The Australian Wine Research Institute

The Australian Wine Research Institute Blog

May 2025 Technical Review available now

7 May 2025 >

7 May 2025

The May 2025 issue of Technical Review is now available!

Technical Review is the AWRI’s own technical publication, which includes updates on AWRI research and a curated selection of the most recent grape and wine literature recommended by AWRI Emeritus Fellow Dr Peter Dry and Engagement Specialist Matt Holdstock.

Australian winemakers and grapegrowers can visit the library catalogue to view abstracts and request the latest non-open access journal articles from the John Fornachon Memorial Library, free of charge. Register for a new login or use the forgotten password link to reset your password.

While you are there, check out the library’s new database containing more than 765 immediately available digital journals and magazines, and set up alerts to be notified about new issues or key topics of interest to you. Contact us at infoservices@awri.com.au for assistance.

Below is a small selection of recommendations from this issue of Technical Review:

AWRI publications

  • Ask the AWRI: Polysaccharides: a cause of clarification/filtration problems [Read full-text online] Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker
  • Development of a standardized method for metabolite analysis by NMR to assess wine authenticity [Read full-text online] IVES Conference Series
  • Metabolic disruptions induced by low concentrations of DMSO in RTgill-W1 fish cells: The importance of solvent controls in in vitro studies [Read full-text online] Aquatic Toxicology
  • A rapid growth rate underpins the dominance of Hanseniaspora uvarum in spontaneous grape juice fermentations [Request copy from AWRI Library] Yeast

Viticulture

  • Improvements in the aromatic composition of Tempranillo Blanco grapes after being sprayed with three concentrations of urea either at pre-veraison or veraison [Read full-text online] European Food Research and Technology
  • Role of the rootstock and its genetic background in plant mineral status assessed by petiole analysis and deficiency symptoms [Read full-text online] IVES Technical Reviews, vine and wine
  • Adaptation to climate change in viticulture: The role of varietal selection—A review [Read full-text online] Plants
  • A framework to manage fungicide resistance in grape powdery mildew [Read full-text online] Wine Business Monthly
  • Seminatural habitats support both grapevine pests and their parasitoids in Mediterranean organic vineyards [Read abstract online] [Request copy from AWRI Library] Oecologia
  • Physiology and transcriptome profiling reveal the drought tolerance of five grape varieties under high temperatures [Read full-text online] Journal of Integrative Agriculture
  • Novel termination techniques of winter cover crops in the vineyard: Effects on physiology and performance of Pinot Noir and Malvasia di Candia aromatica grapevines [Read full-text online] European Journal of Agronomy
  • Organic matter evolution and microbial activity in a vineyard soil after four years of inter-row cover crop management [Read full-text online] Applied Soil Ecology
  • Evaluation of the impact of vine pruning periods on grape production and composition: an integrated approach considering different years and cultivars [Read full-text online] OENO One

Sustainability

  • Assessment of sustainability progress indicators in the wine industry [Read full-text online] Journal of Social Sciences
  • Integrated system of microalgae photobioreactor and wine fermenter: growth kinetics for sustainable CO2 biocapture [Read full-text online] Fermentation
  • Steam reforming for winery wastewater treatment: Hydrogen production and energy self-sufficiency assessment [Read full-text online] Biomass and Bioenergy
  • Sustainable innovation practices: a single case study in a wine SME [Read abstract online] [Request copy from AWRI Library] International Journal of Organizational Analysis

Oenology

  • Cork impact on red wine aging monitoring through 1H NMR metabolomics: A comprehensive approach [Read abstract online] [Request copy from AWRI Library] Food Research International
  • From vine to wine: coloured phenolics as fingerprints [Read full-text online] Applied Sciences
  • Inorganic and organic constituent analysis: A data fusion strategy to differentiate between wines of different origins [Read abstract online] [Request copy from AWRI Library] Food Control
  • AI, wine experts, and wine apps: Whatever next? [Read full-text online] The World of Fine Wine
  • The prospect of superior yeast for winemaking: recent successes through bioprospecting [Read full-text online] Current Opinion in Biotechnology
  • Replacement of sulfur dioxide in white, rosé, and red wines by a blend of tannins extracted from multiple plant materials [Read full-text online] Beverages
  • Influence of grape quality tier, harvest timing, and yeast strain on mannoprotein content, phenolic composition, and color modulation in young red wines [Read full-text online] Food Research International
  • Comparative study of the sensory impacts of acidifiers for red wine production [Read full-text online] Beverages

Acknowledgments

This work is supported by Wine Australia, with levies from Australia’s grapegrowers and winemakers and matching funds from the Australian Government. AWRI is a member of the Wine Innovation Cluster in Adelaide, SA.

