The December 2015 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.
With hot weather having arrived early in spring and the strongest El Niño system ever having been declared, there are some concerns across our industry about the weather between now and the 2016 harvest. The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has forecast a hotter and drier October and November, likely to dry out the country and bring forward extreme fire conditions that would usually only be faced in late January and February. Fire ban dates have thus also been brought forward, starting from 26 October to 1 November in many regions.
The BOM continues to release new weather tools that can help you track and adjust to changing weather conditions. For example, recent access to the Japanese satellite Himawari-8 allows near real-time weather tracking. Some of the key tools offered by the BOM, including 7-day, 14-day and seasonal forecasts and the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) tracker (important in this strong El Niño year), are outlined below.
New near real-time imagery from Japanese satellite Himawari-8 has recently become available in Australia. This satellite web viewer lets you zoom in to your state, to 0.5-2 km resolution, with new colour images uploaded every ten minutes. This allows you to see cyclones, storm events, fog, volcanic ash and perhaps bushfire plumes, potentially giving an indication if your vineyard has been exposed to smoke. An overview of the satellite’s capabilities can be viewed here.
How hot is it going to be in the next few days? The best way to navigate weather on your smart phone, by your location, is using the mobile BOM pathway http://m.bom.gov.au/.
MetEye is a great tool that has been constructed by BOM meteorologists to give a better representation of local weather as a 7-day forecast across Australia on a 3-6 km map grid. Forecasts are updated twice per day during the early morning and late afternoon. Multi-week to seasonal forecast tools (including temperature, rainfall or extreme temperatures) can now also be trialled through http://poama.bom.gov.au.
Want the seasonal outlook translated in three minutes? The BOM releases three-month climate and water outlook videos on YouTube and social media. The November 2015 to January 2016 outlook was released on 29 October 2015. Due to the El Niño, the next outlook will be released early on 19 November 2015.
The latest information on El Niño is updated fortnightly on the BOM’s ENSO Tracker page. With an El Niño system, clearer skies can often mean an increased frost risk season. The BOM is trialling Frost Potential maps specifically for agriculture that show forecast low temperature thresholds for various locations across Australia. The maps are updated each day and show forecasts for the next 48 hours. The BOM also offers a heatwave forecast service. Primarily designed as a health tool to assist people to cope through heatwaves, it also has applications for agricultural planning around heat events.
Seeking wild ferment samples
Are you currently performing wild ferments? Would you like to know which species of yeast and bacteria are present in the fermentations and how these differ between batches or vintages?
If the answer to these questions is “yes”, then the AWRI would like to hear from you. Planning is underway for a large research project that will investigate the regional differences in microbial species that participate in wild fermentations around Australia. The project will use a new analytical technique called metagenomics that provides the identities and proportions of yeast and bacterial species present at specific points during fermentation.
To accomplish the project’s aims, your help is needed in providing samples from wild fermentations of Chardonnay, Shiraz or Pinot Noir, ideally all processed at the same location for a particular winery.
Ferments will need to be sampled at four points during fermentation (based on sugar consumption). All the equipment necessary for the sampling will be supplied by the AWRI. You would only need to contribute your time to take the samples and to store them at 4°C until you’re ready to post them to us. The metagenomic analysis will be performed at no cost to you and results for your samples will be provided once the analysis is complete. Winery anonymity will be maintained, with results to be published identified only by region, variety and general winemaking practices.
If you are planning on performing wild fermentations in 2015/2016 and beyond, and are interested in taking part in this study, please contact Dr. Anthony Borneman on 08 8313 6600 or anthony.borneman@awri.com.au.
Vineyard scale control options
The AWRI helpdesk has recently noted an increase in queries about scale insects in vineyards and the options available for controlling these pests. The 2015/16 ‘Dog book’ recommends paraffinic oil or petroleum oil sprays applied at dormancy for grapevine scale. The effectiveness of this treatment relies on good coverage as the oil kills the scale via suffocation. During the growing season, the registered options have until recently been limited to a number of organophosphate insecticides: azinphos-methyl, chlorpyrifos, maldison and methidathion. These active constituents are broad spectrum and not typically compatible with integrated pest management (IPM) programs because they also affect the natural enemies of scale, including parasitic wasps, lacewings and ladybirds. Growers are advised to contact their winery or grape purchaser before using any of these insecticide sprays. A new active constituent, spirotetramat, that targets sap-sucking insects, has now been registered for the suppression of grapevine scale in vineyards.
Unlike the organophosphate products, spirotetramat is claimed to be compatible with IPM programs. The recommended restriction on use for grapes destined for export wine is “use no later than E-L 18, 14 leaves separated, flower caps still in place, but cap colour fading from green”.
One of the important functions of Entwine Australia is to provide Australian grapegrowers and winemakers with data that allows them to identify opportunities to improve their environmental performance. Through the Extension and Outreach project ‘Building Resilience and Sustainability in the Grape and Wine Sector’ funded by the Australian Government Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, the AWRI has updated the Australian Wine Carbon Calculator and developed a benchmarking ‘dashboard’ for all members. All Entwine Australia members now have access to their personalised dashboard of data for the 2014/15 season. To access results, members can log in here.
