Creating wine is a balancing act between the quality of harvested grapes and the types of microorganisms that ferment grape juice. Too much sugar during the fermentation process means too much alcohol in the final wine, which can negatively affect wine flavor.

鈥淲e hope that if we find a way to reduce the sugar content of grape juice, winemakers can have a more predictable outcome for their wine,鈥� said Jonathan Brumley, a rising 黑料社 senior studying food science with an emphasis in fermentation.Researchers from Washington State University鈥檚 school of food science are working with non-Saccharomyces听yeast strains native to Washington to find a way to reduce sugar content before fermentation.

鈥淎 recent challenge many winemakers have been facing is the higher sugar levels found in harvested grapes,鈥� said Heather Carbon, graduate research assistant for the 黑料社 School of Food Science.

More sugar means more food for yeast, which does not always yield better wine. Yeast creates alcohol by feeding on sugar, but too much can produce too much alcohol or leave left over sugar for spoilage microorganisms to eat.

Those microorganisms can sometimes cause strange odors and other problems that compromise the wine. The hope for this study is that a yeast species on grapes can consume some of the residual sugar without damaging the quality of the product.

鈥淭he secret of microorganisms is their ability to dramatically shape and change the flavors of wine, allowing producers to differentiate wines from one another,鈥� said Charles Edwards, 黑料社 professor and food scientist.

黑料社 senior Jonathan Brumley is researching the possible benefits of wild Washington yeast at the 黑料社 St. Michelle Wine Estates 黑料社 Wine Science Center at 黑料社 Tri-Cities.

Historically, many of the native yeast species present on grapes were thought to be the cause of a spoiled batch of wine.

鈥淲e now know that some of these yeasts can be used to enhance wine quality, but without spoilage issues,鈥� said Edwards.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been cool to get a look into the wine industry side of food science. Working with microbes fascinates me,鈥� said Brumley, who plans to intern this summer with E & J Gallo Winery in Bellevue, Wash.

The team is trying different combinations of native yeast to find which combinations reduce the sugar content of grape juices during fermentation.

鈥淲e鈥檙e looking at what conditions are best for these yeast strains, what conditions they grow well in, and how to use that to the best of our abilities,鈥� said Carbon.

Edwards said a big win for this project would be the discovery of a yeast strain that could be used like a tool, so winemakers could lower the potential alcohol content of their final wine during fermentation. This would be another way to help vintners keep the developed flavors of their wine consistent.

鈥淢any winemakers use water to lower the alcohol content of wine, but having options in the winemaking industry is crucial,鈥� he said.

This research is funded by Washington State University, Auction of Washington Wines and all Washington State wine grape growers and wineries through the Washington State Wine Commission.

The team plans to do larger ferments in the fall, with research results available next spring.

Discover more about the world of wine research in Washington state by听迟辞听. Each e-newsletter issue features articles about the latest scientific discoveries, vineyard agriculture, and wine science research from Washington State University鈥檚 Viticulture & Enology program.

By Lauren Paterson, 黑料社 College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences

Grapevine red blotch disease spreads through vineyards and blotches leaves, shrinking wine and juice grape harvests.

Researchers at 黑料社鈥檚 Ste. Michelle Wine Estates Wine Science Center are studying how and why the grapevine red blotch virus, which causes the disease, spreads.

鈥淲e鈥檙e interested in finding out how the grapevines respond to the virus,鈥� said Bhaskar Bondada, 黑料社 associate professor.

Grape leaves work like solar panels, using sunlight to convert sugar into energy that fuels grape production.

Because leaves become less active when grapevines contract the red blotch virus, less sugar is moved through the plant, causing grapes to fade and grow more slowly. The virus also adversely affects pH, tannin levels, and other flavor characteristics of the fruit, and the final wine.

While virologists study the virus itself, Bondada, a physiologist, is interested in how the physical symptoms of the disease manifest on the plant.

