Winery receives government funding for research projects

As the saying goes, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

That’s exactly what Klaus Reif at Reif Estates Winery is hoping will happen after his winery bought several giant kilns once used to dry out tobacco leaves in hopes of using a similar technology for producing wine.

On Tuesday afternoon, Niagara Falls MP and Minister of Justice Rob Nicholson presented Reif Estates with a certificate recognizing them as a Canadian Innovation Leader by linking scientific research to commercialization, jobs and economic growth.

Along with the recognition came a $194,600 contribution from the National research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP).

“I’m excited to receive this certificate as research is important in an ever-changing world,” said Reif, adding “in Canada, if you can’t compete on a mass production level you have to be innovative and always focused.”

That’s what the winery is doing as they plan to conduct three research projects that will improve filtration systems for producing ice wines, innovate solutions that will help develop production methods for new products and research new techniques for improving the production process by using two humidity and temperature controlled sheds to make unique wines.

“In other countries, they take the grapes and dry them outside. Here in this climate, we have to create artificial conditions and now with these kilns we can hopefully play with nature a bit to our advantage.”

After making the announcement, Reif led Nicholson on a tour inside the Niagara Parkway winery, briefly outlining how the process works now and how it could work.

“I like the idea of supporting innovations and research here in Niagara. I think it’s an excellent expenditure of taxpayers’ funds to support projects like these because, as Klaus said, if we don’t innovate we fall behind.”

Reif admitted without the funding, his enterprise would not be able to afford the research. He said he has spent $108,000 to buy the equipment which includes a filtration system, and two kilns measuring 12-metres by three-metres.

Reif Estate Winery produces world-renowned wines through innovative processes.

Since 1989, the NRC-IRAP and Reif Estates have successfully collaborated on 14 projects.

If everything goes to plan, these kinds of wines could be available by 2011.