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DECEMBER 2015

SLIP, SLOP, SLAP: Grapevine sunscreen

BENCHMARK: Rutherglen’s big red

LATEST IN OAK: Trends and the future

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contents features 40 46 50 71 75 76 83 86 90

DECEMBER 2015

Tractors Vineyard Machinery Bird Control Analytical Services Yeast Oak Tanks Bottling WineJobs

SLIP, SLOP, SLAP: Grapevine sunscreen

BENCHMARK:

COVER Recently a group of Rutherglen winemakers sat down to evaluate Durif from across their region. It was a positive experience according to those involved. Our cover photo shows Nick Bulleid as he examines one of the wines.

Rutherglen’s big red

LATEST IN OAK: Trends and the future

news

grapegrowing

On the grapevine .....................................6

Slip, slop, slap ........................................25

From the editor .........................................8

2015 turned on the water works

My View: Paul Evans ..............................10 The Winemakers’ Federation of Australia chief executive, delivered his fourth AGM address in November. He pointed to the immediate future as a “very important stage” for the industry.

Kaolin-based sunscreen is another handy tool available to help grapegrowers protect valuable crops.

Milestones and achievements of the past 12 months .............................16

A champion for viticulture: Muntzy’s leadership spiel .......................................................30

Take a glance back at some of the industry’s biggest news items.

The case for a national germplasm ..........32 Prue Henschke is an advocate for the improved management of Australia’s vineyard germplasm.

Australia’s Italian grapeline .....................34 The Australian grape and wine industry has been strongly influenced by pioneering Italian families.

TRACTORS: Global trends have upsides for Australian farmers ..................................40 A diagrammatic key to assist assessment of powdery mildew severity on grape bunches ........................................ 46

regulars 6 What’s online 21 R@D@Work JUNE

2 014

People in research: Dr Justin Cohen

38 Ask the AWRI “Then instead of returning to the US, to work in corporate management for a hotel group as planned, I accepted a scholarship to undertake a PhD in wine marketing. “It’s where I first connected with Professor Larry Lockshin (Pro Vice Chancellor for Strategic Coordination andA Head of Marketing at University of South Australia) and his research group.”

After completing his PhD, Dr Cohen moved to Europe to work in the Master Vintage program, which is an EU-funded Master of Science program (MSC) for oenology, viticulture and wine business. Responsible for the wine marketing component and research supervision, Dr Cohen said that after two exciting years of delivering education and conducting research across numerous European markets he was ready for the next challenge - at the Australian Centre for Retail Studies, a specialised retailing centre at Monash University.

Cohen said he happily made the jump.

Dr Cohen continues to work closely with Larry and Armando, particularly on the current China projects.

“We’re a great team. My focus is particularly managerial, it’s my job to solve problems and come up with ways to overcome hurdles that crop up with such projects. “Working in emerging markets like China now is really exciting, because we are getting past people just espousing their thoughts and feelings. Our EBI team is actually doing the research in country. We can make arguments and claims about market dynamics founded in data and not just conjecture.”

4 Grapegrower & Winemaker

Dr Justin Cohen, Research Fellow, Ehrenberg Bass Institute for Marketing Science

Beginning with a childhood spent at Cape Cod in the United States to a career that spans Europe, Australia and now Asia, for Research Fellow Dr Justin Cohen it’s been a journey inspired by great food and wine experiences.

“I focussed my energy on commercial research and strategy implementation

“Working in emerging markets like China now is really exciting.”

Dr Cohen is also enjoying the growing

Net necessity: The physical barrier...........50

30 Young Guns 92 Calendar 93 Industry Profile 94 Marketplace classifieds www.winetitles.com.au

December 2015 – Issue 623

December 2015: Issue 623 winemaking Extraction of polyphenolic substances: ....53 Sensory properties and preserving colour

sales & marketing

Next gen sustainable solar wineries ........58

Dare to be different ................................86

The uptake of solar technology across the wine industry

Walking the line between way ‘out on a limb’ and staying safely within the mainstream.

Benchmarking the big red of Rutherglen ..60 How important is seed colour? ................63 Record entries, massive medal haul: AAVWS 2015 .................................64 64

business & technology People & Places: Supplier of the year ......88 88

Equipping large winery laboratories ........71

WineJobs ...............................................90 HOW TO: Get the best vintage casuals

Industry Profile .......................................93 Dr Brian Freeman Freeman Vineyards

Latest directions in oak: .......................... 76 Trends and the future

SIMEI: Wine industry’s largest networking event ....................................84

PUBLISHER AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE Hartley Higgins

PRODUCTION Simon Miles

MANAGING EDITOR Elizabeth Bouzoudis

CIRCULATION: Melissa Smithen subs@winetitles.com.au

EDITOR Nathan Gogoll editor@grapeandwine.com.au EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Denis Gastin, Dr Steve Goodman, Dr Terry Lee, Paul van der Lee, Bob Campbell MW, Prof Dennis Taylor, Mary Retallack and Corrina Wright EDITORIAL Emilie Reynolds journalist@winetitles.com.au ADVERTISING SALES Maria Stephenson sales@grapeandwine.com.au

December 2015 – Issue 623

WINETITLES PTY. LTD. 630 Regency Road, Broadview, South Australia 5083 Phone: (08) 8369 9500 Fax: (08) 8369 9501 info@winetitles.com.au www.winetitles.com.au @Grape_and_Wine Printing by Lane Print Group, Adelaide © Contents copyright Winetitles Media 2014. All Rights Reserved. Print Post Approved PP535806/0019 Articles published in this issue of Grapegrower & Winemaker may also appear in full or as extracts on our website. Cover price $8.25 (inc. GST)

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Grapegrower & Winemaker

on the grapevine what’s ONLINE Australian growers worried by early onset of dry weather Hot weather across Australia is causing anxiety to wine growers, due to the rising cost of irrigation and the increased risk of fire. This year has seen an early, hot spring across the country, and one of the strongest El Nino systems ever declared, according to the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI). This weather system is one of the most important climate drivers in Australia and is typified by reduced rainfall, warmer temperatures, a shift in temperature extremes and increased risk of frost, reports Drinks Business.

Woolworths, Coles private labels angers wine industry In Sydney’s trendy Surry Hills a team of market researchers and brand developers are designing dozens of bottles of wine. They’ve used focus groups to work out exactly why you like the wines you do. Sales data from hundreds of stores tells them which flavours are catching attention and which labels are most likely to lead to a sale. It might be the wine you like has extra residual sugar, a bit more tannin, or a less oak, reports The Financial Review.

Wine sales academy to launch in Central Otago Kiwi cellar door staff need to be more forward and less reliant on the “pour and hope” model when selling wine, a leading Central Otago businessman says. Bruce McGechan, who has a background in wine and tourism, says cellar doors are not as profitable as many people think and more needs to be done to make the visitor experience top quality. As a result, McGechan has teamed up with Lesley Berglund, a leading direct-to-consumer expert in the US wine industry, to offer wine sales training courses, reports Stuff.

Daily Wine News is a snapshot of wine business, research and marketing content gleaned from international wine media sources, with a focus on Australian news and content. To subscribe visit www.winetitles.com.au/dwn. 6 Grapegrower & Winemaker

Trade barriers must be removed NON-TARIFF TRADE BARRIERS cost Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member economies and businesses over $1 billion a year due to the complexity and inconsistencies of regulation, the APEC Wine Regulatory Forum has conservatively estimated. Tony Battaglene, Winemakers’ Federation of Australia (WFA) strategy and international affairs general manager, said non-tariff barriers cost Australian wine exporters dearly and prevent others from looking at potential offshore markets as growth opportunities. The forum held its first meeting in Australia last week with more than 80 regulators from APEC economies and it identified initiatives to help reduce the regulatory burden and stimulate a new era of wine trade across the Pacific-Rim. “With different regulations in different APEC economies, exporting can be very costly, sometimes cost prohibitive for Australian wine producers,” Battaglene said. “Our priority is to identify exactly what these inconsistencies and imposts are and then how to overcome them. “We are making some sound progress in these areas. “We have agreed to look at regulatory coherence in the region. This ultimately involves harmonising export certification

requirements, analytical testing requirements and maximum residue levels. “Work is progressing in all of these areas and we expect recommendations to be presented at the intersessional meeting in Europe next year. Our expectation is to have a model export certificate in place and ensure it is digitised as a priority to fast track its uptake. “In addition, a new working group has been set up to develop a set of Good Regulatory Practices. “Australia will be taking a lead role in negotiations on this project which will investigate naturally occurring substances in wine so they can no longer be used as barriers to trade – something that can all too easily occur without a clear set of guidelines in place. “Developing a model wine standard is another area the Federation has put forward. This work will provide APEC economies with new guidelines to follow when they review their own regulations so we can begin to standardise trade rules and remove non-tariff barriers from the ground up.” The Federation co-hosted the forum with the Australian Government. The next meeting will be held in Europe in March 2016.

New Zealand Syrah quality forges ahead THE 10TH ANNUAL New Zealand Syrah Workshop, held at the Bayview Chateau Tongariro in November, has “seriously impressed” international guest speaker Gary Mills. The owner and winemaker of Jamsheed Wines in Victoria said the competition showed a high quality of New Zealand Syrah across the board. “Perfumed, elegant wines with low alcohols and fresh acidity which are basically my kind of wines,” Mills said. “What was pleasantly unexpected was the regional specificity of the wines, Hawke’s Bay being dense muscular and sweet fruited, Waiheke Island Syrah’s being wild, expressive and elemental and Martinborough showing the sleek slippery tannins reminiscent of St Joseph.” Joined by Graeme Bott, Domaine Stephane Ogier, France, and local speakers Kirsten Creasy and Cameron Douglas, Mills said he also enjoyed the “camaraderie and openness of the winemakers”. “Their sense of adventure and willingness to share their knowledge with each other,” he said. “You also www.winetitles.com.au

cannot fault the setting — such a wonderful venue.” Bott said the 2015 Syrah Workshop was a great event where winemakers from all around the world came together to share a common passion. “It captured the beauty and expression of land and place through one single grape variety, Syrah,” Bott said. “It was great to see that individual site characteristics were defined and it is really giving New Zealand a voice of Terroir. Syrah has a very exciting future in New Zealand.” Douglas said addressing his peers was a little nerve racking. “Especially when those peers know significantly more about wine production than I do.” This year’s Convenor, Paul Dawick, Mills Reef Winery, said the event was another success. “It has proven that Syrah is still developing stylistically while the quality is improving constantly. The past vintages have shown us that Syrah can quickly become the leading red wine of New Zealand. We now look forward to the next workshop being held in 2017.” December 2015 – Issue 623

Wineries roll out the red carpet for royal visit SEVERAL WINERIES across Australia and New Zealand were given a royal experience in November when Prince Charles and his wife Camilla the Duchess of Cornwall toured and tasted their way across the two countries. In Australia, Barossa Valley’s Seppeltsfield winery was given just four weeks to prepare for the visit, which saw thousands of people line the streets of Tanunda to catch a glimpse of the Royal pair. The Royals visited Seppeltsfield as part of a single day visit to the Barossa and Adelaide, stopping at the 164-yearold winery for a taste of South Australian regional wine, food and art culture. Following a tour of Seppeltsfield’s cooperage and a meet and greet with artisans of JamFactory art and design studios, The Prince and Duchess were provided an immersion of the 1878 Centennial Cellar. Warren Randall, proprietor of Seppeltsfield, led the Royal visit whilst at the estate. “We are extremely proud to have hosted the Royals here at Seppeltsfield to showcase South Australian wine, food and art and to soak in the history of the 1878 Centennial Cellar”. After a viewing of two new commemorative birth year barrels for Prince George and Princess Charlotte prepared by Seppeltsfield, The Prince and Duchess were provided a taste of their own birth year Tawny (Australian Port) vintages, direct from barrel. The pair finished with a sampling of one of Australia’s most historically significant wines — the 1915 100 year old Para Vintage Tawny. “You don’t need to be Royalty though to experience Benno Seppelt’s amazing vision — anyone can visit and do exactly what The Prince and Duchess did,” Randall said. Prince Charles and Camilla finished their time at Seppeltsfield with a premium South Australian food showcase, held in the FINO Seppeltsfield restaurant. In Western Australia Prince Charles and Camilla toured the Great Southern wine region, stopping in for a taste at organic winery, Oranje Tractor Wines. Murray Gomm and Pam Lincoln, owners of the winery, said the private visit which was restricted to just 25 people went “extremely well”. “It went smoothly, it was a combination of being very exciting and very nerve-racking and quite surreal,” Lincoln said. “It was a little bit like David meeting Goliath, in terms of our little December 2015 – Issue 623

The Royals thoroughly enjoying their visit to Oranje Tractor in Western Australia. CREDIT: Krysta Guille Photographer

organic property compared to His Royal Highnesses massive endeavour called Home Farm, where they have a grand royal version of what we do here with orchards and gardens, they sell produce and have a cafe. It’s nothing like ours.” In preparation for the royal visit, Gomm said a lot of friends helped out in the garden by mulching, mowing and planting. “Our friends finished off a scarecrow sculpture with champagne corks which greeted Prince Charles and Camilla as entered the winery,” he said. “Another friend, who is a former WWOOF (Willing Workers on Organic Farms) for our winery and also a Michelin Star French pastry chef, baked a French tart out of our own eggs and lemons for Prince Charles because it was his birthday.” Although Gomm said it was a little bit frantic leading up to the visit, the day went well. “The day itself was really relaxed. We just went on a walk through the orchid and tasted some wines in our cellar door,” he said. “The Royal selection was our Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Rose and www.winetitles.com.au

Merlot, along with a lot of our local cheeses, fruit and avocado. In fact, Camilla even said it was the best avocado she had ever tasted.” Across the ditch, the Royal couple timed their visit to coincide with Mahana Estate’s ‘From Source to Serve’ food and wine event, which showcased Nelson’s local produce, including wines, craft beers and cider, cheese and seafood. Mahana winemaker Michael Glover said sustainability and organic wine production was high on the agenda of conversation topics. “Her Royal Highness is president of The UK Vineyards Association, so a visit to one of New Zealand’s premier wine regions is very fitting”, said Glover. “We were chosen as a venue for the event not only for the winery’s spectacular views across the Nelson region, but also because it is an organic, gravity-fed winery – which is of particular interest to His Royal Highness.” The Royal couple completed a 12-day tour, visiting seven regions in New Zealand and three states, and one territory in Australia. Grapegrower & Winemaker

from the editor

Nathan Gogoll Editor

2015 turned on the water works I’VE CRIED too much in the past year. It’s not a topic a 34-year-old Australian male wants to discuss. But I’ve been trying to find the right words for nearly eight months now. So, despite my discomfort, the time has come to share this. I guess I actually started crying late in 2014 when Phillip Hughes died. I didn’t even know him, but his death really touched me. Cricket bats out on front porches got me choked up. I was touched by the way people across Australia reacted. And the Channel 9 tribute with the voice over from Richie Benaud.... wow ...it was only 27 words, but perfectly chosen and delivered. I cried as I watched Michael Clarke, then Australian cricket captain, speak about his mate. It really affected me. I started crying again in April when Bob McLean died. As the tears welled up it was hard to read the last words from Bob. My emotion again came from the big outpouring of sadness, but also the support I observed for the people who loved him – those he loved most. There were some great written tributes to Bob. A couple fitting parties as well. I knew a special kind of larrikin wine industry wisdom had gone with Bob. I also cried when Phil Walsh died in July. He was the coach of my AFL team. I liked his story – the kid from the country reaching the top. Just like Bob, here was a bloke I was keen to listen to and find out more about the way he thought about his business. I cried watching the TV when rivalry meant nothing at the end of footy games and opposition players stood arm-in-arm together in the centre circle, silent. I cried at the Adelaide Oval, I even cried watching The Footy Show. Just a couple weeks ago there were tears again when Tony Mangan died in a plane crash in Mildura. I was sitting at the Mildura Brewery Pub sharing local beers with some wine industry ratbags when it happened. We were sitting down for a meal by the time the news reached

