2012 Lallemand Bursary Winner Announced
The Institute of Masters of Wine and Lallemand are delighted to announce Matthew Forster as the winner of the 2012 Lallemand Bursary.
The bursary, established in 2010, is open to students in the Institute’s study programme and provides a funded visit to Lallemand’s annual technical conference.
Lallemand is a corporate supporter of the Institute and a leading producer of wine yeast, bacteria and their nutrients, and a distributor of oenological enzymes. It is a privately owned Canadian corporation present in most of the wine producing countries. Its Oenology Division, based in Toulouse, France, has a major focus on research and development, both in-house and in collaboration with renowned research institutes.
Matthew secured the bursary with his 1,000-word essay addressing the topic of how the diversity of yeast strains and bacteria species contribute to enhancing varietal aroma and bring complexity to wine.
After graduating with a first class honours degree in Spanish and Portuguese from Cambridge University, Matthew Forster attended law school in London before practising as a solicitor with a global law firm. In 2007, he left the law to pursue his interest in food and wine, training as a chef before joining London merchant Berry Bros. & Rudd where he specialised in Spanish wine and lectured as a wine school tutor. Based in the UK, Matthew is a second-year MW student and a holder of the Wine & Spirit Education Trust Diploma, for which he was awarded the Peter Hampson Memorial Scholarship in 2010.
Ann Dumont, Communications Manager for Lallemand’s Oenology Division, said: “The topic of biodiversity and the impact on wine quality and complexity has many facets. The essay written by Matthew explored the many sides related to this issue and was well researched. We hope that the participation of Matthew at our XXIII Entretiens Scientifiques in Dordogne (France) will contribute to the understanding on wine microbiology and all its potential in winemaking. Lallemand has been a proud supporter the Institute and its students since 2004 and we are honored to meet every year the new talents and future MW candidates during our scientific conference.”
Siobhan Turner, Executive Director of the Institute said: “We are grateful to our supporter Lallemand for providing this bursary which gives the recipient a superb opportunity to gain detailed technical insight. I am sure that this will prove to be a valuable experience for Matthew and will assist him greatly in his studies with the Institute.”
Matthew Forster said: “I am very grateful for the opportunity to attend Lallemand’s 2012 conference which promises to offer a valuable insight into wine biotechnology. I am sure that the experience will prove most useful for my MW studies going forward.”