Entwine members are encouraged to compare their data to others in their region or business size category to see how their production performance and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions compare. In the example below, the dial shows that this grower’s diesel use is ranked in the top quartile (75%) of all growers in the region. With this knowledge that there is room for improvement, the grower can look at some of the other benchmarking dials to assist with the identification of opportunities for improvement. Yield and water use are average for the region, which suggests that the high diesel use is not associated with the diesel pump being used for irrigation and that the grower should review other sources of diesel consumption. By reviewing their spray and soil management practices against what is considered best practice for the region, this grower can potentially make changes and improve their ranking in the region with associated significant cost savings on diesel and lower GHG emissions.
Example of how to use information from the Entwine benchmarking ‘dashboard’ to achieve cost savings, reduced GHG emissions and continuous improvement.
The AWRI Extension and Outreach team will be presenting the results of the Entwine benchmarking data in a series of workshops around Australia in the coming months. Workshops will be publicised through regional associations, email notifications, the AWRI website, the Australian Grape and Wine Events Calendar and Twitter.
For assistance with the interpretation of benchmarking data, please download this user manual. For more information about Entwine, watch the recent Entwine webinar or contact the AWRI helpdesk on 08 8313 6600 or helpdesk@awri.com.au.
Are you on the AWAC mailing list?
The AWRI’s Advanced Wine Assessment Course is an intensive wine tasting course, held over four days and including more than 320 wines. In each course guest judges share their advice and experiences of tasting under wine show conditions. The course program challenges and develops the ability of participants to assess wine reliably and helps to develop a common wine vocabulary. Many participants undertake the course as a step to becoming a wine show judge, while others value the ability to benchmark their wine assessment ability and improve their skills. Places in the course are determined by ballot. To take part in the next ballot, join the AWAC mailing list by completing this online form.
One-day wine show judging course returns in November
The AWRI’s newest one-day course Wine show judging – an insider’s view of panel tastings will be held for the second time on 20 November. This course gives small groups of participants the opportunity to taste under wine show conditions with guidance from three experienced wine show chairs. Places in this course are limited to 15 participants and can be reserved online. For more information on the AWRI’s tasting courses, please contact the events team on 08 8313 6600 or events@awri.com.au.
AWITC & TE update
With less than nine months to go until the 16th Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference and Trade Exhibition, activity is ramping up for the planning committee and staff. The preliminary conference program is now available and the majority of speaker invitations have been sent out. Keep an eye on the AWITC twitter account for announcements about speakers and topics.
Submit your poster abstract now for a chance to win a prize or be selected to present your research in one of the ‘Fresh science’ conference sessions. The technical poster display is a key component of every AWITC, giving researchers a chance to present their latest results and interact directly with delegates.
In case you missed the news when it was announced, WFA’s Outlook Conference and McWilliam’s Maurice O’Shea Award Dinner will be held in Adelaide in conjunction with the 16th AWITC. Outlook’s comprehensive business and marketing content will be presented in sessions on Monday 25 July with the Award Dinner that evening. The Award Dinner will take the place of the traditional conference dinner and will provide a fantastic opportunity to network and celebrate the latest winner of industry’s most prestigious award.
Sales of space at the Trade Exhibition are progressing well – further details are available on the AWITE website.
To keep in touch with all things AWITC & TE, make sure your email address is on the AWITC mailing list.
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:
1737 Smith, P. Assessment of relationships between grape chemical composition and grape allocation grade for Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Chardonnay. Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (620): 30-32; 2015.
1738 Hill, M., Cowey, G. The adoption of innovations by Australian grapegrowers and winemakers. Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (620): 70-72; 2015.
1739 Nordestgaard, S. The history of wine presses: Part 2: Continuous presses… and what next? Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (620): 73, 75-76, 78-79; 2015.
1740 Cowey, G. DIY haze and deposit identification. Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (620): p. 87; 2015.
1741 Francis, I.L., Williamson, P.O. Application of consumer sensory science in wine research. Aust. J. Grape Wine Res. doi: 10.1111/ajgw.12169; 2015.
1742 Stockley, C.S., Johnson, D.L. Adverse food reactions from consuming wine. Aust. J. Grape Wine Res. doi: 10.1111/ajgw.12171; 2015.
1743 Longbottom, M. ASVO Mildura seminar – was it the best yet? Wine Vitic. J. 30 (5): p. 15; 2015.
1744 Reschke, S., Tran, T., Bekker, M., Wilkes, E., Johnson, D. Using copper more effectively in winemaking. Wine Vitic. J. 30 (5): 35-37, 39; 2015.
1745 Powell, K., Krstic, M. Rootstock tolerance and resistance to different genetic strains of phylloxera. Wine Vitic. J. 30 (5): 48-51; 2015.
1746 Dry, P. Lagrein. Wine Vitic. J. 30 (5): p. 61; 2015.
1747 Giaccio, J., Curtin, C.D., Sefton, M.A., Taylor, D.K. Relationship between Menthiafolic acid and wine lactone in wine. J. Agric. Food Chem. 63 (37): 8241–8246; 2015.
1748 Bachhuka, A., Christo, S.J., Cavallaro, A., Diener, K.R., Mierczynska, A., Smith, L.E., Marian, R., Manavis, J., Hayball, J.D., Vasilev, K. Hybrid core/shell microparticles and their use for understanding biological processes. J. Colloid Interface Sci. 457: 9-17; 2015.