Agrochemical update − Delays to regulatory decisions on agrochemical use

29 April 2025 >

29 April 2025

The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) has advised of delays to pending regulatory decisions that affect the grape and wine industries.

The timeline for publication of the final regulatory decision on continued use of paraquat and diquat herbicide active ingredients in vineyard situations has been repeatedly extended, and is now expected in December 2025. The AWRI advised industry in September 2024 of the public consultation on these active ingredients, following release of the proposed regulatory decision in July 2024.

Despite the uncertain future of paraquat and diquat use in vineyards, both actives are scheduled to remain in the upcoming 2025/26 edition of Agrochemicals registered for use in Australian viticulture, commonly known as the ‘Dog book’.

The proposed regulatory decisions for individual neonicotinoid insecticide actives have also been delayed, now expected between December 2025 to October 2026. These include acetamiprid (currently registered on wine grapes in conjunction with pyriproxyfen to target longtailed mealybug, grapevine scale and lightbrown apple moth); clothianidin (currently registered on wine grapes to target longtailed mealybug and grapevine scale); and fipronil (currently registered on wine grapes to target fig longicorn).

The AWRI will continue to keep industry abreast of important changes to agrochemical availability.

Acknowledgements

The AWRI’s eBulletin is supported by Wine Australia, with levies from Australia’s grapegrowers and winemakers and matching funds from the Australian Government. The AWRI is a member of the Wine Innovation Cluster in Adelaide, South Australia.

 

March 2025 Technical Review available now

24 March 2025 >

24 March 2025

The March 2025 issue of Technical Review is now available!

Technical Review is the AWRI’s own technical publication, which includes updates on AWRI research and a curated selection of the most recent grape and wine literature recommended by AWRI Emeritus Fellow Dr Peter Dry and Engagement Specialist Matt Holdstock.

Australian winemakers and grapegrowers can visit the library catalogue to view abstracts and request the latest non-open access journal articles from the John Fornachon Memorial Library, free of charge. Register for a new login or use the forgotten password link to reset your password.

While you are there, check out the library’s new database containing more than 765 immediately available digital journals and magazines, and set up alerts to be notified about new issues or key topics of interest to you. Contact us at infoservices@awri.com.au for assistance.

Below is a small selection of recommendations from this issue of Technical Review:

AWRI publications

  • Adsorption properties of molecularly imprinted polymers designed for removal of smoke taint compounds from wine [Read full-text online] Food Research International
  • Ask the AWRI: Emissions calculations within Sustainable Winegrowing Australia [Read full-text online] Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker
  • Ask the AWRI: YAN analysis: It’s a must [Read full-text online] Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker
  • Identification and quantitative measurement of pyroglutamic acid in 1H NMR spectra of wine [Read abstract online] [Request copy from AWRI Library] Food Research International
  • A list of eclectic viruses, virus-like diseases and viroids of grapevines that should not be considered for regulatory oversight: a global plea from virologists [Read full-text online] Journal of Plant Pathology
  • Mitigation of individual odorous bushfire smoke semi-volatile organic compounds using multi-modal air purifiers [Request copy from AWRI Library] Ecolibrium
  • Optimizing the use of membrane filtration for the amelioration of smoke tainted wine [Read full-text online] Food Chemistry 
  • Raising a glass to lowering alcohol: Insights from wine trade operators [Read full-text online] Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker
  • The roles of nanoparticles in wine science: Innovations and applications [Read full-text online] Nanomaterials
  • Soil phosphorus transformations along two long-term chronosequences with contrasting climate in south-western Australia [Read full-text online] Plant and Soil
  • Tannin additions decrease the concentration of malodorous volatile sulfur compounds in wine-like model solutions and wine [Read full-text online] Food Chemistry 

