News from Cornell's Viticulture and Enology Program
August 31, 2015
RESEARCH FOCUS
New Insights on Hybrid Tannin Retention
Red wines made from interspecific hybrid cultivars are often low in tannins – even when the grapes have adequate concentrations at harvest. Recent research shows that much of the tannin in hybrids binds to proteins and ends up in the lees, not the wines.
FACULTY FOCUS
Five Questions for Tim Weigle
Based at the Cornell Lake Erie Research and Extension Laboratory, statewide grape Integrated Pest Management specialist Tim Weigle educates growers on pest management and carries out research on diseases and pests of grapes and hops.
STUDENT FOCUS
Summer Scholars Program a Pathway for Students
Anne Repka ’17 studied black rot resistance in Bruce Reisch’s grape breeding program as part of the Geneva Summer Research Scholars Program – which provides undergraduates with firsthand opportunities to learn in the field and lab.
GRAPES 101
What Are Those Fungicide-Group Numbers on Product Labels?
Those ‘Fungicide Group’ numbers on labels provide growers with a tool to avoid selecting for fungicide resistance in their vineyards.
EXTENSION FOCUS
Second Compendium of Grape Diseases is New Resource for Growers
Originally published in 1988, an upgraded Compendium equips grape growers with the tools needed to diagnose a diverse range of vineyard issues.
AWARDS
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‘Traminette’ Grape Named Outstanding Fruit Cultivar by ASHS
Developed by Cornell researchers in 1996, Traminette is recognized for its cold-hardiness and partial resistance to several fungal diseases, not to mention its memorable flavor in wines.
- Wayne Wilcox Receives ASEV-ES "Outstanding Achievement Award"
Wayne Wilcox, Geneva-based professor in the section of plant pathology and plant microbe biology, is rewarded by the American Society for Enology and Viticulture - Eastern Section for his commitment to research and extension for grape growers, wine owners, and others.
- Two Cornell Students Win "Best Student Presentation Awards" at ASEV 2015
Megan Hall for Improving Our Understanding of Sour Rot Etiology and Management Techniques and Lindsay Springer for Limits on Red Wine Tannin Extraction and Addition Part II: Role of Pathogenesis-Related Proteins in Terroir.
IN THE NEWS
- When Plant Species Matter
Anna Katharine Mansfield discusses why characteristics of hybrid grapes lead to different tannin levels than vinifera in this Wines & Vines article. - It’s Time to Replace Woody Indexing with DNA Testing
In this Wines & Vines feature, Tim Martinson discusses why DNA testing, known as "deep sequencing," should be the new standard for grapevine certification programs in the United States. - Managing Risk to Concord Grape Productivity and Fruit Quality
This article by the Northeast Extension Risk Management Education program highlights successful concord grape management through a systems approach in the Lake Erie region, a project of Cornell and Penn State universities and the Lake Erie Regional Grape Program. - Field Crop Sensors Installed in Vineyards to Assist Growers
Informative maps developed by Cornell's Lake Erie Regional Grape Program will allow grape growers to identify and diagnose problems in their vineyard.
FEATURED VIDEO
Tissue analysis is used to determine nutritional status of grapevines. Leaf petioles are the tissue most commonly used for analysis, and in New York, samples are routinely taken at 70+ days after bloom. In this Finger Lakes Grape Program video, Paul Sirois of Dairy One laboratories describes how samples are analyzed.