1749 Clark, A.C., Wilkes, E.N., Scollary, G.R. Chemistry of copper in white wine: a review. Aust. J. Grape Wine Res. 21 (3): 339-350; 2015.
1750 Sternes, P.R., Moyle, R.L. Deep sequencing reveals divergent expression patterns within the small RNA transcriptomes of cultured and vegetative tissues of sugarcane. Plant Mol. Biol Rep. 33 (4): 931-951; 2015.
1751 Moyle, R.L., Sternes, P.R., Birch, R.G. Incorporating target sequences of developmentally regulated small RNAs into transgenes to enhance tissue specificity of expression in plants. Plant Mol. Biol Rep. 33 (3): 505-511; 2015.
1752 Stockley, C.S. The relationship between alcohol, wine and cardiovascular diseases – A review. Nutr. Aging doi: 10.3233/NUA-150052; 2015.
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.
The October 2015 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.
Environmental factors and seasonality affect the concentration of rotundone in Vitis vinifera L. cv. Shiraz wine
Towards a scientific interpretation of the terroir concept: plasticity of the grape berry metabolome
Interaction of grape skin, seed, and pulp tissues on tannin and anthocyanin extraction in Pinot Noir wines
Bunch stem necrosis
Developments in destemming and sorting technology. Part two: harvester-mounted destemmers and sorters
Vintage 2015 – observations from the AWRI helpdesk
Current literature – oenology
Impact of maceration times on the structure and perception of tannin in Pinot Noir wines
The influences of different winemaking techniques on the mouthfeel of Shiraz grapes
The effect of half plunging and no plunging as alternative winemaking techniques on phenolic extraction and pigment composition of wine
Influence of different yeast strains on metabolism of tryptophan and indole-3-acetic acid during fermentation
A new look at an old practice: how sulfur dioxide additions influence microbial diversity during fermentation
Non-Saccharomyces killer toxins: possible biocontrol agents against Brettanomyces in wine?
Rationale for a stronger disposition of Chardonnay wines for stuck and sluggish fermentation
Influence of berry size on red wine colour and composition
Influence of grape composition on red wine ester profile: comparison between Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz cultivars from Australian warm climate
HACCP considerations: plastic polymers in the wine industry
Assessing the sensory profiles of sparkling wine over time
Current literature – viticulture
Delayed pruning shifted Shiraz maturity by two weeks in 2015
Indicators of soil quality in viticulture: Part 1: Physical and chemical properties
Soil management systems: effects on soil properties and weed flora
Spatial and temporal scales of future climate information for climate change adaptation in viticulture: a case study of user needs in the Australian winegrape sector
Impact of elevated temperature and water deficit on the chemical and sensory profiles of Barossa Shiraz grapes and wines
Accumulation pattern of flavonoids in Cabernet Sauvignon grapes grown in a low-latitude and high-altitude region
Temporal stability of within-field variability for total soluble solids in four irrigated grapevines cultivars growing under semi-arid conditions
The relative sustainability of organic, biodynamic and conventional viticulture. Part 2: vine health and grape yields
Recommendations for summer vineyard work: defoliation and shoot positioning to better manage disease
Growing wine quality: thiols. Adoption of vineyard practices can enhance fruit aromas in certain cultivars
Effect of water deficit and severe shoot trimming on the composition of Vitis vinifera L. Merlot grapes and wines
Natural enemies of soft scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Coccidae) in Australian vineyards
Managing resistance to anti-botrytis fungicides in the Champagne region: another example of collective success
It’s been a cold winter – but September is here and this is a good time to take stock of wines that have been going through maloloactic fermentation (MLF) during the colder months. The start of spring can be a critical opportunity to act to prevent wine spoilage because wines that are slow to complete MLF have low levels of SO2 and are therefore vulnerable to spoilage organisms.
If analysis shows that wines are progressing through MLF very slowly or VA levels are creeping up, then it’s time to take action – warming or re-seeding might be required. Key steps for preparing a MLF starter culture can be found in this protocol. Where barrels of wine have completed MLF, it’s important not to leave them with low SO2 levels – racking and SO2 additions should be carried out as soon as possible after MLF completes to minimise the risk of spoilage.
For more information on managing slow MLFs, please contact the helpdesk on helpdesk@awri.com.au or 08 8313 6600.
Entwine moves to the AWRI
The recent change in management of Entwine Australia, the Australian wine industry’s national environmental assurance program, was well timed to coincide with membership renewals and collection of the annual environmental benchmarking data. This year, for the first time, all members will receive a personalised benchmarking report to assist them to identify areas of environment expertise and also opportunities for improvement. The new Entwine Australian Wine Carbon Calculator (AWCC) and benchmarking tool convert the raw environmental indicators provided by members into a ‘dashboard’ display which shows the performance ranking of each member. The displays can be modified to compare an individual member’s data against others in their region, the data of all members nationally or against other vineyards or wineries of the same size. This enables a grower to compare their environmental performance to that of others in their region and elsewhere.
The next stage of this project, due for release in October, is to expand the reporting of regional benchmarks to assist growers to effectively identify opportunities to reduce greenhouse emissions and increase production efficiency. These results will be extended to industry in a series of 27 workshops being held across all regions in the next ten months. Workshops will be publicised through regional associations, email notifications, the AWRI website, the Australian Grape and Wine Events Calendar and Twitter.