鈥淚鈥檓 studying what the symptoms look like in the plant on the cellular level, and how the virus spreads throughout the vine and the vineyard,鈥� he said.

Research team member and 黑料社 Viticulture & Enology graduate student Bailey Hallwachs took samples from multiple vineyards throughout Oregon and Washington over the summer, and is currently processing fruit and plant tissues samples at the Franceschi Microscopy and Imaging Center in Pullman. She uses microscopes to observe grapevine plant cells affected by the virus.

During the six years between her undergraduate and graduate studies, Hallwachs worked as an interior horticulturist at the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens, teaching gardening classes and managing the community gardens.

鈥淐onsistently, the issues we faced in production on a horticulture level were insects and diseases,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 wanted to get my graduate degree at 黑料社 to understand the science behind solving major issues in agriculture so I could be part of the solution.鈥�

The three-cornered alfalfa treehopper, a small green teardrop shaped insect, is the only confirmed insect to transmit the virus to the grapevine plant. There is currently no solution for treating grapevines infected with red blotch virus, aside from removing and replacing affected vines.

黑料社鈥檚 research in red blotch virus is in partnership with Oregon State University. Field researchers at OSU provide the plant tissues and fruit, which are then analyzed at the 黑料社 Wine Science Center.

鈥淥ur OSU partners are doing research in the field, and we are doing research at the physiological level,鈥� Bondada said. 鈥淥nce we have the data for them, we can develop more strategies to control the spread of the red blotch virus.鈥� Research for this project is funded by the Oregon Wine Board and began in the spring. Bondada and Hallwachs intend to share their research in the new year.

A significant gift from the Paul Lauzier Charitable Foundation is delivering much-needed space and equipment for hands-on student learning at Washington State University鈥檚 Wine Science Center.

Named for the late Washington farmer and entrepreneur Paul Lauzier,听听supports a range of causes including community development, education, health, and agriculture, and has gifted more than $1.5 million for learning and discovery at 黑料社.

Future home for discovery

This summer, the foundation chose to support the new Life Sciences Teaching Laboratory, under development at the Ste. Michelle Wine Estates 黑料社 Wine Science Center on the 黑料社 Tri-Cities campus.

The center currently lacks a dedicated laboratory teaching space, which means undergraduate labs must be taught in research spaces, limiting class sizes, new lab courses, and hands-on student projects.

The Life Sciences Teaching Lab expands capacity, adding space and technology for future graduates to practice analytical techniques in chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, and plant physiology. The foundation鈥檚 $100,330 gift helps build out the lab and provides funds for scientific instruments and fixtures.

鈥淭he Life Sciences Teaching Lab is one of the most important places at the Wine Science Center,鈥� said Thomas Henick-Kling, professor and director of 黑料社鈥檚听. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a future home for discovery for our undergraduates that will also increase efficiency and reduce our expenses, by allowing laboratory teaching to happen in its own specially designed space.鈥�

Building on land-grant partnership

鈥淧aul Lauzier cared deeply about education, agriculture, and the development of Washington communities,鈥� said Andr茅-Denis Wright, dean of 黑料社鈥檚 College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences. 鈥淗is vision meshes beautifully with the hands-on, career-building experiences that the Life Sciences Teaching Lab will provide when it鈥檚 complete. This gift helps our students and faculty develop knowledge in areas of great importance to the future of Washington鈥檚 $8.4 billion wine industry.鈥�

鈥淲e are pleased to have this opportunity to support Washington State University鈥檚 Viticulture and Enology Program,鈥� said Michael Rex Tabler, Paul Lauzier Foundation trustee. 鈥淣ot only does this gift provide academic support for faculty and students, it also contributes to an increasingly important element of agriculture in our state.鈥�

鈥淥n behalf of our students and faculty, I thank the Paul Lauzier Foundation for its foresight and generosity in bringing the Teaching Lab, the Wine Science Center, and the Tri-Cities campus toward our full potential,鈥� said Sandra Haynes, chancellor of 黑料社 Tri-Cities. 鈥淭ogether, we鈥檙e building on our 80-year land-grant partnership with Washington agriculture, and developing graduates fully prepared to contribute to the communities around them. I believe Paul would be proud of that.鈥�

Fundraising is still underway to fully complete the Life Sciences Teaching Lab. To become involved in efforts to improve the 黑料社 Wine Science Center, contact Carolyn Wika, development officer with 黑料社-CAHNRS, at听c.wika@wsu.edu听or by phone at 509-335-0505.