Viticulture

  • Overhead spray water treatment as a mitigation strategy to alleviate vine stress and safeguard grape quality during heatwaves [Read full-text online] OENO One
  • Australia’s viticultural trends: Insights from a new database [Read full-text online] iVES Technical Reviews, vine and wine
  • Image-based sensing of salt stress in grapevine [Read full-text online] OENO One
  • Savagnin; a happy accident [Request copy from AWRI Library] Halliday Wine Companion
  • Do plant resistance inducers reduce Plasmopara viticola infection on grapevine berry clusters at different growth stages? [Read full-text online] Plant Disease
  • Use of innovative compounds to manage grapevine downy and powdery mildews: results of a three-year field trial [Read full-text online] Agronomy 
  • Effect of timing of drought stress during dormancy on starch storage in grapevine [Read abstract online] [Request copy from AWRI Library] Irrigation Science
  • Regenerative soil management practices no-till and sheep grazing induce significant but contrasting short-term changes in the vineyard soil microbiome [Read full-text online] Plants People Planet 
  • Effects of vineyard management practices on winegrape composition. a review using meta-analysis [Read abstract online] [Request copy from AWRI Library] American Journal of Enology and Viticulture

Sustainability

  • Assessing environmental and economic sustainability: valorizing grape stems for animal feed production [Read full-text online] ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering
  • How green is your wine? [Read full-text online] Decanter

Oenology

Acknowledgments

This work is supported by Wine Australia, with levies from Australia’s grapegrowers and winemakers and matching funds from the Australian Government. AWRI is a member of the Wine Innovation Cluster in Adelaide, SA.

Statement: AWRI response to Wine Australia’s February 2025 briefing paper

7 March 2025 >

7 March 2025

The Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) is aware of a Sector Briefing Paper issued by Wine Australia on 28 February 2025 titled “Investing in Innovation: meeting the challenges of tomorrow, today”.

AWRI is disappointed that it was not consulted prior to the Briefing Paper being issued.  The Briefing Paper contains factual errors and commentary that may, without proper context, result in misinterpretation.

The AWRI has formally requested Wine Australia publish a revised version of its Briefing Paper to correct these inaccuracies.

The AWRI remains focused and committed to supporting the Australian grape and wine community through world-class research, practical extension services and technical excellence.

Drifting smoke from Victorian bushfires causing some concern

3 February 2025 >

3 February 2025

With several bushfires currently burning in western Victoria, smoke has been observed drifting from these fires across other wine regions in Victoria, NSW, Tasmania and South Australia.

The AWRI helpdesk has received a number of calls from producers about the presence of smoke in their vineyards, including from producers located a long distance from the fires themselves.

Grape and wine producers who are concerned about the possibility of this drifting smoke affecting their grapes are encouraged to contact the AWRI helpdesk (helpdesk@awri.com.au or 08 8313 6600 phone option 1 followed by option 1) as a first step to discuss their observations, concerns and potential management options.

Where there are multiple concerned growers in a region, it may be sensible to collaborate and coordinate an initial sampling program from across the region, in conjunction with the local regional association, to assess the risk through diagnostic testing.

In general, AWRI advises sampling grapes for smoke analysis three weeks prior to harvest to allow time for transport of samples, analysis and receipt of results before making harvest decisions. Tips for sampling, packaging and transport of grapes for smoke analysis are available in the fact sheet: Grape sampling, processing and transport following vineyard smoke exposure.

Growers located close to bushfires are advised to contact their preferred laboratory to coordinate testing of samples. Information about Affinity Labs’ smoke testing is available from: https://affinitylabs.com.au/smoke-analysis-wine/

What do we know about smoke composition and the amount of smoke exposure that causes smoke taint in grapes?

