The 2016-17 AWRI webinar program is heating up! Quite literally, with an upcoming session looking at hot extraction as a tool for combating compressed vintages. Other topics coming soon include wine provenance, rootstock performance and the impact of MOG in Cabernet Sauvignon winemaking. Each webinar consists of a presentation followed by a Q&A session and is held at 11:30 am Australian Central Time (Adelaide, GMT+9:30), usually on a Thursday. All AWRI webinars are free to attend.
The next four webinars will be:
13 October 2016: Measuring up authentication: analytical tools to test wine provenance – Martin Day (AWRI)
20 October 2016: Does rootstock performance change with age? – Tim Pitt (SARDI)
27 October 2016: Hot extraction: a tool to manage compressed vintages?– Simon Nordestgaard (AWRI)
3 November 2016: The impact of green berries and petioles on Cabernet Sauvignon wine – Paul Boss (CSIRO)
Registration confirmation
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 with an internet connection. Participants can dial in via phone using the provided number or audio can be connected over the internet using the computer’s microphone and speakers (voice over internet protocol – VOIP). Participants can also join a webinar via a smart phone or tablet. See here for details on downloading the required mobile app.
The AWRI recently distributed information on Managing vineyards after a wet winter and spring. Since then, several regions across New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria have experienced extreme weather in the form of damaging winds, heavy rainfall and flooding.
The Bureau of Meteorology has also just updated its seasonal outlook and information on current climate influences, with the latest information now available at the following links:
Current predictions for the October to December period include a strong chance for above average rainfall in southeast and northwest Australia and cooler days and nights.
At any stage of the season growers can access links to weather information and useful references from the AWRI Climate Adaptation webpage.
Waterlogged soil
A flooded vineyard or heavily waterlogged soil can be damaging to grapevines. The sooner surface water is drained or pumped away the better. Useful links on managing flood affected vineyards are provided below:
The full impact of flooding may not be apparent for some time after the event so monitoring is important. Slow grapevine growth after the water has cleared can be caused by:
Carbohydrate depletion in vines that have been waterlogged
Root death
Soil nutrient loss from leaching
Cold and wet soils.
Clay soils can set hard and become compacted after the water has drained. Action such as light cultivation or mulching may help alleviate this. Cover crops or permanent sward plants will help with the drying process as they use soil moisture, provide avenues for water to drain and reduce erosion.
Additional information on re-entry periods
Further information about re-entry periods after spraying has now been added to the online version of the ‘Dog book’. For each active constituent, the range of re-entry periods specified on labels of different products is now listed, rather than just the most stringent re-entry period. In all cases, growers should refer to the label of the product being used for specific re-entry period directions. Additional information about how to interpret the re-entry period information is included on page 22 of the ‘Dog Book’.
Need help? The AWRI helpdesk provides technical support and advice to Australian grapegrowers and winemakers. Contact the helpdesk on 08 8313 6600 or email helpdesk@awri.com.au.
Winter and spring rainfall has been above average in many grapegrowing regions this year. This is positive for soil moisture levels, but may pose some problems with access to vineyard blocks and interruption of early season sprays. In such cases there is a risk that fungal diseases like powdery and downy mildew will take hold and become more difficult to control once normal spraying resumes. In a season like this, there are a number of factors to consider when getting into the vineyard to conduct the first few spray applications.
Things to consider
As soil temperatures increase, growers can anticipate vigorous early season growth due to high soil water content. More spray applications and/or different fungicides are likely to be required, especially during the early part of the season.
It’s important to ensure access to an adequate stock of fungicide, especially curative downy mildew treatments, in the event wet weather continues.
Higher than usual disease pressure caused by missed sprays and vigorous growth increases resistance pressure. It is essential to use fungicides from different groups to avoid fungicide resistance. Refer to the new CropLife resistance management strategies in the ‘Dog book’ or the CropLife website for more information.
The wet soil profile will stimulate midrow and undervine growth. Maintaining some of this growth will draw water from the soil profile, reduce vine vigour and help maintain soil structure under traffic. That said, excessively vigorous undervine growth will increase humidity and restrict airflow, which are important contributors to disease pressure.
