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.

“We 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,” said Jonathan Brumley, a rising WSU senior studying food science with an emphasis in fermentation.Researchers from Washington State University’s school of food science are working with non-Saccharomyces��yeast strains native to Washington to find a way to reduce sugar content before fermentation.

“A recent challenge many winemakers have been facing is the higher sugar levels found in harvested grapes,” said Heather Carbon, graduate research assistant for the WSU 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.

“The secret of microorganisms is their ability to dramatically shape and change the flavors of wine, allowing producers to differentiate wines from one another,” said Charles Edwards, WSU professor and food scientist.

WSU senior Jonathan Brumley is researching the possible benefits of wild Washington yeast at the WSU St. Michelle Wine Estates WSU Wine Science Center at ���سԹ�.

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

“We now know that some of these yeasts can be used to enhance wine quality, but without spoilage issues,” said Edwards.

“It’s been cool to get a look into the wine industry side of food science. Working with microbes fascinates me,” 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.

“We’re 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,” 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.

“Many winemakers use water to lower the alcohol content of wine, but having options in the winemaking industry is crucial,” 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���ٴ���. Each e-newsletter issue features articles about the latest scientific discoveries, vineyard agriculture, and wine science research from Washington State University’s Viticulture & Enology program.

By Lauren Paterson, WSU 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 WSU’s Ste. Michelle Wine Estates Wine Science Center are studying how and why the grapevine red blotch virus, which causes the disease, spreads.

“We’re interested in finding out how the grapevines respond to the virus,” said Bhaskar Bondada, WSU 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.

“I’m studying what the symptoms look like in the plant on the cellular level, and how the virus spreads throughout the vine and the vineyard,” he said.

Research team member and WSU 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.

“Consistently, the issues we faced in production on a horticulture level were insects and diseases,” she said. “I wanted to get my graduate degree at WSU to understand the science behind solving major issues in agriculture so I could be part of the solution.”

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.

WSU’s 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 WSU Wine Science Center.

“Our OSU partners are doing research in the field, and we are doing research at the physiological level,” Bondada said. “Once we have the data for them, we can develop more strategies to control the spread of the red blotch virus.” 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’s Wine Science Center.

Named for the late Washington farmer and entrepreneur Paul Lauzier,����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 WSU.

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 WSU Wine Science Center on the ���سԹ� 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’s $100,330 gift helps build out the lab and provides funds for scientific instruments and fixtures.

“The Life Sciences Teaching Lab is one of the most important places at the Wine Science Center,” said Thomas Henick-Kling, professor and director of WSU’s��. “It’s 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.”

Building on land-grant partnership

“Paul Lauzier cared deeply about education, agriculture, and the development of Washington communities,” said André-Denis Wright, dean of WSU’s College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences. “His vision meshes beautifully with the hands-on, career-building experiences that the Life Sciences Teaching Lab will provide when it’s complete. This gift helps our students and faculty develop knowledge in areas of great importance to the future of Washington’s $8.4 billion wine industry.”

“We are pleased to have this opportunity to support Washington State University’s Viticulture and Enology Program,” said Michael Rex Tabler, Paul Lauzier Foundation trustee. “Not only does this gift provide academic support for faculty and students, it also contributes to an increasingly important element of agriculture in our state.”

“On 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,” said Sandra Haynes, chancellor of ���سԹ�. “Together, we’re 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.”

Fundraising is still underway to fully complete the Life Sciences Teaching Lab. To become involved in efforts to improve the WSU Wine Science Center, contact Carolyn Wika, development officer with WSU-CAHNRS, at��c.wika@wsu.edu��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 Condé Nast’s��, though she quickly found herself living in an unsustainable situation.

“I wasn’t surviving in New York,” she said. “I couldn’t afford to eat.”

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.

“It was during this time I realized that writing wasn’t going to happen for me,” she said. “I don’t think I had enough passion to move through the difficulty of getting started. That’s when a chance encounter changed everything.”

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.

“I was really inspired by that particular tour,” she said.

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

“She told me to jump in and go for it,” she said.

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

“I can say that I have always worked hard, and in my family—we’re Irish—hard work is one of our things,” 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 WSU Blended Learning at and secured a coveted internship with in Napa Valley this summer.

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

The honor, Higgins said, validates all the 5 a.m. routines of checking Brix, the grapes’ 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’s faculty for what she has accomplished.

“They are incredibly supportive,” she said. “At WSU, I have access to some of the most important wine researchers in the world.”

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.

“The same family friend who first introduced me to wine has a daughter there and a lot of wine connections,” she said.

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

“The only way for me to make an impact is to learn what other wine regions are like,” she said.

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

“Washington is a really innovative place for wine making, she added. “Someone told me it’s the ‘rock and roll of wine.’ I love the idea of being a part of that.”

