Registration Open for WAVEx Webinar: What’s in Your Brett Toolbox?

Webinar will share research information to help winemakers control wine spoilage caused by Brettanomyces bruxellensis.

SEATTLE (July 28, 2021) – The Washington wine industry is invited to hear Dr. Charles Edwards, Washington State University food scientist, summarize his many years of research focused on developing management tools for wine spoilage, during a one-hour webinar on August 5, 2021.

The wild yeast Brettanomyces bruxellensis, or Brett as it’s commonly called, is generally regarded as detrimental to red wine quality because it can impart unwanted aromas and flavors in the wine. Once Brett takes hold in a winery, it can be difficult to control. Often, it takes multiple approaches to keep the spoilage yeast at bay.

Edwards conducted research on Brett for more than a decade to better understand its survivability under different storage conditions and concentrations of ethanol and sulfur dioxide. He also evaluated Brett survivability in the vineyard from Brett-infected pomace, depth of Brett penetration in oak barrels and more. His research was funded by a variety of sources, including all Washington wineries and wine grape growers through the Washington State Wine Commission.

Edwards will share a culmination of his research that winemakers can use to manage Brett in their winery during the August 5 WAVEx webinar. Register for free here. 

About WAVE and WAVEx:
Washington Advancements in Viticulture and Enology (WAVE) and WAVEx are a series of research seminars and webinars sponsored by the Washington State Wine Commission and Washington State University. WAVEx is the condensed, shorter webinar series. The events help make wine research findings more accessible to growers and wineries.

About the Washington State Wine Commission:
The Washington State Wine Commission (WSWC) represents every licensed winery and wine grape grower in Washington State. Guided by an appointed board, WSWC provides a marketing platform to raise positive awareness about the Washington wine industry and generate greater demand for its wines. Funded almost entirely by the industry through assessments based on grape and wine sales, WSWC is a state government agency, established by the legislature in 1987. To learn more, visit www.washingtonwine.org.

RESEARCH INQUIRIES:

Melissa Hansen, Research Program Director, Washington Wine

(206) 669-7127 / mhansen@washingtonwine.org.

GENERAL INQUIRIES:
Heather Bradshaw, Communications Director, Washington Wine
(206) 495-5844 / hbradshaw@washingtonwine.org