Highlights of the Year 2000
- It was demonstrated that additional oak flavour can be
generated from precursor forms during bottle ageing.
- The use of mass spectrometry to differentiate major grape
varieties using their complement of unstable proteins is
feasible. The mass-profiles of proteins in different juices from
distinct varieties showed significant differences and these
differences were consistent from year to year and across
regions.
- The ability of NIR to rapidly measure berry colour and other
quality parameters has been firmly established, with excellent
cooperation with numerous industry partners making this a truly
collaborative project. The outlook for development of affordable
instrumentation for widespread use is promising.
- There is a rapid and early loss of volatile flavour compounds
when wine is stored in bag-in-box packaging. The extent of the
loss varies widely from compound to compound.
- The searchable database of the John Fornachon Memorial
Library was made accessible to Australian winemakers and
grapegrowers from remote locations via the internet.
- Our Analytical Service showed strong revenue growth,
particularly in contract sensory evaluations, and saw the
introduction of several new services including that for
ochratoxin A.
- Combining heat treatment with the addition of proteolytic
enzymes reduced the concentration of unstable protein in white
wine and the bentonite addition required to achieve stability was
halved. There appeared not to be any significant sensorial impact
of the heat treatment.
- A spectrophotometer has been modified
to measure browning, the result of oxygen permeation, whilst the
wine is in the bottle. This non-destructive method allows
individual bottles to be tracked throughout an experiment and
through their storage.
- The aroma impact of ascorbic acid addition to white wines was
shown to be minor. After six months storage there was no
detectable difference in aroma between white wines bottled with
and without ascorbic acid addition. The influence on pinking
susceptibility is still to be addressed.
- Rapid methods to quantify the levels of tannins in seed
extracts and in wine have been developed. These methods are a
significant advance on what is currently available because the
tannins are clearly separated from other compounds in wine and
their identity has been rigorously demonstrated rather than
inferred.
- To assist our flavour research work, stable isotope dilution
methods have been fully validated for 13 wine components derived
from fermentation or from the grape.
- The Institute’s improved sensory evaluation facilities
have been extensively used in numerous tastings for Analytical
Service, Industry Services and research experiments, with the
level of expertise of Institute panels continuing to develop. A
set of formal sensory procedures were established to test grape
berry homogenates for specified characters. The formal study
clearly establishes that black pepper flavour can be tasted and
scored in berries. The methods developed for tasting of berry
samples by a trained panel could be extended for other purposes,
for example for quality assessment of grapes.
- Requests for information from the John Fornachon Memorial
Library staff increased by 206% over the previous year.
- Institute staff co-authored 33 publications; gave 59
seminars/talks (excluding the Roadshow seminars); presented 11
posters, conducted 3 workshops; gave 30 lectures and supervised
26 students during the year.
- Six senior staff spent a period of six days on a Roadshow to
Canberra and NSW where more than 40 seminars on a variety of
topics were presented
- The Advanced Wine Assessment Course was held in July and
December, enhancing the analytical sensory skills of another 60
participants.
- An Email Bulletin Service was made available to the
Australian wine industry, providing a fast and cost efficient way
of keeping industry aware of current technical issues.
- The perception of diacetyl as a ‘buttery’
component very much depends on the individual wine in which it is
presented. Analyses of wines retained for approximately three
years show that diacetyl is relatively stable in the bottle.
- Institute staff hosted 197 international visitors during the
year from countries such as Canada, China, Denmark, France,
Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Portugal, South Africa,
Spain, United Kingdom, United States of America and
Zimbabwe.
- The extension to the buildings of The Australian Wine
Research Institute was officially opened by Dr Barbara Hardy AO
on Tuesday, 26 October 1999 in front of 110 assembled guests
representing many facets and regions of the Australian wine
industry.
