France's Dubourdieu Keynote Speaker At Workshop

Newsletters are produced monthly by New Zealand Society for
Viticulture and Oenology for the benefit of its members

Professor Denis Dubourdieu from France is to be the keynote speaker at a Workshop on Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon Blanc is particularly important to the New Zealand wine industry with wine, making up approximately two thirds of New Zealand's exports in the last 12 months. The area in production is predicted to increase from 4500 hectares in 2003 to more than 7000 hectares in 2006. It is the flagship variety of New Zealand wines. The unique flavours of Marlborough can be attributed to the climo-edaphic conditions of this region.

This Sauvignon Blanc workshop, for grape growers and winemakers, will examine strategies to ensure that the New Zealand wine industry maintains its competitive edge in an ever increasingly competitive world. Winemakers and viticulturalists can influence its expression. The day's focus will be on Sauvignon Blanc, it's aroma, it's origins and how to influence its flavours.

Professor Denis Dubourdieu, of the University of Bordeaux, is the keynote speaker. He will be joined by a lineup of top speakers from New Zealand and overseas, including Miguel de Barros Lopes, a Molecular Biologist at the Australian Wine Research Institute.

Professor Denis Dubourdieu is both a scientist and a hands on wine grower. His team at the University of Bordeaux is renowned for its work on the vinification and ageing of white wines.

Dr Miguel de Barros Lopes is a molecular biologist at the Australian Wine Research Institute. His research interests are in understanding the mechanisms underlying important wine traits of Saccharomyces cerevisiae at the molecular level.

This one-day workshop will cover three topics :
* viticultural aspects what is being doing well and where it can be improved
* winemaking how and where improvements can be made on current methods
* a structured tasting of Sauvignon Blanc wines from around the world.

In addition to the Sauvignon Blanc workshop, there is to be a half day workshop, on the previous day on managing sulfides in the winery. The speakers for this workshop are:

Dr Bruce Zoecklein, Professor and Enology Specialist, Virginia Tech., USA. Co-author of the wine analysis manual - Wine Analysis and Production

Dr Barry Gump, Professor of Chemistry at California State University, Fresno, USA. Co-author Wine Analysis and Production

Dr Charlie Edwards, Associate Professor of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Washington State University, USA.

These two workshops, organised by The New Zealand Society for Viticulture and Oenology, are being held in Blenheim on 9th and 10th of November. These are the two days immediately prior to the Screwcap Symposium. These two workshops are currently attracting registrants from both New Zealand and abroad.

To ensure active participation at the workshops, numbers will be limited to 120 registrants. Those planning on attending are advised to register early to ensure a place.

Further details and registration details can be found on the New Zealand Society for Viticulture and Oenology web site. http://www.nzsvo.org.nz

Venue: Brancott Winery, Blenheim
Sulfide Workshop afternoon 9th November
Sauvignon Blanc Workshop all day 10th November

© Scoop Media