The Australian Wine Research Institute

The Australian Wine Research Institute Blog

Technical Review April 2020 issue available online

7 April 2020 >

The April 2020 issue of Technical Review is now available online. Articles and abstracts can be viewed individually, or the full issue can be downloaded. The online format of Technical Review allows you to browse the list of the latest articles on grape and wine production by keyword, view article summaries and order journal articles from the AWRI Library.

For copyright reasons, access to abstracts is available only to Australian winemakers and grapegrowers who pay the Wine Grapes or Grape Research levies. The technical notes authored by the AWRI are, however, freely available. If you have forgotten your password for the AWRI website, please use the forgotten password link to reset your password.

Below is a snapshot of what's in this issue:

AWRI Technical Notes
AWRI publications
  • Tasting compares six wines sealed with both corks and screwcaps
  • Ask the AWRI: spray application
  • Chenin Blanc
  • Identifying objective measures for Barossa Valley Shiraz grapes
  • Ask the AWRI: reworking vineyards
  • I can smell smoke – now what?
Current literature – oenology
  • What defines your wines?
  • Top innovations in winemaking
  • Learnings from viticulture and winemaking in Alsace
  • Wine management strategies, from fermentation to stabilization
  • The brown, the hazy, the green and the gold: inert pressing for aromatic white wines
  • Cross-flow filtration of lees grape juice for non-aromatic white wine production: a case study on an Italian PDO
  • Distribution of yeast cells, temperature, and fermentation by-products in white wine fermentations
  • From blaze to bottle: smoke gets in your wine
  • Changes in smoke-taint volatile-phenol glycosides in wildfire smoke-exposed Cabernet Sauvignon grapes throughout winemaking
Current literature – viticulture
  • Organic and biodynamic benefits are plain for Tamburlaine
  • Repercussions of four herbicides on reproductive and vegetative development in potted grapevines
  • Australia’s wine future – climate information for adaptation to change
  • Cover crops – get it right, and reap the benefits
  • Timing and intensity of grapevine defoliation: an extensive overview on five cultivars in Switzerland
  • On‐the‐go assessment of vineyard canopy porosity, bunch and leaf exposure by image analysis
  • Aussie Prosecco enjoys its place in the fun
  • First agronomic evaluation of ten resistant vines in the environment of “Castelli Romani”

Winery sanitation and COVID-19

27 March 2020 >

27 March 2020 (updated 1 April 2020)

The current COVID-19 pandemic has led winemakers to seek advice on how to sanitise their wineries in the event that a staff member becomes infected or suspected of being infected.

The advice in this eBulletin refers to surfaces that an infected person might touch, cough or sneeze on (e.g. door handles, touch screens, keyboards, pump controls, tank lids, tank doors, catwalk handrails etc.) and should be read in conjunction with the Australian Grape & Wine Cleaning and Disinfection Guidelines.

Note that winery cleaning and sanitation of wine vessels, pumps, hoses and other ‘internal surfaces’ not normally touched can continue as usual, without modification.

SARS-CoV-2 is the novel coronavirus responsible for the disease known as COVID-19.

While SARS-CoV-2 is mainly spread from person to person via respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes, these droplets containing the virus can land on surfaces. Consequently, transmission may be possible through contact with contaminated surfaces. Review of the literature and current research articles indicates that human coronaviruses can remain viable for hours to days on metal, glass or plastic surfaces (Kampf et al. 2020, van Doremalen et al. 2020).

Given the possibility of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 via surfaces, cleaning of surfaces followed by disinfection is a best practice measure for prevention of spread of COVID-19. Note that cleaning typically involves removing dirt, grime and impurities from surfaces which can then be treated with a disinfectant to kill any virus particles. Due to the fact that the SARS-CoV-2 virus consists of a lipid membrane (which contains genetic material) with proteins embedded, soaps and detergents are not only effective in removing dirt and grime, but should also decrease the viral load on a surface.