In high disease pressure situations it’s important to take extra care with spraying and not cut any corners. Ensure that equipment is correctly calibrated and that spray coverage is complete.
Getting access to wet vineyards
The temptation to spray as soon as possible will be high, but safety should not be forgotten. Tractors and sprayers are more unstable on wet soils and adjustments should be made to minimise risks to personnel and equipment.
Soil compaction can be a significant issue when traffic resumes after wet weather. To minimise damage to soil structure, allow surface water to drain and ground to become firm before attempting any tractor passes. If possible, part-fill spray carts to reduce weight and minimise soil compaction.
For smaller areas, spray application via an all-terrain vehicle or knapsack sprayer may be the only option to access the block.
Aerial spraying may be a practical alternative in some situations. Growers need to ensure the product is registered for aerial application (refer to label) and neighbours are notified (as per state legislation). Growers should also consider the effectiveness of coverage and risk of off-target drift from aerial applications.
Medium-term weather outlook
The Bureau of Meteorology forecast for spring is for average rainfall. The main factor contributing to the recent wet weather (a negative Indian Ocean Dipole) is weakening and any La Niña event (typically the cause of wet conditions) is predicted to be short and weak. For more detail about this watch the recent spring outlook on the BOM website.
Need more information?
A series of spray application workshops will be held across South Australia and Victoria in October. To find the closest workshop to you, visit http://www.grapeandwineevents.com.au/.
Fact sheets on spray application, pests and disease and other relevant topics can be found on the AWRI and Wine Australia websites.
The AWRI helpdesk provides technical support and advice to Australian grapegrowers and winemakers. Contact the helpdesk on 08 8313 6600 or email helpdesk@awri.com.au.
The Australian Wine Research Institute this week announced the results of its recent Board election. Toby Bekkers of Bekkers Wine in McLaren Vale was elected in the small producer category from a field of five candidates. Louisa Rose of The Yalumba Wine Company (current AWRI Chair) and Ben Bryant of Pernod Ricard Winemakers were the only nominated candidates from the medium and large producer categories respectively, and were therefore elected unopposed.
An election was recently held for positions on the AWRI Board in the small levy payer category. There were five candidates from four Australian wine regions standing for election. The AWRI is pleased to announce that Toby Bekkers from Bekkers Wine has been elected to the vacant position in the small levy payer category. Only one nomination was received in both the medium and large levy payer categories, so an election was not required. Louisa Rose of The Yalumba Wine Company and Ben Bryant of Pernod Ricard Winemakers are the successful candidates in those categories respectively.
Toby Bekkers is a viticulturist, consultant and wine business manager with over 20 years’ experience. He and his wife, Emmanuelle, own and operate Bekkers Wine and vineyards in McLaren Vale, South Australia. Toby has been awarded a 2017 Nuffield Scholarship, supported by Wine Australia, to explore world best practice in the marketing of fine wines directly to consumers. Toby is a current Director of the AWRI and was initially elected to the AWRI Board in 2014.
Louisa Rose is the Chief Winemaker of The Yalumba Wine Company and the current Chair of the AWRI. She was initially elected to the AWRI Board in 2011 and has been Chair since 2014. Her role as Chief Winemaker sees her involved in viticulture and winemaking in Tasmania, Victoria and South Australia, covering cool and warm climates. Louisa is actively involved in a number of industry organisations and committees, and travels around Australia and overseas helping to promote Australian wines.
Ben Bryant is Director and Chief Winemaker for Australia for Pernod Ricard Winemakers. Ben joined Orlando Wyndham in January 2000 based in Mudgee. From there Ben has progressed to various positions within Pernod Ricard Winemakers including winemaking, viticulture and global marketing. In July 2013, Ben was appointed International Brand Development Director – Asia based in Hong Kong. In 2014 Ben returned to Australia and held the position of Winemaking and Supply Manager, and then in September 2015 was appointed Director and Chief Winemaker for Australia.
All three Directors will commence their elected term on 1 January 2017.
Outgoing Board member Brett McKinnon’s term will conclude on 31 December 2016. The AWRI thanks Brett for his significant contribution over nine years.
