The Australian Wine Research Institute Blog

Technical Review June 2017 issue available online

8 June 2017 >

The June 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
  • Linking wine lactic acid bacteria diversity with wine aroma and flavour
  • The contribution of wine-derived monoterpene glycosides to retronasal odour during tasting
  • A novel technology for the rapid, selective, magnetic removal of pathogenesis-related proteins from wines
  • Taints in wine
  • Effect of commercial-scale filtration on sensory and colloidal properties of red wines over 18 months bottle-aging
  • Pre-fermentation heating of red grapes: a useful tool to manage compressed vintages?
  • Ask the AWRI: Assessing and managing disease levels close to harvest
Current literature – oenology
  • Selecting a machine for reverse osmosis
  • Go with the flow: by necessity or by choice, cross flow filtration is a boon for winemakers
  • Characteristics and role of solids during primary fermentation
  • Origins of Saccharomyces and non-Saccharomyces yeast in grape must: from the vineyard or the winery?
  • Using starter cultures from indigenous yeasts
  • Relationship of soluble grape-derived proteins to condensed tannin extractability during red wine fermentation
  • Hen egg white lysozyme is a hidden allergen in Italian commercial ciders
  • Rising electricity prices make reducing energy a no-brainer no matter the size of winery
  • Does organic wine taste better? An analysis of experts’ ratings
Current literature – viticulture
  • Long-distance learning: using proximal sensing technology to map vineyard variability
  • The enigmatic nature of minerality in wine
  • Is row orientation a determinant factor for radiation interception in row vineyards?
  • Predicting key phenological stages for 17 grapevine cultivars (Vitis vinifera L.)
  • Macedon ranges: rare microclimates
  • Use of minimal pruning to delay fruit maturity and improve berry composition under climate change
  • Application of sprinkler cooling within the bunch zone during ripening of Cabernet Sauvignon berries to reduce the impact of high temperature
  • Hot foam for under-vine weed control
  • Mitigating the economic impact of grapevine red blotch: optimizing disease management strategies in U.S. vineyards
  • Developing pruning wound protection strategies for managing Eutypa dieback
  • Detection of vine diseases by drone imaging: diagnostics and pesticide reduction
  • Powdery mildew app goes global

eNews – May 2017

22 May 2017 >

Cool vintage means higher malic acid levels

Using magnetic nanoparticles for protein stabilisation

Upcoming events

Unlocking wine flavour during tasting

Past and future of grape crushing

ShowRunner – all-in-one wine show management software

Call for submissions on wine processing aids

Order the latest AWRI staff publications online

Acknowledgement

Cool vintage means higher malic acid levels

Many winemakers have been calling the helpdesk concerned about higher titratable acidity (TA) levels in their wines due to the cooler year and associated higher levels of malic acid in fruit. Reports of 4 g/L malic are typical in regions that normally might only have half this amount. Lallemand has reported similar feedback from industry. If wines go through malolactic fermentation (MLF), the malic will be converted to lactic acid and winemakers have asked how this will affect the pH and TA.

The pH increase post-MLF will be higher than usual due to the higher starting levels of malic acid. Theoretically, each gram per litre (g/L) of malic acid contributes 1.12 g/L to the TA expressed in terms of tartaric acid. If all of the malic acid is converted to lactic acid, the TA (expressed as tartaric acid) will drop by 0.56 g/L for each g/L of malic acid that was originally present in the wine. For example, if a wine starts with 4 g/L of malic acid, the TA would be expected to drop by 2.24 g/L and the pH could increase approximately 0.2 after MLF.

Using magnetic nanoparticles for protein stabilisation

Bentonite fining to remove haze-forming proteins is a key step in the production of white and rosé wines, but has some drawbacks including wine losses and waste disposal issues. A new separation technology is showing potential as a bentonite alternative.

The technique uses magnetic nanoparticles – nanometre-scale particles that can be moved around using magnetic fields. Different coatings can be placed on these particles that allow them to bind to different compounds. In a recently published AWRI study, a coating designed to specifically bind haze-forming wine proteins was used. The coated particles were placed in heat-unstable wine, where the proteins bound to the nanoparticles’ surfaces. The particles were then able to be removed from the wine using a magnet.

Testing of the wine following the treatment found that the haze-forming proteins were removed, even from wines with very high protein content. Other components, such as wine phenolics, were unaffected. This technique therefore has potential to be used in the wine industry as an alternative to bentonite fining or could find applications in other areas such as water treatment or biotechnology.

The full paper detailing these results is accessible via the AWRI library: Mierczynska-Vasilev, A., Boyer, P., Vasilev, K., Smith, P.A. A novel technology for the rapid, selective, magnetic removal of pathogenesis-related proteins from wines. Food Chem. 232: 508-514.; 2017.

Upcoming events

With vintage finishing up in most regions, the events team has been busy planning the 2017 calendar, and is scheduling a wide range of events for grape and wine producers. From June the new roadshow workshop ‘Addressing regional challenges’ will be rolled out to the Barossa Valley, Mornington Peninsula, Gippsland, Yarra Valley, Mount Barker, Pemberton, Margaret River and Swan Valley regions.