The upgrades to the AWCC have been made available through the Extension and Outreach project which is funded by the Australian Government. More information about Entwine and the Australian Wine Carbon Calculator can be accessed on the AWRI website here or check out the other resources from the Extension and Outreach project here.
Drones, frost, flotation and making lower alcohol wines
What do these topics have in common? They are all coming up soon in the AWRI webinar program! Each Thursday morning at 11.30 am Australian Central Standard Time (Adelaide, GMT+9:30), you can tune into a webinar from your desktop. You will hear the presenter’s voice, see their slides and can ask questions after the presentation. A full list of this year’s topics and links to register can be found here. If you have any questions or need help, contact the information services team on 08 8313 6600 or infoservices@awri.com.au.
Yeast matchmaking delivers low VA breeds
Who doesn’t enjoy the exquisite taste of a ‘sticky’? Botrytis wine styles are popular with consumers, but wine yeast can find them challenging to ferment due to the very high sugar concentrations in botrytised juice. Robust commercial strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae are generally the yeast of choice for such products; however, even these yeasts can find the conditions difficult and, as a result, the wines can suffer from elevated levels of volatile acidity.
To address this issue, researchers at the AWRI have used traditional yeast breeding techniques to produce interspecific hybrids between a robust S. cerevisiae wine yeast and S. uvarum (the yeast previously known as Saccharomyces bayanus that is known for its ability to produce wines with lower acetic acid levels). The hybrid progeny display the targeted properties from each parent: robust fermentation in botrytised Riesling juice and low volatile acidity production.
Two S. cerevisiae x S. uvarum hybrid strains (AWRI 1571 and AWRI 1572) show suitability for use in producing wine styles that are traditionally troubled by excessive volatile acidity levels. While these strains are not yet available for winemakers as active dried yeast products, they can be accessed through the AWRI Wine Microorganism Culture Collection (culture@awri.com.au).
A report on this work entitled ‘Designing and creating Saccharomyces interspecific hybrids for improved, industry relevant, phenotypes’ was recently published in the peer-reviewed journal Applied Microbiology and Biotechnologyand is available from the AWRI library.
Looking to the past and future of grape pressing technology
AWRI Senior Engineer Simon Nordestgaard recently shared his in-depth knowledge of grape pressing technology (past, present and future) at the Winery Engineering Association Conference in the Barossa. Simon studied grape pressing as part of his PhD studies at the University of Adelaide. His presentation went back to presses used in Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome, through technological developments of the 19th and 20th centuries, to present day and beyond.
Simon has also recently authored two articles on the history of grape presses for Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker. The first article, which looks at the history of batch press technologies, was published in the August edition. The second article, which focuses on continuous presses and some future perspectives, will come out shortly in the September edition.
For those who’d like to hear more about this subject, Simon will be repeating the presentation he gave at the WEA conference on 9 September in Adelaide at an event hosted by Engineers Australia, the Institution of Chemical Engineers, the Royal Australian Chemical Institute and the Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology. For more information, or to register, visit the event webpage.
Seminar and workshop update
The AWRI Grape and Wine Roadshow team has been busy over the past few months delivering seminars and workshops across Australia. Seminars have recently been presented in: Rutherglen, Bendigo, Avoca, McLaren Vale, Canberra, Orange, Mudgee and Clare.
The next roadshow seminar will be in the Barossa Valley on Tuesday, 8 September and the ‘Adapting to Difficult Vintages’ workshop will be presented in Mudgee, Orange and Canberra in late October. In addition, ‘Opportunities in a new climate’ workshops will be delivered across SA over the next few months, presenting the latest on climate change mitigation and the recently acquired Entwine Australia program.
Two government reviews relevant to the grape and wine sector have recently been announced, where comments or submissions can be made by interested parties. The first is an inquiry into agricultural innovation and the second is a review of Safe Food Australia – the explanatory guide to food safety standards in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.
The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Agriculture and Industry is conducting an inquiry into agricultural innovation.
The Committee will inquire into and report on the role of technology in increasing agricultural productivity in Australia. The inquiry will have particular regard to:
improvements in the efficiency of agricultural practices due to new technology, and the scope for further improvements;
emerging technology relevant to the agricultural sector, in areas including but not limited to telecommunications, remote monitoring and drones, plant genomics, and agricultural chemicals; and
barriers to the adoption of emerging technology.
The Committee has set Friday 25 September 2015 as the closing date for the receipt of submissions. Details on how to make a submission are available here.
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has released a consultation paper on a review of Safe Food Australia.
Safe Food Australia is an explanatory guide to the food safety standards in Chapter 3 of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, which is used as a practical tool, by both industry and regulators, to help understand and implement safe food handling practices.
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is currently reviewing Safe Food Australia to address current food safety issues and trends, provide new guidance for mobile vendors and home-based vendors and to update the evidence referenced in the guide. FSANZ is also considering the format and delivery of the publication, for example by providing it in mobile friendly formats.
Don’t miss your chance to attend tasting courses in November
The AWRI will hold two Advanced Wine Assessment Courses in November. The ballot for places will be held shortly, so register your details if you’re not already on the list. Anyone who has registered previously will be automatically entered into the ballot.
