The April 2012 issue of Technical Review is now available for viewing online and for downloading. Access is available only to Australian winemakers and grapegrowers who pay the Wine Grapes or Grape Research levies.
To access the issue, click here.
The Australian Wine Research Institute Blog
eNews – March 2012
6 March 2012 >A question on tartaric acid use
Web-based tool to monitor grape maturity
Tell consumers about your Pinot G Style
Measure grape colour and tannin fast this vintage
Ensure your grapes and wine are smoke-free
New head for Commercial Services
International congress on wine and health: 2013
Changes to Wine Australia export requirements
Bothersome Brett
Are you having problems controlling Brett in the winery despite using best practice control methods? If you are using concentrations of molecular SO2 above 0.625 mg/L and you are still experiencing ‘Brett-blooms’, your wine may be affected by a sulfite-tolerant Brettanomyces strain. Send us a sample.
Your sample will form part of the AWRI’s research to develop strategies that can future-proof our industry against outbreaks of this sulfite-tolerant spoilage yeast.
If you are not routinely calculating molecular SO2 yielded after a sulfite addition, and you are Australian grape and wine sector member who pays a Wine Grapes or Grape Research Levy, don’t forget you have free access to an online molecular sulfur dioxide calculator at the practical solutions page of AWRI’s website.
To send us your sample, please contact Dr Chris Curtin for further information or to obtain a Brett barrel sampling kit.
Terroir revisited
Just love your Pinot Noir, but think it lacks just that bit of distinction? It could be the yeast you are using or perhaps you could benefit from more experimentation in the winery. Delegates of the International Cool Climate Symposium held recently in Hobart learnt some new winemaking techniques in a workshop aimed at Pinot Noir winemakers.
2011 Jimmy Watson Trophy winner, Nick Glaetzer (Frogmore Creek Wines), showed that simple wine processing methods and the use of newly developed non-conventional yeast strains can have a large impact on wine style. Nick showed that dabbling with the winemaking process can lead to interesting wines; stem and fermented skin inclusions, cold soaking and blending different varietals are all steps that the winemaker can choreograph.
The workshop showcased a new breed of hybrid wine yeasts developed at the AWRI. The faithful Pinot Noir standard yeast, RC 212, took a backseat to AWRI Fusion (a new hybrid yeast available from Mauri Yeast Australia), with Fusion winning hands-down in wine tasting preferences.
Use of the new hybrid yeasts is an easy tool for winemakers looking to ‘dial in’ innovative aromas and flavours to their wines. The non-conventional yeasts used in this workshop are available commercially:
Lallemand supply Enoferm Level 2 TD (Torulaspora delbrueckii), AWRI 1375 and AWRI 1176 (Saccharomyces bayanus)
Mauri Yeast Australia supply AWRI Fusion (Saccharomyces cerevisiae x Saccharomyces cariocanus hybrid) and AWRI 1503 (Saccharomyces cerevisiae x Saccharomyces kudriavzevii hybrid).
Contact Jenny Bellon for more information.
On the wood
Are you sure which wood is acceptable for use in winemaking in Australia? The AWRI and Wine Australia have recently received enquiries. According to Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) and the State and Territory health commissions, acacia cannot be used for wine barrels and that FSANZ should be consulted before using any timber other than oak. FSANZ can be contacted by phone on 06 6271 2286 or by http://www.foodstandards.gov.au
A question on tartaric acid use
The AWRI was asked recently whether DL tartaric acid can be used in Australian winemaking. The interpretation of the specifications for additives in the Australian and New Zealand Food Standards Code now suggests that winemakers can use L tartaric acid, D tartaric acid or a racemate or enantiomer mixture for winemaking in Australia. So what do you use?
The AWRI advises winemakers to continue to use L tartaric acid for acid adjustments in winemaking in order to avoid the formation of unpredictable calcium DL tartrate crystalline deposits that are more likely to occur when using D or the racemic tartaric acid. If you have any queries, just contact the AWRI Winemaking Services team by email or by telephone on 08 8313 6600.
Web-based tool to monitor grape maturity
The AWRI is looking to develop a new web-based tool for analysing grapes and managing grape maturity data. Grape quality decisions could be made in an objective manner as this tool aims to allow users to measure tannins, phenolics and colour in grapes. It would also offer data analysis and storage functions for more typical grape maturity measures.