In late May/early June there will be two Advanced Wine Assessment Courses and a wine show judging course to develop tasters’ wine judging skills. Both AWACs are full; however, there are still spaces left for the Wine show judging – an insider’s view of panel tastings course to be held on Friday, 9 June. This is a unique opportunity for participants to hone their wine judging skills under Australian wine show conditions, with guidance from some of Australia’s top wine show chairs.

On Thursday, 29 June Olaf Schelezki from the University of Adelaide will present a webinar entitled ‘Pre-fermentative addition of water or low alcohol wine into juice to manage alcohol levels of red wine’. Register here to attend.

The online AWRI events calendar and the Grape and wine events calendar are being continually updated – so please check back regularly to keep in touch with events in your region or contact the events team on events@awri.com.au or 08 8313 6600 if you have any queries.

Unlocking wine flavour during tasting

A long persistent palate is a hallmark of high quality wine and recent research may have identified the wine compounds responsible for this characteristic. The work showed that glycosides present in wine can break down in the mouth when a wine is tasted, contributing to lingering fruity or floral flavour. A glycoside consists of a flavour molecule bound to a sugar molecule that renders it flavourless. Previously, glycosides had been thought not to contribute to wine flavour, as it was believed they needed the action of fermentation enzymes or slow chemical reactions during ageing to break them apart and release the flavour molecule.

Sensory panellists tasted samples of glycosides from white wines and analysis showed that bacterial enzymes in saliva could unlock the bound flavour compounds in the glycosides, releasing a wave of flavour that continued after the wine was swallowed.

The amount of these glycosides in a wine could perhaps be used by winemakers as a quality marker, indicating the potential for a wine to have a long palate. The full paper detailing these results is accessible via the AWRI library: Parker, M., Black, C.A., Barker, A., Pearson, W., Hayasaka, Y., and Francis, I.L. 2017. The contribution of wine-derived monoterpene glycosides to retronasal odour during tasting. Food Chem. 232, 413-424.

ShowRunner – all-in-one wine show management software

The AWRI has developed a new software system to manage all aspects of running a wine show. Incorporating online entries, electronic scoring and instant results, ShowRunner brings all administration and manual functions together to make running a wine show simple and seamless.Used by the Langhorne Creek Wine Show this month and other wine shows last year, the software has already been adopted by a number of Australian wine shows for 2017, with interest also coming from overseas.

The online entry module allows exhibitors to enter details of their wines once and then enter across multiple shows. Entry fees can also be paid online. Show organisers can monitor entries in preparation for judging and judges use iPads to enter their scores and comments. The results are generated instantly. To find out more about ShowRunner or to organise a demonstration, contact Francesca Blefari or Con Simos on events@awri.com.auor phone 08 8313 6600.

Past and future of grape crushing

Crushing is in important step in the production of most red wines. Classically, this process was performed by foot treading but the process started to be mechanised in the early 19th century. Since then, a range of crushing equipment has been used, with relatively gentle overlapping lobe roller crushers the most common today. Lately there has been some renewed interest in different and more intense crushing equipment because of the potential for enhanced colour extraction or reduced skin contact time. A recently published article on the evolution and future directions for crushing equipment is now available from the AWRI website.

Call for submissions on wine processing aids

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) recently called for submissions on an application to permit the use of four new processing aids in wine. The processing aids—chitin-glucan, PVI/PVP co-polymers, ammonium hydrogen sulfite and silver chloride—are already permitted for use in the European Union. More information about the application can be found on the FSANZ website. The closing date for submissions is 6pm (Canberra time) 7 June 2017.

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

1901 Hayasaka, Y., Black, C.A., Hack, J., Smith, P. Structural characterization of reaction products of caftaric acid and bisulfite present in a commercial wine using high resolution mass spectrometric and nuclear magnetic resonance techniques. Food Chem. 230: 99-107; 2017.

1902 Corsi, A.M., Cohen, J., Lockshin, L., Williamson, P. Testing lexical equivalences for wine flavours in emerging markets: do hawthorns taste like blackberries? Food Qual. Pref. doi: 10.1016/j.foodqual.2017.03.011: 28 p.; 2017.

1903 Holdstock, M. Ask the AWRI: Taints in wine. Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (638): p. 64; 2017.

1904 Mierczynska-Vasilev, A., Boyer, P., Vasilev, K., Smith, P.A. A novel technology for the rapid, selective, magnetic removal of pathogenesis-related proteins from wines. Food Chem. 232: 508-514.; 2017.

1905 Parker, M., Black, C.A., Barker, A., Pearson, W., Hayasaka, Y., Francis, I.L. The contribution of wine-derived monoterpene glycosides to retronasal odour during tasting. Food Chem. 232: 413-424; 2017.