The AWACs will be followed on Friday 20 November by a return of the one-day course ‘Wine show judging – an insider’s view of panel tastings’ which was successfully held for the first time in July. This course gives small groups of participants the opportunity to taste under wine show conditions with guidance from three experienced wine show chairs (Sam Connew, PJ Charteris and David Bicknell). Places in this course are limited to 15 participants – reserve your place now!
For more information on the AWRI’s tasting courses, please contact the events team on 08 8313 6600 or events@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 full list of AWRI publications published since the last eNews is included below:
1725 Nordestgaard, S. Developments in destemming and sorting technology. Part two: Harvester-mounted destemmers and sorters. Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (618): 27-29; 2015.
1726 Petrie, P. Ask the AWRI: Bunch stem necrosis. Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (618): p. 36; 2015.
1727 Sparrow, A.M., Dambergs, R.G., Bindon, K.A., Smith, P.A., Close, D.C. Interaction of grape skin, seed, and pulp on tannin and anthocyanin extraction in Pinot noir wines. Am. J. Enol. Vitic. doi: 10.5344/ajev.2015.15022; 2015.
1728 Coulter, A., Cowey, G., Petrie, P., Essling, M., Holdstock, M., Stockley, C., Simos, C., Johnson, D. Vintage 2015 – observations from the AWRI helpdesk. Wine Vitic. J. 30 (4): 38-40; 2015.
1729 Longbottom, M. Compressed, crushed and crowned. Wine Vitic. J. 30 (4): p. 10; 2015.
1730 Dry, P. Cortese. Wine Vitic. J. 30 (4): p. 60; 2015.
1731 Cordente, A.G., Capone, D.L., Curtin, C.D. Unravelling glutathione conjugate catabolism in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: the role of glutathione/dipeptide transporters and vacuolar function in the release of volatile sulphur compounds 3-mercaptohexan-1-ol and 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. doi: 10.1007/s00253-015-6833-5; 2015.
1732 Anesi, A., Stocchero, M., Dal Santo, S., Commisso, M., Zenoni, S., Ceoldo, S., Tornielli G.B., Siebert, T.E., Herderich, M., Pezzotti, M. Guzzo, F. Towards a scientific interpretation of the terroir concept: plasticity of the grape berry metabolome. BMC Plant Biology 15 (191): 1-17; 2015.
1733 Zhang, P., Howell, K., Krstic, M., Herderich, M., Barlow, E.W.R., Fuentes, S. Environmental factors and seasonality affect the concentration Rotundone in Vitis Vinifera L. cv. Shiraz wine. PLoS ONE 10 (7): e0133137; 2015.
1734 Nordestgaard, S. The history of wine presses. Part 1: Batch presses. Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (619): 64-71; 2015.
1735 Stockley, C. Ask the AWRI: Wine consumption and heart health. Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (619): p. 72; 2015.
1736 Capone, D.L., Sefton, M.A., Jeffery, D.W., Francis, I.L. Terroir or terpenoid transformation: the origin of 1,8-cineole (eucalyptol) in wine. Hofmann, T., Krautwurst, D., Schieberle, P. (eds.) Proceedings of the 10th Wartburg Symposium on Flavor Chemistry and Biology, Eisenach, Germany, 16-19 April, 2013. Freising, Germany: Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Lebensmittelchemie: 130-136; 2014.
Acknowledgement
The AWRI acknowledges funding 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.
The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) has approved the active constituent spirotetramat for use on wine-grapes. Movento 240 SC (APVMA 61864) is registered for control of longtailed mealybug (Pseudococcus longispinus) and tuber mealybug (Pseudococcus virburni) and for suppression of grapevine scale (Parthenolecanium persicae), plague thrips (Thrips imaginis) and northern plague thrips (Thrips safrus).
Movento 240 SC is a Bayer CropScience Pty Ltd product. The label withholding period (WHP) is four weeks before harvest.
Recommended restriction on use for grapes destined for export wine: Use no later than E-L 18, 14 leaves separated, flower caps still in place, but cap colour fading from green.
New withholding period for azoxystrobin and tebuconazole
The WHP for active constituents azoxystrobin and tebuconazole has changed to ‘Use no later than E-L 29, berries peppercorn size (4 mm diameter)’. This recommendation is for grapes destined for export wine and applies to all products containing these actives, either alone or in combination.
The changes to 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.
New approaches and technologies feature strongly in the four AWRI webinars coming up in September. If you’re interested in new ways to do things or concerned about the potential for frost in the upcoming spring, then you’ll want to set aside some of these Thursday mornings to hear the latest research and advice.
3 September: What are the relationships between grape chemical composition, grape allocation grade and wine style? – Paul Smith, AWRI
10 September: Using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the vineyard – Tony Proffitt, AHA Viticulture and Precision Viticulture Australia
17 September: Vineyard frost management strategies – Paul Petrie, AWRI
24 September: Juice Flotation: a better winemaking tool than cold settling? – Toby Barlow, St Hallett
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.
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). A headset is highly recommended.