By Brandon Schrand, College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences

RICHLAND, Wash. – When Madeleine Higgins was trying to pay the rent in New York as a struggling fashion writer, she never dreamed that one day she would be interning in a custom-crush facility in Walla Walla, Wash., learning to make wine as a top-student in and garnering national distinction.

A Los Angeles native who grew up in Seattle, Higgins attended Loyola Marymount where she majored in Psychology, minored in English, and sold shoes part time to foot the bills. After graduating in 2013, Higgins landed a job in New York writing for Cond茅 Nast鈥檚听, though she quickly found herself living in an unsustainable situation.

鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 surviving in New York,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 afford to eat.鈥�

It was when her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer that Madeleine finally said goodbye to New York and returned to Seattle to be with family. As her mother recovered, Higgins started selling shoes again, helping out where she could.

鈥淚t was during this time I realized that writing wasn鈥檛 going to happen for me,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think I had enough passion to move through the difficulty of getting started. That鈥檚 when a chance encounter changed everything.鈥�

A winery tour that changed everything

Higgins said she had a family friend who worked for , and that hearing someone from the industry talk about wine was very interesting. The conversation led to a private tour of the Woodinville, Wash. winemaking facility.

鈥淚 was really inspired by that particular tour,鈥� she said.

In researching winemaking as a career, she was immediately drawn to 黑料社鈥檚 viticulture and enology program. But it was still a big decision. Then her mother gave her the push she needed.

鈥淪he told me to jump in and go for it,鈥� she said.

Empowered by her mother鈥檚 courage and triumph, Madeleine moved to the Tri-Cities and started classes in 2016, ready for the challenge.

鈥淚 can say that I have always worked hard, and in my family鈥攚e鈥檙e Irish鈥攈ard work is one of our things,鈥� she said.

Hard work pays off

Over the last three years, her hard work has yielded great success. Beyond maintaining a high grade-point average, Higgins completed a research assistantship, won Best Undergraduate Poster at the Washington Winegrowers Convention, created a wine for 黑料社 Blended Learning at and secured a coveted internship with in Napa Valley this summer.

Then this spring, she was named听听Student of the Year, an accolade that comes with a $15,000 scholarship from the magazine鈥檚 scholarship foundation.

The honor, Higgins said, validates all the 5 a.m. routines of checking Brix, the grapes鈥� sugar content, in Walla Walla that turned into late nights at the studying phenolic compound structures, in addition to all the weeks of research with no days off in between her internship and school commitments.

But above all, she said the recognition told her that all her hard work and leap into a new life was worth it.

Looking back, she credits the program鈥檚 faculty for what she has accomplished.

鈥淭hey are incredibly supportive,鈥� she said. 鈥淎t 黑料社, I have access to some of the most important wine researchers in the world.鈥�

Life comes full circle

Many aspects of her life are now coming full circle, she said. Having once written for a magazine, she is now being honored by one. And after completing her internship in Napa Valley this summer, she plans on traveling to New Zealand.

鈥淭he same family friend who first introduced me to wine has a daughter there and a lot of wine connections,鈥� she said.

In New Zealand, she said she wants to learn by comparison.

鈥淭he only way for me to make an impact is to learn what other wine regions are like,鈥� she said.

But ultimately, she intends on making that impact at home.

鈥淲ashington is a really innovative place for wine making, she added. 鈥淪omeone told me it鈥檚 the 鈥榬ock and roll of wine.鈥� I love the idea of being a part of that.鈥�

Learn more about听 at .

