HVS Supports Cal Poly Viticulture & Enology Old Vine Research

In the summer of 2020, the HVS Board was approached by Federico Casassa Ph.D., Associate Professor of Enology at the Cal Poly Wine & Viticulture Department. Federico and Dr. Jean Dodson Peterson (viticulture) are currently running a research project that aims to evaluate the effect of “Old Vine” Zinfandel on grape quality and wine quality, including chemistry and wine composition.

This research project studies young vines (10 years old or younger), old vines (50 years old or older) and a control group through the growing season, including making wines from the three sample sets and assessing the samples with both chemical and sensory analysis. Federico and his team conducted this research in 2019 with no grant funds, then in 2020 received a grant from the Agricultural Research Institute. This grant required a cash match of $6,305.00 in order to release the full grant amount for 2020-2021. The grant money pays the salary of a hard-working grad student along with funding laboratory analysis to provide important data needed for the project. 

How are we supporting this important project?   

HVS matched the first 50% of the in-cash requirement ($3,152.50), and thanks to HVS supporters, we were able to raise the remaining 50% for the Cal Poly research team in order to release the grant funds for this project.

Thanks so much to all who supported this fundraiser! We will be closely following this exciting research and keeping our mailing list informed as well.