The European Union have notified of a change to the maximum residue level (MRL) and residue definition for captan. The MRL for captan has changed from 0.02 mg/kg (limit of quantification) to 0.03 mg/kg (limit of quantification), and the residue definition is now the sum of captan and THPI (expressed as captan). THPI (tetrahydrophthalimide) is the main metabolite when captan breaks down. The change is expected to enter into force in early January 2016. To comply with the new residue regulations, captan is not recommended for use on grapes destined for export wines.
The AWRI is supporting Wine Australia and Winemakers’ Federation Australia who are working through the Federal Department of Agriculture to resolve this trade issue.
Alternative chemical options for control of black spot, botrytis bunch rot, downy mildew and phomopsis cane and leaf spot are listed in the ‘Dog book’. The AWRI recommends growers consult with their winery and follow their winery guidelines for agrochemical sprays.
For more information, please contact Marcel Essling on 08 8313 6600 or email helpdesk@awri.com.au.
The AWRI webinar series for 2015-16 gets started next week. A series of 22 webinars will be presented between now and April 2016, covering a wide range of winemaking and viticulture topics. 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 four webinars in August will be:
6 August: Field grafting winegrapes – Tony Hoare, Hoare Consulting
13 August: Monitoring Brett, what are your options? – Tina Tran, AWRI
20 August: Soil health – Robert White, University of Melbourne
27 August: Understanding fungicide resistance in Australian vineyards – Barbara Hall, SARDI
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). A headset is highly recommended.
Robot brings MLF research into ‘high-throughput’ era
Malolactic fermentation research at the AWRI has entered the ‘high-throughput’ era with the aid of a new robotic liquid handling system. Using miniaturised wine fermentations in 96-well microplates, the robotic system (Tecan Evo 150) is automating the screening of large numbers of malolactic bacteria strains. The bacteria, sourced from the AWRI’s wine microorganism culture collection and elsewhere, are being screened for MLF efficiency and response to wine stress factors such as alcohol and low pH.
The robot can prepare and inoculate multiple combinations of bacteria strains and stress factors in red or white test wine, and then analyse malic acid in thousands of samples over the course of the fermentation. For example, in one batch, 40 bacteria strains can be screened for MLF efficiency and response to alcohol and pH stress in red wine, with over 6,000 individual L-malic acid analyses performed.
This high-throughput approach provides a quantum leap in screening capabilities compared to conventional MLF testing methods, and can be applied to a range of other research applications. Additionally, the phenotypic data obtained from this research is being further analysed with genomic information, which will identify potential genetic markers for the stress tolerances of malolactic strains.
Entwine moves to the AWRI
Entwine Australia, the Australian wine industry’s national environmental assurance program, is on the move. It was announced last week that the management of Entwine Australia is transferring from the Winemakers’ Federation of Australia (WFA) to the AWRI. The program will fit in well with a suite of other AWRI environmental and viticultural projects, including the contract for national biosecurity arrangements recently awarded to the AWRI by Wine Grape Growers Australia.
The Entwine Australia program provides Australian winemakers and wine-grape growers with formal recognition of their environmental practices according to recognised international standards. To qualify for membership, companies must be certified against an approved, independently audited environmental management system and report annually against a set of defined resource use indicators.
Existing Entwine members should experience a seamless transition, with membership renewals now due between 1 August and 30 September.
For more information about the Entwine changes, please contact Damien Griffante at WFA (entwine@wfa.org.au or 08 8133 4306) or Mardi Longbottom at the AWRI (mardi.longbottom@awri.com.au or 08 8313 6600).
‘Moo-ving’ forward with grape marc
AWRI researchers and a ‘sensory panel’ of beef cattle are investigating the methane reducing potential of grape marc as a livestock feed additive. Following a successful pilot-scale trial, the next step is a 100-day grape marc feeding experiment. In the trial thirty-six Angus beef cattle will munch their way through 30 tonnes of grape marc. Two different types of grape marc (steam distilled and steam distilled crimped) and a control feed additive will be added to the cattle’s diet at a 10% inclusion rate. The trial will compare the different additives in terms of methane production, feed cost, feed refusal, feed use efficiency and live-weight gain.
The full-scale feeding trial is being run in collaboration with the University of New England (UNE) and Tarac Technologies. To preserve the grape marc throughout the trial it is being stored in grain bags (see photo) filled using specialist equipment.
The feeding trial is currently in its three-week induction and adaptation phase, allowing cattle to acclimatise to the feed, the environment and the methane capturing technology. Following adaptation, a 70-day growth and intake study will commence, with results expected by late October.
For more information, check out this video highlighting some of the AWRI’s research on the potential of grape marc, or contact Kieran Hirlam, Project Technician Commercial Services at kieran.hirlam@awri.com.au or 8313 0360.
Wine show judging – an insider’s view
On 31 July the AWRI will present a brand new one-day course that will provide an insider’s view of judging on the national wine show circuit. Three highly respected current or former national wine show chairs (Sam Connew, David Bicknell and PJ Charteris) will take course participants onto their ‘panels’ as associate judges. Over the day each panel will taste six brackets of wine selected from a recent national wine show. Participants will taste through the wines and then work with the panel chair to discuss each one and reach a consensus panel score – just as a panel would in a wine show.
Each associate judge will judge two brackets with each of the three guest judges, experiencing their different judging styles and tips. The course program will include one bracket of sparkling wine, two brackets of white wines and three brackets of red wines.