The following links provide information on cleaning and disinfection:

Note that for wineries, traditional cleaning chemicals such as caustic were shown to be not particularly effective against SARS-CoV (the coronavirus responsible for SARS in 2003, Pagat et al. 2007), so detergents are more appropriate. Proprietary blends which may include surfactants (detergents or wetting agents to lift dirt from surfaces) and sequestrants (metal chelating agents) will be useful when using hard water. In addition, acidified sulfur dioxide solutions are not on the list of disinfectants for use against SARS-CoV-2 provided by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

With regards to sanitising, chlorine-based bleach solutions are typically mentioned as part of sanitation regimes by the World Health Organization (WHO), DOH and CDC. However, chlorine-based sanitisers and bleaches are NOT RECOMMENDED in a winery setting due to their potential to generate chlorophenol and chloroanisole taints. Ethanol solutions (typically 70% v/v in water) are effective against coronaviruses (Kampf et al. 2020, WHO, CDC) and hence such solutions are recommended for commonly touched winery surfaces. Otherwise, quaternary ammonium-based disinfectants can be used, as indicated in the AGW Cleaning and Disinfection Guidelines.

Note that cleaning and sanitising can be performed on a small scale with buckets of soapy water for cleaning office equipment and 1 L spray bottles with 70% ethanol for sanitising. Rather than spraying directly, some electrical equipment may require spraying sanitiser onto a cloth and then wiping. It is best to wait at least 30-60 seconds before wiping the sprayed ethanol solution off to allow enough contact time to inactivate the SARS-CoV-2 virus. While chlorine-based bleaches can be used in areas that are separate from the winery (e.g. offices, bathrooms, kitchens), it is not advisable to use such bleaches for any areas located within the winery, as wooden building materials might be a future source of chloroanisole taints if they absorb bleach.

It is also worth noting that Food Standards Australia and New Zealand indicates that there is no evidence that COVID-19 is transmitted through food. Wine in particular, due to its alcohol and phenolic content, is a hostile environment. Wolff et al. (2005) noted that the combination of alcohol and phenols proved highly effective against human coronaviruses.

Disclaimer

The information provided in this eBulletin is based on the currently available scientific literature. It should not be interpreted as health advice. In the event of a COVID-19 infection, wineries will need to cooperate with relevant government health departments.

The AWRI will provide further updates to industry on COVID-19 as more information becomes available. Contact the AWRI helpdesk on 08 8313 6600 or helpdesk@awri.com.au for assistance with specific technical queries. All of the references listed below are freely available online.

References

Kampf, G., Todt, D., Pfaender, S., Steinmann, E. 2020. Persistence of coronaviruses on inanimate surfaces and their inactivation with biocidal agents. J. Hosp. Infect. 104(3): 246–251.

Pagat, A. M., Seux-Goepfert, R., Lutsch, C., Lecouturier, V., Saluzzo, J. F., Kusters, I. C. 2007. Evaluation of SARS-Coronavirus decontamination procedures. Appl. Biosaf. 12(2): 100-108.

van Doremalen, N., Bushmaker, T., Morris, D., Holbrook, M., Gamble, A., Williamson, B., Tamin, A., Harcourt, J.L., Thornburg, N.J., Gerber, S.I., Lloyd-Smith, J., de Wit, E, Munster, V.J. 2020. Aerosol and surface stability of SARS-CoV-2 as compared with SARS-CoV-1. New Eng. J. Med. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMc2004973

Wolff, M.H., Sattar, S.A., Adegbunrin, O., Tetro, J. 2005. Environmental survival and microbicide inactivation of coronaviruses. Schmidt, A., Weber, O., Wolff, M.H. (eds) Coronaviruses with special emphasis on first insights concerning SARS: Basel, Switzerland: Birkhäuser: 201-212.

eNews – March 2020

18 March 2020 >

Message from new Managing Director – Dr Mark Krstic

COVID-19 response

Smoke taint resources

Support from state governments

SWA update – new logo and sustainability stories in the marketplace

Events update

New eBooks

Order the latest AWRI staff publications online

Acknowledgements

Message from new Managing Director – Dr Mark Krstic
Firstly, many thanks to all those that have shared their messages of support following my appointment as the new Managing Director of the AWRI. This has been an incredibly difficult growing season for our industry, with drought, bushfires, smoke taint and now the uncertainty around COVID-19. My thoughts are with all of those who have been affected, particularly those with burnt or badly smoke-affected vineyards. Since late December, the AWRI has been working closely with Wine Australia, Australian Grape & Wine, state associations, regions and individual producers to provide as much support to industry as possible. Twenty-seven industry events have been delivered, and the AWRI laboratories have received more than 3,400 samples for smoke analysis and interpretation (compared to 600 in an average year). New research trials are also underway. I’d like to extend my thanks to all AWRI staff for their continuing efforts over a long period and my best wishes to everyone in our industry that is dealing with this most challenging of vintages. Once things start to settle down, I look forward to sharing some of my ideas for the future of the AWRI with you.