8 Grapegrower & Winemaker

Heart-shaped balloons released on an emotional day in March.

us. It sucked the life out of that party in an instant. Again, this was a guy I’d never met and the sense of loss came from talking to those who knew him well. But I felt like I knew him because I’d watched his story thanks to a video on his Bolder TM wine website. I doubt there have been many better examples of wine branding in Australia. I could have quoted the whole video here, because I just love it. If you haven’t seen it, you need to look up Bolder TM in Google. Another great Australian grape and wine industry character gone. But I cried the most in March when Ike Zerk died. Because he was only 14. His family has a bigger influence on the Barossa grape and wine industry than they’d ever admit. They go about things in the traditional Barossa style – quiet and unassuming. Ike’s parents did a great job of raising a www.winetitles.com.au

son. This was a very young man who had already connected deeply with his family and his community. Ike was the sort of teenager I hope my kids grow up to be. And that’s about as much as I can force out on this topic. I’ve written hundreds of words on this, but when I read them back they weren’t good enough and they got deleted. I’m just about spilling tears trying to finish this off. There will be plenty more sadness for those closest to the people I’ve mentioned here. And no doubt you’ve thought of others as you read this. But I’m pretty sure that Bob, Tony and Ike (along with Guenter Prass, Simon Burnell and Don Buchanan) were the sort of characters who’d look at the rest of us, shake their heads and say ‘c’mon, get back to work’. So that’s what we’ll have to do... but not before we raise a glass in their honour. Enjoy the read December 2015 – Issue 623

my view The next few weeks will be crucial Paul Evans, the Winemakers’ Federation of Australia chief executive, delivered his fourth AGM address in November. He pointed to the immediate future as a “very important stage” in the WET Rebate review and reinvestment of funds into marketing. AT TIMES I’m sure we have all had some doubts along the way, but we have made a significant noise in Canberra and backed it up with a compelling reform agenda, supporting expert advice, extensive industry consultation and a demonstration of industry unity. We are not the only agricultural sector with its challenges but we have been more successful than most in making Government listen – we are punching above our weight – but getting them to act is what’s important and that’s what we will continue to work towards hopefully before the end of the year. I believe it is fair to say that WFA has elevated wine industry issues and many of our arguments are now taken as fact, such as the need to boost our marketing activities in the face of international competition from EU-backed producer countries. Off a low base, levels of understanding of how the rebate actually works and the complexities involved (such as how the quoting system works) have significantly improved among parliamentarians and officials. Along the way, they have also grown in their understanding of the industry’s complicated supply-demand dynamics. This will hold in good stead as we move on to other issues. The next few weeks will be crucial to whether or not we can look back at the last 12 months with some success. One area of significant progress this year has been WFA’s focus on the unique commercial and socioeconomic attributes of the wine industry compared to beer and spirits (as set out in our submission to the Tax White Paper process) and this has been widely acknowledged by parliamentarians. It is fair to say that the campaign for tax equalisation from the health lobby has lost ground in 2015 and their proposals to tax wine at levels comparable to beer are no longer regarded as credible. More recently, State and Federal Health Ministers have released the draft National Drug and Alcohol Strategies which will set the alcohol regulation framework for the next five years and these draft plans are very disappointing. WFA has engaged directly with the Federal Health Minister and is expecting a number of changes to the NDS process and content to be made over the coming weeks.

10 Grapegrower & Winemaker

At the moment alcohol and wine are treated seamlessly with illicit drugs and tobacco in this strategy and this must simply come to an end. Wine can and is consumed responsibly and there are safe levels of consumption. WFA’s close relationship with AWRI continues to deliver a body of research to ensure our advocacy continues to be evidence based. WFA also played a key role in ensuring wine was not caught up in the government’s broader country-oforigin labelling changes. 2015 has seen major progress on Free Trade Agreements. The Japan-Australia Economic Partnership Agreement (JAEPA) entered into force on 15 January 2015. The China –Australia Free Trade agreement (CHAFTA) was signed on 17 June 2015. Tariffs of 14 and 20 per cent on wine will be eliminated within four years. In November, the Leaders of the nine Trans-Pacific Partnership countries announced the finalisation of the TransPacific Partnership (TPP) agreement. Australia is also currently negotiating with India and through the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) negotiations. RCEP is an ASEANcentred proposal for a regional free trade area, which would initially include the 10 ASEAN member states and those countries which have existing FTAs with ASEAN – Australia, China, India, Japan, Republic of Korea and New Zealand. Although progress has been made on FTA’s most of our problems are technical in nature and pertain to differences in labelling requirements; testing methods; maximum residue limits and permitted oenological practices. For example, although CHAFTA has been signed, Australia still faces significant problems at the border with wine imports around a range of technical access barriers. The industry focus on the need for organisational reform has gained momentum throughout the year as the Chairs of relevant organisations have responded to the disappointment of May Budget outcomes and an increasingly challenging financial environment for member bodies. The second leaders meeting in December will be an important reference point to assess next steps and the willingness of industry to unite around an agreed pathway forward. We have a www.winetitles.com.au

Government and responsible Minister who are sympathetic to a shift towards more industry control over compulsoryacquired levies and so we have a unique opportunity to progress this matter. At the operational level it has been an extremely challenging year for WFA management and staff. The year has seen further re-structuring and an on-going review of future membership revenue and internal organisational reform. This year also saw WFA transferring important bodies of work to other organisations such as Entwine which is now being managed by AWRI and the collection of Vintage Report data which AGWA is now undertaking. WFA is now a very lean and tightly focused organisation on the four issues I have covered earlier. For the team, workloads have increased as the policy debates around wine tax in particular have intensified. In this environment, it has been pleasing to see WFA membership hold up with some notable companies returning to the membership fold. The strong operational surplus for the year is also pleasing and will help provide a much needed buffer against the expected outcomes of the current financial year. We are a small team and expectations are high and a lot of discretionary effort has been put in. WFA priorities for 2016 will be shaped to an extent by what happens over the coming weeks. Implementing rebate reform (especially drafting the relevant legislation) and working with government on organisational reform are likely to be our focus and this will be reviewed at the March meeting. Finalising the National Alcohol Strategy and developing the next round of NHMRC guidelines for safe alcohol consumption will also be important. The broad body of work undertaken by Tony Battaglene will also continue. Looking back, a huge amount of effort has been invested by both the Board and staff in promoting our recovery plan to government. We are on the cusp of an outcome and it is now up to government to decide and act. I don’t think we could have done any more but ultimately in any democracy it will come down to the politicians. I look forward to some positive developments over the coming weeks. December 2015 – Issue 623

news

Wine101x claims two national awards A GROUNDBREAKING COURSE offered by the University of Adelaide has recently taken out the Government, Education and Non-profit category of the 2015 South Australian Interactive Media Excellence awards as well as the Best Wine Educator award from Wine Communicators of Australia. The massive online open course (MOOC) called World of Wine: From Grape to Glass was developed by Kerry Wilkinson, Paul Grbin, Cassandra Collins and David Jeffery, from The University of Adelaide’s School of Agriculture, Food and Wine in conjunction with the AdelaideX team. Produced through the sweltering summer of 2015 in a tiny studio with no air conditioning, the team put in months of effort to plan and execute the free sixweek online course, dubbed Wine101x, which was delivered worldwide via the edX platform. Using the internet’s global reach,

Wilkinson and her team were able to share their expertise and passion for wine to more than 18,000 participants from more than 160 countries. Aimed at educating beginners through to passionate wine enthusiasts, the course covered the principles and practices that underpin grape and wine production, and their impacts on wine style and sensory properties with an Australian focus. “We developed a course at a level that didn’t require any prior knowledge of grapegrowing or winemaking,” Wilkinson said. “We wanted to take participants on a journey from the vineyard to the winery, and then to the kitchen or restaurant table, thereby giving them greater confidence in their ability to select and discuss wines.” The course encompassed short video lectures from all of the University of Adelaide team members, as well as video interviews with industry professionals, interactive activities such as a virtual winemaking app, discussion forums and several assessment tasks to evaluate learning. From the satisfaction of the online interactions and based on participant feedback for the course, the team said the effort had been worth it. “Participants were overwhelmingly positive about their experiences with the course, and especially appreciated the multimedia content, interactive activities

and knowledge of the instructors,” Jeffery said. By popular demand, Wine101x was released again in June 2015 in self-paced mode, and has achieved more than 30,000 total enrolments. “Part of this accomplishment is clearly attributable to support from the wine industry, not only through the individuals who played roles in the course content, but also by promoting the MOOC and generally supporting our teaching and research endeavours,” said Jeffery. After the success of their multi-award winning first course, Jeffery said the team have been encouraged to start thinking about the next phase, Wine201x. “There was a good deal of interest from learners around wine tasting, so maybe the next course will contain online wine appreciation classes and themed virtual tastings,” he said. In the meantime, cellar door staff, marketers, accountants, vintage casuals, customers and anyone else interested in learning about grapes and wines can experience the online course, Wine101x, for at least the next few months. At the outset the team anticipated that educating global consumers about Australian wines and regions would lead to greater awareness of what Australia has to offer, so hopefully the success of this MOOC continues to help realise that vision.

Dr David Jeffery, A/Prof Kerry Wilkinson, Dr Cassandra Collins and colleagues A/Prof Paul Grbin. CREDIT: Duc-Truc Pham

12 Grapegrower & Winemaker

www.winetitles.com.au

December 2015 – Issue 623

movers & shakers Riverine Wine Grapes Marketing Board gives back

Riverina Wine Grapes Marketing Board held its Strategic Plan and Budget Setting meeting for members in Griffith. Pictured are Allan Macarthur NSW RMS, who spoke on transport rules; Bruno Brombal Chairman WGMB, Christy Bartrop, Industry Development Officer WGMB, Mark Roley Senior Analyst AGWA who presented an industry update; and Brian Simpson CEO WGMB.

THE RIVERINA Wine Grapes Marketing Board (WGMB) is handing back more than $450,000 to wine grape growers across after a bumper 2015

harvest saw the organisation in a surplus. Brian Simpson, Riverina WGMB chief executive officer, said under legislation growers are required to fund the activities

of the board by paying a levy of $3.90 per tonne. Simpson said more than 360 growers would receive funds with the average return sitting at $1244. “Our growers are grateful that we are responsible in terms of financial management,” he said. “We like to use it as an opportunity to check in on them and make sure they are all travelling okay.” “This will effectively reduce the levy back to $1.90 for the 2015 vintage. “When we have excess funds we go through a process of ensuring all our information is correct and get the growers through the office to have a chat about the industry.” This is the fifth time the board has returned funds to growers in the past decade.

Winners of the inaugural Australian Women in Wine Awards announced FOUR WINNERS of the inaugural Australian Women in Wine Awards were announced via a web broadcast that was streamed to live events taking place all over Australia in November. Rose Kentish from Ulithorne Wines in McLaren Vale took out the winemaker of the year award at the event while Irina Santiago-Brown was named as viticulturist of the year. Rebecca Duffy from Holm Oak Vineyard in Tasmania was awarded with owner/ operator of the year and Dianne Laurance from WA’s Laurance Wines was honoured with the workplace champion of change award. Jane Thomson, AWIWA chair, said she expected the event would become an annual celebration. “On behalf of the entire Board of the AWIWA we extend our congratulations to

all the winners,” said Thornton. “The field was very tight, as we had an exceptionally high calibre and number of entries – something that exceeded even our own expectations for this, our first year.” The judging panel for the awards included all the members of the AWIWA Board – Corrina Wright, Oliver’s Taranga CEO and winemaker; Samantha Conner, Stargazer Wines owner and winemaker; Jeni Port, wine writer; Toni Carlino, wine marketer; Jenny Houghton, Maygar’s Hill owner and viticulturist Jenny Houghton; and Jane Thomson, AWIWA chair and The Fabulous Ladies’ Wine Society founder. Samantha Connew, long-time advocate of women in the wine industry and the first female Chair of the Royal Sydney Wine Show, said it had been a privilege to

be involved the awards process and that she “couldn’t be more excited about the evolution of these awards.” Corrina Wright said the prospect of having a framework with which to offer support to women in the industry has made her involvement in the AWIWA fulfilling. “I want other women in the industry to know that there is a network out there to lean on when they encounter issues (of a gender nature),” said Wright. “There are people to reach out to. You are not alone.” The winners of this year’s awards were announced via a video broadcast. Events were held all over Australia to watch the broadcast and to allow the maximum number of women in wine to be included in the announcement and celebrations.

Jo Andrew announced as new WGGA chair WINE GRAPE GROWERS AUSTRALIA (WGGA) officially announced the appointment of Jo Andrew as the new independent chair of the organisation in November. The decision was made to appoint an independent chair following the retirement of Vic Patrick, who had been the long-standing chair and South Australian representative. “We felt we needed someone with a fresh perspective and experience in leading an organisation through a period of significant challenge and change, where we have to set the framework for the industry for the next twenty years,” said Justin Jarrett, deputy chair of WGGA and chairman of the selection panel. December 2015 – Issue 623

“We were fortunate to receive a number of excellent applications, but Jo stood out because of her strong cor porate gover na nce sk ills, understanding of political processes and extensive experience with stakeholder engagement and addressing regional issues. “She also grew up on a grape and citrus property in the Riverland, so she has excellent insights into the realities facing grapegrowers.” Andrew is a capital partner with law firm Mellor Olsson, which is based in Adelaide with offices in rural South Australia and has specific expertise in Governance and Law, Strategy and Business Development. www.winetitles.com.au

She is the current Chairman of the Brain Injury Network of SA, nonexecutive director of the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges NRM Board and of Crime Stoppers SA and until recently was also Chairman of the Julia Farr Association and Julia Farr Housing Association. “I am delighted to be taking on this role with Wine Grape Growers Australia,” Andrew said. “This is a fascinating and complex industry facing a number of significant challenges. I am looking forward to playing a role in setting the future direction for the organisation that will contribute to an improved outlook for wine grape growers.” Grapegrower & Winemaker

Some of Australia’s Sources of inspiration from every wine region

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

RICK

– 2007 – WESTERN AUSTRALIA

TIM

WILKIE

– 2003 – WESTERN AUSTRALIA

First impressions may deceive There is a complexity about this flagbearer for the Swan Valley and Margaret River that discerning judges quickly come to appreciate. Grown on an exposed north-facing slope refreshed by Indian Ocean breezes, the Horbury balances light initial roughness with a smooth, gentle finish.

Science meets inspiration Bold, vibrant freshness with a dry finish characterise this very approachable blend of sophisticated chemistry and youthful exuberance. Despite many years of very enjoyable drinking to come, such a clever example of the scientific approach to winemaking is already worth getting to know.

Intriguing complexity rewards investigation

HUGH

S T RO N G

R B U RY HO

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

– 2002 – SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Intense power with an expansive palate

DARREN

E AL

XANDE

A rewarding challenge for the more refined palates, the ‘Hughie’ can make a slightly abrasive first impression but quickly mellows once given a bit of air. There are complex hidden depths here that gradually open up and reveal a veritable encyclopedia of flavour from which ample grace notes constantly emerge.

– 2014 – SOUTH AUSTRALIA

The quintessential South Australian experience: full-bodied and powerful with a bold, charismatic style that will soften over time with no loss of character. Drinking magnificently for some years already, the onset of full maturity will surely just enrich the lasting enjoyment.

