The Australian Wine Research Institute

The Australian Wine Research Institute Blog

eNews – October 2017

5 October 2017 >

New investment agreement signed

A faster heat test

New processing aids will soon be available to Australian winemakers – but silver chloride is not one of them!

Rubber transfer hoses

Results from AWRI Board election

Do you know your musty from your mousy?

Webinar program – what’s coming up?

Order the latest AWRI staff publications online

Acknowledgement

New investment agreement signed

In early September, Wine Australia and the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) entered into an agreement covering research, development and extension (RDE) activities at the AWRI from 2017–25. This long-term partnership reflects a high level of strategic alignment between the two organisations. It provides the AWRI with greater certainty and flexibility and will allow it to plan and deliver RDE more efficiently for the benefit of levy payers and the broader community.

Key grape and wine sector priorities that will be addressed under this agreement include:

  • improvements in wine production efficiency
  • improved tools for the creation of target wine styles and strategies to mitigate faults
  • increased understanding of wine flavour and texture how they are influenced by viticultural and winemaking inputs
  • enhanced yeast and bacterial germplasm options
  • improved fermentation processes
  • greater understanding of terroir in an Australian context
  • continued support for market access for Australian wine
  • extension activities that support producers and facilitate awareness and adoption of research outcomes.

For more information, please contact Ella Robinson on 08 8313 6600 or ella.robinson@awri.com.au.

A faster heat test
The heat test is the most widely used method in industry for assessing heat stability of white wines and determining bentonite additions. This key method has now been optimised to be both shorter and more reproducible. Researchers at the AWRI investigated different versions of the test, with a range of heating and cooling times and found that a 5-hour test (2 hours heating, 3 hours cooling) worked well. More details about the new heat test can be found by watching Jacqui McRae’s recent AWRI webinar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlOSqOyDun4&feature=youtu.be.

A selection of different white wine varieties were fined at the bentonite dose rates predicted by a 24-hour version of the heat test and the shorter 5-hour method (heating wine for 2 hours at 80°C in a water bath and cooling for 3 hours at 20°C) and stored at both 17°C and 28°C for 12 months. All wines were clear and bright when stored at 17°C. Most wines remained clear and bright after fining at the rate predicted by the heat test after storage at 28°C. These trials further suggested that a shorter heat test is suitable for predicting wine haze. Wineries interested in trialling the new shorter heat test are advised to conduct a side-by-side comparison of the results with their current heat test method.

New processing aids will soon be available to Australian winemakers – but silver chloride is not one of them!

In July and August, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) approved applications to add several new processing aids to the list permitted to be used in winemaking. It is important to recognise, however, that although six items have been added only five will be available to Australian producers. The materials to be added to schedule S18 of the Food Standards Code (the Code) are:

  • Pectins
  • Carageenans
  • Ammonium bisulfite
  • Chitin-glucan
  • Polyvinylimidazole-polyvinylpyrrolidone co-polymers (PVI/PVP)
  • Silver chloride

Critically, however, the last of these, silver chloride, will not be added to Standard 4.5.1 which applies specifically to Australian wine production. So, while all six will be available to foreign wine producers selling their product in Australia, only the first five will be available to Australian winemakers.

This is not an error or an oversight. After serious consideration, the Australian wine sector did not request permission for the use of silver chloride in Australian wine production. Wine Australia is aware of reports that certain suppliers are offering samples of silver chloride to Australian wine producers. Any suggestion that it will soon be legal to use silver chloride in Australian wine is based on a misunderstanding of the impending changes to the Code. It is likely that the changes will come into force by the end of this year. So, to be clear, during the 2018 harvest period Australian winemakers will be able to use five processing aids not previously available. Silver chloride is not one of them.

Rubber transfer hoses
Rubber hoses are the workhorses of the winery cellar. They are used to transfer wine and juice between tanks and are critical to providing operational flexibility, especially for smaller wineries. However, they can represent a risk to product quality under certain circumstances. Rubber products come in many different forms and can contain a wide range of compounds that have contact with wine. Some of these compounds can migrate into wine during extended contact periods, leading to a noticeable chemical and sensory impact on the wine. The presence of these compounds in wine may be perceived as ‘reductive’, ‘rubbery’ or ‘plastic’ characters.

