BCWGC February 19, 2026 R&D Committee Meeting

February 19, 2026 – 12:00 – 1:00 – Hannah Charnock, Brock University – Mitacs Proposal – Tracking Provincial Sparkling Wine Harvest Chemistry & Characterizing Chemical and Sensory Qualities of BC Bubbles

Sparkling wine is a growing market segment, highlighting clear opportunities for domestic development. In BC, producers face significant vintage-to-vintage variability driven by climate pressures, yet there is currently no central framework to track harvest chemistry or characterize the composition of finished sparkling wines across regions. This project addresses that gap by establishing a provincial harvest chemistry database for key sparkling wine varieties alongside sensory and chemical benchmarking of finished wines, providing practical tools to support data-driven harvest decision-making and long-term category development with enhanced quality and resilience.

Researcher Bio: Hannah Charnock holds a PhD in Oenology & Viticulture from Brock University, where her research focused on the chemistry of sparkling wine aging. She recently completed a postdoctoral appointment at the University of Bordeaux’s Institut des Sciences de la Vigne et du Vin, conducting industry research on red wine aroma composition and sensory interactions. Her background includes harvests at premium sparkling wine producers in the UK, and industry leadership experience in sensory science and quality systems at Phillips Brewing & Malting Co. Hannah holds her WSET Level 3 and a Certificate in Wine Business Management from the Goodman School of Business.

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