eNews


November 2010

New flavour/aroma screening method gives greater options
WIC Winemaking Services is perfect outsource solution
The 29th Advanced Wine Assessment Course was all a’twitter
AWRI recognised as engine room of innovation
True Australian flavour wins award for AWRI’s Dimitra Capone
AWRI supports wine quality through sponsorship

New flavour/aroma screening method gives greater options

Want to check the flavour/aroma impact of a range of new winemaking techniques or the use of new yeasts, but thought it would take too long or be too expensive? Think again.

Following many requests from customers, and expressions of interest from researchers, the AWRI-Metabolomics Australia (AWRI-MA) has created a rapid, inexpensive screening technique for wine volatiles. This method gives greater options to winemakers and researchers to screen a much larger number of different winemaking treatments that was not previously possible with existing quantitative techniques (due to cost and time involved). Screening can be undertaken prior to more comprehensive analysis being undertaken on a smaller subset of selected samples. The method uses a novel rapid GC/MS (gas chromatography / mass spectrometry) ‘fingerprinting’ for the analysis of wine volatiles. It combines unique instrument parameters with sophisticated statistical analysis. In combination with established targeted quantitative methods, the AWRI-MA is now able to provide researchers and commercial clients in the wine and yeast industries with access to a variety of cutting edge metabolite analysis. Want to know more? Contact Meagan Mercurio or telephone on 08 8313 6600.

WIC Winemaking Services is perfect outsource solution

Celebrating its first year of providing small- and pilot-scale winemaking to the Australia wine industry, WIC Winemaking Services gears up for another busy year ahead.

WIC Winemaking Services commenced in January 2010 and is a joint venture between The Australian Wine Research Institute and the University of Adelaide. The Service has been set up to provide consistent small- and pilot-scale quality wines for research and commercial projects.

Managed by qualified winemaker, Gemma West, the Service offers an opportunity to outsource R&D projects for viticulture, winemaking or processing treatments. A small amount of contract winemaking of less than one tonne is also offered.

Based at the Hickinbotham-Roseworthy Wine Science Laboratory (also known as Wine Innovation Cluster East [WIC East]) on the Waite Campus, the Service shares the University’s purpose-built small- and pilot-scale winemaking facility.

Gemma can be contacted on (08) 8313 6600 or via email.

The 29th Advanced Wine Assessment Course was all a’twitter

Another 30 wine industry professionals just completed the four day wine tasting boot-camp – aka the AWRI’s AWAC.

The AWRI’s 29th Advanced Wine Assessment Course (AWAC) was held within the rich history of Penfold’s Magill Estate. It was the perfect venue to hold this highly sought-after wine tasting boot camp. Led by Con Simos, another 30 participants stayed the distance – tasting their way through over 320 wines over four days (from 28 September to 1 October). For the first time, the organisers kept followers informed of the highlights from each day through Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/The_AWRI).

Part of the AWAC gives participants the opportunity to undertake a ‘taste-off’ of selected trophy-winning wines. From the 29th AWAC, the winner of the AWAC trophy taste-off went to the 2002 Peter Lehmann Barossa Reserve Riesling. The Dux of the course (yet to be announced) will have the chance to participate as an associate judge at next year’s Royal Adelaide Wine Show.

For more information about future courses contact Virginia Phillips or by telephone on (08) 8313 6600. You can also follow us on Twitter The_AWRI

AWRI recognised as engine room of innovation

The Australian Wine Research Institute was shortlisted for the NAB Agribusiness awards in recognition of its role as a leader in technology and innovation.

The AWRI was a finalist in NAB’s annual agribusiness awards, selected for its contribution to the Australian wine industry through its yeast discovery program. Through non-GM techniques, the AWRI has discovered novel wine yeasts that can improve the flavour and aroma characters of wine. These wine yeast are available through commercial yeast companies. The NAB Agribusiness Awards acknowledge a company’s contribution to agriculture in Australia in ten categories. The AWRI was one of five finalists in the innovation and technology category.

We congratulate Taylors Wines for winning the NAB Agribuiness Environment and Energy Management Award (sponsored by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry) on 28 October. Taylors Wines has become a leader in environmental innovation by taking a holistic approach to saving energy, expenditure and the environment in its wine production. This includes the launch of the world’s first carbon neutral wine range based on a full ISO14044 compliant lifecycle assessment undertaken by Karl Forsyth (AWRI’s Senior Engineer).

True Australian flavour wins award for AWRI’s Dimitra Capone

AWRI Senior Scientist, Dimi Capone, won The Max Tate Award for the best postgraduate student presentation at the University of Adelaide’s School of Agriculture, Food and Wine Postgraduate Symposium.

Held on 21-22 September 2010, The University of Adelaide’s School of Agriculture, Food and Wine’s Postgraduate Symposium recognised a number of postgraduate students for their ground-breaking research. The Max Tate Award, for the best presentation at the two-day symposium, was given to Dimitra Capone by Professor Max Tate himself. Dimitra was recognised for her work at the AWRI investigating the origin of eucalyptol in Australian wines.

AWRI supports wine quality through sponsorship

The AWRI’s Commercial Service was pleased to sponsor the Best Riesling in Show trophy at the recently-held Royal Adelaide Wine Show.

Along with the trophy sponsorship, the AWRI also sponsors (through the Advanced Wine Assessment Course) two associate wine judges who have undertaken an AWAC in the past. The AWRI’s Group Manager – Commercial Services, Dr Vince O’Brien, was at the announcement of the awards, to hand the trophy for Best Riesling in Show to Andrew Wigan, for the Peter Lehmann Wines Wigan Eden Valey Riesling (2006).

Dr Vince O'Brien and Andrew Wigan (Peter Lehmann Wines)
Pictured: Dr Vince O’Brien and Andrew Wigan (Peter Lehmann Wines)

Disclaimer: The material contained in this publication is comment of a general nature only and is not and nor is it intended to be advice on any specific technical or professional matter. In that the effectiveness or accuracy of any technical or professional advice depends upon the particular circumstances of each case, neither the AWRI nor any individual author accepts any responsibility whatsoever for any acts or omissions resulting from reliance upon the content of any articles. Before acting on the basis of any material contained in this publication, we recommend that you consult appropriate technical/professional advisers.