NEW SOUTH WALES

IAN

MASTER

– 2009 – WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Steadily climbing towards a distant peak Despite showing abundant youthful promise and drinking well already, the McMaster won’t peak for a good many years yet. Complex fruit undertones are already much in evidence with very low acidity, so great things are predicted by many good judges. One to watch.

GRAHAM

NICOL

– 1994 – NEW SOUTH WALES

There’s no time like the present! A lush late picking ripe for full enjoyment right now, the pride of Mudgee embodies the joys of life. After years of flavour development, cellaring at this stage would be a criminal waste. Our advice: track down Graham Nicol and prepare to spend a few hours engrossed in pure quaffing pleasure!

finest VICTORIA

GREG

DAV I E S

– 2010 – VICTORIA

SHANE

AINER TR

– 2007 – VICTORIA

The perfect companion for al fresco eating Like the most robust sparkling shirazes of a bygone era, here’s the perfect complement to festive occasions. Opens with a pop, fizzes with enthusiasm and brings the party to life. But below the bubbly surface lies the sort of substance and structure only insiders truly appreciate.

Climatic extremes provide fine balance Transplanting from Margaret River to the cooler climate of Victoria demands some fairly drastic climatic adjustment. Yet the transition has been smooth in this case. Early results are very promising, with surprisingly little change in character detected so far. A valued product of the west now seems set to flourish in the east.

MICHELLE

BURNS

– 2015 – VICTORIA

AEDEN

RMAN GO

– 2014 – VICTORIA

A touch of class from across the ditch A relative newcomer further enhancing Marlborough’s reputation for irresistible appeal, this classy import has crossed the Tasman with undiminished charm. A surprising effervescence simply underlines the initially disarming blend of forward freshness and underlying finesse.

Full-blooded early bloomer set for stardom A Sunraysia classic in the making. Already well-rounded, this product of Mildura stock has soaked up the abundant sunshine and turned it into a rich and concentrated blend that packs a lot of punch. The Gorman’s early development has been rapid, but the real glory years still lie ahead.

Packing some punch ALISTAIR

BEYER

– 2007 –

Unmistakably central Victorian in character: substantial and deceptively high-powered, but will soften with age. Very robust with emerging signs of refinement. You won’t forget an encounter with Alistair Beyer in a hurry and many wine lovers are left raving about the experience.

Our viticulture experts are as individual as the winemakers they live among and work alongside. What they have in common is the experience and specialised expertise to help you achieve effective crop protection that suits your situation and preferred approach. Find out more about the practical and technical support we offer by visiting our website or calling 1800 804 479.

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VICTORIA

Bayer CropScience Pty Ltd, ABN 87 000 226 022, 391– 393 Tooronga Road, Hawthorn East, Victoria 3123. Technical Enquiries 1800 804 479. BCH0787

news

Milestones and achievements Take a glance back at some of the industry’s biggest news items of the past 12 months. SUMMER 2014-14 Top of the tutorial Matt Brooke was declared the dux of the 2014 Len Evans Tutorial, topping his class with his wine evaluation skills. “It was quite an incredible experience. I went into it with a lot of excitement and expectation,” Brooke said. “I learned a lot, made a lot of friends, have been humbled, been exhilarated.”

Mick Jagger shakes things up in the Hills

old hazelnut tree where we had all our wines open with lunch. “It was all very spur-of-the-moment,” he said. “After they had gone, my wife Amber and I just sat on the couch looking at each other in disbelief at what has just happened.”

Supermarket giant snaps up NZ estate Pinnacle Drinks, a subsidiary of supermarket giant Woolworths, bought into the New Zealand wine industry with the acquisition of Isabel Estate Vineyard in Renwick. The Marlborough-based estate went into receivership in July after racking up more than $12.4m in debt. According to reports on Stuff.co.nz, the company’s assets include an estimated 2ha of land with a 700 tonne winery and ancillary buildings; 450,000 litres of bulk wine; the Isabel and Dr Renwick brands; and vehicles and equipment.

Gapsted Wines takes out top award at National Moscato Challenge

In the build up to The Rolling Stones concert at the Adelaide Oval in October, the band visited Scott, La Prova, Hahndorf Hill and Shaw + Smith before heading to Basket Range winery Ochota Barrels for lunch with winemaker Taras Ochota. “We really only expected some of the crew,” Ochota told In Daily. He said before he knew it, a fleet of Audis rolled down the3756Flute88x185_GGW driveway. “The security sussed the place out and then Mick 2015-10-15T13:11:52+11:00 came inside and we had a few beers,” he said. “We strolled around the garden and sat outside under the

THE inaugural 2014 National Moscato Challenge attracted more than 50 entries and the top wine was awarded to Victoria’s Gapsted Wines with its 2012 Gapsted Moscato. Kara Hilton, Gapsted Wines sales, marketing and export coordinator, said she was “super excited” to receive the award. “It was a great surprise when we were told our Moscato had one the top gong,” she said. “Seeing our drop win over iconic names such as Brown Brothers, Casella and De Bortoli has created quite a buzz around the winery. We are looking forward to entering the show again in 2015 to see if we can make it two years in a row.” The National Moscato Challenge, a new concept for the Australian Inland Wine Show (AIWS), also presented awards in four classes and of the 51 entries, 22 wines received a medal.

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16 Grapegrower & Winemaker

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December 2015 – Issue 623

Young Gun of Wine The 2014 Young Gun of Wine Awards were presented in early December and Fraser McKinley, Sami-Odi winemaker based in the Barossa, took the top award. Reflecting on his win, McKinley was enthusiastic about the winemaking talent coming up through the ranks. “It’s been an extremely flattering and humbling experience, given the company of finalists, to be named amongst them let along being named winner of the Young Gun of Wine award,” he said. The awards and winners were: • Best New Act, Adrian Santolin (Santolin, Yarra Valley) • People’s Choice, Ben Chipman (Tom Foolery, Barossa) • Winemaker’s Choice, Brendan Keys (BK Wines, Adelaide Hills) • Young Gun of Wine, Fraser McKinley (Sami-Odi, Barossa)

Pellenc says goodbye to industry legend Louise Fraser, Pellenc Australia’s managing director, announced her resignation from the company in December. After 23 years with Pellenc, Fraser said she was sad to be leaving the company and appreciated her time there. “I have enjoyed every minute of the 23 years I have spent with the company,” she said. “I have enjoyed building relationships with all of you and hope that we will still be friends and take this opportunity to thank you for supporting me over the years.”

Wine Australia’s new gem The vacant position of Wine Australia’s UK and Europe regional director, one of the organisation’s most important in-market positions, was filled with the appointment of a master of wine who has been working for Tesco. Laura Jewell brings significant commercial experience complemented by in-depth wine knowledge to the position left vacant by the sad death of Yvonne May in September. Formerly Tesco’s category product development manager for wine, Jewell has overseen its wine portfolio across 11 markets. She has close to 25 years’ experience in the sector and attained her master of wine qualifications in 1997.

Woolworths buys Summergate Retail giant Woolworths Liquor Group (WLG) purchased China-based wine and drinks distributor, Summergate Fine Wines and Spirits and its retail subsidiary Pudao Wines, in December. A leading drinks distributor representing a portfolio of around 80 global brands, Summergate has 13 offices, 11 distribution centres and employs more than 400 people. Grant O’Brien, Woolworths chief executive officer, said the acquisition was a very small step into China, capitalising on their Liquor expertise.

Swan Valley celebrated 180 years of winemaking The Swan Valley celebrated its 180 year anniversary of winemaking in 2014, making the region the oldest in Western Australia and second oldest in Australia. With the first commercial vintage released in 1834 by Thomas Waters of Olive Farm, the Swan Valley is characterised by many family owned wineries, each with its own interesting story. December 2015 – Issue 623

Duncan Harris, president of the Swan Valley and Regional Winemakers Association, said the future remains bright for wine producers. “We are excited about the future of the Swan Valley, and the world class wines that are produced, we are looking forward to the next 180 years of fine wine production.”

Yalumba announced reshuffle The Yalumba Wine Company went through a management transition, with Nick Waterman stepping up as Yalumba’s new CEO, as Robert Hill-Smith stepped aside to become chairman of the Yalumba Board of Directors. After more than 30 years leading Australia’s oldest family owned winery as CEO, Hill-Smith will replace previous chair Peter Barnes, who retired from his role after 12 years. Former chief operating officer at Yalumba, Nick Waterman moved into his new position as CEO on March 7, after being groomed to assume the role in a smooth succession plan. “He’s had a six-month immersion in all business units,” said Hill-Smith. “This business that we are engaged in today is so turbulent, volatile and increasingly complex at the commercial end, that we rarely if ever get time to get ourselves away from the operational duties of the day to focus on higher level, longer term thinking.”

TWE hired a new agency to oversee global marketing Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) appointed J. Walter Thompson to provide marketing and public relation services for every TWE brand around the world, except Penfolds. Specialising in trade, shopper and digital marketing, Simon Marton, TWE chief marketing officer, said the new partnership with J. Walter Thompson would play a key part in supporting TWE’s move into consumer marketing.

Accolade finalised the purchase of Grant Burge Wines Accolade Wines finalised the acquisition of Barossa Valley winery Grant Burge in early February, after announcing the deal in December. The sale included the Grant Burge brand, Burge and Rathbone Fine Wine Merchants business and the Krondorf Winery. Michael East, Accolade Wines’ general manager Asia Pacific, said the company had been seeking a base in the Barossa for some time and approached Burge on that basis. Grant and Helen Burge, who founded Grant Burge Wines in 1988, said this was a new phase in their lives, with Accolade Wines ensuring the Grant Burge Wines portfolio would be promoted strongly internationally as well as domestically. East said Grant Burge would play a crucial role as brand ambassador and continue to supply premium Barossa Valley fruit to the business.

Southern Estate buys Griffith winery Privately owned Southern Estate Wines Australia (SEW) bought a 20 million litre Griffith winery asset. The Original Cinzano, Cranswick and The Wine Group site has been acquired by SEW to support the growing company and expand bulk wine offerings.

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Grapegrower & Winemaker

news Andrew Dal Broi, SEW executive director, said the facility would ramp up production to his global customer base while maintaining a low-cost, efficiently run operation that delivered on diligent customer service.

It was finally official… Clarke confirmed as AGWA’s CEO After filling the role of acting chief for more than six months, Andreas Clark officially assumed the position of Australian Grape and Wine Authority’s (AGWA) chief executive officer. Brian Walsh, AGWA chair, made the announcement in February stating that Clark’s professional background, deep knowledge and experience in the wine sector made him well qualified to lead AGWA towards a bright future.

Pat Carmody announced as MFW ‘legend’ The 2015 Melbourne Food and Wine (MFW) announced six of Victoria’s hard-working movers and shakers as ‘legends’ welcomed into the program by Lord Mayor Robert Doyle. Held at the Crown Towers, the ‘hall of fame’ program paid tribute to leaders, ground breakers and visionaries of the state’s food and wine industry. Pat Carmody, Craiglee Vineyard owner, was the only winemaker to be inducted.

Villa Maria: World’s fourth most-admired wine brand

Nick Carne takes an executive role at WCA Wine Communicators of Australia (WCA) announced Nick Carne as its new executive officer, taking over from Jeffrey Wilkinson who has retired after almost five years in the role. Carne said he had remained closely involved with WCA since stepping down from the board last year and valued the opportunity to get back into the action.

AUTUMN 2015 $22,000 study grant Dr Julie Culbert won the $22,000 Viticulture and Oenology 2015 Science and Innovation Award for Young People in Agriculture, sponsored by the Australian Grape and Wine Authority (AGWA). The study grant, one of 11 awarded as part of the Department of Agriculture’s Science and Innovation Awards for Young People in Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, was presented during the ABARES Outlook conference dinner held at the National Convention Centre in Canberra. Culbert, a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Adelaide, will use her prize to employ computational modelling to identify the fining agents (adsorbents) best suited to removing volatile compounds associated with common faults and taints.

Cullen honoured in ABN hall of fame In the build up to International Women’s Day, on Sunday 8 March, the Australian Businesswomen’s Network (ABN) has launched its annual Businesswomen’s Hall of Fame which recognises the achievements of 18 female entrepreneurs from diverse industries. Representing the wine industry was Vanya Cullen, founder of biodynamic Western Australian winery Cullen Wines. Cullen was inducted into the ABN 2015 Hall of Fame for her “entrepreneurial finesse” as well as her dedication to producing wine for climate conscious consumers.

MVW makes key appointment A highly-experienced wine industry operative joined Murray Valley Winegrowers (MVW) in the role of industry development officer. David Coombes, a former Grower Liaison Officer with Pernod Ricard Winemakers, replaced Liz Singh in the role. Singh moved to Queensland after more than a decade with MVW. Brian Englefield, MVW chairman, paid tribute to Singh's dedication to the role. “Over the past 10 years she has worked with hundreds of growers in the Murray-Darling and Swan Hill wine regions, with many benefiting personally from her viticultural expertise and knowledge,” Englefield said. Coombes said he was pleased to be moving into an area that will give him the opportunity to utilise his experience and knowledge in helping more growers cope with extremely difficult industry conditions.

18 Grapegrower & Winemaker

Drinks International named Villa Maria as the fourth-most admired wine brand in the world, as one of four New Zealand entries in a top 50 list, but the only one inside the top 10 list. More than 200 of the world’s top masters of wine, sommeliers, educators and journalists took part in the annual poll, which pits wine brands from all regions, styles and qualities against each other. Sir George Fistonich, Villa Maria Estate founder and chief executive officer said he was elated with the accolade. France had the most entries in the list with 14 wineries, followed by the US with seven, Australia and Spain with six each, Chile with five, New Zealand with four and Italy with two. Argentina, Canada, Hungary, Lebanon, Portugal and South Africa all had one winery on the list.

QLD winemaker wins dux The Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) named Jessica Ferguson, Sirromet Wines assistant winemaker, as dux of the 35th Advanced Wine Assessment Course. Having topped the class in statistical scores, verbal skills and group interaction, Ferguson has been offered a place as an associate judge for the 2015 Royal Queensland Wine Show (RQWS), to be held in June – a highly sought after position due to the very limited places available. Ferguson, the first Queensland winemaker to be named dux of the course, said she found the process challenging, but very rewarding. “With all my winemaking experience to date being at a single winery in a niche region (Granite Belt), I really welcomed the chance to develop and focus my tasting skills with less familiar styles,” she said.

NZ wine industry to introduce geographical indicators Legislation to set up a geographical indications registration system for wines and spirits was passed by the New Zealand Government. The Geographical Indications Registration Act will identify wines as originating in a specific region and the distinct qualities or reputation it has due to that; examples in the wine world are French Champagne and Burgundy.

www.winetitles.com.au

December 2015 – Issue 623

Philip Gregan, New Zealand Winegrowers chief executive officer said the move will equip the wine industry with the tools to protect its premium brands from misappropriation or misuse, as well as help secure market access in some regions. “It’s a big step forward for the industry,” Gregan said.

Topper’s Mountain wins in Berlin After entering five wines in this year’s Berlin Wine Trophy event, Topper’s Mountain Wines from New South Wales, walked away with four gold medals. Dagmar Roesner, Topper’s Mountain marketing executive, said the win came at a vital time for the winery, as it planned to make a move into the international market in coming months. “Four gold medals is a fantastic achievement for Topper’s Mountain and its endeavour to enter the international market,” Roesner said. “Exactly what we need right now to show that we can compete at an international quality standard and showcase varieties that stand out from the usual Australian offering.” The four medals were awarded to Topper’s Mountain’s 2012 Red Earth Child, 2014 Bricolage Blanc, 2014 Wild Ferment Nebbiolo and 2014 Gewurztraminer.