1906 Nguyen, T.T., Barber, A.R., Smith, P., Luo, X., Zhang, W. Application and optimization of the highly efficient and environmentally-friendly microwave-intensified lactic acid demineralization of deproteinized Rock lobster shells (Jasus edwardsii) for chitin production. Food Bioprod. Process. 102: 367-374; 2017.

1907 Capello, M.S., Zapparoli, G., Logrieco, A., Bartowski, E.J. Linking wine lactic acid bacterial diversity with wine aroma and flavour. Int. J. Food Microbiol. 243: 16-27; 2017.

1908 Varela, C., Barker, A., Tran, T., Borneman, A., Curtin, C. Sensory profile and volatile aroma composition of reduced alcohol Merlot wines fermented with Metschnikowia pulcherrima and Saccharomyces uvarum. Int. J. Food Microbiol. 252: 1-9; 2017.

1909 Ristic, R., van der Hulst, L., Capone, D.L., Wilkinson, K.L. Impact of bottle aging on smoke tainted wines from different grape cultivars. J. Agric. Food Chem. doi: 10.1021/acs.jafc.7b01233: 27 p.; 2017.

1910 Nordestgaard, S. Gentle or intense grape crushing? Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (639): 77-82; 2017.

1911 Cowey, G. Ask the AWRI: Adding water to high sugar must. Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (639): 88-89; 2017.

1912 Longbottom, M. Fellows of the ASVO. Wine Vitic. J. 32(2): p. 10; 2017.

1913 Bindon, K., Smith, P., Schulkin, A., Dambergs, B., Kassara, S., Barter, S., Solomon, M., Cynkar, W., Capone, D., McRae, J., Francis, L., Robinson, E., Johnson, D. Exploring the potential for grape objective measures to predict wine grade and style. Wine Vitic. J. 32(2): 46-47; 2017.

1914 Dry, P. Durif. Wine Vitic. J. 32(2): p. 55; 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.

 

Technical Review April 2017 issue available online

20 April 2017 >

The April 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
  • Aroma precursors in grapes and wine: flavor release during wine production and consumption
  • Advanced Wine Assessment Course scholarship, wine show judge register and Mildura seminar
  • Use of winemaking supplements to modify the composition and sensory properties of Shiraz wine
  • Influence of production method on the chemical composition, foaming properties, and quality of Australian carbonated sparkling white wines
  • Understanding molecular SO2
  • AWRI Ferment Simulator joins the cloud
  • Grapevine tissue analysis
Current literature – oenology
  • Rethinking barrel cellar layout: a barrel-aging facility owner explains how to reorganize stacks for efficiency and seismic safety
  • Oxygen status at bottling: identifying winery sources for oxidation in Ohio wines
  • Water into wine
  • Potato-protein for must fining
  • Usage of different aerobic non-Saccharomyces yeasts and experimental conditions as a tool for reducing the potential ethanol content in wines
  • Composition of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains in spontaneous fermentations of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
  • Identification of hydrogen disulfanes and hydrogen trisulfanes in H2S bottle, in flint, and in dry mineral white wine
  • Degradation of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes skin: application of different enzymatic activities: a preliminary study
  • Changes in wine ethanol content due to evaporation from wine glasses and implications for sensory analysis
  • Wine pH prevails over buffering capacity of human saliva
Current literature – viticulture
  • Big vines disrupting vineyard establishment in California
  • Relationships between water status, leaf chlorophyll content and photosynthetic performance in Tempranillo vineyards
  • Climate change and emerging cool climate wine regions
  • Impacts of under-trellis cover crops: use of herbicides can be reduced, and excessive vine growth can be controlled
  • Effects of leaf removal and applied water on flavonoid accumulation in grapevine (Vitis vinifera L. cv. Merlot) berry in a hot climate
  • Reducing pesticide use – lessons learned from 10 years of trials in Burgundy
  • Mildew control: possibility of reducing fungicide dose using fructose
  • Spray deposition and control of Botrytis cinerea on grape leaves and bunches: part 2 (wine grapes)
  • Susceptibility of pruning wounds to grapevine trunk disease pathogens
  • Shiraz and Syrah the Yarra Valley and Hawke’s Bay way
  • Effect of irrigation using diluted winery wastewater on Vitis vinifera L. cv. Cabernet Sauvignon in a sandy alluvial soil in the Breede River Valley – vegetative growth, yield and wine quality
  • Exploring the genetic variability in water use efficiency: evaluation of inter and intra cultivar genetic diversity in grapevines

eNews – March 2017

23 March 2017 >

Discovering the microbial diversity in Indigenous Australian fermentations

New grants available to help improve energy efficiency

Managing powdery mildew-affected fruit in the winery

Partnering in a new Cooperative Research Centre

Is your bentonite up to the task?

Pre-fermentation heating of red grapes

Science and Innovation Award winner

Crush 2017 – save the date!