Following a recent trial of a range of commonly used rubber hoses and other rubber products, the AWRI recommends that a proactive risk management approach is taken with rubber products used in winemaking and that contact times between wine and rubber are minimised as much as possible. Rubber products can also be tested for their potential to impart taints into the wine during processing, especially during extended contact periods. This service is available through AWRI Commercial Services. For more information, please consult the following fact sheet or contact Neil Scrimgeour on 08 8313 6600 or neil.scrimgeour@awri.com.au.

Results from AWRI Board election

An election was recently held for positions on the AWRI Board in the small and medium levy payer categories. There were two candidates in both categories standing for election. The AWRI is pleased to announce that Dr John Harvey from Bathe Wines has been elected to the vacant position in the small levy payer category and Wendy Cameron, Winemaking Consultant, has been elected to the vacant position in the medium levy payer category. Only one nomination was received in the large levy payer category, so an election was not required. Iain Jones of Treasury Wine Estates is the successful candidate in the large category.

John Harvey, a current Director of the AWRI, is the owner of Bathe Wines and a Non-Executive Director of Revenir Winemaking Pty Ltd. He is a former Executive Director the Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation (now part of Wine Australia) and a past Chair of the Adelaide Hills Wine Region. John holds a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Genetics, a PhD and an MBA from the University of Adelaide and has worked as a researcher. Away from wine, he currently holds a number of other commercial and not-for-profit board positions.

Wendy Cameron is an experienced winemaker and wine business manager. Wendy worked for Brown Brothers Milawa Vineyards for 17 years, initially as a winemaker and for 10 years as Head of Winemaking. Prior to this Wendy managed her own small family winery business in Victoria. Currently Wendy continues as a winemaking consultant to Brown Brothers Milawa Vineyards. Wendy was awarded the inaugural ASVO Winemaker of the Year Award in 2012 and was a finalist in the Gourmet Traveller Wine Winemaker of the Year competition in 2015. Wendy holds a Bachelor of Applied Science (Biochemistry and Microbiology), a Masters of Science (Biochemistry), a Bachelor of Applied Science (Wine Science) a Graduate Diploma of Education, a Graduate Certificate of Business and is a Master of Wine.

Iain Jones spent his early career working with winemaking and operational teams to improve wine quality and operational efficiencies. In the last 12 years, he has been working in senior management roles, providing leadership across a broad portfolio of areas including: Laboratories, Quality Assurance, Environmental Management, Research and Development, Health and Safety, Engineering and Lean Business Improvement. Iain is actively involved in a number of industry organisations and committees and holds a Bachelor of Science (Biochemistry and Microbiology) and a Masters by Research (Microbiology) focusing on wine quality assurance.

All three Directors will commence their elected term on 1 January 2018. The terms of outgoing Board members, Kim Horton and Dr Stuart McNab, will conclude on 31 December 2017. The AWRI thanks Kim and Stuart for their significant contributions over the last three years.

Do you know your musty from your mousy?
Wine aroma is a delicate balance between the natural expression of the fruit and subtle nuances introduced through winemaking. Unfortunately, when turning grapes into wine, things don’t always go to plan. Being able to identify and classify the negative characteristics of a wine when processing issues occur is an important part of the winemaker’s arsenal.

The AWRI is running a free introductory taints workshop on Monday, 13 November, where participants will be able to familiarise themselves with common winemaking faults and get a better understanding of their own perception thresholds.

The suite of taint and fault compounds presented may form the basis of a sensory proficiency program available to all Australian winemakers. This would allow interested wine producers to access food-grade sensory standard compounds (in a capsule form) for regular assessment of their winemaking teams and benchmarking of their performance against others in the industry. The program would allow wineries to regularly train and monitor staff in sensory proficiency without having to be internally equipped with facilities to prepare and conduct such training. Register now for the free workshop, or for more information, please contact Neil Scrimgeour on 08 8313 6600 or neil.scrimgeour@awri.com.au.

Webinar program – what’s coming up?

Four webinars with a viticultural focus are coming up in October and into early November. First up on 12 October is Dr Mardi Longbottom from the AWRI and Andrew Weeks from Australian Vignerons discussing the biosecurity processes that are working to keep Australia’s vineyards free from exotic pests and diseases. A week later on 19 October, Andy Clarke from Yering Station will discuss the management of soil structure in established vineyards. The following two webinars (on 26 October and 2 November) focus on vineyard apps – Prof. Eileen Scott from the University of Adelaide will discuss PMapp which allows in-field assessment of powdery mildew and Mark Skewes from SARDI will discuss an app that assesses vine water stress.

For more details or to register for upcoming webinars, visit the webinar page on the AWRI website or contact infoservices@awri.com.au.