COVID-19 response

The AWRI is monitoring the current COVID-19 pandemic closely and is taking action guided by Australian Government advice. Changes to work practices have already been implemented to help minimise the risk of spread of this virus. Further changes may be required, as the situation is changing every day. Planning is underway to ensure the AWRI can continue to provide essential services to its stakeholders while protecting the safety of staff and the broader community. Any changes to services will be communicated as quickly as possible. Please contact enquiries@awri.com.au if you need further information.

Smoke taint resources
The AWRI has a wide range of resources for growers and winemakers on fire and smoke taint, which are all available from the smoke taint page on the AWRI website. These include links to fact sheets, webinars and articles, as well as information about analysis and interpretation. This year, new fact sheets have been added on grapevine recovery after fire, sampling grapes for smoke taint analysis, sensory impacts of smoke, managing smoke-affected vineyards and treating smoke-affected juice and wine with activated carbon. Links are also available to resources from other organisations, including Wine Australia’s fire and smoke assessment page. The AWRI helpdesk is available to answer queries about fire, smoke or any other technical viticulture or winemaking issue and can be reached via 08 8 313 6600 during business hours or via helpdesk@awri.com.au.

Support from state governments

The SA, NSW and Victorian governments have all announced support for grapegrowers and winemakers affected by bushfires and smoke taint.

In South Australia, affected producers are advised to call the PIRSA Recovery Hotline on 1800 931 314, to receive information about:

  • Primary producer recovery grants of $75,000, which can be used for clean-up of smoke damaged crops
  • Family and Business Support mentors
  • A PIRSA-funded service that supplies counsellors for primary producers who have suffered hardship and loss.

More information can be found at https://pir.sa.gov.au/grants_and_assistance/drought_support/family_and_business_support

There is also a Rural Financial Counselling Service run by Rural Business Support. This is a free and independent professional business support for Primary Producers, accessed by calling 1800 836 211.

In NSW, a rebate is available for smoke taint testing, with applications due by 20 March 2020. Details of this program can be found at: https://www.nswwine.com.au/smoke-2020/. Information on additional support services available to primary producers affected by bushfires is summarised here: https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/climate-and-emergencies/bushfires
The NSW Wine Industry Association is hoping to be able to announce further news on support from the state and federal government including grants and loans for smoke-affected growers and producers. Please see https://www.nswwine.com.au/ for details in coming days.

The NSW wine industry is also working on a technical project with Charles Sturt University and the AWRI to understand more about the measurement and impact of smoke taint compounds. This will include building a library of wines from different varieties with low, medium and high smoke test results.

In Victoria, a range of support services are available. These include a rebate to support smoke taint testing, grants for technical advice and support, a sample shuttle service, grants to assist producers immediately affected by bushfires, help with bushfire clean-up and rural financial counselling. A fact sheet detailing the available services can be found here: http://agriculture.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/511119/Factsheet-wine-industry-support.pdf

SWA update – new logo and sustainability stories in the marketplace
A lot has been happening behind the scenes for Sustainable Winegrowing Australia over the past couple of months. The AWRI and Australian Grape & Wine are working together to develop a logo for use by certified members on wine labels and marketing materials. The logo will be a public endorsement of these members’ commitment to sustainable practices. The design is currently being finalised, and once trademarks have been applied for, it is expected that the logo will be available for use by certified members by mid-2020.