Smoke is made up of particulate matter, secondary organic aerosols and volatile phenols and other compounds. The exact amount of smoke exposure that will result in a perceptible smoke character in wine is not well known, as the chemical composition of smoke reflects fuel and combustion conditions and changes rapidly in the atmosphere, becoming lower in the concentrations of volatile phenols over time. This means that smoke from recently burnt woody materials will contain higher concentrations of free volatile phenols, and thus have greater potential to cause smoke taint in grapes and wine. The density of smoke particulate matter can be measured. However, a relationship between measured particulate matter and the risk of smoke taint has not been determined conclusively.

More information about smoke taint is available on the AWRI’s smoke taint webpage

Acknowledgement

This eBulletin is supported by Wine Australia, with levies from Australia’s grapegrowers and winemakers and matching funds from the Australian Government.

Agrochemical update – January 2025

20 January 2025 >

20 January 2025

This eBulletin provides an agrochemical update relevant to Australian grape and wine producers. It concerns agrochemical products that have been cancelled by the APVMA but may still be within their allowed period of use.  

Cancelled agrochemical products 

It is common for the spray diaries of contracted growers to be reviewed closely by wine companies prior to vintage. When this is done using online spray diary tools, there may be notifications that products used during the season have since been cancelled by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA).  

The table below lists agrochemical products that have been cancelled by the APVMA since the publication of the 2024/25 Agrochemicals registered for use in Australian viticulture (‘Dog book’). For more details about these products, including final use date, visit the cancelled agrochemical products page on the AWRI website. 

 

Product name Active constituent Product type
Alliance amitrole + paraquat Herbicide
Revolver diquat + paraquat Herbicide
Thrash 240 EC carfentrazone-ethyl Herbicide
Ruby 100 EC* penconazole Fungicide
SuSCon Green chlorpyrifos Insecticide
Uniquat 250* paraquat Herbicide
Unispray* diquat + paraquat Herbicide
Uni-spray* diquat + paraquat Herbicide

*Note – product not listed in 2024/25 Dog book but registered for use on grapes until date of cancellation 

According to the APVMA, a person may use the cancelled product according to its label instructions, including any conditions relating to shelf life or expiry date, for 12 months after the date of cancellation. In addition, a person may possess the cancelled product or product bearing a cancelled label in accordance with its label instructions for 12 months from the date of cancellation.  

This means that an alert from a spray diary tool that a chemical has been cancelled, does not necessarily mean that a grower has breached APVMA requirements.  

This information is provided to inform the Australian grape and wine sector and should not be interpreted as an endorsement of any product. 

For assistance with any technical grapegrowing or winemaking questions, contact the AWRI helpdesk on helpdesk@awri.com.au or 08 8313 6600.  

Acknowledgement 

This eBulletin is supported by Wine Australia with levies from Australia’s grapegrowers and winemakers and matching funds from the Australian Government. AWRI is a member of the Wine Innovation Cluster in Adelaide, SA. 

January 2025 Technical Review available now

17 January 2025 >

17 January 2025

The January 2025 issue of Technical Review is now available! Read an article by AWRI researchers summarising the latest research on smoke characters in bottle-aged wines and browse the most recent grape and wine literature recommended by AWRI Emeritus Fellow, Dr Peter Dry and Engagement Specialist, Matt Holdstock.

Australian winemakers and grapegrowers can log in to read abstracts and request the latest non-open access journal articles from the AWRI Library, free of charge. Register a new login or use the forgotten password link to reset your password.

We welcome your feedback on Technical Review and you can reach us at infoservices@awri.com.au.

Below is a small selection of what’s in this issue:

Technical Note
How much is too much? New data allows prediction of smoke characters in aged wines.