To make sure the final product is as relevant to industry needs as possible, we need input from you!
Please click on the link below to access our survey on your current grape analysis practices and your interest in various aspects of the product we are developing.
Responding to the survey should take less than 10 minutes of your time and all respondents who provide contact details (this is optional) will go into a draw to win a year’s subscription to the new service. We’d appreciate receiving your response by 9 March 2012.
This is an exciting development and your contribution means a more practical tool will be available to grape and wine producers.
Click here to start the survey.
Tell consumers about your Pinot G Style
Now is the time to ensure your Pinot G wine doesn’t get left on the shelf in 2012. Your customers can tell at a glance what style of wine is in the bottle by using the Pinot G Style Spectrum on your label. Whether your style is crisp and racy or luscious and powerful, consumers will instantly know what style of wine to expect, and how to find more of the styles that they like. Already used on bottles sold in Australia, USA and New Zealand, the Pinot G Style Spectrum is proving a valuable communication tool.
So, what’s the next step? To have your wine assessed on the scale and for a step-by-step guide, visit our website or contact Commercial Services on 08 8313 6600 or pinotGstylespectrum@awri.com.au.
Measure grape colour and tannin fast this vintage
Need to quickly know the colour and tannin measurements in your grapes this vintage? Now you can. Same day results for grape quality analysis means faster decision making and improving your operations.
The AWRI Commercial Services now offers a modified Somers method for determining anthocyanins and phenolics, and also includes tannins on grape samples using a standard UV-Vis spectrophotometer.
Save time and costs by combining the grape colour and tannin assay with other grape maturity analyses. Further details on the various combinations of vintage analyses available including brix or baume, pH, titratable acidity, laccase activity and yeast assimilable nitrogen can be found here.
Please contact AWRI Commercial Services for more information on the new assay, and on sampling and transportation of grapes.
Ensure your grapes and wine are smoke-free
Think your grapes have been exposed to smoke? Don’t leave it to chance – have your grapes, juice or wine samples analysed for a range of free phenols which may impact on quality.
Research at the AWRI has demonstrated that some phenolic compounds such as guaiacol, 4-methylguaiacol, cresol and syringol are responsible for off-flavours and aromas caused by exposure to smoke. The AWRI Commercial Services is able to analyse grape, juice and wine samples for a range of free phenols.
Frozen grape samples can now be transported to the AWRI without a Plant Health Certificate from those areas not affected by Phylloxera. A copy of the AWRI Grape Material Movement and Declaration Form should be completed and sent with any samples.
AWRI Commercial Services is again offering smoke taint analysis for affected grapes at a reduced rate in order to support those affected by bushfires. Please contact Randell Taylor for more information or the AWRI Commercial Services website has further details on smoke taint analysis.
New head for Commercial Services
The AWRI’s Managing Director announced today the appointment of Dr Eric Wilkes to head up the AWRI’s Commercial Services group. Eric takes over the role vacated by Dr Vince O’Brien, who has accepted the role of AWRI’s Business Development Manager.
Vince, who has done a great job developing Commercial Services over the past four years into a lean and responsive successful business, was selected from a very strong field of internal and external candidates for the Business Development Manager’s position.
Eric has had a great deal of experience in managing technical projects and analytical facilities in the wine industry, and most recently in the role of AWRI’s Research Manager – Industry Applications, and he will be a great asset to both the analytical team and the project team within the AWRI’s Commercial Services group. Eric and Vince will assume their new roles on Monday, 5 March.
International congress on wine and health: 2013
The wine and health debate has never been more intense. The Fifth International Congress of Wine and Health will be held next year, and the proceedings from the fourth congress are now available.
The aim of these triennial congresses is to showcase recent research efforts in order to increase our understanding of the biological, medical and societal effects of wine. It also aims to provide direction for new research efforts into the effects of moderate wine consumption on human health, as well as to inform public health policy. The congress topics include epidemiology, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic diseases, and nutraceutical and societal aspects. The fifth conference is to be held in Australia in 2013, hosted by the AWRI, immediately following the Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference.
The proceedings from the fourth international congress, held in Friuli, Italy on 3-6 October 2010 (hosted by the University of Padova) are now available from the John Fornachon Memorial Library and from the Journal of Wine Research.