In other SWA news, Wine Australia is starting to incorporate certified members’ sustainability stories in targeted international trade and promotional activities to build awareness of Australia’s sustainable approach from vine to wine. As part of the ‘Australian Wine Made Our Way’ program, stories will be featured on the strategic topics of water, energy, waste, vineyard practices, pest & disease, people and social responsibility. These stories will also be integrated into Wine Australia’s education program and used with key influencers and wine tourism initiatives. To learn more about SWA, visit sustainablewinegrowing.com.au.

Events update

Due to the bushfire and smoke response, a number of scheduled AWRI seminar and workshop events planned for early in the year were postponed. The events team is currently working on plans for rescheduling these events to later in the year, also taking into account the potential impact of COVID-19. Keep an eye on the AWRI events calendar for new information as it becomes available.

New eBooks

Six new titles have recently been added to the AWRI’s Grape and Wine eBook Collection:

  • The science of grapevines • Wine sales and distribution: the secrets to building a consultative selling approach
  • Wine for normal people: a guide for real people who like wine, but not the snobbery that goes with it
  • The California directory of fine wineries: Napa Valley, Sonoma County
  • Context: the effects of environment on product design and evaluation
  • Biovalorisation of wastes to renewable chemicals and biofuels

To read the new titles, click on the EBSCO button found on the eBook Collection Login page. Access to the collection is reserved for Australian growers and winemakers who pay the Grape Research or Winegrape levy. Existing AWRI account holders need only sign in. If you have forgotten your password for the AWRI website, please use the forgotten password link to reset your password. New users can register for an account here. For more information on using the collection, please contact the AWRI information services team.

Order the latest AWRI staff publications online

Accessing the latest AWRI publications is easy. Visit the AWRI Publications web page to:

  • View the 10 most recent AWRI staff publications and order the articles online from the AWRI Library
  • Search the staff publications database
  • Read the full-text of ‘Technical Notes’ from Technical Review (PDF format)
  • Read the full-text of ‘AWRI reports’ and ‘Vineyards of the world columns’ published in Wine & Viticulture Journal (PDF format)
  • Read the full text of ‘Ask the AWRI columns’ published in Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker

The AWRI’s most recent publications are listed below.

2128 Robinson, S.P., Pezhmanmehr, M., Speirs, J., McDavid, D.A.J., Hooper, L.C., Rinaldo, A.R., Bogs, J., Ebadi, A., Walker, A.R. Grape and wine flavonoid composition in transgenic grapevines with altered expression of flavonoid hydroxylase genes. Aust. J. Grape Wine Res. 25(3): 293-306; 2016.

2129 Kang, W., Muhlack, R.A., Bindon, K.A., Smith, P.A., Niimi, J., Bastian, S.E.P. Potato protein fining of phenolic compounds in red wine: A study of the kinetics and the impact of wine matrix components and physical factors. Molecules 24 (24): 4578; 2019.

2130 Miercynska-Vasilev, A., Qi, G., Bindon, K., Vasilev, K. Regeneration of magnetic nanoparticles used in the removal of pathogenesis-related proteins from white wines. Foods 9(1): 1; 2020.

2131 Simos, C., Krstic, M. I can smell smoke – now what? Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (672): 28-31; 2020.

2132 Hoare, T. Ask the AWRI: Reworking vineyards. Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (672): 49-50; 2020.

2133 Bindon, K., Kassara, S., Nandorfy, D.E., Nicolotti,L., Do, Z., Johnson, D. Identifying objective measures for Barossa Valley Shiraz grapes. Wine Vitic. J. 35(1): 31-34; 2020.

2134 Dry, P. Chenin Blanc. Wine Vitic. J. 35(1): p. 61; 2020.

2135 Essling, M. Ask the AWRI: Spray application. Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (673): 36-37; 2020.

2136 Godden, P. Tasting compares six wines sealed with both corks and screwcaps. Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (673): 62-65; 2020.

2137 Onetto, C.A., Borneman, A.R., Schmidt, S.A. Investigating the effects of Aureobasidium pullulans on grape juice composition and fermentation. Food Microbiol. DOI: 10.1016/j.fm.2020.103451: 2020.

2138 Schmidt, S.A., Kolouchova, R., Forgan, A.H., Borneman, A.R. Evaluation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae wine yeast competitive fitness in enologically relevant environments by barcode sequencing. G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics 10(2): 591-603; 2020.