AWRI publications

  • Adaptation during the shift from entomopathogen to endosymbiont is accompanied by gene loss and intensified selection [Read full-text online] Genome Biology and Evolution
  • Ask the AWRI: Fuel for thought. [Read full-text online] Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker
  • Ask the AWRI: Time, temperature and urea – the ethyl carbamate connection. [Read full-text online] Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker
  • AWRI annual report 2024. [Read full-text online] Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker
  • Bottle aging of smoke-affected wines: Changes in smoke flavor and chemical composition. [Read abstract online] [Request copy from AWRI Library] Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
  • Exploring interactions between vineyard performance, grape and wine composition and subregional boundaries – The terroir of Barossa Shiraz. [Read full-text online] Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research 
  • Insight into how fermentation might contribute to the distinctiveness of Australian coffee. [Read full-text online] Food Chemistry
  • Reducing CO2 use during tank sparkling wine production [Read full-text online] Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker 
  • Run for cover – the ‘right’ species of under-vine cover crops do not influence yield in an Australian vineyard. [Read full-text online] OENO One
  • Viral diversity and phloem transcriptional changes in grapevine Shiraz disease infected wines. [Read full-text online] OENO One

Viticulture

  • 24-epibrassinolide enhances drought tolerance in grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) by regulating carbon and nitrogen metabolism [Read abstract online] [Request copy from AWRI Library] Plant Cell Reports
  • Best practice in tackling grapevine trunk disease [Access copy from AWRI Library online] Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker
  • Bringing robots and a chemical-free disease solution together to control powdery mildew [Access copy from AWRI Library online] Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker
  • Effect of different deficit irrigation regimes on vine performance, grape composition and wine quality of the “Primitivo” variety under mediterranean conditions [Read full-text online] Irrigation Science
  • Grapevine varieties show different sensitivities to flavonoid alterations caused by high temperatures under two irrigation conditions [Read full-text online] Food Research International
  • Integrating spectral sensing and systems biology for precision viticulture: effects of shade nets on grapevine leaves [Read full-text online] Horticulturae
  • Mapping of irrigated vineyard areas through the use of machine learning techniques and remote sensing [Read full-text online] Agricultural Water Management
  • Particle film to mitigate the negative effects of climate change on grapevine leaf eco-physiology as mediated by anatomical traits (book chapter) [Read abstract online] [Request copy from AWRI Library] Progress in Botany
  • Selective harvesting, selectively: Why more winemakers may choose to machine harvest delicate whites [Access copy from AWRI Library online] Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker
  • Virginia researchers are creating quality grapes that can adapt to a changing climate [Read full-text online] Wine Business Monthly

Sustainability

  • Assessing the age effect on consumer attitudes and willingness to pay for sustainably produced wine: A transnational analysis [Read full-text online] Journal of Sustainability Research
  • Diversification as a climate change adaptation strategy in viticulture systems: winegrowers’ insights from Marlborough, New Zealand [Read abstract online] [Request copy from AWRI Library] Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems
  • Does a native and introduced cover crop species differ in their ability to suppress weeds? A study in a table grape vineyard [Read abstract online] [Request copy from AWRI Library] International Journal of Pest Management
  • Guiding organizations toward sustainable success: The strategic role of leadership in environmental corporate governance in the wine industry [Read full-text online] Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management
  • Wine grape grower perceptions and attitudes about soil health [Read full-text online] Journal of Rural Studies
  • Winery waste: A sustainable approach for bioactive compound extraction and various industrial applications [Read abstract online] [Request copy from AWRI Library] Process Safety and Environmental Protection

Oenology

  • Critical areas for Brettanomyces bruxellensis contamination and biofilm formation in the cellar: on the origin of wine spoilage [Read full-text online] OENO One
  • Enhancing the stability of a red organic wine through hydroxytyrosol supplementation at bottling: A time-dependent analysis [Read full-text online] Applied Food Research
  • Evaluation of passive samplers as a cost-effective method to predict the impact of wildfire smoke in grapes and wines [Read abstract online] [Request copy from AWRI Library] Food Chemistry
  • Grape berry mycobiota and its contribution to fresh mushroom aroma off-odour in wine [Read full-text online] OENO One
  • Impact of Botrytis cinerea on γ-Nonalactone concentration: analysis of New Zealand white wines using SIDA-SPE-GC-MS [Read full-text online] OENO One
  • Impacts of non-Saccharomyces yeasts on nutrient composition and aroma profile of wines during co-fermentation with Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Levilactobacillus brevis [Read abstract online] [Request copy from AWRI Library] Journal of Food Composition and Analysis
  • In a fully dealcoholised Chardonnay wine, sugar is a key driver of liking for young consumers [Read full-text online] OENO One
  • Influence of yeasts on wine acidity: new insights into Saccharomyces cerevisiae [Read full-text online] OENO One
  • Plastic wine glass mimic improves the perception of quality and aroma of white wines [Read abstract online] [Request copy from AWRI Library] International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science
  • Research progress of tartaric acid stabilization on wine characteristics [Read full-text online] Food Chemistry: X