New eBooks

Order the latest AWRI staff publications online

Acknowledgement

Discovering the microbial diversity in Indigenous Australian fermentations

AWRI and University of Adelaide researchers are working together to investigate the microbes involved in the fermented beverages and foods traditionally produced by some Indigenous Australian peoples. In addition to uncovering the diversity in the microbial communities associated with these fermentations, there is potential to discover novel microorganisms unique to Australia which may possess interesting properties and could be applied in modern Australian food or wine production.

AWRI Senior Research Scientist Cristian Varela recently travelled to the Central Highlands region of Tasmania as part of the project team and collected samples of sugar-rich sap from the cider gum (Eucalyptus gunnii), known to be the raw material for production of the traditional fermented drink way-a-linah.

Soil and bark samples were also collected. Microbes present in these samples will be isolated and characterised using metagenomic techniques. Further work will assess the fermentation properties of the isolated microbes. In other elements of the project, University of Adelaide researchers will consider historical and anthropological aspects of the production of these fermented foods and beverages and will investigate the composition of saps, nectars and other fermentation substrates.

New grants available to help improve energy efficiency

Several state government departments are currently offering heavily subsidised energy audits to businesses to help identify and implement opportunities to reduce energy use. The type of audits offered under these programs are sufficiently detailed to investigate process efficiency, which can bring a range of benefits in addition to reduced electricity costs.

For both vineyards and wineries, energy audits provide a great opportunity to explore practice change and new technology options. An energy audit can investigate the applicability of solar and other renewable energy options, as well as battery storage technologies which are a rapidly evolving area.

Information about the various state government programs can be found at the following links.

AWRI Commercial Services has a wealth of experience in conducting energy audits and identifying ways to reduce energy usage in winemaking and viticulture. Contact the team on 08 8313 6600 or commercialservices@awri.com.au to find out how to access these programs and to discuss the supporting grants that are available.

Managing powdery mildew-affected fruit in the winery

With overcast and damp conditions over much of Australia this summer, some vineyards have been affected by powdery mildew. While powdery mildew is generally managed in the vineyard with fungicide sprays, once veraison commences, control options using fungicides reduce considerably. If harvested fruit shows signs of powdery mildew infection, there are steps that can be taken in the winery to best manage the fruit and minimise any sensory effects. The helpdesk team has recently put together a new fact sheet ‘Managing powdery mildew in the winery’ to provide advice on this issue. For more information, contact the AWRI helpdesk on mailto:helpdesk@awri.com.auor 08 8313 6600.

Partnering in a new Cooperative Research Centre

Earlier this month the Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science Senator the Hon. Arthur Sinodinos AO announced that a new Cooperative Research Centre, the Food Agility CRC, will be funded with $50m over ten years. The overall goal for this CRC is to empower Australia’s food industry to grow its comparative advantage through digital transformation. The CRC bid was led by the Knowledge Economy Institute at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), together with QUT and Curtin University.

The AWRI is a partner in the CRC and this partnership will focus on activities that increase the value of the Australian wine industry’s sustainability program, Entwine, including:

  • Harmonising existing digital platforms that support food safety and sustainability
  • Incorporating economic data into the Entwine benchmarking capability
  • Incorporating new and existing decision support tools into Entwine
  • Gaining an improved understanding of how to influence consumer purchasing using sustainability credentials and an enhanced ability to engage with consumers directly.

Details of these activities will be confirmed over the next couple of months, and work is expected to begin on 1 July 2017.

Is your bentonite up to the task?

AWRI Commercial Services is running a performance benchmarking trial for commercial bentonite products and is looking for expressions of interest from both wine producers and suppliers. The focus of the trial will be the changes in metal concentrations seen in white wines treated with different types of bentonites and the influence of wine properties on the bentonites’ performance characteristics.

For more information about the trial or to register interest, please contact AWRI Commercial Services on CommercialServices@awri.com.au.

Trial background

A recent AWRI study showed that different commercial bentonite products have the potential to affect the speed of clarification, flocculation of lees and transfer of metals, both into and out of wine during stabilisation. They can also have a significant impact on wine aroma and flavour.

The upcoming trial will benchmark the effectiveness of bentonite products in achieving protein stabilisation for commercial white wines. Key performance indicators will include:

  • Dosage rate required to achieve protein stability
  • Settling rate
  • Lees compaction (volume)
  • Impact on metals profile
  • Impact on colour and phenolics

Sensory evaluation of the treated wines will also be carried out to determine the impact of the different bentonites on key flavour and aroma attributes. The trial is expected to commence in April and wrap up by September.

Pre-fermentation heating of red grapes

Pre-fermentation heating of red grapes can greatly speed up the extraction of skin colour, meaning less time required on skins and reduced demand on expensive red fermenters. It can also be used to denature laccase, remove ‘green’ aromas, and produce different red wine styles. A recent article that reviewed this practice, published in Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker, is now available from the AWRI website.