WINTER 2015 Commercial vineyards at CSU to return to farmland Charles Sturt University (CSU) returned its commercial vineyards in Orange and Wagga Wagga to farmland as it discontinued commercial wine production. In March CSU announced plans to abandon large-scale production and expand focus on the premium boutique wine market through an experimental winery at the National Wine and Grape Industry Research Centre (NWGIC). Paul Dowler, CSU executive director of finance, said the university’s proud tradition of winemaking would continue with new boutique wines from the experimental winery. The University sought expressions of interest (EOI) to lease the vineyards, but no partners had been found. However, it did lease the commercial winery at Wagga Wagga to a local wine producer and expected the facility to be fully utilised in the future.

Stuart Perrigrew of Ag Dynamics will undertake the project, bringing with him 25 years’ of experience working with businesses on pest and disease management. Lawrie Stanford, WGGA executive director, said the organisation was pleased with the level and interest and standard of submissions received.

Hawkes Bay Chardonnay crowned best in world A wine made under the diligent eye of winemaker Hugh Crichton, the 2012 Vidal Legacy Hawkes Bay Chardonnay, received the International Chardonnay Trophy at the prestigious Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) in London. The world’s largest and most influential wine competition, DWWA brings together more than 16,000 wines, judged by a panel of 240 experts.

SPRING 2015 Bernard Hickin to retire Bernard Hickin has announced his intention to retire as chief winemaker for the Australian branch of Pernod Ricard Winemakers, and is set to hand the reins over to Ben Bryant in June 2016. Since joining the business in 1976, Hickin has made many significant contributions to the business and its brands throughout his 40 years in winemaking.

Graphic Language DESIGN

Senate Inquiry established A group of Senators believe an inquiry will help the Australian wine industry address the key issues it faces and help make the most of existing opportunities. In March Senator Ruston, together with Senators Nick Xenophon, Bridget McKenzie, Peter Whish-Wilson and John Madigan, successfully moved to establish an inquiry by the Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee. Senator Anne Ruston said she had two main motivations for the inquiry, to address a situation where many grapegrowers barely cover their production costs; and to see a re-focus of sales efforts into export markets.

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New chair for Australian Vintage Former InvoCare boss Richard Davis has been appointed chairman of one of the nation’s biggest winemakers, Australian Vintage Limited. His appointment came as current chairman Ian Ferrier announced he was retiring from the board, along with director and McGuigan Wines founder Brian McGuigan.

Pest management projects Wine Grape Growers Australia (WGGA) announced two consultancy projects aimed at improving pest and disease management in vineyards. Agribusiness consultancy Ag Dynamics has been appointed to prepare a strategic plan and business case, with help from the industry, for long-term national biosecurity arrangements in viticulture. December 2015 – Issue 623

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news Hickin was appointed company chief winemaker of Australian brands in 2006, and then Jacob’s Creek Global Chief Winemaker in 2010 where he worked passionately to produce an enviable global portfolio of wines for Jacob’s Creek. Bryant, who joined Pernod Ricard in 2000, will have a year of handover time with Hickin to prepare him for the role.

Brown Brothers CEO announces retirement Brown Brothers CEO Roland Wahlquist announced his impending retirement in December 2015. After 25 years of service with Brown Brothers, including 10 years as chief winemaker, 10 years as General Manager, and the past five years as chief executive officer, Wahlquist has made the decision to retire, take some well-deserved time off and spend more time with his family. Wahlquist’s contribution over the past 25 years has been extraordinary. The Brown family and everyone within the company applaud him for his leadership, wine innovation skills, commitment, fairness and integrity.

Four new AGWA directors Barnaby Joyce, Minister for Agriculture, announced four new faces will join three current directors and the Chair of the Australian Grape and Wine Authority (AGWA) from 1 October 2015 for a three-year tenure. “I want to thank outgoing directors— John Casella, John Forrest, Ian Henderson and Janice McDonald—for their work in establishing AGWA and providing strong leadership and clear strategic direction during the stand-up phase,” Joyce said. David Dearie, managing director of Eastwind Consulting Limited and former CEO of Treasury Wine Estates; Edouard Peter, chairman of Duxton Capital Singapore; Mary Retallack, managing director of Retallack Viticulture and Keith Todd, general manager global operations with Accolade Wines were named as new directors. They will join current AGWA chair Brian Walsh, together with Eliza Brown, Brian Crosser and Kim Williams to front the organisation.

MGA Insurance was named among the Top 100 South Australian companies, as revealed by the InDaily SA Business Index. The list, developed by analysts at Prescotts Securities, measures financial year revenue and each company’s contribution to employment. MGA Whittles was ranked at number 60 on the list with financial year revenue of more than $65million and more than 400 employees. The MGA Whittles Group consists of MGA Insurance Brokers, Whittles Body Corporate & Millennium General Insurance. Other winery and wine-related businesses on the list included d’Arenberg at 84; Wine Cru (vinomofo.com) at 80; Samuel Smith & Son at 43; Australian Vintage at 29; and Accolade Wines at 14.

Accolade Wines buys Chile’s Viña Anakena

NZ wine industry votes for continued levy funding

Accolade Wines announced a purchase of Chile’s Viña Anakena, a move it says has made it the first company to have a footprint in all major New World wine regions. Viña Anakena was founded in the late 1990s by two friends, Felipe Ibáñez and Jorge Gutiérrez, in Alto Cachapoal, in the cool foothills of the Andes Mountains, south of the Chilean capital Santiago. Accolade’s acquisition includes all the brands and inventory relating to Anakena labels, a 3000 tonne winery, a vineyard near the winery, cellar door and VIP tasting room. Nick Greiner, Accolade Wines’ chairman, said Accolade now had a presence in all key New World regions – Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, North America and South America.

The New Zealand wine industry demonstrated resounding support for the national organisation by voting positively in the 2015 levy referenda, enabling New Zealand Winegrowers to receive continued levy funding. The positive results mean that New Zealand Winegrowers Inc. will continue to receive levy funding from grapegrowers and wineries to enable the provision of services in areas such as: research, marketing, sustainability, advocacy and information delivery.

Ross Brown named Legend of the Vine Ross Brown, executive director of Brown Brothers, was named the 2015 Victorian Legend of the Vine by Wine Communicators of Australia (WCA). Brown received the award in front of 150 industry peers and guests at the WCA Royal Melbourne Wine Show awards lunch. The Legend of the Vine recognises an individual who has made an outstanding and lasting contribution to the Australian wine industry and has a passion for telling its story. Angus Barnes, WCA chairman, said there are few people that fit the criteria better than Brown. As Legend of the Vine, he joins a prestigious list that includes James Halliday, Rob Hirst, Patrick Iland, David Lowe and Bill Hardy. He also becomes a life member of WCA.

20 Grapegrower & Winemaker

In top company

Phylloxera Board changes name to Vinehealth Australia The board responsible for protecting South Australian vineyards from pests and diseases since 1899, unveiled a new name and identity. The Phylloxera and Grape Industry Board of South Australia changed its name to Vinehealth Australia, a move which comes as part of the board’s five-year strategic plan. Vinehealth Australia will continue collaborate nationally to safeguard South Australia’s $1.79 billion wine industry from diseases, pests and other conditions that may affect vine health and, importantly, to help maintain South Australia’s phylloxera-free status. Ben Gibson, Vinehealth Australia presiding officer, said this is an exciting milestone which embodies the visionary insight of our industry pioneers, who back in 1899 urged the government to establish the Act under which we continue to operate today.

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December 2015 – Issue 623

R&D work Removing haze with enzymes DECEMBER 2015

Wines treated with the enzymes Aspergillopepsin 1 and 2 to remove hazecausing proteins can now be sent to Australia’s major export markets. This recent announcement is a win for winemakers and for Wine Australia and the AWRI, which had sought the required regulatory approval. From a scientific point of view, it is also something to celebrate for a number of current and former researchers at the AWRI, who have been working since the start of the decade to put all the pieces of this important global breakthrough into place. As winemakers are only too aware, some proteins in wine grapes persist throughout the winemaking process and, if not removed, can produce an unsightly haze in white, rosé and sparkling wines. The usual way to remove them is fining with bentonite. However, while this is effective, it is not a selective approach (all proteins are removed, not just those that can create haze) and it can increase the time wines spend in tank, lead to a loss of volume and quality, and create waste disposal challenges and costs. One study suggests the hidden cost of bentonite fining is around $1 billion a year worldwide, which explains why scientists have been looking for an alternative. For the AWRI, the first step was to find out exactly what is happening.

Researchers used two novel laboratory techniques to isolate the haze-causing proteins then employed sophisticated scanners to understand for the first time the way the proteins ‘unfold’, which is the key to haze formation. Armed with this knowledge, they were able to identify that the main culprits were proteins known as chitinases, which unfold irreversibly and tend to clump together. This, in turn, allowed them to try an entirely new approach of using enzymes as a possible solution. Proteolytic enzymes had previously been used with limited success, primarily because they were not sufficiently active under normal winemaking pH and temperature conditions. However, the results were very different when the enzymes were put to work on the proteins after they had unfolded, when they were much more susceptible to attack. A commercial product known as Proctase emerged as a lead candidate, due to its activity at wine pH and at temperatures close to the unfolding temperatures of the proteins. Proctase is a mixture of Aspergillopepsin 1 and 2. For the process to work, the juice must be heated so that the proteins unfold. While initially some winemakers were wary of this, research showed that short-term heating of juice did not cause a negative sensory effect in the resulting wine. Indeed, some studies suggested heating the juice can lead to the

release of important flavour compounds – the opposite to what would happen if heating the finished wine. Trials were successfully carried out in the laboratory, then in the field at pilot and winery-scale, with 5000 litres each of Riesling, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc treated at two wineries during the 2012 vintage. The clear finding was that using these enzymes pre-fermentation eliminates the need for bentonite, with obvious savings in labour and logistics in the winery. Additionally, unlike with bentonite, no lees are created by the enzyme treatment, so there are no lees to dispose of and no wine is lost. Economic analysis of the process demonstrated substantial cost savings compared to batch bentonite treatment, with the cost being comparable to in-line bentonite addition. ‘We’re really pleased with how effective the use of proteases with heating has been and look forward to supporting the adoption of this process by Australian winemakers’, said the AWRI’s Research Manager – Chemistry, Dr Paul Smith. ‘In the meantime, the team at the AWRI is continuing to investigate several additional promising alternatives to bentonite.’ Wine Australia RD&E Project Portfolio Manager Dr Liz Waters said ‘This project is an excellent demonstration of collaboration between the Australian grape and wine community, Wine Australia and researchers at AWRI and other institutions.’

Wine Australia, Industry House cnr Botanic & Hackney Roads Adelaide SA 5000 PO Box 2733 Kent Town SA 5071 | T: 08 8228 2000 | F: 08 8228 2066 | E: research@wineaustralia.com | W: www.research.wineaustralia.com

New app to help keep an eye on powdery mildew

PMapp

A free app to help growers, consultants, wineries and researchers assess powdery mildew on grape bunches in the field will be available for use on mobile phones and tablets. PMapp is scheduled for release late this year for both Apple and android devices. The initiative, which has been supported by a number of wine companies, is part of a broader project at the University of Adelaide seeking to establish objective measures for assessing powdery mildew. ‘An app is something people have been thinking about for a while now and the industry reference group has been very supportive and provided valuable feedback during development’, said Prof Eileen Scott, Deputy Head of the School of Agriculture, Food and Wine. ‘While our primary focus is on developing objective molecular and spectroscopic measures for powdery mildew, we all acknowledge that assessing disease visually in the field, and sometimes also at the winery, is going to be with us for some time. ‘The aim was to create a simple tool that will allow assessors to capture information more accurately and efficiently in the vineyard and improve their disease assessment skills.’ The prototype app was released for trial in the Australian grape and wine community early this year and, following feedback, a number of enhancements have been made to the application for general release.

One of these is the inclusion of a diagrammatic assessment key to help commercial users differentiate increments in powdery mildew severity in the low range.

Prof Scott said most wineries had thresholds of tolerance for powdery mildew (usually 3-5 per cent of the bunch area affected) and it was important for growers to produce grapes that met a winery’s requirements.

The information component of the app is reasonably straightforward, though there are software smarts behind it. Assessors simply input the patch details and their estimate of the percentage of each bunch assessed that is affected by powdery mildew.

The other side of the project is using techniques such as mid- and near-infrared spectroscopy to determine exactly how much powdery mildew is present on grapes.

The screen displays the number of bunches assessed, the last five assessments, and constantly updated figures for the total incidence (number of bunches deemed affected) and severity (calculated from the average of the scores for surface of the bunches affected). All results are stored and can be emailed from the device as CSV or XML files. PMapp also includes training components. An image bank containing almost 150 computer-generated images helps users familiarise themselves with various disease patterns and severities, while a self-testing tool ‘marks’ their assessment of 10 or 20 images and indicates whether their tendency is to over or underestimate infection severity. Powdery mildew is hard to assess because it can affect parts of individual berries and the fungus can be hard to see in less than perfect light or be confused with dust or spray residue. Scarring on a grape may be caused by powdery mildew or by simple physical damage. And while rain may wash away the spores, the damaging hyphae are left on the surface. ‘Powdery mildew also can mean different things at different times of the season’, Prof Scott said. ‘If a grower sees it on leaves or very young berries early in the season there’s the opportunity to adjust the spray program to eradicate the infection and prevent further damage, but close to harvest it can mean a downgrading of fruit quality.’

Prof Scott said the disease’s impact on wine was caused by a combination of the physical presence of the fungus on the grape surface and the impact of infection on the quality of the grape itself, but the contribution of each was not yet clear. A lot also depended on the winemaking style and how the grapes were handled. ‘There isn’t really a specific marker for powdery mildew yet. In earlier research we found that affected grapes have increased content of phenolics, hydroxycinnamates and flavonoids, but these components can also be elevated in response to other diseases, insect attack and physical damage. ‘We do know that the grapes change biochemically, but we don’t yet know how much of a difference there is between having one heavily diseased bunch and all the rest being healthy and having a light infection spread across a lot of bunches. We don’t know how that affects wine quality.’

Optimising vine balance VitiCanopy, an app, which allows users to obtain canopy architectural parameters for grapevines using cover digital photography and automated analysis, is now available for Apple devices, with an android version to follow soon. There’s also an instructional video on You Tube (search for VitiCanopy). The app and a broader research program investigating optimal vine performance featured in the June issue of R&D at work. The project is funded by Wine Australia and is being carried out at the University of Adelaide, in collaboration with the University of Melbourne and with support from Treasury Wine Estates and DJ’s Growers.

Future Leaders are inspired Asked to describe the Future Leaders experience, they offered words such as enlightening, optimistic, motivating and fun. This year’s program was the sixth since the concept was launched in 2006. It is funded by the sector and coordinated by Wine Australia in partnership with Wine Grape Growers Australia and Winemakers’ Federation of Australia. The Future Leaders were this year encouraged to innovate, collaborate and ‘change the game’ by asking the tough questions and finding transformative solutions for the betterment of the Australian grape and wine community.