Changes to Wine Australia export requirements
Wine Australia has changed its requirement for the tasting of all wines that are exported. In the past, every consignment of wine over 100 litres exported from Australia needed to be evaluated sensorially by Wine Australia. As part of our service to our clients, the AWRI Commercial Services on-forwarded, at no charge, wine to Wine Australia for tasting.
As this requirement no longer exists, our clients now only have to send to the AWRI two bottles of each product to be exported for analytical testing instead of the four sent previously. The export approval analysis requirement still remains for all consignments of wine over 100 litres exported from Australia.
Recent literature
John Fornachon Memorial Library at the AWRI delivers journal articles and loans books to Australian grapegrowers and winemakers. Books can be searched and requested via the Library catalogue – or you can email us with your request.
- To order AWRI staff publications and articles from Technical Review please contact the Library
- Articles and books on specific topics can be searched for and ordered via the Library Catalogue
- To request a Literature search on a specific topic contact the Library via email or telephone (08) 8313 6600.
Recent AWRI staff publications
Bartowsky, E., Costello, P., Krieger-Weber, S., Markides, A., Francis, I., Travis, B. Influence of MLF on the fruity characters of red wine: bringing chemistry and sensory science together. Wine & viticulture journal 26(6): 27-33; 2011.
Borneman, A.R., Desany, B.A., Riches, D., Affourtit, J.P., Forgan A.H., Pretorius I.S., Egholm, M., Chambers, P.J. The genome sequence of the wine yeast VIN7 reveals an allotriploid hybrid genome with Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces kudriavzevii origins. FEMS yeast research 12(1): 88-96; 2012.
Borneman, A.R., Bartowsky, E.J. Comparative genomics in the wine bacterium Oenococcus oeni. Microbiology Australia 32 (4): 174-176; 2011.
Borneman, A.R., McCarthy, J.M., Chambers, P.J., Bartowsky, E.J. Functional divergence in the genus Oenococcus as predicted by genome sequencing. PLoS ONE 7(1); 2012.
Chambers, P. From omics to systems biology: towards a more complete description and understanding of biology. Microbiology Australia 32 (4): 174-176; 2011.
Coulter, A. Post-bottling spoilage – who invited Brett? Practical winery & vineyard 33 (1): 30-37; 2012.
Curtin, C., Borneman, A., Chambers, P.J., Pretorius, I.S. Winning at snakes and ladders. WBM (January/February), 18-25; 2012.
Dry, P. Root pruning and covercrops combine to control vigour. Australian & New Zealand grapegrower & winemaker (576): 29-30; 2012.
O’Brien, V., Johnson, D. Opportunities to improve winemaking profitability. Wine & viticulture journal 27(1): 18-21; 2012.
Parker, M., Osidacz, P., Baldock, G.A., Hayasaka, Y., Black, C.A., Pardon, K., Jeffery, D.W., Geue, J.P., Herderich, M., Francis, L. The contribution of several volatile phenols and their glycoconjugates to smoke related sensory properties of red wine. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry DOI: 10.1021/jf2040548: 2012.
Schmidt, S.A., Dillon, S., Kolouchova, R., Henschke, P.A., Borneman, A.R., Forgun, A.H., Chambers, P.J., Pretorius, I.S. Happy marriages and how to avoid getting stuck with the wrong partner. Practical winery and vineyard 33 (1): 6-7, 9-10, 12-14; 2012.
Stockley, C. More to the story of alcohol consumption and cancer. Australian & New Zealand grapegrower & winemaker (576): 45-46, 48-49; 2012.
Stockley, C. Alcohol and human health – sorting out the facts. Wine & viticulture journal27(1): 68-69; 2012.
Ting, C.S.C., Borneman, A.R., Pretorius, I.S. Wine-omics: new platforms for the improvement of yeast strains and wine quality. Benkeblia, N. Omics technologies tools for food science. Chapter 14: 339-365; 2012.
Varela, C., Schmidt, S.A., Borneman, A.R., Krömer, J.O., Khan, A., Chambers, P.J. The Australian Wine Yeast Systems Biology Consortium. Systems Biology: a new paradigm for industrial yeast strain development. Microbiology Australia 32 (4): 151-155; 2011.
Winter, G., Henschke, P.A., Higgins, V.J., Ugliano, M., Curtin, C.D. Effects of rehydration nutrients on H2S metabolism and formation of volatile sulfur compounds by the wine yeast VL3. AMB Express 1(36): 11p.; 2011.