Acknowledgments

This work is supported by Wine Australia, with levies from Australia’s grapegrowers and winemakers and matching funds from the Australian Government. AWRI is a member of the Wine Innovation Cluster in Adelaide, SA.

eNews – January 2025

9 January 2025 >

Musical celebration of wine science

Seeking Shiraz must samples

Looking for a calculator to help in the winery this vintage?

New knowledge of how smoke characters develop in aged wine 

Need to get vintage samples to AWRI or Affinity Labs?

New database gives easy access to industry articles

Affinity Labs named WISA Supplier of the Year

Reminder: AWRI Annual Report available

AWITC registrations opening soon

Musical celebration of wine science – you’re invited!

In a new arts-science collaboration, AWRI and songwriter Max Savage are bringing unique stories from seven decades of wine research to life through music, comedy and live performance. A one-off cabaret-style event titled ‘Songs from the Grapevine’ will be held at Lambert Estate in the Barossa Valley on 18 January 2025. Tickets are $20 each, with food and drinks available for purchase from 5pm. Book now from https://www.exploretock.com/lambertestate/event/519220 or for more information contact Dr Mango Parker (mango.parker@awri.com.au or 08 8313 6600). For those who can’t attend the event in person, keep an eye on AWRI social media channels for upcoming videos.

Seeking Shiraz must samples for research on reductive aromas

This vintage, AWRI researchers are investigating the propensity for Shiraz wines to become reductive and are seeking samples of Shiraz must (approximately 30 L) from a range of wineries to use in laboratory-scale fermentation experiments. Please contact Allie Kulcsar on allie.kulcsar@awri.com.au if you can provide a sample to support this research or if you would like more information about this project.

Looking for a calculator to help you in the winery this vintage?

The AWRI Winemaking Calculator app allows you to take the guesswork out of a wide range of calculations needed to make red, white and fortified wine. This app is free for Australian-based users and can be purchased by users outside Australia. The app contains tools for calculating:

  • acid addition and removal
  • SO2 addition and removal
  • wine additions – DAP, copper, oxygen
  • wine fining rates – tannin, PVPP, isinglass, gelatine, carbon, bentonite, potassium hydrogen tartrate
  • heat and cold stabilisation requirements
  • wine fortification and sweetening
  • wine label and export requirements – methanol level, standard drinks calculator
  • conversions – mass, volume and concentration equivalents, acidity conversions.

For more information, visit the winemaking calculators page on the AWRI website or download the AWRI Winemaking Calculator app from the App Store or Google Play Store. Note: The Android app has recently been updated on the Google Play Store. Existing users are asked to delete the app from their devices and download the new version. This is not needed for the Apple version of the app.

New knowledge of how smoke characters develop in aged wines

The AWRI research team has just published the latest in a series of articles stemming from smoke research conducted during and following the 2020 vintage. In this work smoke markers in grapes have now been linked with sensory outcomes in wines that have been bottle-aged for three years, for the varieties Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Shiraz. The risk of producing wine with noticeable smoky flavour, when young or when aged, can now be estimated from grape analysis, noting that not all smoke-exposed grapes produce smoky wine. Table 5 in the latest paper summarises the critical concentrations of volatile phenols and phenolic glycosides in grapes, with these values providing a reference for future interpretations of grape analysis for aged wine styles, which has not been available until now. A copy of the paper can be requested by contacting the AWRI library.

Need to get vintage samples to AWRI or Affinity Labs?