Science and Innovation Award winner

Photo courtesy of Steve Keough Photography 2017

AWRI Research Scientist Natoiya Lloyd was announced this month as the winner of one of the 2017 Science and Innovation Awards for Young People in Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. These awards recognise ideas from young innovators that contribute to the success of Australia’s agriculture sector. Natoiya received the award for oenology and viticulture, sponsored by Wine Australia, and will use her award grant to undertake a project applying advanced analytical techniques to detect smoke taint in wine. Congratulations Natoiya!

Crush 2017 – save the date!

The next Crush symposium will be held at the Waite Campus in Adelaide on 13 and 14 November 2017. This event provides an opportunity for researchers, technical staff, academics and students to share the latest knowledge in grape and wine science in Australia and develop industry and research collaborations.

The program and abstracts from the previous Crush symposium can be viewed here.

For more information, visit the Crush 2017 homepage or contact the WIC Executive Officer, Francesca Blefari, on wiceo@awri.com.au. Expressions of interest to present at Crush 2017 will open shortly.

New eBooks

Five new eBooks have recently been added to the AWRI’s collection, with topics covering wine tasting, Zinfandel, grapevine yellows diseases and Californian wine regions. To review the latest titles, visit the AWRI website and select from one of the two available eBook platforms. For further information on using the collection, please consult the online guides or 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’ published in Wine & Viticulture Journal (PDF format).

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

1883 Longbottom, M. Ask the AWRI: Grapevine tissue analysis. Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (635): 36-37; 2016.

1884 Johnson, D. 2016 Report: Progress and impact. Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (635): 56-59; 2016.

1885 Abbott, T. AWRI Ferment Simulator joins the cloud. Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (635): 72-73; 2016.

1886 Coulter, A. Ask the AWRI: Understanding molecular SO2. Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (636): 76; 2017.

1887 Goold, H.D., Kroukamp, H., Williams, T.C., Paulsen, I.T., Varela, C., Pretorius, I.S. Yeast’s balancing act between ethanol and glycerol production in low-alcohol wines. Microb. Biotechnol. 10(2): 264-278; 2017.

1888 Culbert, J.A., McRae, J.M., Condé, B.C., Schmidtke, L.M., Nicholson, E.L., Smith, P.A., Howell, K.S., Boss, P.K., Wilkinson, K.L. Influence of production method on the chemical composition, foaming properties, and quality of Australian carbonated sparkling white wines. J. Agric. Food Chem. 65(7): 1378-1386; 2017.

1889 Bindon, K., Kassara, S., Smith, P.A. Towards a model of grape tannin extraction under wine-like conditions: the role of suspended mesocarp material and anthocyanin concentration. Aust. J. Grape Wine Res. 23(1): 22-32; 2017.

1890 Li, S., Bindon, K., Bastian, S.E.P., Jiranek, V., Wilkinson, K.L. Use of winemaking supplements to modify the composition and sensory properties of Shiraz wine. J. Agric. Food Chem. 65(7): 1353-1364; 2017.

1891 Longbottom, M. Advanced Wine Assessment Course scholarship, wine show judge register and Mildura seminar. Wine Vitic. J. 32(1): 10; 2017.

1892 Longbottom, M., Robinson, E., Johnson, D. Building resilience in the face of a changing climate. Wine Vitic. J. 32(1): 32-34; 2017.

1893 Dry, P. Harslevelu. Wine Vitic. J. 32(1): 59; 2017.

1894 Parker, M., Capone, D.L., Francis, I.L., Herderich, M.J. Aroma precursors in grapes and wine: flavor release during wine production and consumption. J. Agric. Food Chem. DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.6b05255; 2017.

1895 Hunter, A., Dayalan, S., De Souza, D., Power, B., Lorrimar, R., Szabo, T., Nguyen, T., O’Callaghan, S., Hack, J., Pyke, J., Nahid, A., Barrero, R., Roessner, U., Likic, V., Tull, D., Bacic, A., McConville, M., Bellgard, M. MASTR-MS: a web-based collaborative laboratory information management system (LIMS) for metabolomics. Metabolomics 13(2): 1-9; 2017.

1896 Petrie, P. Ask the AWRI: Assessing and managing disease levels close to harvest. Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (637): 32-33; 2017.

1897 Nordestgaard, S. Pre-fermentation heating of red grapes: a useful tool to manage compressed vintages? Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (637): 54-58; 2017.

1898 Stockley, C.S. Taylor, A.W., Montgomerie, A., Dal Grande, E. Changes in wine consumption are influenced most by health: results from a population survey of South Australians in 2013. Int. J. Wine Res. 9: 13-22; 2017.

1899 Mierczynska-Vasilev, A., Smith, P.A. Adsorption of wine constituents on functionalized surfaces. Molecules 21(10):1394; 2016.

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.

 

Change to Food Standards Code regarding addition of water to high sugar must/juice

16 February 2017 >

On 9 February, an amendment was made to standard 4.5.1 of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (FSC) to expressly permit the limited addition of water to high sugar must and juice to reduce the chance of problems arising during fermentation.