Disclaimer: The material contained in this publication is comment of a general nature only and is not and nor is it intended to be advice on any specific technical or professional matter. In that the effectiveness or accuracy of any technical or professional advice depends upon the particular circumstances of each case, neither the AWRI nor any individual author accepts any responsibility whatsoever for any acts or omissions resulting from reliance upon the content of any articles. Before acting on the basis of any material contained in this publication, we recommend that you consult appropriate technical/professional advisers.
Late season Botrytis management options and considerations
24 February 2012 >While many regions are now well into the thick of harvest, some regions are experiencing unfavourable late season weather conditions that are conducive to the development of botrytis.
Control options can be costly. To make an informed decision, establish whether or not disease severity is still at an acceptably low level. You will need to discuss the thresholds for crop acceptance with your grape purchaser. Typical limits are around 3% (for all diseases and moulds). If disease severity is low, hot dry weather may result in the first wave of diseased berries drying up naturally. Under cooler but dry conditions, moisture from overnight dews may promote further, but slow, disease development so practices that promote airflow and reduce humidity in the fruit zone are helpful.
There are a range of chemical options available, however spraying effectively late season is challenging because of the difficulty in obtaining good coverage of bunches and berries. There is a strong argument not to spray when botrytis is present in very tight bunches that are leaking juice from berries being pushed off the rachis (main stem) because further breakdown of this fruit is likely, with or without spraying. In this situation, hand removal of affected bunches or selective harvesting may be an option.
Chemical options:
If you are within 30 days of harvest, the chemical options for botrytis control are listed in the table below. These recommendations are for fruit destined for export wine. Agrochemicals applied to fruit destined for the domestic wine market have shorter withholding periods and these are found on the label.
| Active Constituent(s) | Activity group | Some registered products | Restrictions on use |
| Potassium salts of fatty acids | U1 | Ecoprotector | Use no later than 14 days before harvest |
| Hydrogen peroxide + peroxyacetic acid (suppression only) | M + M | Peratec, Peroxy Treat | Use no later than 7 days before harvest |
| iprodione | 2 | Chief Aquaflo, Corvette Flowable, Corvette Liquid, innova Iprodione 500 Aquaflo, Ippon 500 Aquaflo, Ipral 250, Iprine 250, Iprine 500, Iprodione 250, Iprodione Aquaflow 500, Iprodione Liquid 250, Rovral Aquaflo, Rovral Liquid, Subscribe, Transact | Use no later than 7 days before harvest. Consult your winery/grape purchaser before spraying within 30 days of harvest |
For further information on the management of Botrytis bunch rots closer to harvest please consult the Wine Australia factsheet prepared by Dr Kathy Evans and Dr Bob Emmett.
Web-based tool to monitor grape maturity available soon for grape and wine producers!
14 February 2012 >The AWRI is looking to develop a new web-based tool for analysing grapes and managing grape maturity data. Grape quality decisions can be made in an objective manner as this tool will allow users to measure tannins, phenolics and colour in grapes. It will also offer data analysis and storage functions for more typical grape maturity measures.
To make sure the final product is as relevant to industry needs as possible, we need input from you!
Please click on the link below to access our survey on your current grape analysis practices and your interest in various aspects of the product we are developing.
Responding to the survey should take less than 10 minutes of your time and all respondents who provide contact details (this is optional) will go into a draw to win a year’s subscription to the new service. We’d appreciate receiving your response by 9 March 2012.
This is an exciting development and your contribution means a more practical tool will be available to grape and wine producers.
Click here to start the survey.
Samples required to benchmark new method to test for laccase
7 February 2012 >Vintage 2011 will be remembered as one of the wettest on record, the conditions of which were conducive for a number of diseases during the growing season, most notably ‘Botrytis’. Winemakers contacted the AWRI’s Winemaking and Extension Services Team for technical advice and assistance on processing Botrytis-affected fruit and winemaking strategies to best manage the negative effects of laccase. One in five calls received during the 2011 vintage related to Botrytis and laccase; there was a specific requirement from winemakers relating to methods of testing and subsequent interpretation of results.