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’ published in Wine & Viticulture Journal (PDF format).

A list of AWRI publications published since the last eNews is included below:

1920 Coulter, A. Ask the AWRI: The tricks and traps of deacidification. Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (642): 56-57; 2017.

1921 Longbottom, M. Ask the AWRI: Soil analysis and soil carbon. What should you be looking for when getting your soil tested? Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (641): 44-45; 2017.

1922 Capone, D.L., Barker, A., Williamson, P.O., Francis, I.L. The role of potent thiols in Chardonnay wine aroma. Aust. J. Grape Wine Res. doi: 10.1111/ajgw.12294: 13 p.; 2017.

1923 Wilkes, E. Why is predicting alcohol so hard? WBM (May/June): 64-65; 2017.

1924 Wilkes, E. Setting up a winery lab. WBM (July/August): 60-61; 2017.

1925 Dry, P.R. Understanding the components of terroir. Beames, K.S, Robinson, E.M.C., Dry, P.R., Johnson, D.L. (eds.) Proceedings of the 16th Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference: Adelaide, South Australia, 24-28 July. Glen Osmond, S.A.; The Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference Inc: 39-44; 2017.

1926 Petrie, P.R., Sadras, V.O. Practical options to manage vintage compression. Beames, K.S, Robinson, E.M.C., Dry, P.R., Johnson, D.L. (eds.) Proceedings of the 16th Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference: Adelaide, South Australia, 24-28 July. Glen Osmond, S.A.; The Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference Inc: 63-67; 2017.

1927 Schmidt, S.A., Roach, M.J., Borneman, A.R. Genetic diversity in clones of Chardonnay. Beames, K.S, Robinson, E.M.C., Dry, P.R., Johnson, D.L. (eds.) Proceedings of the 16th Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference: Adelaide, South Australia, 24-28 July. Glen Osmond, S.A.; The Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference Inc: 84-86; 2017.

1928 Hall, B.H., McKay, S.F., Lopez, F., Harper, L., Savocchia, S., Borneman, A., Herderich, M. Fungicide resistance in Australian viticulture. Beames, K.S, Robinson, E.M.C., Dry, P.R., Johnson, D.L. (eds.) Proceedings of the 16th Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference: Adelaide, South Australia, 24-28 July. Glen Osmond, S.A.; The Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference Inc: 87-90; 2017.

1929 Parker M., Barker, A., Black, C.A., Pearson, W., Hayasaka, Y., Herderich, M.J., Francis, I.L. In-mouth release from grape-derived precursors: unlocking hidden flavour during tasting. Beames, K.S, Robinson, E.M.C., Dry, P.R., Johnson, D.L. (eds.) Proceedings of the 16th Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference: Adelaide, South Australia, 24-28 July. Glen Osmond, S.A.; The Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference Inc: 111-114; 2017.

1930 Costello, P.J., Chambers, P.J., Bartowsky, E.J. High-throughput phenotyping of malolactic bacteria. Beames, K.S, Robinson, E.M.C., Dry, P.R., Johnson, D.L. (eds.) Proceedings of the 16th Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference: Adelaide, South Australia, 24-28 July. Glen Osmond, S.A.; The Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference Inc: 115-117; 2017.

1931 Day M.P., Wilkes, E.N. Measuring up authentication: analytical tools to test wine provenance. Beames, K.S, Robinson, E.M.C., Dry, P.R., Johnson, D.L. (eds.). Proceedings of the 16th Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference: Adelaide, South Australia, 24-28 July. Glen Osmond, S.A.; The Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference Inc: 141-143; 2017.

1932 Bindon, K.A., Schulkin, A., Dambergs, R.G., Solomon, M., Barter, S., Capone, D., Kassara, S., Cynkar, W., Francis, I.L., Smith, P.A. Objective measures of grape quality. Beames, K.S, Robinson, E.M.C., Dry, P.R., Johnson, D.L. (eds.). Proceedings of the 16th Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference: Adelaide, South Australia, 24-28 July. Glen Osmond, S.A.; The Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference Inc: 161-164; 2017.

1933 Culbert, J.A., McRae, J.M., Schmidtke, L.M., Nicholson, E., Boss, P., Smith, P., Wilkinson, K.L. Compositional variation amongst Australian sparkling white wines. Beames, K.S, Robinson, E.M.C., Dry, P.R., Johnson, D.L. (eds.). Proceedings of the 16th Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference: Adelaide, South Australia, 24-28 July. Glen Osmond, S.A.; The Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference Inc: 165-169; 2017.