The original application was made by the Winemakers’ Federation of Australia following extensive consultation with peak sector bodies and stakeholder representatives with the view of removing the ambiguity as to when water additions are permitted under the FSC.

The amendment establishes that water may be added to grape juice or must to reduce the sugar level of the juice or must to a minimum of 13.5 degrees Baumé.

This is in addition to the maximum 70 mL/L currently allowed under the FSC to allow the incorporation of permitted additives or processing aids, and for other reasons incidental to the winemaking process.

Notwithstanding the above, additions of all permitted additives and processing aids, including water, must be made in accordance with Good Manufacturing Practice, the amount added being the very minimum required to achieve the desired effect.

The change will ensure that Australian winemakers are able to ameliorate the sugar level of incoming fruit so that they can continue to produce high quality wines free of technical faults.

For assistance with calculating water additions or any other winemaking technical issue, please contact the AWRI helpdesk on 08 8313 6600 or helpdesk@awri.com.au.

Technical Review February 2017 issue available online

13 February 2017 >

The February 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
  • Wine labelling regulations reviewed – health-related and compositional claims, geographical indications and traditional expressions
  • Wine pH, copper and 'reductive' aromas in wines
  • The impact of wine components on fractionation of Cu and Fe in model wine systems: macromolecules, phenolic and sulfur compounds
  • The impact of non-Saccharomyces yeasts in the production of alcoholic beverages
  • Evaluation of crop coefficients, water productivity, and water balance components for wine grapes irrigated at different deficit levels by a sub-surface drip
  • Application of shade treatments during Shiraz berry ripening to reduce the impact of high temperature
  • Wine consumption and brain health
Current literature – oenology
  • Dry ice blasting, a new tool for barrel regeneration treatment
  • Chardonnay – the coolest of the cool
  • High-tech sustainability: wineries turn to high-tech solutions for sustainable business
  • Managing alcoholic fermentation under practical conditions
  • Malolactic fermentation in barrels vs steel tanks
  • Understanding the origin of sluggish or stuck ferments
  • Chemistry of manganese and interaction with iron and copper in wine
  • Impact of drought stress on concentration and composition of wine proteins in Riesling
  • Sulfur in wine – a snapshot of Australian trends
  • Sulfur dioxide–oxygen consumption ratio reveals differences in bottled wine oxidation
  • Influence of grape seeds and stems on wine composition and astringency
Current literature – viticulture
  • Robots storm the vineyards
  • The pick of activities and experiments from the Champagne region in 2016
  • Terroir and other myths of winegrowing: Mark Matthews generates some controversy
  • Arrested sugar accumulation and altered organic acid metabolism in grape berries affected by berry shrivel syndrome
  • A change for the wetter?
  • Competitiveness of cool climate regions in global wine markets
  • Identification of a defoliation severity threshold for changing fruitset, bunch morphology and fruit composition in Pinot Noir
  • Postbudburst spur pruning reduces yield and delays fruit sugar accumulation in Sangiovese in central Italy
  • New ideas on the modification of the aromatic profile of Sauvignon Blanc in the vineyard
  • The impact of machine harvesting with and without optical berry sorting on Pinot Noir wine composition and quality

eNews – January 2017

24 January 2017 >

Happy New (Events) Year!

Ferment Simulator now available

Understanding regional spray practices

Two yeast reviews published

Grapes needed for smoke taint background study

Regional sample drop-off locations sought

Introducing Showrunner

What’s new in eBooks?

Order the latest AWRI staff publications online

Acknowledgement

Happy New (Events) Year!

awac_600px The AWRI would like to wish eNews readers a happy new year and all the best for vintage 2017! The events team has been busy planning the 2017 calendar, and is scheduling a wide range of events for grape and wine producers. The year is kicking off with a tasting workshop on Pinot Noir winemaking, being held across Australia in late January and early February. AWRI roadshow seminars also come to Tasmania in February. Then, following a break for vintage, the AWRI webinar program continues with presentations on closures and the effects of partial dealcoholisation. In late May/early June there will be two Advanced Wine Assessment Courses and a Wine Judging Course to develop tasters’ wine judging skills. And from May until the end of the year there will be a focus on the new roadshow workshop ‘Improving quality and reducing costs’ and AWRI roadshow seminars. The online AWRI events calendar is being continually updated – so please check back regularly to keep in touch with events in your region or contact the events team on events@awri.com.au or 08 8313 6600 if you have any queries.

Ferment Simulator now available

The AWRI has just launched an online version of its Ferment Simulator. This free app, hosted on the AWRI’s WineCloud platform, brings the power of the algorithms from the original Excel-based Ferment Simulator into a new online format designed for ease of use on both desktops and mobile devices.

Ready to go for vintage 2017, the new Ferment Simulator can be used to store all ferment-related data. This includes baume and temperature readings, juice analysis, actions like pump-overs and additions, and any other analysis performed on the tank. The data collected feeds the algorithms which predict ferment endpoints and identify stuck or sluggish ferments to aid early intervention.