Learn more about�� at .

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

Now, a pair of WSU 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 — 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 “ethanol concentrations” outweigh fruit maturity when it comes to influencing sensory properties.

“It’s not just the fruit,” says Harbertson. “It’s the alcohol.”

While this may seem intuitive to any wine enthusiast, it’s a significant breakthrough in wine science. In fact, their study — first published in 2017 — was recently awarded “Best Paper” by the American Society for Enology and Viticulture.

And while you’re 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��Theobroma cacao, “food of the gods,” the forebear to chocolate as we know it and love it today.

A population geneticist in the WSU , 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’s 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, “the prince of cocoas.”

“Domesticated Criollo populations are extremely differentiated from any other populations,” explains Cornejo. “We used the signature of domestication to explore questions concerning the effect that domestication had on the genomic architecture of the plant.” By his team’s 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’s 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, ���سԹ�

RICHLAND, Wash. – Bernadette Gagnier hadn’t 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.

“But when I got out, I hit a wall and I didn’t know what I wanted to do after that,” she said.

She enrolled in a community college in western Washington, intending to major in nursing, but realized that the path wasn’t for her. After searching the internet for what else would be a good fit, she found ���سԹ�’ Viticulture and Enology program, where students can study the science of wine, winemaking and how to grow wine grapes and manage grapevines.

“I have a hippie heart and my friends call me a plant mama,” she said. “Wine science seemed like a perfect fit.”

So on the last day to drop classes, she left. A week later, she found herself touring the ���سԹ� campus and decided to transfer.

“Most of the students were serious about their classes, had already declared their major and the average age was 25, and I really liked that,” she said.

She said transferring to ���سԹ� was one of the best decisions she’s 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 ���سԹ� residing in Washington wine country and being able to study at the university’s Ste. Michelle Wine Estates WSU Wine Science Center, which features state-of-the-art equipment, she said she couldn’t imagine picking a better place to attend college.

“We live in one of the best places in the country to grow wine grapes,” she said. “WSU has a nationally-acclaimed wine science program. It’s been a fantastic experience.”

Career experiences while still in school

Since coming to ���سԹ� 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 WSU 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.

“I really found my place and my people here,” she said. “We’re one big family. And then I can go out into the world and work with my other family – my other fellow Cougs in the industry.”

Premier Washington Wine

Washington is currently the second largest producer of wine grapes in the nation and the Tri-Cities was recently highlighted as “” 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’s passion for wine and wine terroir, or tourism pertaining to the climate and growing factors that make for premier wine products, Gagnier said it’s the perfect place to study wine science.

For those who would like to go into the business side of wine and wine-related tourism, ���سԹ� 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.

“It’s rare that a university offers all of these degree programs in one place,” she said.

Future in wine

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

“It’s my dream to be well-respected in the field and to have a successful career with in the wine industry,” she said. “���سԹ� is helping me get there. I’d say if you’re serious about continuing your education, you have to check this place out. You’re not going to be disappointed.”

For more information on ���سԹ�’ wine science degree program, visit��.

RICHLAND, Wash. – “The Secret Life of Yeast: Not so Secret Anymore,” presented by Dr. Linda Bisson will be held on May 16, at 2:00 p.m. in the Ste. Michelle Wine Estates WSU 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.�� 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.��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 “Best Paper in Enology” awards and the “Merit Award” 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 “Principles and Practices of Winemaking,” 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 WSU 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’s wine industry, was founder of Sagemoor Vineyards.

���سԹ� Washington State University’s Viticulture & Enology Program

The WSU 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’s 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’s cutting-edge research and education helps growers and winemakers cultivate healthy plants and craft wines that express the unique characteristics of Washington’s wine growing regions. In close partnership with an engaged industry, the WSU V&E Program propels Washington wine forward.

 

Media contact:

Kaury Balcom, WSU 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.��

Half of the $1 million donation will support the build-out of the Life Science Teaching Laboratory at the Ste. Michelle Wine Estates WSU Wine Science Center,����— 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 — on the ���سԹ� 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’s 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’s role in contemporary culture and providing expert reviews.

“We are elated to have the support of such a pre-eminent authority on wine,” said WSU President Kirk Schulz. “Wine Spectator Scholarship Foundation’s generous donation is an investment in the WSU viticulture and enology program and showcases the caliber of research work that is at the forefront of our Drive to 25,”

“Washington State University has demonstrated a leadership position in wine education in the United States, and we are therefore proud to recognize the university’s high achievement with our commitment,” 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.

WSU’s viticulture and 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’s 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, WSU CAHNRS Communications, 509-335-2806 marta.coursey@wsu.edu

Kaury Balcom, WSU Viticulture & Enology, 509-572-5540,��kaury.balcom@wsu.edu

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