1934 Aramova, M., Cibrario, A., Coton, M., Coton, E., Salin, F., Albertin, W., Curtin, C., Masneuf-Pomarède, I. Why is the genetic diversity of Brettanomyces bruxellensis important for winemakers and is it related to sulfur dioxide tolerance? Beames, K.S, Robinson, E.M.C., Dry, P.R., Johnson, D.L. (eds.). Proceedings of the 16th Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference: Adelaide, South Australia, 24-28 July. Glen Osmond, S.A.; The Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference Inc: 170-172; 2017.

1935 Scrimgeour, N., Hirlam, K., Wilkes, E.N. Using cross-linked polymers to sequester metals and extend shelf life of wine. Beames, K.S, Robinson, E.M.C., Dry, P.R., Johnson, D.L. (eds.). Proceedings of the 16th Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference: Adelaide, South Australia, 24-28 July. Glen Osmond, S.A.; The Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference Inc: 173-177; 2017.

1936 Rose, L.E. Australian wine in 2050. Beames, K.S, Robinson, E.M.C., Dry, P.R., Johnson, D.L. (eds.). Proceedings of the 16th Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference: Adelaide, South Australia, 24-28 July. Glen Osmond, S.A.; The Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference Inc: 188-192; 2017.

1937 Moran, M.A., Sadras, V.O., Petrie, P.R. Late pruning and carry-over effects on phenology, yield components and berry traits in Shiraz. Aust. J. Grape Wine Res. doi: 10.1111/ajgw.12298: 9 p.; 2017.

1938 Longbottom, M. Scholarship, membership, sensory evaluation and excellence. Wine Vitic. J. 32(3): p. 11; 2017.

1939 Stockley, C., Johnson, D. WineHealth 2017 – Navigating the health effects of alcohol consumption. Wine Vitic. J. 32(3): 26-30; 2017.

1940 Essling, M. Ask the AWRI: Vineyard snail control: exploring the options and the timing. Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (643): 46-47; 2017.

1941 Longbottom, M. Viticulturist of the Year finalists announced at Mildura seminar. Wine Vitic. J. 32(4): p. 10; 2017.

1942 Coulter, A., Cowey, G., Petrie, P., Essling, M., Holdstock, M., Stockley, C., Simos, C., Johnson, D. Vintage 2017 – observations from the AWRI helpdesk. Wine Vitic. J. 32(4): 29-31; 2017.

1943 Dry, P. Roussanne. Wine Vitic. J. 32(4): p. 56; 2017.

1944 Sternes, P.R., Lee, D., Kutyna, D.R., Borneman, A.R. A combined meta-barcoding and shotgun metagenomics analysis of spontaneous wine fermentation. GigaScience 6 (7): 1-10; 2017.

1945 Taylor, A., Barlow, N., Day, M.P., Hill, S., Patriarca, M., White, M. Atomic spectrometry update: review of advances in the analysis of clinical and biological material, foods and beverages. J. Anal. At. Spectrom. 32(3): 432-476; 2016.

1946 Dry, P. Bonvedro. Wine Vitic. J. 32(3): p. 57; 2017.

Acknowledgement

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.

 

Agrochemical update – October 2017

3 October 2017 >

New active constituent for botrytis bunch rot

Aureobasidium pullulans

APVMA 82495

The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) has approved the active constituent Aureobasidium pullulans for use on wine-grapes. Aureobasidium pullulans (strains DSM 14940 and DSM 14941) is a biological fungicide, sold as ‘Botector’. Botector is registered for control of botrytis bunch rot (Botrytis cinerea) in grapevines and is distributed by Nufarm Australia Limited.

The Botector label recommends up to four applications per season between 80% capfall (E-L 25) and berries not quite ripe (E-L 37). A withholding period (WHP) for Botector is not required when it is used as directed.

Recommended restriction on use for grapes destined for export wine: May be used until harvest.

New recommendation for products containing dimethomorph for export wine production

Products containing dimethomorph (Acrobat, Downright, Sphinx and Zampro) can be applied up to growth stage E-L 31, that is berries pea size (not greater than 7 mm) provided that only one application is made per season. If more than one application of a product containing dimethomorph is applied to the crop, an E-L 25 (80% capfall) restriction must be observed to avoid a detectable residue in wine.

The latest version of the ‘Dog book’ can be viewed in the online pdf or mobile app available from the agrochemicals page on the AWRI website. For more information, please contact Marcel Essling on 08 8313 6600 or email helpdesk@awri.com.au.