As buds burst and shoots emerge in vineyards across Australia, wine growers are busily keeping everything in check, including pests and disease. Effective spray application remains critical in a successful vineyard to ensure pests and disease are managed. A series of spray application workshops will be held across Victoria and South Australia in October to deliver key information for effective spray application. Local and international speakers have been recruited to present the latest on:
Getting the most out of your sprayer
Management of grapevine disease
Innovation in spray application
The day will also include a practical demonstration of spray application assessment and how to improve spray penetration and coverage.
Changed regulations have resulted in changes to some chemical labels and obligations for spray applicators. These will also be discussed. Workshop locations and dates are listed below. More details will be added to the AWRI events calendar as they are confirmed.
Mildura
Friday 14 Oct
Barossa Valley
Wednesday 19 Oct
McLaren Vale
Thursday 20 Oct
Langhorne Creek
Friday 21 Oct
Milawa
Tuesday 25 Oct
Mornington Peninsula
Wednesday 26 Oct
Yarra Valley
Thursday 27 Oct
The AWRI is collaborating with Wine Australia to support these workshops. For more information, contact Adrian Loschiavo at the AWRI on 08 8313 6600 or adrian.loschiavo@awri.com.au.
Survey explores grape and wine production practices
The AWRI has recently launched a major survey that aims to build an accurate picture of the grape and wine production practices currently being used in Australia. Results from the survey will help inform future grape and wine research, development and extension activities. The success of the survey depends on receiving a large number of responses from a wide range of grapegrowing and winemaking businesses. So far more than 300 responses have been received, which is a great start, but lots more are needed to ensure the results are as representative of industry as possible.
All respondents will go into the draw to win a trip to Bordeaux, France to see the latest vineyard and winery equipment at Vinitech-Sifel 2016. Participants will also receive a copy of the aggregated survey results, allowing for comparisons to be made with regional or national averages. For more information about the survey, please contact Simon Nordestgaard on (08) 8313 6600 or email survey@awri.com.au. Competition terms and conditions are at http://www.winesurvey.com.au.
Voting closing soon in AWRI Board election
An election is currently being held for the vacant position on the AWRI Board of Directors in the small producer category (<2,000 tonnes). Five nominations were received in this category:
Toby Bekkers of Bekkers Wines (SA)
Kiaran Kirk of Clonakilla Wines and the Australian National University (NSW)
Cath Oates of Oates Ends (WA)
Anna Fisher of Zonte’s Footstep (SA)
Colin McBryde of Adelina Wines (SA)
Producers in the small category 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. Voting will close at 5 pm, Friday 16 September 2016.
The election is being conducted electronically with assistance from Elections Australia Pty Ltd. Voting instructions were sent to all small levy payers on 29 August 2016. Candidate profiles are available from the AWRI website. If you did not receive voting instructions and believe you are eligible to vote or require any further information, please contact Shiralee Dodd 08 8313 6610 or Shiralee.Dodd@awri.com.au.
Seeking samples for authenticity research
If you attended the AWITC you would have heard about the AWRI project looking at ways of determining the geographical provenance of wine using stable isotope ratios and trace elements. As this project moves into the next phase, it will be important to verify that the chosen parameters do not depend on grape variety and are stable from year to year. If you produce a single-vineyard or single-block wine and have bottled wine going back eight to ten years, could you donate two bottles to help this project? Or do you have access to a variety block with a dozen or so cultivars that you could send 10 kg of each to Adelaide next vintage? It would be very useful to have at least three or four blocks coming from different bedrock types across Australia.
If you can help, please email helpdesk@awri.com.au and the project team will be in touch with you over the coming weeks.
The AWRI helpdesk – supporting grapegrowers and winemakers
Each year the AWRI helpdesk responds to more than 2,000 enquiries across winemaking, viticulture, health and regulatory issues. The helpdesk also offers an investigative service for problems that cannot be resolved by advice over the phone or by email. Samples of grapes or wine can be sent in for independent analysis and interpretation to determine the root cause of an issue, with a formal report prepared if required. Typical investigations include:
identification of hazes and deposits from wines
identification of grapevine pests, diseases or other vineyard issues
identification of taints or faults in grapes and wine
diagnosis of packaging-related issues such as reduction, oxidation, microbial spoilage, leakage, or wines returned via customer complaints.