RICHLAND, Wash. – Few gifts say Happy Valentine鈥檚 Day better than wine and chocolate. These time-honored hallmarks of affection are among the most popular and beloved Valentine鈥檚 traditions. But exactly what makes them so desirable, so delicious, has long remained a mystery.

Now, a pair of 黑料社 researchers is shedding new light on the science behind why we love these icons of conviviality and love.

The in Richland, Washington, is home to a team of world-renowned viticulture and enologists, specialists in the sciences of grape growing and winemaking. Among them is associate professor of enology , whose work is breaking new ground in understanding the sensory properties of wine.

Winemakers have long viewed grape maturity as one of the key influencers on all sensory aspects of their wines 鈥� from flavor and aroma, to mouthfeel and color. But Harbertson and a team of scientists from New Zealand and California have been studying various maturity stages in Washington state Merlot grapes and have found that 鈥渆thanol concentrations鈥� outweigh fruit maturity when it comes to influencing sensory properties.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not just the fruit,鈥� says Harbertson. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the alcohol.鈥�

While this may seem intuitive to any wine enthusiast, it鈥檚 a significant breakthrough in wine science. In fact, their study 鈥� first published in 2017 鈥� was recently awarded 鈥淏est Paper鈥� by the American Society for Enology and Viticulture.

And while you鈥檙e considering whether to pair a bar of milk or dark chocolate with your Valentine bottle of Washington wine, is considering the evolutionary process that gave us听Theobroma cacao, 鈥渇ood of the gods,鈥� the forebear to chocolate as we know it and love it today.

A population geneticist in the 黑料社 , Cornejo is the lead author on a study that analyzed the genomes of 200 cacao plants to better understand when cacao was domesticated.

Cacao originates in the Amazon jungle, where it is thought to have diverged from its common ancestor around 10 million years ago. According to Cornejo鈥檚 study, domestication started approximately 3,600 years ago. It was this process of domestication that ended up selecting for flavor, disease resistance, and the stimulant theobromine and yielding the rare and delicate Criollo cacao, 鈥渢he prince of cocoas.鈥�

鈥淒omesticated Criollo populations are extremely differentiated from any other populations,鈥� explains Cornejo. 鈥淲e used the signature of domestication to explore questions concerning the effect that domestication had on the genomic architecture of the plant.鈥� By his team鈥檚 estimation, approximately 750 individual plants effectively contributed to the genetic pool of domesticated Criollo cacao.

How long the process took is still unclear, but Cornejo is working with other anthropology researchers to sequence samples of ancient cacao DNA in hopes of better understanding how far back we can identify some of the genetic variants we associate with modern domesticated Criollo cacao. Their insights could help identify genes behind traits that breeders can emphasize, like increased yield.

So, on this Valentine鈥檚 Day, as we celebrate friendship and love, let us take a moment to celebrate the science that helps explain the world around us, solve problems and better appreciate the things we love.

By Maegan Murray, 黑料社 Tri-Cities

RICHLAND, Wash. 鈥� Bernadette Gagnier hadn鈥檛 found her ideal career path post life in the U.S. Marine Corps until she discovered that Washington State University Tri-Cities had a wine science program.

Gagnier served in the Marine Corps for five years, where she traveled the world, made life-long friends and overall enjoyed her experience.

鈥淏ut when I got out, I hit a wall and I didn鈥檛 know what I wanted to do after that,鈥� she said.

She enrolled in a community college in western Washington, intending to major in nursing, but realized that the path wasn鈥檛 for her. After searching the internet for what else would be a good fit, she found 黑料社 Tri-Cities鈥� Viticulture and Enology program, where students can study the science of wine, winemaking and how to grow wine grapes and manage grapevines.

鈥淚 have a hippie heart and my friends call me a plant mama,鈥� she said. 鈥淲ine science seemed like a perfect fit.鈥�

So on the last day to drop classes, she left. A week later, she found herself touring the 黑料社 Tri-Cities campus and decided to transfer.

