The Faculty of Science has tailor-made an event for wine and science aficionados. In partnership with Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island (TWEPI), Essex Pelee Island Coast (EPIC) , and the Art Gallery of Windsor, the faculty presents Science Uncorked, “From Ice Age to Iced Wines: the Beginnings of Canada’s Wine Industry,” on September 14.

Earth and Environmental Sciences professors Maria Cioppa and Alan Trenhaile will speak on how climate change and soil type influence wine production. As part of the presentation, attendees will sample various wines from Essex County wineries.

Dr. Cioppa will talk about the effects of climate on wine and wine production, and how climate change could affect Essex County’s wines. Dr. Trenhaile will focus on the geological history and soils of our area, and how wine is influenced by the various southwestern Ontario soil types, which have widely variable concentrations of sand and clay from vineyard to vineyard.

“There will be a tasting of one type of wine, from the same year, but taken from three different soil types, to complement Dr. Trenhaile’s talk; for my discussion on temperature and climate change we’ll have a vertical tasting where people sample the same wine varietal, from the same vineyard, but from three different years,” says Cioppa, event co-organizer.

“We’ll have samples from sandy soils and clay soils, from hot years and cool years, and from dry years and wet years. Sommeliers and master tasters will be available to discuss nuanced changes in aroma, bouquet and taste observed in the wines.”

Dean of science Chris Houser says Science Uncorked is part of series of outreach events called Science on Tap, which started this summer with Beer Science. Three more events are in the planning stages: ornithologists will host an event about migratory birds this fall, followed by an event hosted by the historical archaeological project WEDigHistory. In spring 2018, the health sciences will be featured.

“The idea of Science on Tap is to get UWindsor scientists out into the public, communicating the relevance of science to people’s everyday lives,” says Dr. Houser.

“From Ice Age to Iced Wines” is the first in the four-seminar EPIC 1867-2017 Speaker Series.  The $15 tickets, available through Eventbrite, must be purchased by September 10 and include two wine flights and hors d’oeuvres. The event runs from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, September 14, at the Art Gallery of Windsor, 401 Riverside Drive West.