In response to the issues encountered it became obvious that there was a requirement to develop a laccase method targeted at Australian conditions. The AWRI undertook a thorough review of laccase analysis and has recently developed a new assay.
The next stage is to conduct proof of performance trials from Botrytis-affected grape and wine samples from the 2012 harvest. To benchmark and to further refine the new assay, the AWRI needs to collect as many samples as possible.
If you can supply samples and participate in this program, please contact the AWRI’s Winemaking and Extensions Services on (08) 8313-6600 or by email.
AWRI Agrochemical Update February 2012
>Short ripening times raise the possibility of agrochemical residues if chemical withholding periods (WHP) are not met. The AWRI website has a large amount of information which may assist growers and winemakers alike with regard to potential issues. In particular, the maximum residue limits (MRL) are listed for 36 key export markets. These limits should be satisfied when the WHP recommendations in the ‘Dogbook’ are followed. If fruit is harvested earlier than expected and the recommended WHP has not been met, all is not lost.
The first step is to contact your grape purchaser or winery and let them know. It may be that the fruit is not destined for export or is going to countries that have an MRL equal to Australia’s. In this instance, the WHP you need to have met is the one on the label. To see the export market MRLs for chemicals registered in Australia, visit the AWRI website.
If the fruit is destined for a market that has a lower MRL than Australia, the only way to be sure that your wine meets the regulations is through residue testing. Testing can be done on fruit prior to harvest or post-fermentation. Post-fermentation measurements are usually (but not always) lower than that observed in the fruit. Testing grapes might be necessary as the results might influence how the fruit is managed in the winery however in many cases it is the residue in the final wine that counts and this is what is analysed.
The recommended WHPs are listed in the ‘Dogbook’ and this can be accessed on-line.
For further information on withholding periods or maximum residue limits, contact the AWRI by email or by telephone on: 08 8313 6600. The AWRI Commercial Services also offers residue testing on grapes and wine. Visit the AWRI Commercial Services website or contact the AWRI Commercial Services for further information by email or by telephone on: 08 8313 6600.
Canada-Australia collaboration to reveal Chardonnay’s secrets
18 January 2012 >eNews – January 2012
16 January 2012 >
Canada on board with phosphorous acid MRL
Positive aroma impact with DAP
Check your new wine additive
Help us to tailor the next consumer study
Pop or fizzle?
CMC now approved for tartrate stabilisation – but how effective is it?
Practical advice to reduce winery wastewater and refrigeration costs
Themed wine tastings and AWAC 2012
New Directors
Brett sequencing wins AWRI’s annual Innovation Award
Reply-paid service discontinued
Recent literature
Canada on board with phosphorous acid MRL
Australian wine exporters to Canada can breathe a bit more easily with The Liquor Control Board of Ontario continuing their permission for phosphorous acid treated wine for another 12 months.
This decision follows negotiations which considered a recent study conducted by us. For winemakers, it means that Canada will accept the Australian MRL of 50 mg/kg for phosphorous acid for the 2012 vintage. The next goal lies in achieving agreement with the Ministry of Agriculture of the People’s Republic of China.
Positive aroma impact with DAP
DAP added to a clarified Albariño must can have a major impact on aroma.
Albariño can be considered an aromatic variety due to the presence of monoterpenes present largely in bound (glycosides) form. Like similar varieties, such as Riesling, fermentation is required to reveal aromatic varietal potential. In this study we investigated the effect of diammonium phosphate (DAP) addition on the aromatic potential of a clarified Albariño must (sourced from Galicia, Spain), which already contained moderate yeast assimilable nitrogen (YAN) (250 mg/L). DAP had little effect on basic wine composition but notably influenced aromatic content. Analysis of Odour Activity Values suggests that wines made with moderate DAP supplementation exhibited the highest aromatic impact of all the dosage regimes, whereas high DAP addition (1 g/L) reduced potential aromatic impact. The addition of DAP to produce 350 mg/L YAN (0.5 g/L DAP addition) produced the highest content of varietal compounds of the wines in this trial including free monoterpenes and norisoprenoids (limonene, linalool, α-terpineol α-ionone, β-damascenone) and as well as most yeast-derived fermentation products (including esters, higher alcohols and volatile fatty acids). These results suggest that wines from aromatic varieties, such as Albariño, made with moderate nitrogen supplementation present the highest intensity of volatiles compounds known to contribute to varietal fruity and floral aroma attributes.