The Future Leaders 2015

Stay connected with Wine Australia for news on the next Future Leaders program, set to take place in 2017. Graham Smith may have found an aptly descriptive alternative to that much used word ‘passion’ when talking about the grape and wine community. ‘Deep rooted enthusiasm beyond it being a business’ was how he described the spirit in the room as he worked with the participants in this year’s Future Leaders program. ‘You get great commitment in many rural and agricultural sectors, but the sheer enthusiasm they all have for the product and the attachment they feel to it and to the sector and its future is quite inspiring’, he said. The Manager of Leadership Programs for the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation (ARLF), Graham ran all bar the first of the five sessions held across the country over six months. Things officially ended in Adelaide in mid-October, but clearly the graduates saw it as really just the beginning. ‘Right now they are in there planning a fairly significant thing for six months’ time – though I won’t give too much away’, Graham said. ‘It’s unusual for a group to come up with such a tangible thing they want to get on with. They are effectively extending the course under their own steam, which to me is a good indicator that they have bonded as a professional group.’ That was very much the aim. ‘The Foundation has a philosophy of

values-based leadership. We wanted this group, like all of our groups, to gradually come to a realisation of their own leadership style as a collegiate group and to think more deeply about what leadership means to them. We don’t impose a particular theory of leadership’, he said. ‘Leadership is something that is developed; it’s not a trait. Anyone can exhibit leadership behaviours and take leadership roles, particularly in the rural, regional and remote sectors. We would also argue that leadership development can be accelerated through fairly intensive shared experience.’ That certainly resonated with viticulturist Suzie Muntz, from Xanadu Wines in WA, who said her ideas of leadership had been changed by the program, particularly in ‘realising that you don’t have to be a certain type of person to be a leader. There are so many different personalities and management styles and there’s no right or wrong approach.’ In talking with five of this year’s participants, the common theme was how much they had learned about themselves, about areas of their own sector that they had previously not really been exposed to, and the importance of learning from the successes and failures of other industries.

For more information about Australian Rural Leadership Programs, visit www.rural-leaders.com.au.

In their own words

Over the six or so months that we’ve done this, I’ve gained a better understanding of the sector and of the challenges we face, but I’ve also gained more motivation and excitement to be a part of the future development of our industry. – Christian Dal Zotto I guess coming in, my idea of leadership was leading from the front and taking charge – probably a little bit more traditional. I realise that it’s partly that but it’s also having the courage to make hard decisions and have more awareness of how your decisions affect those around you. – Stuart Hordern I think we all know our weaknesses but the program really reflected that what I knew were weaknesses were in fact things that I could improve on with a bit of practice. – Dave Milne I’ve definitely got a wider understanding of the wine sector and some of the industry issues that I haven’t had much exposure to before, especially through learning about the limitations, challenges and opportunities of other parts of the value chain. – Gemma West Certainly as a group of Future Leaders we’ve got ideas and I’m looking forward to us hitting the ground running. – Suzie Muntz Their fearlessness and frankness has been refreshing. – Graham Smith (ARLF)

Researcher in Focus: Dr Agnieszka Mierczynska-Vasilev that the AWRI was looking for a physical chemist and colloid scientist and I thought “this is great, that’s exactly my background and wine sounds interesting”’, she said. ‘Then John Ralston, the founder of the Wark, told me that the AWRI had a great reputation, with a good environment, good people and big opportunities.’

Dr Agnieszka Mierczynska-Vasilev

For a wine scientist, Dr Agnieszka Mierczynska-Vasilev knows a lot of impressive stuff about mineral processing. Trained as a physical chemist in her native Poland, she completed a PhD on composite materials with carbon nanotubes, along the way winning the prestigious Marie Curie Fellowship – not once, but twice. This allowed her to spend time at two of the top scientific research centres in Europe – the Francis Perrin CEA-CNRS Laboratory in France and the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research in Germany. She moved to Adelaide in 2005 and was soon offered a position as a research assistant at the University of South Australia (UniSA), working on drug delivery systems. Seven years later she was a research fellow in the University’s world-renowned Ian Wark Institute when her career took an unexpected turn. ‘A colleague sent around an email saying

‘This is very good for wine – better than Dynamic Light Scattering because the NTA technique can simultaneously analyse the population of particles on an individual basis and is suited for the real time analysis of systems with particles of varying sizes. ‘With this equipment I am trying to understand in greater detail the mechanism of haze formation and the impact of filtration on wine macromolecules.

That was in February last year and after initially ‘doing a lot of reading to find my space’ Agnieszka says, with significant ‘We carry out filtration trials in which wines understatement, that she is ‘at the stage where are subjected to different stages of filtration. I can be comfortable’. After filtration I can measure colloid concentration and colloid size in wine.’ The analytical techniques used in colloid science are not commonly applied to wine, giving her freedom and opportunities to implement and develop new methods to characterise the behaviour of a range of colloids in wine and how they affect texture, stability, clarity and filtration.

Other current research projects include developing materials that can resist fouling (using her experience in plasma polymerisation) and innovative work trialling technology to clear wine using magnetic nanoparticles.

Colloids in wine are essentially macromolecules up to one micron in size and, in a wine context, include tannins and the proteins that can cause wine haze [an issue raised in the first story of this edition of R&D At Work ].

Agnieszka was not actually a wine drinker before coming to Australia. ‘When I was in Europe, perhaps because I was younger, I was drinking more beer; maybe in Germany a little bit of Riesling’, she said.

Agnieszka retains an adjunct academic position at UniSA and has access to a range of specialised equipment there when needed. But the AWRI has also made some smart recent purchases. ‘We are lucky that we have this new equipment called Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis, because with this we can visualise and characterise particles in solution’, she said.

‘But when I came to Adelaide the first thing people did was say “oh you must visit the Barossa and McLaren Vale”. So I went to those places and I think I just acquired this taste for wine. I really enjoy it now and I am trying to learn more.’ And from a scientific perspective, does she miss minerals? ‘Not really, I prefer wine.’

Final reports now available 2XE 1301

Life-cycle cost analysis of wine processing to identify major opportunities for process efficiency improvements

DPI 1102

Harnessing soil biological functions to improve grapevine management for a sustainable industry

UA 1404

Incubator initiative: Improving vineyard water efficiency by addition of biochar derived from grape stalks and vineyard prunings

GWT 1325 Participation in the 7th International Workshop on Grapevine Downy and Powdery Mildew GWT 1422 GiESCO 2015 – Effect of temperature on fruit phenotype and wine

For more information and to access final reports, visit www.research.wineaustralia.com/completed_projects Wine Australia, Industry House cnr Botanic & Hackney Roads Adelaide SA 5000 PO Box 2733 Kent Town SA 5071 | T: 08 8228 2000 | F: 08 8228 2066 | E: research@wineaustralia.com | W: www.research.wineaustralia.com

grapegrowing Slip, slop, slap KAOLIN-BASED SUNSCREEN is proving to be another handy tool available to help grapegrowers protect valuable crops. The white clay based applications offer a physical protection for leaves and bunches, helping to lower the temperature within the canopy – which can prevent the vine from shutting down in extreme heat spikes. Liz Riley, a consultant viticulturist based in the Hunter, said the physical barrier is designed to protect the skin of the berry and “help to reflect heat out of the canopy”. “Which means you have two things happening and if you can lower the canopy temperature, you can potentially stop the vine from shutting down when the temperature heats up and you can keep things going – keep the ripening process going,” said Riley. Berry sunburn, which is the result of heat events, is of particular concern for white varieties, such as Semillon, because sun damage may negatively influence wine quality. The sunburn can actually cause undesirable phenolic flavours. Anecdotal evidence indicates Semillon grapes which have been subjected to prolonged heat events are more difficult to manage in the winery, particularly processes such as pressing and must settling. Trials that Riley has been involved with in the Hunter Valley have assessed the use of sunscreen products on Semillon to enable local growers and winemakers to assess these products in the vineyard and understand their potential use prior to heat events. Two products were used in this demonstration – Surround® (AgNova Technologies) and Screen Duo® (Agricrop). “In the Hunter it is a risk management versus financial decision,” said Riley.

December 2015 – Issue 623

IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS •S peak with your winery and check if they allow the use of sunscreens on your vineyard; •S unscreen products are only of value when applied prior to heat events; •A s per the label, sunscreen products must be applied when the ambient air temperature is 28° C or less. If it is hotter, the product will dry before being applied to the plant surface; and •O nly apply sunscreens when there is a potential risk of a heat event. Apply to risk areas or varieties when they are needed during the season.

I consider it an investment, not a cost, because you only do it when everything matches up. The fruit has to have a home, you do it when you want to meet the quality and keep a good relationship with the winery going. It’s a value proposition.

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Grapegrower & Winemaker

grapegrowing NON KAOLN OPTION Other trails have included a Riverina project that looked at the best-practice use and application of the most commonly used kaolin clay (sunscreen) spray products, as well as a new product used predominantly on stonefruit ‘Photon’. ‘Photon 500SG’ was only released for commercial horticulture in recent years and differs from kaolin sunscreen products in that it’s a translocated product which is absorbed by the plant within 5–6 hours, leaving no residue on the surface of the fruit or leaves. One benefit of Photon was the recommended application rate of 20grams per hectare; significantly less than other more common kaolin clay products (some as high as 50 kilograms/ ha).

PRACTICAL ADVICE

The best success has been where growers have played around with their particular spray plant and their particular canopy – and managed to table that to get the best coverage they can and get a nice, even, white coverage and then they’ve had pretty good results. Ideally in early ripening regions the first application would probably be due before the end of November. “But it’s not uncommon for the Hunter to get hail in the first week of December,” which makes spending money and time on the early application of sunscreen more of a risk. “A lot of growers would have been procuring the product during November and hanging on to it. “It depends on what crop stage you are, as to how vulnerable you are.”

TIMING IS IMPORTANT Riley recommends a first application, which is the heaviest, around veraison. The second application is due between 14 and 21 days after, depending on the weather and where the season lines up against Christmas and New Year’s. “In the Hunter we definitely get the first application out before Christmas. “Because we know there is a limited supply in the country, we’ve been advising people to order it. “I consider it an investment, not a cost, because you only do it when everything matches up. The fruit has to have a home, you do it when you want to meet the quality and keep a good relationship with the winery going. It’s a value proposition.” Reports from one winery involved in the Hunter trials suggested the treated grapes were “riper analytically and flavour-wise and had a better pH and TA as well”. The winery indicated the use sunscreen products was beneficial and the winery would continue to support growers how apply sunscreens on a case-by-case basis as required. This support would extend to other varieties than Semillon, including red varieties.

26 Grapegrower & Winemaker

Last year viticulturist Andrew Weeks, currently the business manager at Riverland Wine, delivered an AWRI webinar on this topic of kaolin-based sun protection – looking at the practical side of the products. “I am from the Riverland wine region and heatwaves are just characteristic of just trying to grow grapes,” said Weeks. And he pointed out the move to more efficient irrigation methods has meant there isn’t as large a rootzone to draw water up from during a heat spike. “It’s not just about crop loss, we’ve noticed when vines get heat stressed they stop ripening and it also has deleterious impacts on some of the beneficial compounds that make good wine. “Heat damage can be pretty disastrous in terms of both yield and quality loss, and some varieties are more susceptible than others. “Often just trying to add water to combat that is not enough to prevent the damage.” Weeks has first-hand experience with sunscreen application on Merlot in the Riverland and was pleased to report the benefits. “We noticed once we started using the kaolin-based products that we got really good feedback from the GLOs who were assessing that fruit in the field and they said they could taste the difference. Initially when some of these products started to get a bit more popular some of the wineries were a bit resistant to them, they weren’t confident there would not be other issues,” Weeks said. “A lot of that was the knowledge that a lot of these products were based on clay, many thought that because clay is a fining agent there would be impacts on colour. Thankfully now there is a lot more confidence in them.” Weeks said the aim of the products was “wholly and solely about trying to prevent crop loss”. “You are looking at five-to-six percent difference in leaf temperatures and two-to-three percent difference in the berries. That may not seem statistically significant, but… I think it probably does have an effect,” he said. “All vines seem to have a temperature, for a particular patch, where they shut down. The vines react to reduce water loss and in doing so, in stopping transpiration, they cease cooling. The natural plant reaction ends up cooking the leaves in the sun.”

APPLICATION IS CRITICAL Both Weeks and Riley said that application was critical to the performance of the kaolin-based products. “If your coverage isn’t brilliant, you’re only getting oneor-two degree difference at most,” Weeks said. “It’s all about coverage.” Riley said it was also important to be really “targeted” with the application.

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December 2015 – Issue 623

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grapegrowing NOT IDEAL FOR A COMBINED APPROACH Combining other fungicide spays with the kaolin-based sun protection has also been trialled, but isn’t encouraged. “When you look at what you are trying to achieve, with these products you are trying to spray the outside of the canopy,” Weeks said. “There’s not a lot to be gained by trying to get the coverage you would be looking for with a fungicide spray. “Therefore, compared to a fungicide spray, less air may be needed. Some growers have actually run their fans on low speed or just had the fans turned off; they’ve run them at slightly faster ground speed and may have a different jet type and combination to what you’d normally use for your fungicide sprays. So therefore it’s probably not practical to think about combining these with other fungicide sprays anyway.”

APPLICATION RATES

“It’s probably not a solution for spraying your whole acreage, you want to be really strategic with it on the blocks you know are producing high-value grapes and might benefit from the extra protection,” she said. “I’m primarily using it on whites, particularly on Semillon but also on Chardonnay. For the reds we’ve used it on Tempranillo, which is a bit like a white Semillon, and a bit on Gamay and we’ve been really happy with the results with the reds. “In the trials we’ve seen similar results, but I’ve got a preference for Surround because of the bright white colour – you can really see the spray coverage.” The nuts and bolts of the application will vary depending on the equipment and the canopy. “What we’ve found tends to work really well is spraying up to the point of run-off,” Weeks said. “If you are putting on way too much volume and trying to really flood this material on, it can end up slumping. It ends up dropping around the end of the berry… and not giving a nice, even coverage. And to that end it seems several light applications works a lot better than trying to get a heavy one to work. “Medium and fine jets with a suitable ground speed seem to work really well. Agitation with the kaolin products is absolutely critical, we had one grower who started spraying in a trial and for some reason decided to turn the PTO off at the end of the row as he was turning around – and the filter had blocked by the time he went back in the row. “They have to be applied before the heatwave, not during or after. If you have already suffered damage then you’re not going to get the benefit out of using these products. “I would suggest not using these products as a substitute for irrigation… for preventing crop loss they are best used in conjunction with a really good water regime.” Taking the ‘targeted’ application to another level, Weeks said he had seen “good results just spraying on one side of the row – on the westerly side of north-south rows… that combatted the afternoon sun.”

28 Grapegrower & Winemaker

Both Riley and Weeks suggest that application rates need to be carefully considered. Generally, the first application is heavier with a rate of up to seven or eight kilograms per hectare. While follow-up applications are about half this rate. However, Weeks said that growers should think of it as a spray painting and building up the coverage. “At least three even and equal quotes are better than trying to get one heavy coat to stick. If you really want to get a good job some have tried applying the first coat with two light applications from the spray cart travelling in opposite directions, making sure they cover all the gaps in the canopy. “Once the first coat sticks, subsequent applications of the kaolin stick a lot better. Some growers have tried applications with different wetting agents to aid the spread and adherence… it’s basically a matter of trial and error, but with wetting agents it comes back to the better they are – the more careful you probably have to be about the application rate because if they wet too well you can encourage too much slumping.”