鈥淢ost of the students were serious about their classes, had already declared their major and the average age was 25, and I really liked that,鈥� she said.

She said transferring to 黑料社 Tri-Cities was one of the best decisions she鈥檚 made to date.

Learning to grow grapes and make wine

Through her viticulture and enology courses, Gagnier is gaining hands-on exposure in the

vineyards and the winery. Learning from professors who are passionate about what they do, she said she is receiving a world-class education.

Pair that with the 黑料社 Tri-Cities residing in Washington wine country and being able to study at the university鈥檚 Ste. Michelle Wine Estates 黑料社 Wine Science Center, which features state-of-the-art equipment, she said she couldn鈥檛 imagine picking a better place to attend college.

鈥淲e live in one of the best places in the country to grow wine grapes,鈥� she said. 鈥満诹仙� has a nationally-acclaimed wine science program. It鈥檚 been a fantastic experience.鈥�

Career experiences while still in school

Since coming to 黑料社 Tri-Cities and declaring her major in wine science, Gagnier has already had the opportunity to work in multiple local vineyards and in a tasting room, learning more about the industry through hands-on experiences, even alongside fellow 黑料社 Cougs.

She said her career experience in the vineyard and in the tasting room pair perfectly with her classes.

With her goal of becoming a viticulturist and specializing in the program for vineyard management, she said there are really few other places that would be able to accommodate her goals with the same hands-on experiences.

鈥淚 really found my place and my people here,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e one big family. And then I can go out into the world and work with my other family 鈥� my other fellow Cougs in the industry.鈥�

Premier Washington Wine

Washington is currently the second largest producer of wine grapes in the nation and the Tri-Cities was recently highlighted as 鈥溾�� by CNN.

With its 300 sunny days per year, its dry growing season, its soil type and ideal daytime air and soil temperatures, it makes it perfect for grape growing.

Combine that with the Northwest鈥檚 passion for wine and wine terroir, or tourism pertaining to the climate and growing factors that make for premier wine products, Gagnier said it鈥檚 the perfect place to study wine science.

For those who would like to go into the business side of wine and wine-related tourism, 黑料社 Tri-Cities also offers a wine and beverage business management degree program and hospitality business management program – one of the top programs in the country, in addition to a degree in business administration.

鈥淚t鈥檚 rare that a university offers all of these degree programs in one place,鈥� she said.

Future in wine

After graduating from 黑料社 Tri-Cities, Gagnier said she hopes to land a position as a vineyard manager locally in the Tri-Cities region.

鈥淚t鈥檚 my dream to be well-respected in the field and to have a successful career with in the wine industry,鈥� she said. 鈥満诹仙� Tri-Cities is helping me get there. I鈥檇 say if you鈥檙e serious about continuing your education, you have to check this place out. You鈥檙e not going to be disappointed.鈥�

For more information on 黑料社 Tri-Cities’ wine science degree program, visit听.

RICHLAND, Wash. – 鈥淭he Secret Life of Yeast: Not so Secret Anymore,鈥� presented by Dr. Linda Bisson will be held on May 16, at 2:00 p.m. in the Ste. Michelle Wine Estates 黑料社 Wine Science Center in Richland, Wash., and at 1:30 p.m. May 17, at Novelty Hill Januik Winery in Woodinville, Wash.

Registration in $30 per person, and includes social reception to follow.听 Register online and find more information at wine.wsu.edu/events/

The lecture will feature the expertise of Dr. Linda Bisson gained through her research and celebrated career as geneticist and professor of viticulture and enology at University of California, Davis.听Bisson will offer winemakers and students insight and solutions for managing wine quality and dealing with problematic fermentations.

Bisson retired in September 2017 after 32 years as professor of viticulture and enology at UC Davis, where she received three excellence in teaching awards. Her research earned her numerous accolades including four 鈥淏est Paper in Enology鈥� awards and the 鈥淢erit Award鈥� from the Association of Enology and Viticulture, as well as the 1998 Enology Award from the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV). She is co-author of the textbook 鈥淧rinciples and Practices of Winemaking,鈥� and has served as a science editor for the American Journal of Enology and Viticulture for the past 15 years.