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

Skilled taster reaps rewards

22 September 2017 >

The Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) announced this week that Tim Pelquest-Hunt, White and Rosé Winemaker at Pernod Ricard Winemakers in the Barossa Valley, was the dux of the 41st Advanced Wine Assessment Course.

AWRI Board election results announced

13 September 2017 >

The Australian Wine Research Institute this week announced the results of its recent Board election. Dr John Harvey of Bathe Wines in South Australia was elected in the small producer category and Wendy Cameron, a Winemaking Consultant from Victoria, was elected in the medium producer category.

AWRI Board Election

22 August 2017 >

An election is now under way for the vacant positions on the AWRI Board of Directors in the small (<2,000 tonnes) and medium (2,001 – 50,000 tonnes) producer categories.

The following nominations were received:

Small Producer Category

  • John Harvey of Bathe Wines (SA)
  • Gary Baldwin of Handpicked Wines and Wine Network Consulting Pty Ltd (Vic)

Medium Producer Category

  • Kim Horton of Willow Bridge Estate (WA)
  • Wendy Cameron, Winemaking Consultant (Vic)

Producers in the small and medium categories are strongly encouraged to vote for their preferred candidate. This is an excellent opportunity to have a say in electing a candidate that can contribute to the Australian grape and wine research and development agenda.

The election is being conducted electronically with assistance from Elections Australia Pty Ltd. Voting instructions were sent to all levy payers in the small and medium producer categories in the week commencing 21 August 2017. Voting will close at 5 pm, Friday 8 September 2017. Candidate profiles are available from the AWRI website. If you have not received voting instructions and believe you are eligible to vote, please contact the AWRI.

For large producers, a single nomination was received, so an election in the large category is not required. The AWRI is therefore pleased to announce that Mr Iain Jones of Treasury Wine Estates has been elected to the AWRI Board.

For further information please contact Shiralee Dodd 08 8313 6610 or Shiralee.Dodd@awri.com.au.

Technical Review August 2017 issue available

11 August 2017 >

The August 2017 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
  • The dark side of wine microbiology
  • Ask the AWRI: why was there more powdery mildew than usual this season?
  • Ask the AWRI: adding water to high sugar must
  • Gentle or intense grape crushing?
  • Impact of bottle aging on smoke-tainted wines from different grape cultivars
  • Fellows of the ASVO
Current literature – oenology
  • Organic price premium or penalty? A comparative market analysis of organic wines from Tuscany
  • Understanding and working with pressings
  • Benefits of egg-shaped wine tanks: winery trial compares half-ton bins and plastic eggs
  • Replicating the barrel with new alternatives: suppliers expand range of shapes and sizes of alternatives and offer new extracts
  • Sulfite efficiency on Brettanomyces bruxellensis depends on the population present
  • Oxygen exposure of tannins-rich red wines during bottle aging. Influence on phenolics and color, astringency markers and sensory attributes
  • Wine screw cap closures: the next generation
  • Mineral character in wine: is the perception of minerality all in the mind?
  • The smell of terroir! Olfactory discrimination between wines of different grape variety and different terroir
Current literature – viticulture
  • The application of microorganisms in vineyards to enhance plant protection and soil function & microbiology
  • How wineries use vineyard technology
  • Production costs for alternative winegrowing farming systems
  • Cool climate wine production in China
  • Strategies to reduce the damage from frost in late spring
  • Reworking vineyards – why, when and how? Part 1
  • Effect of trimming date and cut height on vine physiological behaviour and wine quality made from Sauvignon Blanc – trials 2007-2011
  • Know your pest: a guide to grapevine threats
  • Is fungicide resistance affecting botrytis control in our vineyards?
  • Pinot Noir: cracking the clonal code
  • Investigations into the nutrient contents of pruning wood of grapes of the grape varieties ‘Pinot Noir’, ‘Blauburger’, ‘Blaufränkisch’, ‘Zweigelt’ (‘Rotburger’), ‘Grüner Veltliner’, ‘Riesling’ and ‘Roesler’
  • Slow and steady nitrogen management in the vineyard

Exploring the colour of wine science

10 August 2017 >

Wine lovers will learn more about the science behind red, white and even orange wines in an evening of wine tastings and stories in Adelaide on 15 August. This ‘Complete Wine Science Spectrum’ event will bring scientists from The Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) out of the lab and give them a chance to share their knowledge with wine consumers.

AWRI webinars – registration is open now!