To access the service, please contact the AWRI helpdesk on 08 8313 6600 or helpdesk@awri.com.au.
Is your grape variety on the OIV list?
The OIV maintains an International list of vine varieties and their synonyms on behalf of the EU, and this list can be viewed on the OIV’s website. The list is compiled from lists of vine varieties submitted by OIV member states and other countries. It’s important to be aware, however, that not only the EU, but Australian law, requires that grape varieties referenced on Australian wine labels must be on this OIV list. This list can be updated at any time and if you have a request for a new vine variety or synonym to be included on the OIV list, please contact Steve Guy at Wine Australia on steve.guy@wineaustralia.com.
Staff achievements
A number of staff achievements have occurred since the last eNews – including a major journal award, several prizes at the 16th AWITC and the AWRI’s first ever Len Evans Tutorial Scholar!
A paper authored by Creina Stockley and Dan Johnson won a Tanner Award for the most cited paper published in the journal Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety in 2013. The paper, entitled ‘The case for anthocyanin consumption to promote human health: a review’, was published with scientists from the Edmund Mach Foundation in Trento in Italy. It provides a comprehensive appraisal of the literature on the human health effects of anthocyanins – the red-coloured compounds found in berries, red grapes and red wine.
AWRI Senior Scientist Wes Pearson has just been announced as one of the Len Evans Tutorial Scholars for 2016. This is a very exciting opportunity for Wes to further develop his wine judging skills.
The following prizes were won by AWRI staff and students at the AWITC:
Best student poster – oenology: Mango Parker
Best oenology poster – fermentation: Simon Schmidt
Best general wine production poster: Martin Day
Best Metabolomics and Applications in grape & wine research poster: Keren Bindon
Best Metabolomics and Applications in grape & wine research poster: Tracey Siebert
Fresh Research – Viticulture presentation: Keren Bindon
Fresh Research – Wine presentation: Marta Avramova (Marta is from the University of Bordeaux but is currently at the AWRI as a visiting student)
Congratulations to all!
AWITC webcasts available to delegates
All AWITC delegates should now have received an email with details about how to access the webcasts of plenary sessions from the 16th AWITC. For assistance with accessing the webcasts, please contact the AWITC office on info@awitc.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 full list of AWRI publications published since the last eNews is included below:
1838 Gawel, R., Smith, P.A., Waters, E.J. Influence of polysaccharides on the taste and mouthfeel of white wine. Aust. J. Grape Wine Res. doi: 10.1111/ajgw.12222: 8 p.; 2016.
1839 Petrie, P. Ask the AWRI: Help! What cultivar (or clone) is this? Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (630): 40-41; 2016.
1840 Sadras, P., Moran, M., Petrie, P. Delayed pruning: a tool to counteract warming effects. Barossa Shiraz vineyard and wine case study. Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (630): 48, 50-51; 2016.
1841 Bramley, R.G.V., Siebert, T.E., Herderich, M.J., Krstic, M.P. Patterns of within-vineyard spatial variation in the ‘pepper’ compound rotundone are temporally stable from year to year. Aust. J. Grape Wine Res. doi: 10.1111/ajgw.12245: 6 p.; 2016.
1842 Sadras, V.O., Moran, M.A., Petrie, P.R. Wine as G x E: effect of temperature on vine and fruit phenotype. [Le vin comme G x E : effets de la température sur la vigne et le raisin.] Prog. Agric. Vitic. 133 (5): 14-19; 2016.
1843 Cowey, G. Ask the AWRI: Not so pretty in pink. Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (631): p. 86; 2016.
1844 Luo, X., Smith, P., Raston, C.L., Zhang, W. Vortex fluidic device-intensified aqueous two phase extraction of C-Phycocyanin from Spirulina maxima. ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng. 4 (7): 3905-3911; 2016.
1845 Muhlack, R.A., O’Neill, B.K., Waters, E.J., Colby, C.B. Optimal conditions for controlling haze-forming wine protein with bentonite treatment: investigation of matrix effects and interactions using a factorial design. Food Bioprocess Technol. 9 (6): 936-943; 2016.
