. Gewurztraminer vines respond to
length of water stress duration. International J. Fruit Science 5:75-94.

Wheeler, S. and Pickering, G.J. (2006). The effects of soil management techniques on grape and wine quality. IN
Dris, R. (ed.) Fruits. Growth, Nutrition, and Quality. WFL Publisher, Meri-Rastilan tie 3 C, Helsinki, Finland, 195-
208. ISBN:952-99555-0-2.

Multicoloured Asian LadyBeetle (MALB)

K. Ker and Pickering, G.J. (2006). Biology and control of the novel grapevine pest– the Multicolored Asian Lady
Beetle Harmonia axyridis. IN Dris, R. (ed.) Crops: Growth, Quality and Biotechnology. IV. Control of Pests, Diseases
and Disorders of Crops. WFL Publisher, Meri-Rastilan tie 3 C, Helsinki, Finland, 991-997. ISBN 952-91-8601-0.

Pickering, G.J., Lin, J.Y., Reynolds, A., Soleas, G. and Riesen, R. (2006). The evaluation of remedial treatments
for wine affected by Harmonia axyridis. International Journal of Food Science and Technology, 41, 77-86.

Pickering, G.J., Y. Lin and K. Ker. (2006). Origin and remediation of Asian Lady Beetle (Harmonia axyridis) taint
in wine. IN Dris, R. (ed.) Crops: Growth, Quality and Biotechnology. III. Quality Management of Food Crops for
Processing Technology. WFL Publisher, Meri-Rastilan tie 3 C, Helsinki, Finland, 785-794. ISBN 952-91-8601-0.

Pickering, G.J. and Lin, Y. (2006). Asian Lady Beetle (Harmonia axyridis) and wine quality. IN Dris, R. (ed.)
Crops: Growth, Quality and Biotechnology. III. Quality Management of Food Crops for Processing Technology. WFL
Publisher, Meri-Rastilan tie 3 C, Helsinki, Finland, 778-784. ISBN 952-91-8601-0.

Sensory evaluation and Consumer Research

Methods:
Canan Nurgel and Gary Pickering (2006). Modeling of sweet, bitter and irritant sensations and their interactions
elicited by model ice wines. Journal of Sensory Studies, 21 (5): 505-519.

Interindividual differences:

Gary J. Pickering and Gordon Robert (2006). Perception of mouthfeel sensations elicited by red wine is associated
with sensitivity to 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP). Journal of Sensory Studies, 21, 249-265.

Gary J. Pickering, Gina Haverstock and David DiBattista. (2006). Evidence that sensitivity to 6-n-propylthiouracil
(PROP) affects perception of retro-nasal aroma intensity. Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment, 4 (2), 15-
22.