Affinity Labs offers free sample courier services and sample drop-off points for some locations around Australia. The SA sample courier visits the Barossa, McLaren Vale, Clare, Langhorne Creek and Adelaide Hills regions each week. The Sunraysia region can take advantage of our Merbein courier and laboratory facilities. Sample drop-off points are also available in Geelong, Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula in Victoria and Hunter Valley in NSW. Visit the Affinity Labs website for more information on these services: https://affinitylabs.com.au/sample-courier-and-drop-off-point-services/

New database gives easy access to industry articles

Australian grapegrowers and winemakers are now able to access EBSCO’s extensive food science database through AWRI’s John Fornachon Memorial Library. The database includes full-text journals and magazines related to food and beverage sciences, agribusiness, biochemistry and packaging and is accessible directly from the AWRI library catalogue.

Search the complete contents of many favourite industry publications such as:

  • Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker
  • Australian Journal of Grape & Wine Research
  • Wine & Viticulture Journal
  • Journal of Wine Research
  • Journal of Wine Economics
  • Critical Reviews in Food Science & Nutrition
  • and 759 other food industry publications.

Visit the library catalogue for immediate online access! Don’t have access yet? Get your login by subscribing here: https://www.awri.com.au/subscribe/, or email our librarian for assistance or training.

Affinity Labs named WISA Supplier of the Year

Late last year, AWRI’s commercial arm, Affinity Labs, was recognised at the Wine Industry Suppliers Association Impact Awards – winning both the Winemaking and Oenology award category and the coveted overall Supplier of the Year award. These awards acknowledged the support provided by Affinity Labs to Australian winemakers to help them meet new EU labelling standards without incurring significant extra analytical costs.

In announcing the awards WISA remarked that this service helps to foster transparency and trust and gives consumers clear, reliable information on wine labels, enhancing brand reputation globally. Congratulations to the whole Affinity Labs team for this recognition of their hard work and dedication to industry! More information about labelling requirements for the EU can be found in the AWRI fact sheet How to calculate wine energy values for wine exported to the EU.

Reminder: AWRI Annual Report available

The 2024 AWRI Annual Report was released in December and is available for download from the AWRI website. This year’s report includes the latest updates on AWRI projects, highlights from the year, financial statements and summaries of a wide range of activities. Take the time to look through it and discover what we’ve all been up to!

AWITC registrations opening soon

The 19th Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference & Trade Exhibition is back and bigger than ever! Mark your calendars because early bird registration for the 19th AWITC opens on Wednesday, 12 March 2025. Attend plenary sessions, workshops, posters, the student forum, social events and more from 20 to 23 July 2025. The AWITC is your one-stop-shop for the latest technologies and techniques in viticulture, winemaking and wine business management! Sign up now to join our mailing list and be the first to receive a reminder when registrations open! Early bird pricing will be available for a limited time only. Contact info@awitc.com.au if you have any questions about the upcoming event.

Acknowledgements

This eNews is supported by Wine Australia, with levies from Australia’s grapegrowers and winemakers and matching funds from the Australian Government. The AWRI is a member of the Wine Innovation Cluster in Adelaide, South Australia.

Christmas closure and support during the break

19 December 2024 >

19 December 2024

AWRI and Affinity Labs will be closed over the Christmas/New Year period from 5pm on Friday, 20 December 2024, reopening at 9am on Monday, 6 January 2025.

Helpdesk support 
AWRI helpdesk staff will be on leave from Friday, 20 December 2024 to Monday, 6 January 2025.

Telephone support will be available for urgent or emergency assistance during this period. If you require urgent assistance, please contact:

  • Adrian Coulter on 0448 736 145 for winemaking issues
  • Suzanne McLoughlin on 0427 945 259 for viticulture issues.

For less urgent queries, please email helpdesk@awri.com.au and the team will get back to you after 6 January 2025.

Smoke testing and support  
If there is major smoke event over the Christmas/New Year period, AWRI and Affinity Labs staff will return to work to ensure testing services and technical support are available.

Sustainable Winegrowing Australia support  
For any enquiries about Sustainable Winegrowing Australia, please email helpdesk@awri.com.au and the team will get back to you after 6 January 2025.

Library 
The John Fornachon Memorial Library will be closed from 5pm on Friday, 20 December 2024 and will re-open at 9am on Monday, 6 January 2025. Access to the library’s online database will continue to be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week via the AWRI website.