Limited to just 15 places, this is a unique opportunity for participants to hone their wine judging skills under national wine show conditions, with guidance from some of Australia’s top wine show judges. Register now to secure a place, or contact the AWRI events team via events@awri.com.au or 08 8313 6600 for more information.
New pest and disease app on the way
The AWRI is collaborating with the Department of Agriculture and Food in Western Australia to help develop a new pest and disease app for grapevines. This app is based on the successful MyPestGuide for the grains industry and will be available to growers across all Australian wine regions. It aims to assist growers with the identification of exotic and endemic pests and diseases, based on photos and descriptions of the pests and the damage they cause.
Grapegrowers will also be able to submit queries, including photos, for assistance with identification. The app will help provide an early warning of a pest or disease epidemic or the incursion of a pest or disease that is new to a region. Once a pest or disease has been identified, a link to the AWRI ‘Dog Book’ will provide information on control options and withholding periods for agrochemicals. The target launch date for the app is December 2015 and it will be available for both Apple and Android devices. For more information, please contact Paul Petrie on paul.petrie@awri.com.au.
Latest ‘Dog book’ available
TThe 2015/16 version of the AWRI’s booklet Agrochemicals registered for use in Australian viticulture, commonly known as the ‘Dog book’, is now available. The booklet will be distributed by mail to Australian levy payers and will also be included as an insert in the July edition of Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker.
The information in the ‘Dog book’ can be accessed in a number of different ways: the printed booklet, a pdf version of the booklet, the agrochemical online search webpage or the agrochemicals app available from iTunes or Google Play. While the printed version is updated yearly, the pdf, search page and apps are updated as changes occur. For more information about agrochemicals, visit the agrochemicals page on the AWRI website, check out the frequently asked questions on agrochemical recommendations or contact the AWRI helpdesk on 08 8313 6600 or helpdesk@awri.com.au.
Payroll tax exemption
The AWRI has recently been granted an exemption from payroll tax by the Government of South Australia. The exemption recognises the AWRI’s position as a non-profit research organisation working for the benefit of the grape and wine industry. It will allow the AWRI to deliver more research, development and extension activities for the same level of industry investment, providing growers and winemakers with a greater return on their research levies.
Regional workshops kick off
McLaren Vale hosted one of the first regional extension and outreach (E&O) workshops late last month. These workshops, supported by funding from the Australian government, discuss opportunities for vineyards and wineries to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In addition to an update on the Emissions Reduction Fund, the AWRI team presented the results of a recently completed project measuring N2O emissions from Australian vineyards, including McLaren Vale.
Kieran Hirlam and Josh Hixson from the AWRI also presented results from their work investigating the use of grape marc to reduce methane emissions from dairy cows. The new online version of the Australian Wine Carbon Calculator, developed through the E&O project and launched on 1 July, was also showcased. The calculator gives growers and wineries the opportunity to understand and model how to reduce their GHG emissions and, using the benchmarking function, measure their performance against others in their region. This workshop is the beginning of a series of 29 workshops being staged across Australia in the next 12 months. Watch out for a workshop in your region via the Australian Grape and Wine Events Calendar. For more information about the E&O project, visit https://www.awri.com.au/industry_support/new_climate/ or contact the AWRI helpdesk on helpdesk@awri.com.au or 08 8313 6600.
Questions and answers
The helpdesk team has been busy putting together new content for the AWRI website based on technical questions that are commonly asked. Four new pages of questions and answers have been developed, covering the following topics:
If you have more questions that need answering, contact the helpdesk on helpdesk@awri.com.au or 08 8313 6600.
Call for AWITC workshop convenors
The 16th Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference and Trade Exhibition returns to Adelaide in July 2016 – just over a year from now. The AWITC is seeking workshop convenors to coordinate grape and wine technical or business workshops at next year’s event. If you have engaging, novel, interactive content to share, please get in touch! Support will be provided to make convening as simple as possible – if you can coordinate content and presenters, the AWITC workshop team can do the rest.
To express your interest, please complete this online form. For further information, please contact the workshop coordinators (Con Simos and Francesca Blefari) on workshops@awitc.com.au or 08 8313 6600. Expressions of interest will close on 31 August 2015.
AWITC and Outlook conferences to join forces
For the first time, the Australian wine industry’s premier technical and business conferences will be held together, in Adelaide in July 2016. The AWITC Inc. and the Winemakers’ Federation of Australia this week announced an alliance between the 16th Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference and the Outlook conference. This alliance will bring together comprehensive industry policy, business and marketing content with the latest technical breakthroughs in grapegrowing and winemaking. Both conferences will be complemented by the Australian Wine Industry Trade Exhibition (AWITE) – Australia’s premier showcase of wine technology, equipment and services. For more information, please contact Kate Beames, Conference Manager, on kate.beames@awitc.com.au or 08 8313 6600.
What’s new in eBooks?
Eight new eBooks have recently been added to the AWRI’s collection with topics including native Italian grape varieties, wine laboratory practices, winemaking problem solving, tasting and food and wine pairing. To keep in touch and read the latest additions to the collection, visit the new eBook titles page on the AWRI website.