Acknowledgements

The AWRI acknowledges support from Australia’s grapegrowers and winemakers through their investment body, Wine Australia, with matching funds from the Australian Government. The AWRI is a member of the Wine Innovation Cluster in Adelaide, South Australia.

Discrepancies in analytical results for volatile acidity

16 March 2020 >

Read the latest Ask the AWRI article.

The AWRI has recently received queries about differences between results of volatile acidity (VA) analyses conducted overseas and those conducted in Australia. This column answers some of the questions raised when this issue arises.

Spray application

4 March 2020 >

Read the latest Ask the AWRI article.

For the past four years, the AWRI has been coordinating workshops on vineyard spray application in regions across Australia, with the most recent workshops held in Western Australia in November 2019. This column summarises the most common questions about spray application asked by participants.

Technical Review February 2020 issue available online

19 February 2020 >

The February 2020 issue of Technical Review is now available online. Articles and abstracts can be viewed individually, or the full issue can be downloaded. The online format of Technical Review allows you to browse the list of the latest articles on grape and wine production by keyword, view article summaries and order journal articles from the AWRI Library.

For copyright reasons, access to abstracts is available only to Australian winemakers and grapegrowers who pay the Wine Grapes or Grape Research levies. The technical notes authored by the AWRI are, however, freely available. If you have forgotten your password for the AWRI website, please use the forgotten password link to reset your password.

Below is a snapshot of what's in this issue:

AWRI Technical Notes
AWRI publications
  • Grape and wine flavonoid composition in transgenic grapevines with altered expression of flavonoid hydroxylase genes
  • 2019 Report
  • Ask the AWRI: grape solids in white winemaking
  • The impact of temperature fluctuations on closure performance
  • An investigation of the Pivot© Profile sensory analysis method using wine experts: comparison with descriptive analysis and results from two expert panels
  • Ask the AWRI: Sustainable Winegrowing Australia. Supporting the nation's growers and winemakers in demonstrating and improving their sustainability
Current literature – oenology
  • Grape pomace as a promising antimicrobial alternative in feed: a critical review
  • Microoxygenation: understanding the influence of oxygen on the polyphenolic composition of Pinot Noir wine and its impact on wine colour and mouth feel
  • Using magnetic polymers to remove overpowering green capsicum flavour from Cabernet Sauvignon wine
  • Ethanol‐tolerant lactic acid bacteria strains as a basis for efficient malolactic fermentation in wine: evaluation of experimentally evolved lactic acid bacteria and winery isolates
  • What can a winemaker do about Brettanomyces bruxellensis present in oak barrels?
  • Absorption of 1,1,6-trimethyl-1,2-dihydronaphthalene (TDN) from wine by bottle closures
  • Quality and volatile compounds in red wine at different degrees of dealcoholization by membrane process
Current literature – viticulture
  • Examining the impact of grapevine age on vigour, productivity and berry technological ripeness
  • Highlights of the 21st GiESCO international meeting in Greece
  • Spatio‐temporal variability in vine vigour and yield in a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc vineyard
  • Old vines: the gift of time
  • Vitis vinifera facing climate change
  • An automated grape yield estimation system
  • Lessons from the USA to help Australia prepare for Xylella
  • Corvina thrives in the NSW Hilltops

Reworking vineyards

23 January 2020 >

Read the latest Ask the AWRI article.

Vineyards established in Australia during the 1990s are now reaching the age where owners are considering whether reworking is required. Decisions may be driven by a decline in yield due to poor vine health and/or a breakdown in vineyard infrastructure such as posts and irrigation systems coming to the end of their life expectancy. AWRI senior viticulturist Tony Hoare covers some of the key questions asked by vineyard owners about reworking vineyards.

Identifying objective measures for Barossa Valley Shiraz grapes

22 January 2020 >

Read the latest AWRI Report

Chemical and spectral measures of grapes were previously applied to predict grape allocation grades for Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Chardonnay. Using the specific methods highlighted as being of importance to Shiraz grape quality in that study, a new project has continued efforts in this area, with the goal of understanding compositional aspects contributing to quality differences in Barossa Shiraz grapes and wines within the premium category.