WORKING WITH THE WINERY Weeks said the most important aspect would be the relationship with the winery. “Make sure your GLO or winery knows that you’re going to do this, get their permission before you do it… they may not react well if they’re not expecting it.” On that point Rauri Donkin, the head winemaker at Bimbadgen Estate, said he hadn’t seen any issues in the winery from grapes that had been treated with sunscreen. He said the final choice would depend on the variety and the quality of the crop you were protecting but he “wouldn’t shy away from it” in the right circumstance. “Semillon is quite delicate, so if we have some exposed canopies it helps protect the fruit and its delicate flavours. We have also used if for the same reason with some Chardonnay last year.” Donkin said there is a train of thought there might be added benefits with the clay-based products. “It’s a barrier to the sun, obviously, but because it is a physical barrier we think it might have some disease resistant quality as well – but that’s just a theory.” Depending on which product is used and what the application rate is, the costs could range between $250 and $450 per hectare. Both Riley and Weeks stressed that decision making with these products comes down to assessing risk and trying to reduce it. “If it’s worth doing, do it well,” Weeks said. “The best success has been where growers have played around with their particular spray plant and their particular canopy – and managed to table that to get the best coverage they can and get a nice, even, white coverage and then they’ve had pretty good results.”

www.winetitles.com.au

December 2015 – Issue 623

Rain keeps vintage on track HEAVY November rain in some of Australia’s leading wine regions has the 2016 vintage on track for a strong harvest. The Barossa and Clare in South Australia received up to 80mm of muchneeded rain in early November – more than had fallen in those regions across the previous two months. Nicki Robins, Barossa Grape and Wine Association viticultural development officer, said the rainfall ranged from about 30mm to as much as 58mm in her region. “Things are looking really good, most people have just finished flowering so things are looking on track. It was certainly lovely to get that good bit of rain, it really helps a lot,” said Robins. “Because we had such a cold winter the vines went very dormant and then we had a few patches of heat which really made the vines push so the amount of canopy growth is quite good compared to the overall amount of rain we’ve had.” Robins said while many vineyards were irrigated, good winter and spring rainfall was crucial. “You just can’t beat it,” she said. “The vines are looking very healthy especially after the recent rain and there’s no disease pressure at the moment so things are looking really nice.” Troy van Dulken, Clare Valley Wine Grape Growers Association president, said vineyards in his region received between 56mm and 86mm of rain in early November, which was “spot on timing”.

“We’ve had really solid early growth because of the warm spring and with the rain it couldn’t be better,” said van Dulken. “The crop load this year is probably the best I’ve seen since 2010 so where looking at probably above average crops of all varieties throughout Clare at the moment. “Things are on track for a very good season and it looks like we are tracking towards an early vintage at this stage in the early part of February if not the last week of January.” Further south, the McLaren Vale and Coonawarra districts have received only about 15-20mm of rain in November but growers were still hopeful of a good season. Allen Jenkins, Coonawarra Grape & Wine Incorporated president, said a warmer than average October had kept potentially damaging spring frosts in the region at bay this year. Jenkins said the warm conditions had been perfect for flowering. He said although the flowering season had come early, cool summer winds off the chilly Southern Ocean often meant harvest of the region’s cabernet grapes was traditionally not until early April. “It’s been a very nice start to the season – it’s been dry – but the lack of rain means that we’ve had no disease pressure.” “The rain we had last week was just enough to freshen the vines a bit and

The crop load this year is probably the best I’ve seen since 2010 so where looking at probably above average crops of all varieties throughout Clare at the moment. settle the dust, it didn’t really have much impact. “We’d be very happy like to see some good rain in early January just before the vines enter the ripening period.” McLaren Vale grape grower and winemaker James Hook, of DJ’s Growers and Lazy Ballerina wines, said the region was preparing for an early vintage. “We are possibly going to be picking some grapes in January, which is much earlier than average,” said Hook. He said dry conditions were unlikely to be detrimental to the harvest because the region had good access to water for irrigation. However, he said growers would be hoping to avoid prolonged summer heat waves where temperatures topped 35C for long periods. “The mood is very optimistic,” said Hook. “People are seeing good potential yields at this stage.”

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Grapegrower & Winemaker

young gun

A champion for viticulture: Muntzy’s leadership spiel PINNING A VOODOO DOLL, dressing up in drag and smashing out a beat on the bagpipes would describe a perfectly normal, run of the mill day for viticulturist Suzie Muntz. The Future Leaders representative from Xanadu Wines had a chat to us about growing grapes in the Margaret River, her definition of leadership and how she stays (relatively) sane during the hectic vintage season. SUZIE MUNTZ speaks of Xanadu much like Samuel Taylor Coleridge did in his famous poem Kubla Khan. An exotic, utopian place with sunny spots of greenery and miles of fertile land. Except in Muntz’s version there’s a touch less demon-lover and more Star Wars dress up days. “There is never a dull moment,” Muntz said. “Throughout the growing season and especially during vintage we have our famous dress up days, whether it’s fun staff handpicks dressed in Drag, Christmas parties that are ‘short film festivals’, crunch time at lunch time for a bit of fitness, or Star Wars and 1980s theme days.” Xanadu Wines has been Muntz’s home for the better part of a decade. She said staff at the winery rarely move on because of the warm, family-feel vibe of the company. “Xanadu wines is one of those fantastic companies that once you start working here and get a feel for the team camaraderie,” she said. Growing up surrounded by big broad acre crops in Corrigin Western Australia, Muntz, also known as Muntzy, Minty, Munta, Muntza, Munted, Smuntz, and Suxie Muntx, developed a passion for

all things outdoors at a young age. After finishing high school, she began studying a degree in agriculture at the University of Western Australia where the first two years paralleled that of a viticultural degree. She worked in other fields of agriculture across Canada, Hawaii and Puerto Rico, before returning to Australia to pursue a career in the wine industry. “I fell in love with the Margaret River region and developed a passion for growing grapes to make some amazing wines,” she said. “The difference between growing broad acre crops and grapes is that you get to enjoy the end product and see the fruits of your hard work a lot earlier when it’s in a bottle of wine on your table.” Championing the importance of grapegrowers, Muntz said it’s time to put viticulture on the map and unite the wine industry. “My career plan is simple: continue implementing viticultural strategies that result in top quality winegrapes at the same time as increasing my ability to influence the wine industry and the Margaret River region,” she said. “This includes getting the people in the vineyard who are often ‘behind the scenes’ out there and increasing public awareness.” Muntz said there was too much segregation between grapegrowers and winemakers and placed the blame on the numerous different regional bodies representing each group. “I believe this gap needs to bridged, so we can receive more funding as an industry from the government enabling us to take on the global market.”

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30 Grapegrower & Winemaker

In the vineyard we have our own little Winemaker Voodoo Doll, pins and all, that was a gift from Glenn Goodall. This comes in handy when we are watching the weather like hawks and in the words of winemaker Glenn ‘Wait, wait, wait – go get it ALL’ during vintage! Muntz proved her skills as a natural talking head when she was selected as one of 16 participants to take part in Wine Australia’s 2015 Future Leaders program. Pitched as a ‘professional and personal development course that creates a network of confident, committed individuals who will “be next” and contribute to the future success of the Australian wine community’ Muntz described Future Leaders as a “massive career highlight”. “I thought it would be a fantastic opportunity to enhance my leadership skills, whilst at the same time meeting my inspiring future leader colleagues, other professionals in the wine industry and networking with some really interesting speakers,” she said. “Some of the most inspirational speakers were Toby Ralph, Ben Haslett from the Nuffield scholarship , Ashley Ratcliff, and Caroline Rhodes to name a few. Muntz said she learned a lot from the program, but the most important concept was that leadership comes in many forms.

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December 2015 – Issue 623

Xanadu viticulturist Suzie Muntz thinks grapegrowers deserve more recognition in the industry.

“On a personal level I learnt a lot about my own personality profile and that there are many different styles of leadership and one way isn’t necessarily correct,” she said. “Whilst on another level I feel really lucky to have met an inspiring network of amazing colleagues. We are going to be doing some wine swaps, where I can’t wait to taste some different wines from across Australia.” Now that Future Leaders has wrapped up, Muntz said she might be able to find some time to indulge in a few activities away from the vineyard. “I enjoy playing my bagpipes, I love the outdoors, camping, hiking, fishing, gardening and cooking,” she said. “I also meet up with my mates for ‘art night’ once a fortnight, where we tinker away at different projects, often whilst enjoying vino or two. Some of our projects have included upholstery, felting, resin art, pallet furniture, painting and mosaics.” “My latest exciting hobby is making my own wine with friend Karen Holper, we will be bottling our 2015 Chardonnay very shortly. It is delectable.” Although Muntz described her career to date as “very exciting”, she said there have been some rough spots where she’s December 2015 – Issue 623

had to draw a line between business and friendships. “One of my biggest challenges would be being involved in rejecting a grower’s fruit after a heat event, where the grower didn’t turn his irrigation on,” she said. “This was a costly exercise for him and not a nice position to be in from a company angle. “Another challenge has been maintaining a professional work balance and delineating friendships from profession to make hard decisions.” Despite this, Muntz said she loves her day-to-day work which sees her growing premium grapes with her vineyard team for the winery to create amazing wines. “I work closely with our winemaker Glenn Goodall, trialling all sorts of different things in the vineyard, including different pruning styles, canopy management, foliar sprays, and then following these trials through to a finished wine, to see what worked best,” she said. “I also coordinate the seasonal movements of my fearless team with my vineyard manager Steve Utting; from pruning, to canopy management, spraying, pest and disease monitoring, and finally through to harvest. All whilst www.winetitles.com.au

being at the mercy of the weather.” Muntz described the wine and grape game as ever changing and encouraged young grapegrowers and winemakers to get involved. “It’s an exciting industry to be in,” she said. “There are many different facets and jobs that can be obtained within the Industry, as I found out on the Future Leaders course. The sixteen of us were all from different parts of the sector, growing the grapes, making wine, bottling it, blogging it, marketing it and finally selling it. What’s not to love?” After some challenging times for the winery, Muntz said the team at Xanadu were “super excited” about the future. “It’s been a lot of hard work by everyone here, but our wine sales are on a healthy incline.” So, what keeps Muntz and her team sane through the demanding hours of vintage? Well, probably mixing in just a touch of crazy. “In the vineyard we have our own little Winemaker Voodoo Doll, pins and all, that was a gift from Glenn Goodall. This comes in handy when we are watching the weather like hawks and in the words of winemaker Glenn… ‘Wait, wait, wait – go get it ALL’ during vintage!” Grapegrower & Winemaker

grapegrowing

The case for a national germplasm Growers with a robust Downy Mildew protectant program in place have been able to rest assured, knowing their crop was well protected from heavy downpours and warm humid conditions experienced earlier in the season. Not everyone was well prepared though and the phone rang hot with enquires about curative options and application rates. Some have learnt the hard way that scrimping on the program around the flowering window is fraught with risk. Another big hitting disease can be Botrytis cinerea. Botrytis spores are very common. They harbour on many weed species as well as on any old canes or decaying bunches and other plant material remaining from the previous harvest. Dispersed by rain, wind or insect movement and feeding, the spores can infect and colonise any decaying tissue, for example floral parts, leaves, petioles and old canes. The scar tissue experienced at cap-fall is an obvious entry point for infections and should be a key timing for a robust Botrytis spray application. Just because you cannot see any infection at this time of year does not mean your crop is safe. The plant tissue can be harbouring a ‘latent infection’ which is kept in check by natural ‘antifungal compounds’ found inside the berries and other plant tissue. Later in the season when the berries begin to ripen, the latent infections can become active and aggressively take hold of the crop. The higher the latent infection between flowering and pre-bunch closure, the greater the chance of a high level of infection in the mature bunches. Hence protection throughout this period is important. Anything which causes damage and entry points to the leaves and/or berries increases the risk. Wind, mechanical and insect damage are factors which immediately spring to mind. Combining a well-timed spray for Light Brown Apple Moth (LBAM) along with your botryticide sprays can limit the rapid spread of bunch to bunch infection by these voracious feeders. A fungicide should also be applied at pre-bunch closure. This is the last chance for good spray coverage inside the bunch where latent infections often emerge. Growers need to be mindful that it’s just not possible to achieve good spray penetration inside the bunch after bunch closure. Powdery Mildew lesions can also form an entry point for Botrytis infection, so keeping this disease at bay is also essential for effective Botrytis management. With fungicide resistance becoming increasingly common within Powdery Mildew populations, have your viticulturist review your chemistry rotation. Think also about the architecture of the canopy and bunches. If things are crowded this will increase the risk of infection and importantly, bunch to bunch transfer. An early harvest timing is another tool in the toolbox. Nobody wants to harvest prematurely, but if you know the infections levels are high it may be a sensible option to consider. Growers worried about the presence of Botrytis can follow these steps: • select 25 bunches with suspected symptoms • place them in a clean lightly moistened bag • seal the bag and incubate at room temperature (20 ºC) • if Botrytis is present it will usually develop a greyish mould like growth within 1-3 days. If that happens, seek expert advice.

Vine Talk is compiled by Dave Antrobus, Syngenta Solutions Development Lead dave.antrobus@syngenta.com 0429 133 436 32 Grapegrower & Winemaker

Prue Henschke is an advocate for the improved management of Australia’s vineyard germplasm. In this Q&A she explains the importance of the protection and management of Australia’s grapevine source material. Q. Why is a national winegrape germplasm so important? Prue Henschke: It is really important for a propagator to be able to guarantee varietal and clonal ‘trueness-to-type’. The only way to do this is for the propagation material (usually as dormant cuttings) to be traced back to a Reference Vine from a germplasm that has recorded its credentials, including DNA testing and virus screening. In some cases the Reference Vine will be the initial Mother vine that was imported into Australia and passed through the two year quarantine process that sees it tested for a number of exotic disease risks and viruses. The Biosecurity Manual for the Viticulture Industry covers most of these and is available to download from the Farm Biosecurity website (www.farmbiosecurity.com.au). Although it is not a requirement, each importer should carry out DNA testing to ensure the vine is the correct variety (most often identified against the French Vassal collection) or hold a DNA certificate of proof from the overseas supplier. This is actually a requirement of registration of the imported wine grape variety for the Label Integrity Program (LIP) run by Wine Australia. Traceability is particularly important with clonal material as it is not picked up with the current DNA testing. Australian Vine Improvement, as individual groups across four regions, manage a number of regional collections. While some of these collections have been partly DNA tested, mostly the newer inclusions, and partly tested for virus status - most of the collections have not been DNA profiled. At more than $200 per vine, it is expensive to run these tests; and while a DNA profile is a one-off test, virus screening is run every three years on a staggered system. A national winegrape germplasm would reduce duplication and the costs of managing and maintaining the disease status of around 900 cultivars spread across 13 collections. Some of these cultivars are unique – the only pre-Phylloxera representations in the world. While others are selections from this old stock, for example Riesling and Shiraz, there is also a good number of alternative varieties, some specially-bred for a range of conditions such as drought tolerance, nematodes and salinity. There is also a range of rootstocks to be managed as well as table grapes and dried fruit varieties that are held for the associated industries. Two reports have been written that cover this topic in greater detail: GWR 1112 Summary of a Review of Grapevine Germplasm Collections in Australia, P. McMichael, 2013; and WGG1401 A Case for Strategic Oversight of Australia’s Grapevine Foundation Assets, 2014. An Australian Standard for Grapevine Propagation Material AS 5588 has also been written to give assurance to the purchaser of grapevine propagation material that the propagator has followed the necessary steps to produce vines of true identity

