News from Cornell's Viticulture and Enology Program
Issue 4 November 2010
RESEARCH FOCUS
Increasing Customer Satisfaction Improves Tasting Room Sales
In a study of 12 Finger Lakes wineries, horticultural marketing professor Miguel Gomez found direct links between tasting room attributes, customer satisfaction and sales.
FACULTY FOCUS
5 Questions for Kevin Martin
Martin joined Pennsylvania State University and Cornell's Lake Erie Regional Grape Program as Farm Business Management Educator in 2008.
STUDENT FOCUS
Undergraduates Team up With Faculty at Geneva for Summer Research
Each summer, most undergraduate Viticulture and Enology (VIEN) majors head to the vineyards and wineries for internships, but a few venture into labs instead.
INDUSTRY FOCUS
Recycling Hot Water for Barrel Washing Reduces Carbon Footprint at Jackson Family Wines
Cornell alumnus Torey Arvik (PhD '03) tested and adapted water recycling process for washing oak barrels.
GRAPES 101
Sources and Sinks: Allocation of Photosynthates during the Growing Season
Carbon produced through photosynthesis is allocated to different tissues at different times in the growing season.
IN THE NEWS
- Future Lab: Measuring Vineyard Yields
This podcast from Intel Corporation about the use of computers to image grape clusters and predict yield and leaf area in vineyards includes an interview with Terry Bates, director of the Cornell Lake Erie Research and Extension Laboratory in Portland, NY. The Portland vineyard is also featured in this photo of Carnegie-Mellon scientist Debadeepta Dey and the resulting computer image of a vine at the laboratory. - Fred Frank Named Outstanding Cornell CALS Alumnus
Frank, 1979 CALS alumnus and president of Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars since 1993, was one of eight Outstanding Alumni awardees honored November 5 at a reception and dinner at Cornell's Statler Hotel. - VineBalance: Eastern Grape Growers Are Learning That Being Sustainable Can Also Mean Being Profitable.
The September 2010 American Fruit Grower online edition featured an article on VineBalance, New York's sustainable viticulture project, directed by Senior Extension Associate Tim Martinson.
BRIEFS
- Cornell Researchers Win Federal Funding for Research to Bolster the Eastern United States Wine Industry
Cornell effort is part of a $3.8 million Specialty Crops Research Initiative grant obtained by a consortium of Eastern researchers under the leadership of Tony Wolf, Virginia Tech. - New Classes in Sustainable Grape and Wine Production Offered at Cornell
A two-semester course series has been developed by Assistant Professor of Viticulture Justine Vanden Heuvel, Enology lecturer Kathy Arnink and Horticulture Professor Ian Merwin.
RESEARCH IN PLAIN ENGLISH
- Economic Model For Cluster Thinning in Grapes (pdf)
An economic model describes balancing benefits of cluster thinning (improved fruit quality) with costs (reduced crop). - Timing and Severity of Leaf Removal and Methoxypyrazines (pdf)
Early leaf removal in Cabernet franc and Merlot on Long Island reduced methoxypyrazines the most. - Antimicrobial Peptides Tested Against Crown Gall, Botrytis and Powdery Mildew(pdf)
Like antibiotics to fight human diseases, antimicrobial peptides can be used to combat disease in grapevines.
AWARDS and HONORS
- Food Science Professor Terry Acree Honored with Symposium on Flavor Science
A two-day symposium at the American Chemical Society honored Terry Acree's career achievements.