Distinctive research deserves recognition, and in the field of enology and viticulture the American Society for Enology and Viticulture (ASEV) Best Paper Awards are very well regarded. Based on groundbreaking research from around the world published in the American Journal of Enology and Viticulture (AJEV), the Society has designated the 2013 Best Papers Awards (generously sponsored by J.Lohr Vineyards & Wines), which will be recognized at the ASEV’s National Conference on June 24-28, 2013 in Monterey, California.

The best viticulture paper is awarded to researchers Yi Zhang and Imed Dami of Ohio State University for their paper titled “Foliar Application of Abscisic Acid Increases Freezing Tolerance of Field-Grown Vitis vinifera Cabernet franc Grapevines.”

The Best Paper Awards Committee also selected an outstanding enology paper, titled “Profiling the Yeast Communities of Wine Fermentations Using Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism Analysis.” Authors of the paper are Nicholas Bokulich, Chin-Feng Hwang, Shuwen Liu, Kiria Boundy-Mills, and David Mills, with research conducted primarily at the University of California, Davis.

“Selecting two papers from all four published AJEV issues in one year is difficult with so many well-written articles. It is a pleasure to share this information on topics of great interest and offered by such excellent researchers. These complete projects are representative of the significance of research for our industry”, noted Lise Asimont, ASEV Board member and the committee chair.

Each year, the ASEV Best Paper Awards Committee evaluates all manuscripts published in the AJEV during the previous year and selects one paper in viticulture and one in enology that reflect outstanding research and a substantial contribution to their fields. The 2013 committee members include: Lise Asimont, Francis Ford Coppola Presents (chair); in enology, Torey Arvik, Sonomaceuticals, Nichola Hall, Scott Laboratories, Evan Schiff, Francis Ford Coppola Presents, and Brent Trela, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, and in viticulture, Mark Greenspan, Advanced Viticulture, Merilark Padgett-Johnson, Santa Rosa Junior College, and Luis Sanchez, E&J Gallo. The authors will be presented with a plaque and monetary award at the June 2013 ASEV National Conference.

Both best papers are currently highlighted at ajevonline.org and are available free of charge.