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December 2015 – Issue 623

germplasm and database, and with each Reference Vine planted in triplicate, DNA profiled and managed under high health status protocols. This new germplasm Q. What are the risks of not having management approach by AGFPS could this resource? cover the full range of private and open PH: The industry is already reeling cultivars that exist in Australia, on a from incorrect varietal and clonal fee-for-service basis including a DNA identification. This has been seen with the and virus testing schedule. The National current demand for alternative varieties Germplasm database would include as well as specific clones for Pinot Noir SPOKESPERSON: Prue Henschke has concerns Reference Vines recorded as either onsite and Chardonnay. The examples we about Australia’s winegrape germplasm and spoke about some of the work happening in or ‘offsite’ and access closed or open, have seen include: Savagnin instead of this area at the recent Australian Alternative depending on the owners’ priorities. Albariño; Slankamenka instead of Grillo; Varieties Wine Show ‘Talk & Taste’ event. It is important that the wine industry Bastardo for Grenache Gris/Blanc/Noir; as a whole has ownership of this database Mataro or Bonvedro instead of Carignan; so that the currently accessible material always remains ‘open’. the early-to-late ripening characteristics of a range of Pinot As CSIRO works through the DNA profiling of the collections Noir clones and the different flavours and bunch structures of of grapevine cultivars across Australia, including their own, the Chardonnay clones that could well be confused – the list the Reference Vines could be added to the National Germplasm goes on. database, managed by such a group as AGFPS. The additional The need for high health status material for top-grafting, both bonus here is that the DNA sequence analyses carried out of the stock and scion has led to costly failures in the pursuit of by CSIRO will provide an Australian identification database quick changeovers to alternative varieties. Wine Australia has that will be recognised internationally and can be used for an put up funding to continue the current three-year schedule of identification service – no more mix-ups as long as the wine virus testing for the collated Vine Improvement collections with world comes to an agreement on nomenclature. open access to the industry, in line with the AS 5588 Standard The current Vine Improvement Source Block system – a for Grapevine Propagation Material. system used in Germany and developed in SA by Max Loder, But the biggest loss has been the closure of access to the Viticulturist at Nuriootpa Agricultural Station in the 1960’s- is CSIRO collection, particularly for an interesting selection managed under similar protocols for traceability and random of alternative varieties now replanted at Koorlong, Victoria, virus checks and provides the bulk of propagation material as but of uncertain varietal identity. Wine Australia and CSIRO cuttings to the nurseries across Australia. have made a commitment to fund and re-open this collection, but only after every cultivar has been correctly identified by DNA typing with the new SNPs method they are developing Q. Where should the funding come from? international agreement on the ‘prime name’ – this could be a PH: I believe Wine Australia is in the best positon to fund the long time coming. national germplasm database. It is the collective industry body Private importers have helped to cover a small proportion of that also funds the LIP. Both the Germplasm and LIP require this loss but it is a costly and slow process to import – around a database of varietal identification, although the Germplasm $10,000 and seven-to-eight years per cultivar to reach a point of database will provide clonal identification as well. It is a reasonable supply. Not all importers adhere to the appropriate logical fit that Wine Australia funds the National Vine Register standard for holding a Reference/Mother vine or regular testing database of varieties that can be accessed for the LIP as well as for viruses – so the customer needs to request checks of the National Germplasm Register which also includes clones traceability and health status. and selections. The National Germplasm Register/database will give wine growers the ability to prove trueness-to-type, through traceability, from the vineyard to the propagator/nursery to the Q. Who should manage it? And how should it be Source Block and finally to the National Germplasm Reference managed? Vine. While some winemakers love the fascination of mixed PH: The Australian Vine Improvement groups currently plantings, others see them as undesirable mixes and expensive manage the ‘lion’s share’ of the national germplasm that is mistakes – the National Germplasm and Register will hopefully accessible. In fact, the Australian Grapevine Foundation Service see the end of this problem. (AGFS) based at Monash, SA, is establishing a state of the art and known health status and physical condition.

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CONTACT STOLLER AUSTRALIA ON FREECALL 1800 FERTILISER OR VISIT WWW.STOLLER.COM.AU December 2015 – Issue 623

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Australia’s Italian grapeline The Australian grape and wine industry – across NSW, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia – has been strongly influenced by pioneering Italian families. Marco Bertagni reports from Rome.

The ancient grapevines planted by the Gervasonis at Yandoit Hill in a 1920’s photo, and the same hill in 2014 (Source: M. Bertagni)

AUSTRALIA’S standing as the most important wine producing country in the southern hemisphere and the sixth largest in the world, is due in part to the remarkable contribution of its Italian immigrants. Many of them in fact, directly or indirectly, in a planned way or more fortuitously, have become involved in activities connected to agriculture and winegrape growing.

EARLY EXAMPLE: YANDOIT HILLS During the early years of colonisation, among the fortune seekers arriving in Australia were brothers Carlo, Giuseppe and Luigi Gervasoni who come from Val Brembana between 1855 and 1863. After having worked in the mining industry, the Gervasonis settled down and started to cultivate land. They chose Yandoit Hills (an area north of Melbourne on the western edge of the Macedon Ranges wine region) where a large community of Swiss-Italians had settled and started logging, grazing cattle, growing vegetables and planting grapevines. The Gervasonis were probably the first Italian wine producers and sellers in Australia and they integrated perfectly in the local community of their new country. Their last descendent, Vincent Gervasoni, owns and cultivates the same land that belonged to his grandfather until he died in 2005. Gerhard Emmerichs, Rosa and Colin Mitchell inherited the Gervasonis’ property and took custody of their history. Passionate about ecotourism and food and wine culture, all three hold Vincent Gervasoni in high regard and have a strong appreciation for his ancestors who “have always loved this country”. One example was Vincent’s decision to leave a plot of land to a farming family in his will because “they deserved to own it” and to leave Colin Mitchell the remaining portion of the family’s vineyard, with its ancient trees (more than 100 years old). According to Colin Mitchell, the Gervasonis were credited with introducing the art of winemaking to Victoria, at a time when drinking wine was not highly regarded and people drinking wine were considered alcoholics. In the winery there are old barrels, machinery, tools and even some vehicles used in the 1920s, still in original condition. The new owner has plans to renovate the entire property including the old homestead on top of the hill, nowadays little more than a relic. The house

34 Grapegrower & Winemaker

The Gervasonis’ colonial house in Yandoit Hill, and tools for harvesting grapes, transportation and wine production (Source: M. Bertagni)

inherited by Gerhard Emmerichs instead, has already been renovated and maintains its old name ‘Bergamo’. It includes the stone walls from the original building, where the old wine producing machinery, drums for the freshly pressed grapes and fermentation barrels are still located. Italian traditions survive at Yandoit Hill, to the extent that Mitchell and Emmerichs are now producing Arneis, Nebbiolo, Barbera and Dolcetto following the work done by their visionary predecessors from Val Brembana.

KING VALLEY: FROM TOBACCO TO GRAPE VINES A few hundred kilometres north-east of Yandoit Hill is King Valley, another area full of colonial significance that became ‘Italianised’ from the 1930s. After World War II, the valley became populated by Italian farmers who started as labourers or sharefarmers, and later become landowners. Their main business was not wine, but tobacco. They set up plantations and radically modified the area. One example was the work done by four brothers. Arnold, Alfred, George and Robert Pizzini immigrated from Trentino Alto Adife in the 50s.

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December 2015 – Issue 623

The Pizzini brothers became the most important producers of tobacco of the southern hemisphere, and provided employment for hundreds of fellow Italians, creating an Italian rural enclave. Whole families are involved in the business, and the family atmosphere results in parties and celebrations being organised between the dryers and the stores after long working days. Katrina Pizzini, manager of the family business, has memories of great times spent playing with other children between the tables set for the parties. However, from the mid 70s tobacco production drastically declined and the Pizzinis, like many others, were forced to find a different crop. They switched primarily to winegrape growing. They began to grow grapes for third party wineries but also started to make their own wine. The mainstream varieties growing in Australia are planted to begin with; it is much later the family began planting Italian grape varieties. And the tobacco-drying sheds are converter to bottling halls and cellar doors for attracting customers and growing the business through direct sales. A similar transition was taken up by other primary producers in the King Valley, including Gino Corsini and his son Peter, originally from Bagni di Lucca, who established La Cantina wines. The Corsini family built a stone cellar in perfect Tuscan style and refined their grapegrowing and winemaking processes to vinify organic Sangiovese and Nebbiolo.

MILDURA AND SUNRAYSIA: THE MALLEE CHALLENGE Moving from the King Valley in central Victoria, to the northwest of the state; the regional city of Mildura on the banks of the Murray River and the Sunraysia region has been a focal point in agricultural developed in Australia. It is home to complex irrigation systems that have seen land further away from the river cleared of the native Mallee vegetation. The local farmers manage a large variety of crops in this region. The Italians mainly dedicate their efforts to growing fruits including grapes. Joe Manitta and Celestina Mammone consider themselves custodians of Mildura’s history and believe that there should be more demand for the region’s wine, especially the Italian varieties. A large proportion of the wine made from Sunraysia winegrapes is processed either further

December 2015 – Issue 623

Giovanni Randi, founder of Australian Tartaric Products Ltd in 1991 and three phases of industrial production in 2014: collection of wine residuals, transformation into Tartaric Acid and distillation of the by-products. (Source: M. Bertagni)

east, in the Riverina; or west of Mildura in the Barossa. In addition to the winegrapes, the Sunraysia is home to a large percentage of Australia’s table grape production. Managing water in this area can be difficult, but it is not impossible as demonstrated by the biggest distillery in the country, Australian Tartaric Products. Built in 1991 by the Italian group Randi, this modern plant utilises residues from the winemaking process, collected from a radius of 600km, and transforms it into Calcium Tartrate and then into Tartaric Acid, as well as grape spirit. Enrico Randi, the son of the Australian distillery founder Giovanni, explains the choice to build the distillery near Mildura was due its favourable position between the two important vineyard areas, Barossa and Griffith, the availability of large plots of land and the possibility of irrigation using waste water from the plant. After 24 years of operation the company has become an important reference point in the region. Recently they installed an automated system to produce steam and electricity and this is greatly reducing the cost of propane brought to the plant via trucks.

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Grapegrower & Winemaker

grapegrowing

Peppino D’Opera and his do-it-yourself wine kit (Source: M. Bertagni)

SWAN VALLEY AND MARGARET RIVER: THE WILD WEST Winemaking in Western Australia is not without its own connections to Italian immigrants. Both the Swan Valley, close to Perth, and Margaret River, more than 250km to the south, are both areas where there has been an Italian influence on the farms and wineries. One early example is the work of the Pinelli family, originally from Rocca Mindolfi in Molise. Another is the story of Terzilio Grassi and his father Ferdinando. Ferdinando landed in Western Australia in 1926 with so little knowledge of the English language he didn’t grasp the meaning of the word ‘yes’ and he thought ‘for sale’ signs were promoting salt stores (the Italian word ‘sale’ means salt). Coming from Garfagnana, the Grassis bought a disused cellar close to the Swan River and a run-down vineyard. After some initially winemaking difficulties, the family changed the production system they were familiar with to better adapt to their new local conditions. The wine industry also received support from the local Italian-Australian Chamber of Commerce during the 1970s when a number of seminars were held to explain the Italian custom of drinking wine with meals… the consumption of wine in Western Australia was positively affected. During this time the Romeo family, from Siderno Marina in Calabria, also planted a small vineyard. Monica Romeo remembers growing up with the smell of the ferments. Peppino and Antonietta D’Opera represent another family that built on their strong grapegrowing and winemaking heritage to produce a good glass of self-produced red wine in their new surrounds. But the Italians of Australia do rely solely on their traditions. While they have great pride in the way things were done in Italy, they adopt new techniques to match Australian conditions and they also adjust to local customs – as Kim Napier confirms. Kim,

36 Grapegrower & Winemaker

The Australian Grapelines. A smile, the common denominator of the Italians we met in Australia. To all these people go our thanks (from left to right, from top to bottom: Gino, Elina, Genoveffa, Gerhard, Monica, Colin, Rosa, Francesca, Gianfranco, Gino, Peter, Stephen, Peppino, Antonietta, Kim, Celestina, Domenico, Patrizia, Terziglio, Giuliana, Joe, Katrin, Dominic).

granddaughter of the D’Operas, recalls how her grandparents warned her not to marry an Italian man. However, life for the immigrants was not always easy. Celestina Mammone, who settled in Mildura, remembers the relationship with local residents in the 1930s was not idyllic. In the early days, the Italians were called ‘Dagos’. During the World War II, the Italians were nicknamed Aliens. And then, after the war, they were called Ethnic. “Is there any hope of being accepted as an ‘Australian’?” Celestina Mammone laments in her beautiful poem “Segregation”.

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December 2015 – Issue 623

The modifications in Wilyaburup created by the Anderles between 2003 and 2014

Compared to the Swan Valley, the presence of Italian family vineyards in the Margaret River region is modest. The Credaro and Miolo families have been joined by the more recent arrival of Gianfranco and Francesca Anderle. At the beginning of 2000 the Anderles moved from Conegliano Veneto and brought a solid background in agriculture and winemaking. They bought a plot of land and set about building a dam to irrigate their Sangiovese, Fragolino, Nebbiolo and Vermentino vines. This family business is based at Wilyabrup and is renowned for attention to detail, both in the vineyard and the winery, and production has reached 2500 cases. There have been many grape and wine success stories from Italian families moving to Australia. No doubt this has a lot to do with the character, creativity, resilience and determination of each family.

“Segregation” by Celestina Mammone (Source: M. Bertagni).

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Grapegrower & Winemaker

ask the Skipping vineyard sprays in dry years Q. My neighbour seems to spray a lot less frequently than I do and doesnâ€™t seem to have problems with disease. Given that the weather forecast for this season predicts dry conditions, can I cut some sprays from my schedule to save time and money and still manage my disease issues? A. It makes sense that if the weather is going to be predominantly dry, those pathogens that rely on moisture for infection and spread should not be a big threat. However, a strategy that does not routinely protect vines from key diseases relies on a good understanding of those diseases and the conditions that suit infection so that action can be taken when necessary. To reduce the risk associated with such a strategy, more time needs to be spent monitoring in the vineyard than is required when following a more typical calendar spray program.

POWDERY MILDEW Powdery mildew does not need wet weather for development and spread so it is not recommended that any powdery mildew preventative sprays are missed, especially early in the season. Sprays for this disease should begin shortly after budburst to slow disease spread. In the first 40 days of growth, it is recommended that at least three sprays are applied. If good spray coverage is achieved inside and outside the canopy by E-L stage 31 (berries pea-size, ~7 mm diameter) it may be possible to rely on monitoring for disease to determine if further sprays are needed. It is critical that the monitoring is done by someone with experience of powdery mildew symptoms as this disease can be difficult to spot in the early stages. Extra vigilance is needed when conditions are overcast and the focus should be on the dense parts of the canopy where the disease is most likely to be found (Figure 1).

DOWNY MILDEW Downy mildew is a wet weather pathogen and in some situations may be a candidate for withholding sprays until required. The conditions suitable for primary and secondary infection events are quite specific and need to be well understood. As seven-day weather forecasts are provided by the Bureau of Meteorology through the MetEye service, warnings are commonly available. If the forecast indicates that an infection event is coming, options include applying a protective spray before the event or waiting until an infection event has been confirmed and then using a post-infection spray. This is a riskier strategy than routinely applying a protectant. It relies on being able to spray at short notice and have the protectant or eradicant chemicals applied over a few days. If it is not possible to get full spray coverage within four to five days after an infection event, this strategy should not be considered.

BOTRYTIS The damage that Botrytis can cause is largely a function of weather, but other risk factors such as varietal susceptibility and likelihood of insect damage to bunches should also be taken into account when making spray decisions. If the history of a site indicates low Botrytis pressure, it may be feasible to hold off spraying for this disease if the season is predominantly a dry one. Scouting for symptoms of infection should take place preferentially in those varieties that have tight bunches and in parts of the vineyard with limited airflow and higher humidity. If Botrytis has been an issue in previously dry years, sprays at flowering and pre-bunch closure are most important.