Christmas closure and support available during the break

19 December 2019 >

The AWRI will be closed over the Christmas/New Year period from 1:00pm on Tuesday 24 December and will re-open at 8:30am on Thursday 2 January 2020.

AWRI Commercial Services
The Commercial Services laboratories will be closed from 5:00pm on Friday 20 December and will re-open at 9.00am on Monday 6 January 2020.

Industry support
Telephone and email support will be available during the office closure. If you require assistance over the holiday period, please contact:

Library
The John Fornachon Memorial Library will be closed from 5:00pm on Monday 23 December and will re-open at 9.00am on Monday 6 January 2019. Access to the library’s online database will continue to be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week during this period via the AWRI website.

eNews – December 2019

18 December 2019 >

New Managing Director

Sustainability benchmarking reports now available

Art, wine and synaesthesia: AWRI artist in residence

Rapid sensory method assessed

Study trip to Bordeaux furthers research on ‘jam’ characters

Chardonnay tasting workshops launching in January

Success in ON Prime program

Celebrating AWAC 50

Order the latest AWRI staff publications online

Acknowledgements

New Managing Director
The AWRI Board announced today that Dr Mark Krstic has been appointed as the new Managing Director of the AWRI, commencing 1 February 2020. Dr Krstic takes over from Dr Dan Johnson, who is leaving to take up a position as Pro Vice Chancellor Research Innovation at Macquarie University. Dr Krstic comes to the position with more than 20 years’ experience in grape and wine research and research leadership, mostly recently as General Manager – Business Development at the AWRI. For more information, including a bio of Dr Krstic, see today’s new-md-awri-dec-2019.

Sustainability benchmarking reports now available

The Sustainable Winegrowing Australia team visited a number of regions earlier this month, presenting the highlights and opportunities for improvement from the regional results for 2018/19. This coincided with the release of the member data and workbook benchmarking reports. If you are a member and have not yet looked at your reports, log in over the Christmas break and review your results. The AWRI is on the look-out for vineyards and wineries that are performing well, especially in the areas of waste and fertiliser management. If you’re doing something a bit different, send an email to helpdesk@awri.com.au.

There is lots of information about the Sustainable Winegrowing Australia on the AWRI website. If you are interested in joining Sustainable Winegrowing Australia, everything you need to get started can be found in the Program Guide and updated User Manual. If you are a member and have not yet completed the membership renewal for 2019/20, you can still do so by logging in to the Sustainable Winegrowing Australia website.

Art, wine and synesthesia: AWRI artist in residence
The AWRI has been hosting a Brisbane-based artist, Elizabeth Willing, for the last six months as part of an Australian Network for Art and Technology initiative. Elizabeth has been mainly working with the sensory team, looking at associations of colours and shapes with wine flavours, using sensory analysis techniques. This has resulted in fascinating visual artworks that relate to specific red wines. The wines were also assessed for preference with the matching or non-matching artwork present, to better understand how the wine consumption experience can be enhanced through the setting. The art pieces produced will be incorporated into an exhibition, and the results of the sensory testing will be summarised in publications shortly. Elizabeth has also created graphics for disseminating research outcomes in her time at the AWRI, including a visualisation of the grapevine seasonal cycle. For more information see Elizabeth’s blog http://willing2019.blog.anat.org.au/

Rapid sensory method assessed

Research comparing the rapid sensory method Pivot© Profile with the more traditional method of descriptive analysis has just been accepted for publication in the peer-reviewed journal Food Quality and Preference. The study found that two groups of experts using the rapid method (winemakers and international sommeliers) gave very similar responses to a set of Shiraz wines from multiple regions, and that the data obtained were comparable to that of the more common, time-consuming method of quantitative sensory descriptive analysis. The Pivot© Profile method is therefore well suited to use by winemakers to generate detailed sensory profiles of wines.

The full paper (‘In press’ version) detailing these results is accessible now via the AWRI library:
Pearson, W., Schmidtke, L., Francis, L., Blackman, J.W. 2019. An investigation of the Pivot© Profile sensory analysis method using wine experts: comparison with descriptive analysis and results from two expert panels. Food Qual. Pref. DOI: 10.1016/j.foodqual.2019.103858.