Powerful What-If and What-Now modes allow modelling of corrective actions before going out to the tank. A digital archive of ferment data also allows users to search back through their ferment history, view old ferments and compare performance. The Ferment Simulator is available free for Australian wine producers – for more information and to register for an account, visit the Ferment Simulator webpage.

Understanding regional spray practices

sprayer-enews-res1 The AWRI has recently commenced a project looking at spray practices across Australia’s grapegrowing regions. By accessing anonymous spray diary information at the end of each season, it will be possible to understand the products and practices used in different regions, establish benchmarks for best practice and highlight opportunities for improvements.

Findings from the project will be disseminated through the new AWRI workshop ‘Improving quality and reducing costs’, with a presentation of spray data from the relevant region included in each workshop.

Prior to each workshop, local input will be sought to provide context to the spray data in terms of the varieties planted and disease pressure experienced in that region. Case studies for growers will also be developed as the project progresses. For more information, contact the AWRI helpdesk on helpdesk@awri.com.au.

Two yeast reviews published

Late in 2016 two review articles on wine yeast were published by AWRI scientists. The first, titled ‘Yeasts found in vineyards and wineries’ and published in the journal Yeast, summarises the wide range of yeasts isolated from vineyards, wineries and ferments by scientists across the world. The second, titled ‘The impact of non-Saccharomyces yeasts in the production of alcoholic beverages’ explores research on the effects of non-Saccharomyces yeasts on the composition and sensory characteristics of wine and other beverages. It also looks at future opportunities involving interactions between yeast species and ways to express regional characters in alcoholic beverages. To request a copy of either of these two review articles, please contact the AWRI Information Services team on infoservices@awri.com.au.

Grapes needed for smoke taint background study

grape-bunch-360px The AWRI is seeking 1-2 kg samples of grapes that have not been exposed to smoke as part of its continuing smoke taint baseline study. This study is working to improve the interpretation of smoke taint analysis of grapes. If you are able to contribute grapes, please contact helpdesk@awri.com.au. The samples will need to be picked about two weeks before harvest, frozen immediately and then transported to the AWRI post-vintage. The grape varieties being sought for 2017 are: Mataro, Sangiovese, Grenache, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Semillon and Pinot Gris.

The smoke taint baseline study is collecting data on the natural ‘background levels’ of smoke taint compounds that are present in grapes that have not been exposed to smoke. Improved smoke taint analysis interpretations will enable winemakers to make better decisions about whether to accept/reject grapes that might have been exposed to smoke.

If you can collect samples, the AWRI will send you sample bags, cable ties and labels, as well as information about shipment and possible quarantine requirements. All sample transport costs will be covered. To volunteer to provide samples or for any further information, please contact helpdesk@awri.com.au.

Regional sample drop-off locations sought

AWRI Commercial Services is seeking to establish drop-off locations in regions across Australia. Grape and wine producers will be able to leave samples at these locations to be couriered to the AWRI laboratories. The goal of this service is not to compete with local providers of analytical services, but instead to provide easier access to services not available locally, such as smoke taint analysis and other advanced analytical techniques. The Hunter Valley is likely to be the first region to host one of these drop-off locations.

It is expected that sample login and payment would be carried out by the customer through the AWRI’s web-based login service and would not require any input from the drop-off location provider. For more information or to express interest, please contact Dr Eric Wilkes (eric.wilkes@awri.com.au) or 08 8313 6600.

Introducing Showrunner

The AWRI’s Advanced Wine Assessment Course last year introduced electronic scoring – a move that was positively received by participants and allowed the course to run more smoothly and efficiently. The in-house scoring software has now been expanded into a new system, known as Showrunner, that can manage all aspects of running a wine show – including online entries, electronic scoring and instant results. Showrunner was successfully used at the recent Hunter Valley and Orange wine shows and is available for other shows to use in 2017.

Key features of the system include: the ability for exhibitors to enter wines across multiple shows, instant availability of results, capturing of both scores and comments from judges and the ability to calculate trophy winners. Showrunner is constantly being updated and improved based on user feedback, to ensure it will suit a wide range of wine shows across Australia. To find out more about Showrunner, contact Con Simos or Francesca Blefari on 08 8 313 6600 or events@awri.com.au.

What’s new in eBooks?

Six new eBooks have recently been added to the AWRI’s collection, with topics covering the China wine market, winery design and architecture, Burgundy, Bordeaux and biodynamic wine. To review the latest titles, visit the AWRI website and select from one of the two available eBook platforms. For further information on using the collection, please consult the online guides or 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’ published in Wine & Viticulture Journal (PDF format).

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

1873 Varela, C., Borneman, A.R. Yeasts found in wineries and vineyards. Yeast doi: 10.1002/yea.3219; 2016.

1874 Hixson, J.L., Hayasaka, Y., Curtin, C.D., Sefton, M.A., Taylor, D.K. Hydroxycinnamoyl glucose and tartrate esters and their role in the formation of Ethylphenols in wine. J. Agric. Food Chem. doi: 10.1021/acs.jafc.6b04074; 2016.

