PhD in Viticulture & Oenology
Viticulture & Oenology PhD student Belinda Kemp is enjoying indulging her wine-making passion at Lincoln University.
As part of her research, Belinda works at the Pegasus Bay vineyards in Waipara. She says no two days are ever the same with her fieldwork and she enjoys the variety.
“I love the wine-making and vineyard work as it is different each day. I look forward to getting into the field and conducting my research,” she says.
Belinda, who plans to work as a wine research assistant, is analysing “the effect of leaf removal timing on berry ripening and flavour in pinot noir wines”. Much of her research is carried out using grapes from Pegasus Bay to produce wine at the local Lincoln Vineyard winery.
“I really enjoy studying wine-making processes and practising microvinification. The wine needs to be made in triplicate for research purposes in case something goes wrong with one of the wines and to ensure treatment effects are replicated,” she says.
Belinda is originally from the United Kingdom, and says Lincoln University’s agricultural reputation and cool-climate viticultural studies appealed to her when considering her postgraduate options.
“I liked that Lincoln had a solid reputation in agricultural studies, and the cool-climate viticulture here is similar to the UK, so that was an important factor for me in considering possible future applications for my doctoral studies,” she says.
Belinda received a Bachelor of Science (First Class Honours) from Plumpton College, UK, before attending Lincoln.
She was awarded the Lincoln International Doctoral Scholarship for her PhD and is considering post-doctoral study at Lincoln University in the future.