The new director of the Oregon Wine Research Institute said the industry will face challenges as it adapts to climate change, deals with sustainability issues and adopts new technology as more vineyards move into mechanized harvest.

Oregon remains well-placed in a crowded market, however, thanks to a focus on premium products, said James Osborne.

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“There’s a lot of things we can still do in the area to make our brand stand out,” he said.

Osborne, a professor and extension specialist in the Food Science and Technology department at Oregon State University, was named the institute’s leader this week by the OSU College of Agricultural Sciences.

“I am excited to lead this group of world-class scientists at the OWRI in our mission to support the dynamic Oregon wine industry,” Osborne said.

Osborne said Oregon’s wine sector was on an upward trajectory when he joined OSU in 2006.

“In the time that I’ve been here, it’s gone up and up and up,” he added.

Despite tremendous growth, especially in the Rogue Valley and Umpqua areas, the Beaver State’s wine industry is still Oregon-centric, with many boutique operations.

Like many agricultural sectors, however, there’s a shortage of available workers and increased labor costs.

Osborne grew up on a dairy farm in New Zealand and became interested in fermentation microbiology — “harnessing organisms to make wonderful products” — while studying agricultural sciences at Massey University.

He also holds a doctorate in food science from Washington State University.

Osborne sees a lot of crossover between his homeland and the Pacific Northwest, with similar climates and a culture that’s laid back but pragmatic.

Even the modern wine scenes in Oregon and New Zealand are similar, with both emerging around the 1970s. New Zealand has been focused on Sauvignon blanc, but now is moving into Pinot noir, which Oregon is well known for, Osborne said.

Staci Simonich, dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences, noted Osborne’s expertise working with international research collaborators and the trust he has built among colleagues and Oregon’s wine industry.

The Oregon Wine Research Institute was founded in 2018 as a partnership between the state’s wine industry and OSU. The organization conducts research that improves Oregon’s grapes and wine and helps growers and winemakers make informed decisions.

According to a 2022 report from the National Association of American Wineries, Oregon’s wine industry generates more than $7 billion of value to the U.S. economy.

Osborne will continue to lead his research program at OSU as he takes on his new role.

His research focuses on the impact of wine microorganisms on wine quality. He’s particularly interested in how microbial interactions can impact sensory properties and prevent spoilage issues.

Osborne has received numerous awards for his research and teaching efforts, including authoring the best enology paper in the American Journal of Enology and Viticulture for 2023.

He currently is second vice president of the American Society for Enology and Viticulture.