The School of Viticulture and Wine Science at EIT will host a second Wine Research symposium next month after a successful inaugural event last year.

This year’s symposium, called Advancing Viticulture and Wine Related Research, will be held on Thursday, 1 September on EIT’s Hawke’s Bay campus.

Researchers from the University of Auckland, Lincoln University, Plant & Food Research, Otago Polytechnic and EIT will give presentations.

There are two keynote speakers. Professor Paul Kilmartin from the School of Chemical Sciences at the University of Auckland will present on Pre-fermentation additives that enhance varietal thiols in Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc wines.

The other keynote speaker is Professor Hirini Matunga from Lincoln University’s Department of Environmental Management, who will speak on Whenua – Terroir by another name?

Sue Blackmore, the Head of EIT’s School of Viticulture and Wine Science, said the inaugural symposium last year was such a success that they are keen to repeat the event and potentially make it an annual event in tandem with Marlborough.

“We found it really useful hosting a forum that presented recent New Zealand research to industry and helped develop an agenda for future wine industry related research.”

“Having the event alternate years in Hawke’s Bay and Marlborough will allow us to collaborate and exchange ideas with major players in the local and national wine industry, but it also gives our researchers platform to present their latest work.”

Three EIT researchers will present papers at the symposium: Viticulture and Wine Science lecturer Dr Chandré Honeth’s address is ‘The impact of using undervine clover to manage mealybug and leafroll virus on vine physiology and metabolism in a Merlot vineyard planted on the Gimblett Gravels.’

Chandré‘s colleague Dr Victor Ye will speak about Sensorial characterisation by polarized partial napping and ultra-flashing profiling, while another EIT lecturer in Viticulture and Wine Science, Jane Qin’s presentation is Characterisation of commercial Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay wines – chemical composition and winemaking intentions.

Sue says she is pleased that EIT is able to provide a forum for the industry to hear about the latest research of both experienced and emerging researchers.

“This symposium allows for research in quite different areas of the wine industry to be presented in a conference setting and also gives the opportunity for feedback directly from the industry and other wine researchers.”

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