This page provides links to practical information on vineyard resting or ‘mothballing’. The principle of vineyard resting is to reduce vineyard management costs in blocks that are not producing fruit for sale, while still allowing for a rapid return to productive cropping in future years. Resources include fact sheets, articles, online tools and webinar recordings.
- AWRI Ethephon webinar delivered by Paul Petrie (SARDI)
- Agrochemical update: – How to ‘rest’ vineyards with ethephon (AWRI eBulletin 2025) including link to current APVMA permit PER94008
- SARDI’s ‘Resting Vineyards using Ethephon: a Cost-Saving Strategy when Grapes are in Oversupply’ fact sheet
- Dixon, R. 2023. Grapegrower Winemaker (717): 36-41. Understanding the costs and benefits of producing a wine-grape crop in low market demand years. This article presents a cost-benefit analysis of a range of scenarios (in a hot and a cool wine growing region) for producing a wine-grape crop, to assist growers in making informed production decisions. The analysis evaluates the economic feasibility of maintaining vineyards during periods of reduced demand and provides insights into strategic decision-making for growers.
- Essling, M. 2023. Ask the AWRI: Factors involved in ‘mothballing’ vineyards Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (703): 69-70.
- AWRI information pack on mothballing vineyards
- Wine Australia’s online resources on mothballing vineyards