Staff and Board achievements
AWRI scientists Dr Tina Tran and Dr Marlize Bekker have been named as finalists in the 2015 South Australian Science Excellence Awards. Winners will be announced at a gala dinner in August.
AWRI Board member, Prof. Brian Schmidt, was recently announced as the next Vice-Chancellor of the Australian National University in Canberra. Brian will take up the position in January 2016.
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:
1708 Van Sluyter, S.C., McRae, J.M., Falconer, R.J. Falconer, Smith, P.A., Bacic, A., Waters, E.J., Marangon, M. Wine protein haze: mechanisms of formation and advances in prevention. J. Agric. Food Chem. 63 (16): 4020-4030; 2015.
1709 Smith, P., Bindon, K., McRae, J., Kassara, S., Johnson, D. Tannin: impacts and opportunities along the value chain. Wines Vines 96 (1A): 17-18, 20-21; 2015.
1710 Zhang, P., Barlow, S., Krstic, M., Herderich, M.J., Fuentes, S., Howell, K. Within-vineyard, within-vine and within-bunch variability of rotundone concentration in berries of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Shiraz. J. Agric. Food Chem. 63 (17): 4276-4283; 2015.
1711 Contreras, A., Hidalgo, C., Schmidt, S., Henschke, P.A., Curtin, C., Varela, C. The application of non-Saccharomyces yeast in fermentations with limited aeration as a strategy for the production of wine with reduced alcohol content. Int. J. Food Microbiol. 205: 7-15; 2015.
1712 Borneman, A.R., Pretorius, I.S. Genomic insights into the Saccharomyces sensu stricto complex. Genetics 199 (2): 281-291; 2015.
1713 Kidman, C.M., Olarte Mantilla, S., Dry, P.R., McCarthy, M.G., Collins, C. Ramsey and 110 Richter rootstocks perform well under water stress conditions in South Australia’s Barossa Valley. Wine Vitic. J. 30 (1): 43-45; 2015.
1714 Yui, E.M., Tai, G., Peverill, R.E., Lee, K.J., Croft, K.D., Mori, T.A., Scheiber-Mojdehkar, B., Sturm, B., Praschberger, M., Vogel, A.P., Rance, G., Stephenson, S.E.M., Sarsero, J.P., Stockley, C., Lee, C-Y.J., Churchyard, A., Evans-Galea, M.V., Ryan, M.M., Lockhart, P.J., Corben, L.A., Delataycki, M.B. An open-label trial in Friedreich ataxia suggests clinical benefit with high-dose resveratrol, without effect on frataxin levels. J. Neurol. 262 (5): 1344-1353; 2015.
1715 Pardo-Garcia, A.I., Wilkinson, K.L., Culbert, J.A., Lloyd, N.D.R., Alonso, G.L., Salinas, M.R. Accumulation of Glycoconjugates of 3-Methyl-4-hydroxyoctanoic acid in fruit, leaves and shoots of Vitis vinifera cv. Monastrell following foliar applications of oak extract or oak lactone. J. Agric. Food Chem. 63 (18): 4533-4538; 2015.
1716 Petrie, P. Ask the AWRI: Unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) and viticulture. Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (616): p. 47; 2015.
1717 Pretorius, I.S., Curtin, C.D., Chambers, P.J. Designing wine yeast for the future. Holzapfel, W. (Ed.) Advances in fermented foods and beverages: Improving quality, technologies and health benefits. Cambridge, U.K.: Woodhead Publishing. 197-226; 2015.
1718 Hayasaka, Y. Analysis of phthalates in wine using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry combined with a hold-back column: Chromatographic strategy to avoid the influence of pre-existingphthalate contamination in a liquid chromatography system. J. Chromatogr. A 1372:120-127; 2014.
1719 Dry, P. Teroldego. Wine Vitic. J. 30 (3): p. 61; 2015.
1720 Borneman, A., Bartowsky, E., Costello, P., Sternes, P., Chambers, P., Herderich, M., Johnson, D. Unravelling the capricious nature of Oenococcus oeni. Wine Vitic. J. 30 (3): 34, 36-37; 2015.
1721 Longbottom, M. Mildura Seminar just around the corner while Adelaide seminar planning under way to indentify this year’s ‘hot topic’. Wine Vitic. J. 30 (3): p. 10; 2015.
1722 Holdstock, M. Ask the AWRI: Trouble-free packaging. Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (617): p. 92; 2015.
1723 Nordestgaard, S. Developments in destemming and sorting technology. Part one: In the winery. Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (617): 96-102; 2015.
1724 Bellon, J.R., Yang, F., Day, M.P., Inglis, D.L., Chambers, P.J. Designing and creating Saccharomyces interspecific hybrids for improved, industry relevant, phenotypes. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology DOI 10.1007/s00253-015-6737-4: 13 p.; 2015.
Acknowledgement
The AWRI acknowledges funding from Australia’s grapegrowers and winemakers through their investment body, the Australian Grape and Wine Authority, with matching funds from the Australian Government. The AWRI is a member of the Wine Innovation Cluster in Adelaide, South Australia. The AWRI project Using grape marc as a feed additive in commercial settings is supported by funding from the Australian Government.
New arrangements for the management of the wine industry’s national environmental assurance program have been announced today with management of Entwine Australia transferring from the Winemakers’ Federation of Australia (WFA) to the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI).