For more information
please contact
enquiries@awri.com.au
08 8313 6600

Acknowledgements

AWRI’s helpdesk, library and communications projects are supported by Wine Australia with levies from Australia’s grapegrowers and winemakers and matching funds from the Australian Government. AWRI is a member of the Wine Innovation Cluster in Adelaide, SA.

Managing vineyards during hot weather conditions

>

19 December 2024

With the Bureau of Meteorology predicting warmer than average days and nights across much of the country for the January to March 2025 period, this eBulletin provides some tips for managing vineyards during hot weather conditions.

What impacts can excessive heat have on the vineyard later in the season?
Berries are most susceptible to heat damage from veraison (berry softening) onwards. Visible damage to berries caused by heat can be seen in the form of sunburn and shrivel, which can reduce yield and quality. Excessive heat may also exacerbate soil moisture deficits, potentially leading to drought stress if adequate plant water supply is not maintained. In particular, avoiding severe moisture stress during the period from veraison to harvest is important to prevent defoliation. Leaves play a pivotal role in maximising berry sugar accumulation, ensuring even ripening and protecting grape bunches from sunburn. The latter is particularly important for white varieties.

How can you protect a vineyard from the effects of extreme heat?
There are a range of practices that can help protect a vineyard and grape bunches from extreme heat.

Irrigate to cool the vineyard and maintain a healthy canopy

  • Several days before hot weather is forecast, apply additional water to re-wet as much of the rootzone as possible to maximise transpiration cooling prior to the heat event.
  • During hot weather, water vines before the hottest part of the day, such as during the evening or early morning, to reduce water loss from evaporation. If using overhead irrigation, apply at night to avoid foliage burn, especially in cases where water is saline.
  • After a heat event, continue to irrigate to reduce soil temperature and replace lost soil moisture.

Minimise direct sunlight exposure of fruit through targeted canopy management

  • Apply variable canopy management techniques to the different sides of the canopy. This can assist to maintain leaf layers and minimise direct exposure of bunches to sunlight on the hotter afternoon sun side of the canopy, while still encouraging air flow into the canopy. For example, apply only a partial wire lift on the western side of north-south oriented vine rows to have shoots flopping down to shade bunches, or leaf pluck only the eastern side of the canopy.
  • Delay planned wire lifting or leaf removal activities that could increase bunch exposure until after a heat event.

Increase cooling effects in the vineyard

  • Shade the soil surface to reduce radiation from bare soil. This can be achieved by maintaining a ground cover in the mid-row, or through mulching, composting or side throwing slashings undervine.

Minimise berry burn from sulfur

  • Be aware of the impacts of applying sulfur in warm conditions and do not apply during the heat of the day. The optimum temperature to apply sulfur is between 25°C and 30°C. Applying sulfur when temperatures are above 32°C, particularly when humidity is above 70%, can result in phytotoxicity (burn), which can cause berry scarring and splitting and affect berry expansion.

Consider the use of a sunscreen product

  • Application of a particle-film technology product (e.g. kaolin clays) as a sunscreen to reflect UV light and reduce radiative heating of leaves and berries may be considered. Such products are not treated as agricultural chemicals and do not appear in Agrochemicals registered for use in Australian viticulture (the ‘Dog Book’). They are not regulated by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) and typically do not have a maximum residue limit or label-mandated withholding period associated with use. NOTE: Always seek advice from your grape purchaser prior to application of a sunscreen product.

Further information

Assistance

For assistance with any technical grapegrowing or winemaking questions, contact the AWRI helpdesk on helpdesk@awri.com.au or 08 8313 6600. Between 20 December and 6 January, emergency assistance is available from:

  • Adrian Coulter on 0448 736 145 for winemaking issues
  • Suzanne McLoughlin on 0427 945 259 for viticulture issues.

All non-emergency queries during this time should be sent to helpdesk@awri.com.au for response from 6 January 2025.

Acknowledgements

This eBulletin is supported by Wine Australia with levies from Australia’s grapegrowers and winemakers and matching funds from the Australian Government. AWRI is a member of the Wine Innovation Cluster in Adelaide, SA.