1875 Kontoudakis, N., Smith, M., Guo, A., Smith, P.A., Scollary, G.R., Wilkes, E.N., Clark, A.C. The impact of wine components on fractionation of Cu and Fe in model wine systems: Macromolecules, phenolic and sulfur compounds. Food Res. Int. doi: 10.1016/J.foodres.2016.11.017; 2016.

1876 Stockley, C. Ask the AWRI: Wine consumption and brain health. Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (634): p. 82; 2016.

1877 Taylor, A.W., Shi, Z., Dal Grande, E., Stockley, C. The relationship between alcohol consumption and other risk factors assessed using an ongoing population-based surveillance system. AIMS Public Health 3 (4): 985-1002; 2016.

1878 Longbottom, M. ASVO acknowledges industry excellence and exemplary contributions. Wine Vitic. J. 31 (6): 10-11; 2016.

1879 Wilkes, E. Is it the closure or the wine? Wine Vitic. J. 31 (6): 22, 24-25; 2016.

1880 Bekker, M.Z., Smith, P.A., Wilkes, E.N., Johnson, D. Wine pH, copper and ‘reductive’ aromas in wines. Wine Vitic. J. 31 (6): 36-38; 2016.

1881 Stockley, C., Triggs, R. Wine labelling regulations reviewed – health-related and compositional claims, geographical indications and traditional expressions. Wine Vitic. J. 31 (6): 63-65; 2016.

1882 Pardo-Garcia, A.I., Wilkinson, K.L., Culbert, J.A., Lloyd, N.D.R., Alonso, G.L., Salinias, M.R. Accumulation of guaiacol glyconjugates in fruit, leaves and shoots of Vitis vinifera cv. Monastrell following foliar applications of guaiacol or oak extract to grapevines. Food Chem. 217: 782-789; 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 – December 2016

21 December 2016 >

New herbicide active constituent registered for use in viticulture

NONANOIC ACID
APVMA 68118

The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) has approved the active constituent nonanoic acid for use in vineyards on young broadleaf and grass weeds. Nonanoic acid is classified as activity group Z as the sites of action are unknown. The product Slasher is registered for control of young annual and perennial weeds and grasses and is distributed by Organic Crop Protectants Pty Ltd.

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

This bulletin is intended to provide agrochemical information to the Australian grape and wine sector and should not be interpreted as an endorsement of any product.

Technical Review December 2016 issue available online

8 December 2016 >

The December 2016 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
  • Ask the AWRI: Re-entry periods after vineyard sprays
  • Impact of winemaking techniques on classical enological parameters and rotundone in red wine at the laboratory scale
  • Vintage 2016 – observations from the AWRI helpdesk
  • Ask the AWRI: Calcium and its unpredictable presence
  • A rose by any other name: novel wine yeast that impart floral aromas
  • Survey of the variation in grape marc condensed tannin composition and concentration and analysis of key compositional factors
Current literature – oenology
  • GSM – generous, sophisticated and moreish
  • Strategies to minimise sulfites in wine – what are the alternatives? Part 1 of 3 Microbiology, bioprotection and pre-fermentation stages
  • Use of ultrasound treatment and non-Saccharomyces yeasts for accelerating ageing on lees in red wines
  • Vessels of change: let your choice of tank material, size and shape carry your wine toward where you need it to be
  • Selection of Lactobacillus strains to induce biological acidification in low acidity wines
  • The role of bacteria in wine: understanding wine lactic acid bacteria and what the future may hold
  • Non-Saccharomyces biodiversity in wine and the ‘microbial terroir’: a survey on Nero di Troia wine from the Apulian region, Italy
  • Aroma profile and composition of Barbera wines obtained by mixed fermentations of Starmerella bacillaris (synonym Candida zemplinina) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae
  • Sulfur in wine – a snapshot of Australian trends
  • US consumers continue to rely on varietal cues for their purchase decisions
  • Capitalizing on winemaking waste: anaerobic digestion produces methane from sludge and lees
Current literature – viticulture
  • The dawn of agtech
  • Viticultural factors influencing tannin levels in grapes and wine
  • Daily preharvest UV-C light maintains the high stilbenoid concentration in grapes
  • The effect of weather on wine quality and prices: an Australian spatial analysis
  • Exploratory study of climate change innovations in wine regions in Australia
  • Impact of leaf removal, applied before and after flowering, on anthocyanin, tannin, and methoxypyrazine concentrations in ‘Merlot’ (Vitis vinifera L.) grapes and wines
  • Evaluation of soil and canopy management strategies in highly sustainable viticultural systems
  • Under-trellis cover crop and rootstock affect growth, yield components, and fruit composition of Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Recycling techniques in plant protection and pest management: reducing agrochemical usage and cost
  • The influence of water deficit on grapevine trunk disease
  • Sulphur for powdery mildew control: it’s all about coverage
  • The vines are mutating. What does that mean for our industry?