Study trip to Bordeaux furthers research on ‘jam’ characters

University of SA and AWRI PhD researcher Jana Hildebrandt has recently completed a study trip to Bordeaux thanks to funding from the Great Wine Capitals Travel Bursary. Her trip provided an opportunity to strengthen the AWRI’s collaborative ties with L’lnstitut des Sciences de la Vigne et du Vin (ISVV) through the existing ‘BAG’ Alliance. Jana’s PhD research centres around the evolution of ‘jam’ and ‘raisin’ character in grapes and wine, and aligns with objectives of both the AWRI and the ISVV, in the latter case evaluating the characteristic ‘dried fruit’ character of aged Bordeaux wines. While in Bordeaux, Jana analysed her research samples for characteristic Bordeaux compounds using methods and techniques not currently available at the AWRI and compared the concentrations of key compounds in Australian wines and grapes with those in Bordeaux-sourced wines.

Interestingly, while the compounds responsible for the traits in each country appear to be similar, sensory analysis indicated that the overall aroma impression was significantly different between wines from each country. Jana brings back with her a wealth of knowledge on new analytical techniques that she plans to integrate into her PhD research.

Chardonnay tasting workshops launching in January
Each vintage since 2016 the AWRI has made a series of wines from single batches of grapes, changing one variable in each fermentation, with the resulting wines being presented to winemakers in workshops around Australia. The 2019 trial was conducted with Chardonnay (the first time a white variety has been featured) and the workshops presenting the Chardonnay trial wines are kicking off in January across SA, Victoria and WA before moving on to other states in February. This workshop provides a great opportunity to explore and compare the stylistic and compositional differences achieved when one winemaking variable is changed at a time. Visit the AWRI events calendar for workshop dates and online registration or contact events@awri.com.au for more information.

Awards and achievements

A team from the AWRI and Wine Australia has completed CSIRO’s ON Prime program with a win! The program creates connections between research, science and business, helping Australia’s publicly funded researchers to develop an entrepreneurial mindset and focus their science for maximum real-world impact. Over the past ten weeks, team ‘Winegrape Extracts’ has explored the potential for natural flavours extracted from winegrapes to be used in wine products and other beverages and foods. The team members conducted more than 100 conversations across different industry segments, participated in coaching sessions and learned from a team of program mentors. At the program’s final showcase event, the team was awarded the facilitator prize ($2,000 cash) for best Adelaide team. A short video about their proposed product can be viewed here. For more information, contact Dr Mark Krstic on mark.krstic@awri.com.au.

Celebrating AWAC 50
Earlier this month the AWRI presented its 50th Advanced Wine Assessment Course. Since the first course was held in 1992, a total of 1,256 wine industry personnel have completed the AWAC, improving their sensory skills and learning what it takes to be a wine judge. As part of the celebrations of this milestone, past guest judges and others involved in the course over its history were invited to dinner with the current AWAC class. For more information about the course or to register your interest in AWAC 51, visit the AWAC page on the AWRI website.

Order the latest AWRI staff publications online

Accessing the latest AWRI publications is easy. Visit the AWRI Publications web page to:

  • View the 10 most recent AWRI staff publications and order the articles online from the AWRI Library
  • Search the staff publications database
  • Read the full-text of ‘Technical Notes’ from Technical Review (PDF format)
  • Read the full-text of ‘AWRI reports’ and ‘Vineyards of the world columns’ published in Wine & Viticulture Journal (PDF format)
  • Read the full text of ‘Ask the AWRI columns’ published in Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker

The AWRI’s most recent publications are listed below.

2109 Essling, M. Ask the AWRI: regulatory changes to the use of botrytis agrochemical. Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (668): 48-49; 2019.

2110 Bindon, K.A., Kassara, S., Solomon, M., Bartel, C., Smith, P.A., Barker, A., Curtin, C. Commercial Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast strains significantly impact Shiraz tannin and polysaccharide composition with implication for wine colour and astringency. Biomolecules 9(9): 466; 2019.

2111 Coulter, A., Cowey, G., Essling, M., Hoare, T., Holdstock, M., Longbottom, M., Simos, C., Johnson, D. Vintage 2019 – observations from the AWRI helpdesk. Wine Vitic. J. 34(4): 27-29; 2019.