1846 Patacq, G., O’Brien, V. Why wine innovation must become cool again. WBM (July/August): 34-35; 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.
Croplife Australia has recently issued an update to its fungicide resistance management strategies. The AWRI has updated the online version of the ‘Dog book’ to reflect these changes for Botrytis, downy mildew and powdery mildew.
Please ensure you refer to the updated information on pages 23 to 26 when planning your spray strategy.
New active constituent for downy mildew
The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) has approved the use of the following active constituent combination in wine-grape production.
AMISULBROM + TRIBASIC COPPER SULFATE
APVMA 70161
Amicus Blue is registered for control of downy mildew. Amicus Blue is a Nufarm Australia Limited product which is a co-formulation of amilsulbrom and tribasic copper sulfate. The label withholding period (WHP) is 28 days before harvest.
Recommended restriction on use for grapes destined for export wine: Use no later than E-L 31, berries pea size (7 mm diameter).
Resistance management strategy for Amicus Blue: Do not apply more than two consecutive applications and do not apply more than four applications per season. If consecutive applications are made they should be 7 to 10 days apart and followed by two applications with an alternative mode of action before resuming Amicus Blue applications.
Re-entry statement for Amicus Blue: Do not enter treated areas until the spray has dried unless wearing cotton overalls buttoned to the neck and wrist (or equivalent clothing) and chemical resistant gloves. Clothing must be laundered after each day’s use.
Do not enter treated areas in vineyards for five days to perform very high exposure activities such as tying/training/leaf pulling unless wearing cotton overalls buttoned to the neck and wrist (or equivalent clothing) and chemical resistant gloves. Clothing must be laundered after each day’s use.
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 and should not be interpreted as an endorsement of any product.
The Barossa Wine & Grape Association (BGWA) is launching, with the support of the AWRI, a series of workshops dedicated to enhancing business profitability through the study of luxury strategies and design thinking tools. In five sessions, participants will hear and learn about the latest thinking from world-class speakers on creating products, services and experiences that consumers will seek out and pay a premium for. There will also be access to specific consumer insights and market research.
This is a program exclusive to the Barossa with only limited spaces available. Join other Barossa wine, food and tourism businesses for an opportunity to learn and create together. Price is $550 pp (inc GST) for Barossa Grape & Wine Association, Tourism Barossa and Barossa Food members and $3,000 pp for non-members. The program includes five sessions (with lunch and refreshments), consumer insights and market research, all subsidised by a PIRSA grant.
This program is brought to you by BGWA with funding support from PIRSA and supported by the AWRI and RDA Barossa.
The AWRI webinar series is now underway. The next four webinars include topics looking at new technologies and approaches to vineyard management, the role of carbon in soil, and maceration options for Pinot Noir. Each webinar consists of a presentation followed by a Q&A session and is held at 11:30 am Australian Central Time (Adelaide, GMT+9:30), usually on a Thursday. All AWRI webinars are free to attend.
The next four webinars will be:
14 September 2016: Canopy management using grower-friendly digital tools – Roberta De Bei (University of Adelaide)
22 September 2016: Optimising the management of soils and organic matter: the role of soil carbon in drought resilience – Jeff Baldock (CSIRO)
29 September 2016: Innovative Pinot Noir maceration – Anna Carew (University of Tasmania)
6 October 2016: Remote sensing applications in viticulture: recent advances and new opportunities – Andrew Hall (Charles Sturt University)
Registration confirmation
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 with an internet connection. Participants can dial in via phone using the provided number or audio can be connected over the internet using the computer’s microphone and speakers (voice over internet protocol – VOIP). Participants can also join a webinar via a smart phone or tablet. See here for details on downloading the required mobile app.
A major survey of practices in the Australian grape and wine industry is being launched today by the Australian Wine Research Institute. The survey seeks to determine how common a range of different production practices are across the industry, with results to be used to inform grape and wine research, development and extension activities. It will pose questions on areas including pruning, spraying, harvesting, fermentation, stabilisation, and packaging.
