Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/197145
WineEast EasternWineLab_Mar09.qxp Objective 1 involves research faculty and graduate students in North Carolina, Virginia and New York. Using sites across the East will ensure that the tools developed are appropriate for the different macroclimates that exist between New England and the Southeast. The metrics developed for the second sub-objective of Objective 1 include canopy description, impact of light and temperature on specific grape metabolites and wine quality potential, and climatespecific means of estimating crop loads to bring vines into balance. Objective 2: Develop research-based recommendations for optimally matching grape cultivars with site-specific environmental conditions With few exceptions (e.g., Riesling in the Finger Lakes, Merlot from Long Island in New York, Viognier in Virginia's Piedmont region), the eastern U.S. has few signature varieties that help brand our wine sub-regions. We are using two approaches to help match suitable grape varieties with specific vineyard sites. First, information from a national wine grape variety evaluation (NE 1020) will be analyzed with respect to viticulture performance and enological evaluation of resultant wines. NE 1020 is a coordinated, national research project that uses uniform research protocols among member institutions to generate an extensive database of grape, grapevine and wine data. An additional component of the variety evaluation involves the enological study of wine tannins in selected white and red grape varieties. A feature of many of the hybrid and American-type red wine varieties used in the eastern U.S. is low tannin concentrations. Conversely, some of the hybrid white cultivars common in the East such as Traminette often exhibit somewhat bitter phenolic finishes. Tannin studies of selected grape varieties are being led by Anna Katharine Mansfield at Cornell University. The second and related approach in Objective 2 is the development of a web-based geographical information system (GIS) tool that incorporates the variety performance data with climatic, topographic and soils data to improve "site-cultivar" selection. (See "Tool for evaluating eastern U.S. vineyard sites" on page 108.) This GIS tool will build upon state-specific tools that our research teams have deployed in Virginia and New York. In practice, anyone with Internet connectivity will be able to evaluate the potential vineyard suitability of a parcel of land and obtain general recommendations for varieties that would be expected to perform well at the site. We envision the tool as a highresolution first step in the vineyard site evaluation process. Objective 3: Understand and capitalize on regional wine style through market exploration of consumer perception/demand, willingness to pay (WTP) and influence of quality assurance programs Perhaps some of the most important questions and problems for the eastern wine industry are those that relate to consumer perceptions of eastern wines. Objective 3 aims to achieve the following: 1) Determine the key factors that influence consumer decisions to purchase wines at independent wineries, such as product selection, product quality, prices and competing wines; 2) Determine the effectiveness of advertising and promotional programs for influencing customers to purchase wines from independent wineries; 3) Determine consumer satisfaction with (Continued on page 110.) 1/22/09 9:47 AM Page 1 EASTERN WINE LABS Serving the Analytical needs of East Coast Wineries WWW.EASTERNWINELABS.COM Ph 609-859-4302 Cell 609-668-2854 chemist@easternwinelabs.com AOAC Member OneStepAd_01-09-12_Layout 1 1/9/12 10:14 PM Page 1 TERROIR: Good For Grapes, Not For Glass Every winemaker knows that the best wine starts with the cleanest equipment and bottles. Straight-A and One Step are ecologically formulated to provide the best and safest cleaning results. Taste the Wine not the Grime One Step for easy, single-step cleansing Straight-A for heavy-duty cleaning Clearly Perfect www.ecologiccleansers.com E. Beaver & Co. Largest supplier of UPS/Fed Ex approved packaging on the East Coast. 375 ml through 6 L in stock and ready for immediate delivery. Call for pricing. (718) 324-7288 Fax: (718) 231-3572 www.ebeaver.com Win es & Vin es NOV EM b er 20 13 107