A $2-million funding boost from the Ontario Research Fund (ORF) will support a multi-institutional project led by Brock University that aims to drive resilience in the province’s grape and wine industry.

The project, “Viticulture Innovation and Next-generation Oenology (VINO) Solutions: Strengthening Ontario’s Grape and Wine Sector for Climate Resilience, Innovation Excellence and Global Economic Leadership,” will develop new growing and fermenting approaches to help the industry combat threats such as pests, plant viruses and climate change.

“Our proactive, integrative approach of building resiliency into both grape and wine production systems by combining academic expertise and industrial partnerships across the country, will ensure the Ontario grape and wine sector continues to be a leader in cool climate wine production,” says Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI) director and professor of biological sciences Debbie Inglis, principal investigator for VINO Solutions. 

The project also builds on earlier funding from the federal government’s Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership. When combined with cash and in-kind support from industry partners and Brock, the VINO Solutions project now totals $7.4 million.

The project aims to commercialize tools to create:

• -  disease-free grapevine material for nurseries for further propagation
•  
• -  testing services for grapevine and yeast identification
•  
• -  new commercial products for controlling vineyard insect pests
•  
• -  unique Ontario yeasts to overcome climate-change-driven fermentation challenges
•  
• -  knowledge translation programs
•  
• -  licensing of new grapevine propagation techniques
•  
• -  new wine styles

VINO Solutions consists of 11 subprojects under the categories Start Clean, Enhance Resilience, Stay Clean and Stay Competitive. Researchers will use state-of-the-art equipment and facilities at Brock’s Research Farm, which recently received funding from the federal and Ontario governments.

The research project is a collaboration between individuals from Brock University, Niagara College, Simon Fraser University, University of Guelph, Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Ontario Grape and Wine Research Inc., Canadian Grapevine Certification Network, Seeger Vineyards, Schenck Farms and Greenhouses, Illumina, Upper Canada Growers, Cave Springs Vineyard, ABAzyne BioSciences, Synergy Semiochemical Corporation and Stouck Vineyards.

Source: CCOVI December 6, 2024 news release