The Australian Wine Research Institute

Geoff Cowey

Position: Senior Oenologist
Qualifications: B App Sc (Winescience) Charles Sturt University, BSc (Hons) University of Adelaide
Email:
Phone: 08 8303 0362
Fax: 8303-6601
Since: November 2002
Other online resources: AWRI Presentations (password protected, click here to register an account)
Previous: Geoff entered the wine industry in 1998 through the Southcorp Wines graduate program, working in the company’s wineries in the Barossa, Coonawarra, Central Victoria and Great Western. From there Geoff spent 3 years at Lindemans Karadoc winery. He joined the AWRI in 2002 with his core role providing winemaking and technical advice to the Australian wine industry and applied research. Since joining the AWRI Geoff has managed to balance his love for science and winemaking by working vintages in Tasmania, New Zealand, Spain and France.

Research

Wine salinity, wine taints and faults, wine instabilities and Dekkera/Brettanomyces yeast spoilage.

Video:

Publications

Cowey, G. Coulter, A. Holdstock, M. (2009) Brines, paints, oils and the occasional mobile phone – common vintage contaminants. Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker 541 : 60-65.

Cowey, G. (2008) Excessive copper fining of wines sealed under screwcaps - identifying and treating reductive winemaking characters. Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker 531 : 49-56.

Cowey, G. Coulter, A. Holdstock, M. (2008) Don’t get contaminated this vintage! Technical Review. (178). Adelaide, SA: The Australian Wine Research Institute: 22-27.

Cowey, G. Travis, B. (2008) Practical sensory evaluation in the winery. Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker No. 535 : 57, 59-63.

Cozzolino, D. Cowey, G. Lattey, K. A. Godden, P. Cynkar, W. U. Dambergs, R. G. Janik, L. Gishen, M. (2008) Relationship between wine scores and visible-near-infrared spectra of Australian red wines.. Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 391 3 : 975-981.

Curtin, C. Bramley, B. Cowey, G. Holdstock, M. Kennedy, E. Lattey, K. Coulter, A. Henschke, P. Francis, L. Godden, P. (2008) Sensory perceptions of 'Brett' and relationship to consumer preference.. Blair, R.J. (eds). Proceedings of the thirteenth Australian wine industry technical conference, 29 July-2 August 2007, Adelaide, SA. Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference Inc.: Adelaide, SA. : 207-211.

Holdstock, M. Cowey, G. Coulter, A. (2007)Calcium DL-tartrate instabilities - a recent increase in their occurrence.. Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker No. 527 : 85-88.

Cowey, G.; Robinson, E.; Holdstock, M.; Gishen, M.; Parker, M.; Dambergs, B.; Godden, P. (2006) Changes in Australian wine composition - from 1954 to 2004. Australian and New Zealand Wine Industry Journal 21(2): 32-37.

Curtin, C.D.; Bellon, J.R.; Coulter, A.D.; Cowey, G.D.; Robinson, E.M.C.; de Barros-Lopes, M.A.; Godden, P.W.; Henschke, P.A; Pretorius, I.S. (2005) The six tribes of 'Brett' in Australia - distribution of genetically divergent Dekkera bruxellensis strains across Australian winemaking regions. Australian & New Zealand Wine Industry Journal 20(6): 28-36.

Curtin, C.; Bellon, J.; Cowey, G.; de Barros Lopes, M.; Field, J.; Robinson, E.; Henschke, P.; Godden, P. (2005) Physicochemical characterisation of Dekkera/Brettanomyces yeast isolated from Australian red wines: [poster summary]. Blair, R.; Williams, P.; Pretorius, S. (eds.) Proceedings of the Twelfth Australian wine industry technical conference 24-29 July 2004; Melbourne, VIC. Adelaide, SA; Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference Inc.: 297.

Godden, P.; Lattey, K.; Francis, L.; Gishen, M.; Cowey, G.; Holdstock, M.; Robinson, E.; Waters, E.; Skouroumounis, G.; Sefton, M.; Capone, D.; Kwiatkowski, M.; Field, J.; Coulter, A.; D'Costa, N.; Bramley, B. (2005) Towards offering wine to the consumer in optimal condition - the wine, the closures and other packaging variables. Australian & New Zealand Wine Industry Journal 20(4): 20-30.

Cowey, G.; Godden, P. (2004) Compositional data derived from AWRI Adevanced Wine Assessment Courses: concentrations of Dekkera/Brettanomyces-derived compounds and of isovaleric (3-methylbutric) acid; the incidence of 2,4,6-trichloranisole (TCA) taint in bottled wine, and; the ullage spaces in screw capped bottles, in a selection of wines from around the world. Technical Review. (151). Adelaide, SA: The Australian Wine Research Institute: 8-18.

Bellon, J.; Robinson, E.; Cowey, G.; Graves, P.; Field, J.; Godden, P.; de Barros Lopes, M. (2003) The degree of genetic variation between strains of Dekkera/Brettanomyces yeast isolated from different Australian wineries and regions. In: Bell, S.M.; de Garis, K.A.; Dundon, C.G.; Hamilton, R.P.; Partridge, S.J.; Wall, G.S. (eds.) Grapegrowing at the edge; Managing the wine business; Impacts on wine flavour: proceedings of a seminar 10–11 July 2003; Barossa Convention Centre, Tanunda, SA: Australian Society of Viticulture and Oenology: 51–55.

Coulter, A.; Robinson, E.; Cowey, G.; Francis, I.L.; Lattey, K.; Capone, D.; Gishen, M.; Godden, P. (2003) Dekkera/Brettanomyces yeast—an overview of recent AWRI investigations and some recommendations for its control. In:Bell, S.M.; de Garis, K.A.; Dundon, C.G.; Hamilton, R.P.; Partridge, S.J.; Wall, G.S. (eds.) Grapegrowing at the edge; Managing the wine business; Impacts on wine flavour: proceedings of a seminar 10–11 July 2003; Barossa Convention Centre, Tanunda, SA: Australian Society of Viticulture and Oenology: 41–50.

Godden, P.; Robinson, E.; Francis, L.; Lattey, K.; Cowey, G.; Boehm, D. (2003) Investigations conducted into the nature and amelioration of taints in grapes and wine, caused by smoke resulting from bushfires. The Australian Wine Research Institute Annual Report 2003: 37-39.