DAVIS, Calif., March 28, 2019…The American Society for Enology and Viticulture’s (ASEV) Board of Directors has selected the winners of the 2019 Best Paper Awards. Authors will be presenting their research papers at the 70th ASEV National Conference on June 17-20 in Napa, California.

The 2019 Viticulture Best Paper is “Nitrogen Requirements of Pinot noir Based on Growth Parameters, Must Composition, and Fermentation Behavior,” by R. Paul Schreiner, James Osborne and Patricia A. Skinkis. The goal of this study was to evaluate how nitrogen supply affects both vegetative and reproductive parameters in grafted Pinot noir grapevines and how fruit chemistry and fermentation behavior are altered by the nitrogen status. The authors concluded that lowering the vine nitrogen status reduced vegetative growth more than reproductive growth of grafted Pinot noir, indicating that growers can reduce nitrogen supply to limit vigor before suffering a yield loss at the current yield targets for premium wine production.

For the 2019 Enology Best Paper, ASEV selected “Impact of Yeast Flocculation and Biofilm Formation on Yeast-Fungus Coadhesion in a Novel Immobilization System,” by Jaime Moreno-García, Teresa García-Martinez, Juan Moreno, Juan Carlos Mauricio, Minami Ogawa, Peter Luong and Linda Bisson. This study looked at the properties of yeast strains that affect coadhesion with the fungus Penicillium chrysogenum when forming biocapsules. Biocapsules is a novel method of yeast immobilization that has been developed in which cells of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae become attached to the hyphae of the fungus P. chrysogenum while remaining adhered following loss of viability of this fungus. Yeast immobilization facilitates higher cell densities than traditional fermentation methods, improves yield and allows the reuse of the biocatalyst. The authors concluded that S. cerevisiae immobilization in the filamentous fungus P. chrysogenum and the resultant formation of biocapsules depended on the yeast’s ability to flocculate or aggregate into biofilms. The study has the potential for industrial application and provides a deeper understanding of the way in which mixed species communities control their cell to cell interactions in complex habitats.           

Each year, the ASEV Best Paper Awards Committee evaluates all manuscripts published in the American Journal of Enology and Viticulture (AJEV) during the previous year and selects one paper in viticulture and one in enology that reflects outstanding research and a substantial contribution to the field. The 2018 Best Paper Award Committee includes Patty Skinkis (Chair) of Oregon State University, Corvallis; Lindsay Jordan of E & J Gallo Winery (California); Kevin Ker of Brock University (Canada); Russell Moss of Cornell University (New York); Merilark Padgett-Johnson of Santa Rosa Junior College (California); Leticia Chacón-Rodríguez of Safe Harbor Wines (California); Scott Dwyer of Chemeketa Community College (Oregon); Joe Shirley of Trinchero Family Estate (California); and David Sorokowsky (California).

The authors will be presented with a plaque at the 70th ASEV National Conference on June 17-20 in Napa, California at the Napa Valley Marriott Hotel. Both papers are highlighted on www.ajevonline.org and are available free of charge.

The ASEV Best Paper Awards are sponsored by J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines.