;The overarching goal of the Durall Wine Microbiology Laboratory is to understand how wine microbes (yeast and bacteria) interact during fermentation and ultimately affect wine quality.
Our specific research interests are varied, but our ultimate goal is to understand what makes a good wine. Examples of research projects conducted in our laboratory include: how sulfur dioxide addition affects strain composition of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (the main yeast in winemaking); how changing the timing of malolactic fermentation (which gives Chardonnay its buttery character) can reduce the time it takes to progress from vineyard to bottle; how commercial strains of yeasts can remain in the winery environment and end up in fermentations even years after their last intentional use; how vineyard yeasts, indigenous to the Okanagan Valley, can help create quality wines with increased regional character, or terroir; the interaction between forest fire smoke and wine microbes and the role of each in the development of smoke taint.
Our lab uses modern techniques, including microsatellite loci for strain-typing specific yeasts, Illumina MiSeq for characterizing bacteria and yeasts at a community level, and HS-SPME-GC-MS to evaluate the chemical profiles of our experimental wines. We conduct large-scale projects in collaboration with local wineries as well as micro-fermentations in the laboratory to answer specific questions, and are always looking for new and innovative ways to conduct our research.
Our specific research interests are varied, but our ultimate goal is to understand what makes a good wine. Examples of research projects conducted in our laboratory include: how sulfur dioxide addition affects strain composition of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (the main yeast in winemaking); how changing the timing of malolactic fermentation (which gives Chardonnay its buttery character) can reduce the time it takes to progress from vineyard to bottle; how commercial strains of yeasts can remain in the winery environment and end up in fermentations even years after their last intentional use; how vineyard yeasts, indigenous to the Okanagan Valley, can help create quality wines with increased regional character, or terroir; the interaction between forest fire smoke and wine microbes and the role of each in the development of smoke taint.
Our lab uses modern techniques, including microsatellite loci for strain-typing specific yeasts, Illumina MiSeq for characterizing bacteria and yeasts at a community level, and HS-SPME-GC-MS to evaluate the chemical profiles of our experimental wines. We conduct large-scale projects in collaboration with local wineries as well as micro-fermentations in the laboratory to answer specific questions, and are always looking for new and innovative ways to conduct our research.
COLLABORATIONS
The Durall group has active collaborations with wine research groups both within Canada and Internationally.
Current Collaborators:
Current Collaborators:
Dr. Vivien Measday
Associate Professor, Wine Research Centre, The University of British Columbia
Associate Professor, Wine Research Centre, The University of British Columbia
Dr. Vladimir Jiranek
Professor of Enology, Wine Innovation Central, The University of Adelaide
Professor of Enology, Wine Innovation Central, The University of Adelaide
Dr. Deanna Gibson
Associate Professor, Biology, The University of British Columbia
Associate Professor, Biology, The University of British Columbia