Check your new wine additive
Have you sourced new winery additives and want to prove the Certificate of Analysis you have received is representative and complies with the Food Chemicals Codex (FCC)? Ensure your new additives meet quality requirements for food ingredients. The AWRI Commercial Services can help you safeguard public health through the authentication of the additives.
For peace of mind contact us to test the compliance of your DAP, Ascorbic acid, Malic acid, Tartaric acid, PMS, PVPP and Potassium Carbonate both with the FCC and the Certificate of analysis received with each batch of goods received.
Help us to tailor the next consumer study
Understanding wine consumption behaviour and consumer taste preferences is a major priority for the Australian wine industry. The AWRI is currently planning the next stage of our consumer research. Are you or a colleague interested in shaping our future studies?
The projected work we’re planning will involve both the domestic and emerging markets, and will most likely include a study with wine consumers in China, investigating both sensory and non-sensory influences on consumer choices.
If you are interested in assisting with planning or would simply like to be kept informed of progress, please contact Leigh Francis or Patricia Osidacz.
Pop or fizzle?
Are you selecting the best sparkling wine closure to ensure your wines are presented to consumers in optimal condition? Not sure? Join the AWRI Commercial Services’ trial to provide you with the answers.
AWRI Commercial Services are preparing to launch the first large-scale commercial sparkling closure trial in early 2012. This will be conducted in a similar fashion to previous AWRI closure trials, evaluating the performance of a range of closures technologies on the sensory and chemical evolution of a premium sparkling wine. The trial outcomes will provide credible and independent assessment of closure performance to support your informed decision-making.
Now is your chance to influence the design of this closure trial! Let us know what six closures you would like to see evaluated, and we will include the most popular closure technologies in the trial. If you have not already provided your input and would like to do so, please contact us immediately.
Trial results will be available to trial participants through technical reports, or alternatively you can assess the results for yourself throughout the trial by attending one of the many tasting sessions.
To provide your input into this exciting trial, or for more information on the overall trial design, please visit our website or contact Warren Roget directly.
CMC now approved for tartrate stabilisation – but how effective is it?
We don’t know the answer, so we plan to undertake a benchmarking trial. Want to be involved?
Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) has now been approved for use in winemaking in Australia. Many different forms of CMC are available in the marketplace from a range of suppliers, but there is limited objective data on the comparative performance of these products and their potential impact on winemaking operations.
AWRI Commercial Services are launching a CMC performance benchmarking trial over the next few months to assess the performance of CMC as a viable alternative to tartrate stabilisation.
Still wines will be treated with a range of CMC products from different suppliers to quantify their performance and determine wine types best suited to their application . Results will be made available to paying participants.
Wineries interested in being involved in this study should contact Neil Scrimgeour, Senior Process Scientist (Commercial Services) by email or by telephone on (08) 8313 0892 for further details.
Practical advice to reduce winery wastewater and refrigeration costs
Hunter Valley winemakers were the first to benefit from a practical workshop which gave them better understanding of their winery’s refrigeration and wastewater treatment. More workshops are planned.
The first workshop was held in the Hunter Valley in early December. Twelve participants spent the day learning the fundamentals of winery refrigeration and wastewater together with practical opportunities for improvement that they could implement in their own wineries. The group was particularly interested in opportunities to reduce refrigeration requirements through the use of CMC to inhibit tartrate crystallisation and the use of flotation for juice clarification.
Participants were also guided through the recently-released GWRDC winery wastewater management and recycling project publications: Business fundamentals, Operational Guidelines and Resource Kit, available online here. Practical suggestions to reduce water consumption and pollutant load within the winery were also detailed. This included a series of videos illustrating both new technologies and techniques available for the industry which lead towards more efficient and cleaner production methods.
Participants received copies of all the presentation slides as well as reference guides on winery refrigeration and wastewater that have been produced as part of recent research on these topics.
For further information or to arrange for a similar workshop to be run in your region please contact us.
Themed wine tastings and AWAC 2012
In December we ran two full ‘Wines of France’ sessions for 30 participants from around Australia – specifically tailored to wine professionals with advanced tasting skills. Based on feedback received, we will be rolling out more events in the future. Look out for more information on our next event with the theme of sparkling wines.
Please register your interest for future themed courses by clicking here.