>

The AWRI webinar program is back and registration for the first four sessions is open now!

There are four informative sessions to begin the program. Coming up first, a new heat test provides same-day results without compromising accuracy. The following three webinars address global supply and demand trends, results from a recent study identifying the role Australia’s image plays in export markets, and finally recommendations for effective spray application.

Each webinar includes a presentation and an opportunity for Q&A and is held on Thursday at 11:30 am Australian Central Daylight Time (Adelaide, GMT+9:30). All AWRI webinars are free to attend.

The first four webinars for the program are:

17 August 2017: Predicting heat stability of wine: the heat test revisited – Dr Jacqui McRae (AWRI)

31 August 2017: State of play – Australian wine in a global context – Mark Rowley (Wine Australia)

14 September 2017: Australia’s country image internationally and trade recommendations to buy Australian wine: effects and implications – Dr Roberta Crouch (The University of Adelaide)

28 September 2017: Effective spray application – Alison MacGregor (Independent consultant)

Click here to register now or find out more.
After registering for a webinar, you will receive a confirmation email with a link to join the session.

System requirements
You will need a computer or mobile device with an Internet connection. Audio is connected over the Internet using your computer or mobile device’s speakers (Voice over Internet Protocol – VOIP). Participants joining a webinar via a mobile device will need to download a free app available from iTunes or Google Play.

If you’ve missed a previous AWRI webinar, you can watch it online via the AWRI’s YouTube channel

For further information on AWRI webinars, please contact the AWRI information services team.

Grapevine Pinot Gris Virus advice

9 August 2017 >

Grapevine Pinot Gris Virus (GPGV) has been detected for the first time in Australia.

This virus is common in many international wine regions in Europe, USA, Canada and China.

GPGV can be spread via infected propagation material and possibly by bud and blister mite. The impact of GPGV on vine health is not well understood and is further complicated by the finding that GPGV is frequently found in mixed infections with other viruses.

Measures have been taken to ensure that no spread will occur from the vines in which the virus has been detected in Australia. To determine the extent of GPGV in Australia, targeted surveillance for the virus by relevant state government biosecurity departments will take place this spring when symptoms are most evident.

About GPGV

GPGV is a member of the genus Trichovirus in the family Betaflexiviridae. It is a recent scientific discovery and the origin of the virus is unknown. The discovery of GPGV in Australia has been enabled by improved diagnostic capability.

GPGV has been reported in China, Croatia, Canada, Georgia, Germany, Italy, France, Korea, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Greece, USA and Turkey and has been confirmed in at least 28 wine and table grape varieties including Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Traminer, Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Carmenere.

Grapevines infected with GPGV can either show symptoms, or are symptomless. The symptoms associated with infection include delayed budburst, leaf distortion and mottling, shortened internodes, increased berry acidity and yield loss (reports of up to 80%). These symptoms are most pronounced in spring and may be confused with early season bud mite damage, cold injury or herbicide damage.

Action required

Given the recent isolated detections of GPGV in Australia and pending further evidence that GPGV is present in other vineyards in Australia, GPGV is still categorised as an exotic plant pest.

Therefore, it is important that:

  • You promptly call the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline (1800 084 881) if you observe symptoms in grapevines similar to that described above and in the GPGV fact sheet.
  • If you are planting a new vineyard, you speak to your supplier of propagation material to determine virus status of the material.
  • If you are undertaking top-working of existing vines, you determine the virus status of both the rootstock (existing vine) and the budwood for grafting.

Diagnostics

The two main laboratories for grapevine virus testing in Australia are:

Crop Health Services
AgriBio Specimen Reception
Main Loading Dock, 5 Ring Road,
La Trobe University,
Bundoora, VIC 3083
Phone: 03 9032 7323
Email: chs.reception@ecodev.vic.gov.au

Waite Diagnostics
University of Adelaide
School of Agriculture, Food and Wine
PMB 1, Glen Osmond SA 5064
Phone: 08 8313 7426
Email: nuredin.habili@adelaide.edu.au

More information

More information about GPGV symptoms, sampling, diagnostics and actions following a positive test can be found in the GPGV fact sheet, accessible here.

Further information on GPGV will be provided as new details are obtained, and on completion of the targeted surveillance program in spring 2017.

If you have questions about Grapevine Pinot Gris Virus, please contact Australian Vignerons on 08 8133 4401.

For maximum reach, this advice is being distributed simultaneously by Australian Vignerons, Vinehealth Australia and the Australian Wine Research Institute.