2112 Dry, P. Corvina. Wine Vitic. J. 34(4): p. 59; 2019.

2113 Stanstrup, J., Broeckling, C.D., Helmus, R., Hoffmann, N., Mathé, E., Naake, T., Nicolotti, L., Peters, K., Rainer, J., Salek, R.M., Schulze, T., Schymanski, E.L, Stravs, M.A., Thévenot, E.A., Treutler, H., Weber, R.J.M., Willighagen, E., Witting, M., Neumann, S. The metaRbolomics Toolbox in Bioconductor and beyond. Metabolites 9(10): 200; 2019.

2114 Ratnayake, S., Stockdale, V., Grafton, S., Munro, P., Robinson, A.L., Pearson, W., McRae, J.M., Bacic, A. Carrageenans as heat stabilisers of white wine. Aust. J. Grape Wine Res. 25(4): 439-450; 2019.

2115 Walker, R.R., Blackmore, D.H., Clingeleffer, P.R., Holt, H., Pearson, W., Francis, I.L. Effect of rootstock on yield, grape composition and wine sensory attributes of Shiraz grown in a moderately saline environment. Aust. J. Grape Wine Res. 25(4): 414-429; 2019.

2116 Parker, M., Onetto, C.A., Hixson, J.L., Bilogrevic, E., Schueth, L., Pisaniello, L., Borneman, A., Herderich, M.J., de Barros Lopes, M.A., Francis, I.L. Factors contributing to interindividual variation in retronasal odor perception from aroma glycosides: the role of odorant sensory detection threshold, oral microbiota and hydrolysis in saliva. J. Agric. Food Chem. DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.9b05450; 2019.

2117 Cowey, G. Ask the AWRI: What does the latest research say about barrel sanitation against Brett? Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (669): 76-77; 2019.

2118 Romanini, E., McRae, J.M, Colangelo, D., Lambri, M. First trials to assess the feasibility of grape seed powder (GSP) as a novel and sustainable bentonite alternative. Food Chem. 305: 125484; 2019.

2119 Longbottom, M. Ask the AWRI: Sustainable Winegrowing Australia. Supporting the nation’s growers and winemakers in demonstrating and improving their sustainability. Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (670): 45-46; 2019.

2120 Scrimgeour, N., Wilkes, E., Bartowsky, E. Making sense of yeast assimilable nitrogen (YAN). Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (670): 47-50; 2019.

2121 Wilkes, E., Wheal, M. Elements of wine … nearly every known naturally occurring element has been found in at least some wines … Chem. Aust. (November/December): p. 37; 2019.

2122 Pearson, W., Schmidtke, L., Francis, I.L., Blackman, J.W. An investigation of the Pivot© Profile sensory analysis method using wine experts: comparison with descriptive analysis and results from two expert panels. Food Qual. Pref. DOI: 10.1016/j.foodqual.2019.103858: 2019

2123 Hirlam, K., Scrimgeour, N., Wilkes, E. The impact of temperature fluctuations on closure performance. Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (671): 59-61; 2019.

2124 Godden, P. Ask the AWRI: Grape solids in white winemaking. Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (671): 73-74; 2019.

2125 Johnson, D. 2019 Report. Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (671): 4p.; 2019.

2126 Watson, F.T., Smernik, R.J., Doolette, A.L. Thermal degradation of phytate produces all four possible inositol pentakiphosphates as determined by ion chromatography and 1H and 31p NMR spectroscopy. Phosphorus Sulfur Silicon Relat. Elem. 194(12): 1140-1148; 2019.

2127 Luo, M., Li, H., Chakraborty, S., Morbitzer, R., Rinaldo, A., Upadhyaya, N., Bhatt, D., Louis, S., Richardson, T., Lahaye, T., Ayliffe, M. Efficient TALEN-mediated gene editing in wheat. Plant Biotechnol. J. 17(11): 2026-2028; 2019.

Acknowledgements

The AWRI acknowledges support from Australia’s grapegrowers and winemakers through their investment body, Wine Australia, with matching funds from the Australian Government. The AWRI is a member of the Wine Innovation Cluster in Adelaide, South Australia.