For those who are interested, we are also running two Advanced Wine Assessment Courses in June and November of 2012. The ballot closes on 28 February. If you are on our list and haven’t received our expression of interest email by 5 January click here.
New Directors
AWRI Chairman, Mr Peter Dawson, announced the appointment of two new Directors to the AWRI Board, Ms Liz Riley and Dr John Harvey.
Appointed as a ‘Special Qualifications Director’, Liz Riley brings to the Board 20 years experience in the wine industry; with six years spent in viticultural roles with Southcorp Wines and the last 11 years as a viticulture consultant. She holds a Bachelor of Applied Science (Wine) from Roseworthy Agricultural College. Liz is currently also an ‘Independent Expert for the Wine Industry Code of Conduct’ for Wine Australia and is a member of the Australian Society of Viticulture and Oenology, the Hunter Valley Wine Industry Association and the NSW Farmers Association. The Hunter Valley Wine Industry Association named Liz their ‘Viticulturist of the Year’ this year and she was awarded the Australian Nuffield Farming Scholarship in 1997. Liz’s tenure as a Director of the AWRI commenced on 6 December.
Elected in the ‘small winemaker’ category (crushing up to 2,000 tonnes), John Harvey commenced his tenure as a Director on 1 January 2012. John is the Managing Director and owner of Bathe Wines, producing wines from the Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale and Tasmania regions. John is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and holds a PhD and MBA from the University of Adelaide. He was formerly the Executive Director of the Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation and member of the SA Premier’s Wine Council and is currently a member of the Executive Committee of the Adelaide Hills Wine Region and Journal Advisory Committee of the Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research.
Brett sequencing wins AWRI’s annual Innovation Award
Judged by an external committee comprising Peter Dawson, John Angove and Louisa Rose, the AWRI’s 2011 annual Innovation Award has been won by Dr Chris Curtin for his work on Brettanomyces.
Dr Curtin completed whole genome assembly and analysis of Dekkera bruxellensis – a world first. He conducted painstaking manual assembly due to extensive differences between copies of its DNA; his persistence at this task has revealed a triploid genome, that may have been a result of inter-specific hybridisation. Through this work, we can now uncover this yeast’s achilles heel and devise effective strategies to control this increasingly sulfite tolerant yeast.
Reply-paid service discontinued
We wish to advise that The Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) no longer has a reply paid postage service.
Any goods/wine bottles/samples/etc. sent using our cancelled replied paid service, will be returned to the sender, by the post office. Please kindly ensure that all your related departments are made aware of this service cancellation.
We regret the necessity of imposing this restriction and trust that it will not cause too much of an inconvenience.
We would also like to thank you for being valued customers, and should you have any queries in relation to this alteration please feel free to contact us.
Recent literature
John Fornachon Memorial Library at the AWRI delivers journal articles and loans books to Australian grapegrowers and winemakers. Books can be searched and requested via the Library catalogue – or you can email us with your request.
- To order AWRI staff publications and articles from Technical Review 194 please contact the Library
- Articles and books on specific topics can be searched for and ordered via the Library Catalogue
- To request a Literature search on a specific topic contact the Library via email or telephone (08) 8313 6600.
Recent AWRI staff publications
AWRI. Ask the AWRI. Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (574), 53; 2011.
Coulter, A. Ask the AWRI. Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (575), 52-54; 2011.
Cordente, A.G., Curtin, C.D., Henschke, P.A., Chambers, P.J., Pretorius, I.S. Steering clear of sulfidic smells in the cellar. Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (574), 81-87; 2011.
Curtin, C.D., Borneman, A.R., Henschke, P.A., Godden, P.W., Chambers, P.J., Pretorius, I.S. Advancing the frontline against Brett: AWRI breakthrough offers potential to transform the battle against Brett. Wine Viti J. 26(6), 18-25; 2011.
Cynkar, W., Wilkes, W. New breed of infared analysis instruments: Smaller, Cheaper and quicker technology could offer industry big time and cost savings. Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (575), 64-66; 2011.
Fudge, A., Wilkinson, K.L., Ristic, R., Cozzolino, D. Classification of Smoke Tainted Wines using Mid-Infared Spectroscopy and Chemometrics. Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, DOI: 10.1021/jf203849h, 30 p.; 2011.