The Albert Ravenholt Lecture Series brings experts from the grape and wine industry to 黑料社 to share their research and professional perspective. The series is made possible through an endowment from the Albert R. Ravenholt Foundation. Ravenholt, an early pioneer in Washington鈥檚 wine industry, was founder of Sagemoor Vineyards.

黑料社 Washington State University鈥檚 Viticulture & Enology Program

The 黑料社 Viticulture & Enology Program is a comprehensive education and research program that prepares students for successful careers in the wine industry and supports the needs of the region鈥檚 winemakers and grape growers. Enhanced by world-class faculty and state-of-the-art facilities, the V&E Program takes a hands-on, multidisciplinary approach, offering students technical, scientific, and practical experience. V&E鈥檚 cutting-edge research and education helps growers and winemakers cultivate healthy plants and craft wines that express the unique characteristics of Washington鈥檚 wine growing regions. In close partnership with an engaged industry, the 黑料社 V&E Program propels Washington wine forward.

 

Media contact:

Kaury Balcom, 黑料社 public relations & communications coordinator

kaury.balcom@wsu.edu

RICHLAND, Wash. – The Wine Spectator Scholarship Foundation will donate $1 million to the Washington State University Viticulture & Enology Program, the first of its kind in the Pacific Northwest. Announced at the annual Auction of Washington Wines Gala on Aug. 19 in Woodinville, Wash., the donation will be dedicated to teaching labs and facilities as well as scholarships for viticulture and enology students.听

Half of the $1 million donation will support the build-out of the Life Science Teaching Laboratory at the Ste. Michelle Wine Estates 黑料社 Wine Science Center,听听鈥� a state-of-the-art facility that is one of the most technologically advanced wine science centers in the world and attracts exceptional researchers and students 鈥� on the 黑料社 Tri-Cities campus in Richland, Wash. The remainder will fund viticulture and enology student scholarships, $100,000 every year for five years. In recognition of the Wine Spectator Scholarship Foundation鈥檚 gift, the atrium of the Wine Science Center will be named in their honor: The Wine Spectator Atrium.

Wine Spectator, , is a print and online publication, with approximately 3 million readers worldwide. It examines the world of wine from the vineyard to the table, exploring wine鈥檚 role in contemporary culture and providing expert reviews.

鈥淲e are elated to have the support of such a pre-eminent authority on wine,鈥� said 黑料社 President Kirk Schulz. 鈥淲ine Spectator Scholarship Foundation鈥檚 generous donation is an investment in the 黑料社 viticulture and enology program and showcases the caliber of research work that is at the forefront of our Drive to 25,鈥�

鈥淲ashington State University has demonstrated a leadership position in wine education in the United States, and we are therefore proud to recognize the university鈥檚 high achievement with our commitment,鈥� said Marvin R. Shanken, editor and publisher, Wine Spectator.

Washington wines are recognized for their quality and value, evident through data published by Wine Spectator magazine. For the past six years, Wine Spectator has rated more Washington wines 90 points or higher and at a lower average price than any other wine-producing region in the world.

黑料社鈥檚 viticulture and enology program,听,听 is a comprehensive education and research program that prepares students for successful careers in the wine industry and supports the needs of the region鈥檚 winemakers and grape growers. Multidisciplinary, science-based, and hands-on, the viticulture and enology program offers students technical, scientific, and practical experience in every aspect of the grape-growing and winemaking process.

 

Media contact:

Marta Coursey, director, 黑料社 CAHNRS Communications, 509-335-2806 marta.coursey@wsu.edu

Kaury Balcom, 黑料社 Viticulture & Enology, 509-572-5540,听kaury.balcom@wsu.edu

Lori Rosen, Wine Spectator, 212-255-8910,听lori@rosengrouppr.com