Kutyna, D.R., Varela, C., Stanley, G.A., Borneman, A.R., Henschke, P.A., Chambers, P.J. Adaptive evolution of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to generate strains with enhanced glycerol production. Applied Genetics and Molecular Biotechnology, DOI: 10.1007/s00253-011-3622-7, 10 p.; 2011.
Morangon, M. Robinson, E.M.C., Schmidt, S., Smith, P.A., Godden, P., Waters, E.J. A promising enzyme for the stabilisation of white wines. Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (573), 78-80; 2011.
Pretorius, I.S. 2011 AWRI Report. Aust. & N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (574), 92-95; 2011.
Stockley, C.S., Varela, C., Coulter, A., Dry, P.R., Francis, I.L., Muhlack, R., Pretorius, I.S. Controlling the Highs and the Lows of Alcohol in Wine. Nova Science Publishers: 48 p.; 2011.
Stockley, C. Editorial. Journal of Wine Research. 22(2), 101-103; 2011.
Stockley, C. Healthy or Harmful? The Public and Public Health Perception of Wine Versus Reality. Journal of Wine Research. 22(2), 199-203; 2011.
Disclaimer: The material contained in this publication is comment of a general nature only and is not and nor is it intended to be advice on any specific technical or professional matter. In that the effectiveness or accuracy of any technical or professional advice depends upon the particular circumstances of each case, neither the AWRI nor any individual author accepts any responsibility whatsoever for any acts or omissions resulting from reliance upon the content of any articles. Before acting on the basis of any material contained in this publication, we recommend that you consult appropriate technical/professional advisers.
Grapegrowers and wineries in Greater Victoria to benefit from new AWRI node
13 January 2012 >
|
A partnership has been established to support grapegrowers and wineries in the Greater Victoria area, announced today by The Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI), the Department of Primary Industries Victoria (DPI Victoria), the Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation (GWRDC) and Wine Victoria.
“The aim of this partnership is to keep industry members up-to-date on topical research and industry relevant outcomes,” said AWRI Managing Director, Dr Dan Johnson. “It will also form the basis for a new, Greater Victorian node of the AWRI.” “After a recruitment process conducted by the AWRI, I am delighted that Mark Krstic has accepted the position to manage the node. Initially, his focus will be on delivering an extension and activity plan as developed in conjunction with the Victorian grape and wine sector. Key areas will include communicating with industry on smoke taint issues, climate change adaptation, improving grape and wine quality and agrochemical usage within Greater Victoria.” Ron Harris Executive Director Farm Services Victoria said, “Grape and wine producers will benefit through increased uptake of the latest technologies and by being assisted to adopt best management and climate change adaptation practices.” “The appointment of Mark Krstic to the role of Extension Services Manager – Victoria is a wonderful outcome for the joining of forces of Wine Victoria, DPI Vic, GWRDC and the AWRI,” said Chris Pfeiffer, President of Wine Victoria. “This gives us the opportunity of maximizing outcomes from the available resources and removing the duplication, so important in these challenging times. We look forward to Mark taking up the challenges of delivering the outcomes to Victoria’s 21 Wine Regions.” While the node will draw directly on world-class research, development, extension and commercialisation resources from the AWRI, annual work plan and activities will be directed by an ‘Industry Steering Committee’ which includes a representative from each of Wine Victoria, DPI Victoria, the GWRDC and the AWRI. The AWRI’s Victorian node complements its existing operations in Adelaide and nodes in Griffith and Hobart. The partnership has been established through cooperative funding by cash and in-kind contributions from DPI Victoria, GWRDC and the AWRI. Further information: Rae Blair, Communications Manager, The Australian Wine Research Institute Tel: 0417 810 737 or email: rae.blair@awri.com.au |
|
Managing grapevines during heatwaves
9 January 2012 >The GWRDC have released a factsheet complied by SARDI researchers Dr Peter Hayman, Dr Michael McCarthy, Dr Dane Thomas in collaboration with AWRI viticulturist Dr Mardi Longbottom.
This resource provides a meteorological explanation of heatwaves and the damage that can be caused to grapevines at critical growth stages. Most importantly it provides management strategies to protect grapevines and ‘Action guidelines for extreme heat events’ to guide growers before, during and after a bout of hot weather.
Visit http://www.gwrdc.com.au/webdata/resources/files/Manging_grapevines_during_heatwaves.pdf to access the document.