38 Grapegrower & Winemaker

Figure 1. Powdery mildew found inside the canopy on unprotected bunches

Cultural practices aimed at minimising damage to bunches and promoting airflow in the canopy can also reduce disease pressure.

WHAT ABOUT RESISTANCE? It should be noted that except in the case of multi-site activity groups such as elemental sulfur, most chemical manufacturers do not recommend the use of their products against active disease infections but prefer them to be used preventatively. This is because the risk of resistance developing against an active constituent is much greater if large numbers of a new disease generation are exposed to a chemical. Resistance risk is also increased when doses that are too high or too low are applied to the population, so it is important to follow label directions regarding application rates.

MAKING THE MOST OF THE SPRAYS THAT ARE APPLIED When reducing the number of spray passes across a season, it is critical that every spray is optimised. This means paying attention to spray timing and being careful to hit the correct target. The chemical treatment chosen and the technique used to apply it are also important. Factors such as the amount of water and air volume used to deliver the chemical, the spray direction and nozzle selection for droplet size can all influence whether a spray is effective or not. When deciding to leave certain sprays out of a program, it is worth considering that most of the cost of spraying is in fuel, labour and machinery. As such, if spraying for powdery mildew anyway, the cost of adding a protective downy mildew application may be relatively low and worthwhile for the peace of mind it brings. For more information, contact, the AWRI helpdesk. P: 08 8313 6600 E: helpdesk@awri.com.au

www.winetitles.com.au

December 2015 â€“ Issue 623

Tractors

Global trends have upsides for Australian farmers EXTERNAL FACTORS will always have an impact on primary producers — be they global, trade or weather related. But what can have even bigger impacts on farming businesses are the internal factors. Patrick McVeigh, Case IH National Aftersales Manager, said it’s the elements farmers do have control over that make the most difference to an operation. “Farmers can’t control the mixed rains, but it’s good to see them doing maintenance, setting themselves up to make the most of harvest... Keeping machinery primed will enable them to capitalise on favourable conditions,” said McVeigh. With these favourable economic conditions helping farmers across Australia, now is a good time to keep maintenance a priority, to stay in control of what happens on the farm and always be in a position to capitalise. It’s a story that’s been echoed by dealers around the country. Preparation and maintenance are the best bet for Australian farmers tackling local challenges. Your local dealer has the stock, staff and support on hand to keep you productive. Meanwhile, Case IH has announced its biggest single change in field force resourcing in more than a decade—a significant

40 Grapegrower & Winemaker

expansion of its field team. Twelve new positions have been created to increase the brand’s presence in the field, and according to Case IH Brand Leader Bruce Healy, farmers and contractors will benefit. “When customers told us they wanted to see our people more, we listened,” said Healy. “Our new structure will see dedicated teams focusing on smaller geographical areas, meaning they’ll have a better understanding of the specific needs of customers in those areas.” “So much of what we do at Case IH is based on customer feedback. Whether it’s the design of the Multifunction handle, or the fact that we’ve put a removable fridge into our Axial-Flow combine cabs, listening to our customers helps make our machinery great.

www.winetitles.com.au

December 2015 – Issue 623

tractors

Ferrari POWER Ratings Cyls

PTO Speeds

TRANSMISSION Type Speeds F-R

HYD Outlets Std-Max

TPL Category Max Lift KG

TURN Circle mm

INDICATIVE Price only

Eng kW - (HP)

PTO kW - (HP)

Cromo K30 RS

18.6 (25)

16.4 (22)

540

8F/4R

1050

2670

$29,090

Cromo K40 RS

26.2 (35.6)

23 (31.5)

540

8F/4R

1050

2670

$30,909

Cobram 60 RS Reversible

34(46)

29 (39)

540/750

12F/12R

1300

2800

$27,836

Cobram V65 RS Reversible

41.2 (56)

36 (49)

540/750

12F/12R

1800

2800

$46,000

Cobram V65 RS Reversible

41.2 (56)

36 (49)

540/750

12F/12R

1800

2800

$60,727

Vega 95 SDT Dualsteer

67.5 (92)

58 (78)

540/750

16F/16R

2700

2650

$73,182

Vega 95EP SDT Dualsteer

66.9 (91)

56.8 (77.3)

540/750

16F/16R

2700

2650

$84,227

Vega 95EP SDT RS

66.9 (91)

56.8 (77.3)

540/750

16F/16R

2700

3900

$71,800

Vega 95EP RS Reversible

66.9 (91)

56.8 (77.3)

540/750

16F/16R

2700

3700

$63,773

Vega 95EP RS Reversible

66.9 (91)

56.8 (77.3)

540/750

16F/16R

2700

3700

$80,773

Thor 95 RS Reversible

66.9 (91)

56.8 (77.3)

540/750

16F/16R

2700

3280

$55,455

Thor 95 RS Reversible with Front TPL

66.9 (91)

56.8 (77.3)

540/750

16F/16R

2700

3280

$57,364

Model

“With extra feet on the ground, we’ll have more open feedback and be able to better support our dealers with parts and service – and that means a lot when it comes to busy times like harvest.” Case IH’s increased focus on aftersales service has created eight new roles. In addition there will be two field-based Product Specialists, plus two new field-based management positions, making 12 new positions in total.

December 2015 – Issue 623

“Our dealer network is known for its great support of farmers and contractors, and these new aftersales service roles will take that support to a new level,” said Healy. “Over the last few years we’ve had a very positive response to our overseas Product Specialists visiting Australia to run training and meet with customers. We have now created two new full time positions here so we can access that expertise all year round.”

www.winetitles.com.au

Grapegrower & Winemaker

Case IH

Power ratings

Number of cylinders

PTO Speeds

Transmission Type Speeds F-R

Hydraulic outlets Standardmaximum

TPL category Maximum lift (kg)"

Turning circle (mm)

Indicative or likely price

Engine kW (hp)

PTO kW (hp)

Farmall 20B

17 (23)

12.1 (16.5)

540

2 range hydrostatic only

1 - 650

2620

POA

Farmall 25B

20 (27)

14.7 (20)

540

2 range hydrostatic only

1 - 650

2620

POA

Farmall 35B

28 (38)

22 (29) Hydro, 23 (31) Mech

540

Mechanical 12x12

1 rear + joystick and 4 front outlets

1 - 820

3050

POA

Farmall 40B

30 (41)

25 (34)

540

Mechanical 16x16

1 rear + joystick and 4 front outlets

1 -1252

3080

POA

Farmall 50B

35 (47)

27 (37) Hydro, 29 (39) Mech

540

Mechanical 16x16

1 rear + joystick and 4 front outlets

1 - 1252

3080

POA

Farmall 60B

43 (57)

35 (47)

540

Mechanical 16x16

2 front + 2 rear

2 - 1850

3300

POA

JX60 Straddle

41 (56)

36 (44)

540

Mechanical 12x4

1 double acting

1&2 - 3000

3743

POA

JX70 Straddle

49 (66)

40 (54)

540

Mechanical 12x4

2 double acting

1&2 - 3000

3743

POA

JX80 Straddle

56 (75)

48 (65)

540

Mechanical 12x4

2 double acting

1&2 - 3000

3843

POA

72 (98)

60 (81)

540/750/540E

Synchro Shuttle 20x12

1&2 - 3565

5400

POA

Model Farmall B

JX Straddle

JX High Clearance JX95 HC

42 Grapegrower & Winemaker

www.winetitles.com.au

December 2015 â€“ Issue 623

tractors Case IH Model

Power ratings Engine kW (hp)

PTO kW (hp)

Number of cylinders

PTO Speeds

Transmission Type Speeds F-R

Hydraulic outlets Standardmaximum

TPL category Maximum lift (kg)"

Turning circle (mm)

Indicative or likely price POA

Farmall JX Farmall 70JX

48.5 (65)

44 (60)

540/1000

12x12

2 - 3000

5290

Farmall 75JX

56 (75)

51 (70)

540/1000

12x12

2 - 3565

5370

POA

Farmall 80JX

60 (80)

54 (74)

540/1000

12x12

2 - 3565

5500

POA

Farmall 90JX

65.5 (88)

60 (82)

540/1000

12x12

2 - 3565

5500

POA

Farmall 100JX

73 (98)

67 (92)

540/1000

12x12

2 - 3565

5510

POA

Farmall 110JX

81 (110)

76 (104)

540/1000

12x12

2 - 3565

5580

POA

Farmall 95C

73 (99)

60 (82)

540/1000

24/24 Hi Lo

3570

4235

POA

Farmall 105C

79 (107)

67 (91)

540/1000

24/24 Hi Lo

3570

4235

POA

Farmall 115C

84 (114)

71 (96)

540/1000

24/24 Hi Lo

3570

4235

POA

Farmall C

Farmall U Farmall 105U

79 (107)

67 (91)

540/540E1000

16 x 16 SPS

5424

4050

POA

Farmall 115U

84 (114)

71 (96)

540/540E1000

16 x 16 SPS

5425

4050

POA

Maxxum 110

82 (112)

67 (92)

4ti

540/1000/540E

Powershuttle 16x16

2-3

2&3 - 6250

4040

POA

Maxxum 125

93 (126)

78 (106)

6Ti

540/1000/540E

Powershuttle 16x16

2-3

2&3 - 7911

4360

POA

2-3

2&3 - 7911

4360

POA

Maxxum

Maxxum 140

104 (141)

89 (121)

6Ti

540/1000/540E

Powershuttle 16x16

Puma Puma 125

93/127

78/107

6TAA

540/750/1000

19F/4R

2&3 - 5363

POA

Puma 140

104/142

90/122

6TAA

540/750/1000

19F/4R

2&3 - 5363

POA

Puma 155

116/158

101/138

6TAA

540/750/1000

19F/4R

2&3 - 5363

POA

Puma 165

123/167

100/136

6TAA

540/E/1000/E

Full Powershift/ CVT

2&3 - 8496

POA

Puma 180

134/182

112/152

6TAA

540/E/1000/E

19F/4R/Infinite

2&3 - 8496

POA

Puma 195

145/197

123/167

6TAA

540/E/1000/E

19F/4R/Infinite

2&3 - 8496

POA

Puma 210

157/213

134/182

6TAA

540/E/1000/E

19F/4R/Infinite

2&3 - 8496

POA

Puma 225

165/224

146/197

6TAA

540/E/1000/E

Infinite

2&3 - 8496

POA

PERFORMANCE, PRODUCTIVITY AND COMFORT The new Farmall C from Case IH helps you get all your jobs done while being efficient, comfortable and easy-to-operate. User-friendly features include a power clutch for easy shifting, and advanced internal control ergonomics that include easy-to-read instrument data within the steering column and more accessible remote valves. Its unique fuel injection system provides greater fuel savings, even with higher horsepower levels. For more information, see your Case IH dealer.

Case IH Australia

December 2015 â€“ Issue 623

www.winetitles.com.au

Grapegrower & Winemaker

BCS

POWER Ratings Cyls

PTO Speeds

TRANSMISSION Type Speeds F-R

HYD Outlets Std-Max

TPL Category Max Lift KG

TURN Circle mm

INDICATIVE Price only

Eng kW - (HP)

PTO kW - (HP)

Invictus K300 RS

18.6 (25)

16.4 (22)

540

8F/4R

1050

2670

$22,681

Invictus K400 RS

26.2 (35.6)

23 (31.5)

540

8F/4R

1050

2670

$30,909

34 (46)

29 (39)

540/750

12F/12R

1300

2800

$37,836

Valiant 650 RS Reversible

41.2 (56)

36 (49)

540/750

12F/12R

1800

2800

$46,000

Valiant 650 RS Reversible

41.2 (56)

36 (49)

540/750

12F/12R

1800

2800

$60,727

Volcan V950 SDT Dualsteer

66.9 (91)

56.8 (77.3)

540/750

16F/16R

2700

2650

POA

Volcan V850 SDT RS

61.5 (84)

53 (71)

540/750

16F/16R

2700

3800

POA

Volcan V950 SDT RS

66.9 (91)

56.8 (77.3)

540/750

16F/16R

2700

3800

POA

Volcan 950EP RS Reversible

66.9 (91)

56.8 (77.3)

540/750

16F/16R

2700

3700

$61,364

Volcan V950 RS Reversible

66.9 (91)

56.8 (77.3)

540/750

16F/16R

2700

3700

$88,046

Model

Valiant 600 RS Reversible

44 Grapegrower & Winemaker

www.winetitles.com.au

December 2015 â€“ Issue 623

tractors Antonio Carraro

POWER Ratings

No. of Cyls

PTO Speeds

TRANSMISSION Type Speeds F-R

HYD Outlets Std-Max

TPL Category Max Lift KG

TURN Circle mm

INDICATIVE Price only

31 (44)

540

Synchro - 12-12

1-3

2100

2000

$32,820

26 (38)

22 (34)

540/1000

Hydro - 4-4

2-3

900

1950

$39,280

TRH 9800 Rev

65 (87)

61 (83)

540/540E

Hydro - 4-4

3-5

2200

2100

$65,390

SRX 9800 Art Rev

65 (87)

61 (83)

540/540E

Synchro - 16-16

3-8

2400

1850

POA

SRX 10400 Art Rev

70 (95)

66 (90)

540/540E

Synchro - 16-16

3-8

2400

1850

POA

TRG 10900 Rev

73 (99)

69 (93)

540/540E

Synchro - 16-16

3-5

2400

2300

POA

TTR 7800 Rev Open Cab

52 (71)

48 (67)

540/540E

Synchro - 16-16

3-5

2400

2300

POA

TTR 10900 Rev Open Cab

73 (99)

69 (93)

540/540E

Synchro - 16-16

3-5

2400

2300

POA

TGF 10900 Pressurised Cab

73 (99)

69 (93)

540/540E

Synchro - 16-16

3-5

2400

2000

$74,990

TRX 7800S Rev

52 (71)

48 (67)

540/540E

Synchro - 16-16

3-5

2400

2000

$53,960

TRX 10900 Rev

73 (99)

69 (93)

540/540E

Synchro - 16-16

3-5

2400

2100

$59,910

Mach 4 (Quad track)

65(87)

61(83)

540/540E

Synchro - 16-16

3-8

2400

2000

POA

Eng kW - (HP)

PTO kW - (HP)

Tigrone Jona 5800

35 (49)

TTR 4400 HST Rev

BRAND & Model TRACTORS 75-90 KW

ANTONIO CARRARO OCEANIA www.acoceania.com.au 1300 858 094 info@acoceania.com.au

FEATURES 38 - 99 HP TRUE 4WD REVERSIBLE CONSOLE * HILLSIDE STABILITY LOW CENTRE OF GRAVITY SUPERIOR TRACTION LOW GROUND COMPACTION 4 WHEEL OIL BATH DISC BRAKES * COMPACT DIMENSIONS SUPERIOR SAFETY 2 YR / 2000 HR WARRANTY December 2015 – Issue 623

www.winetitles.com.au

* Not available on all models Grapegrower & Winemaker

grapegrowing

Vineyard Machinery

A diagrammatic key to assist assessment of powdery mildew severity on grape bunches

A NEW APPLICATION for mobile phones or tablets to assess powdery mildew on grape bunches in the field was released in November. This follow-up article on vineyard assessments features the findings of Eileen Scott, Timothy Zanker, Tijana Petrovic and Olena Kravchuk, from the School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide; Kathy Evans, Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, University of Tasmania; Bob Emmett, Horticultural Pathology Research, R W Emmett Pty Ltd, Mildura VIC; and Wade Perry, Lemur Software, Adelaide. CURRENTLY LEVELS of disease on grape bunches in the field are assessed by visual examination. Assessments during the growing season allow vineyard managers to make disease management decisions. Assessments between veraison and harvest, especially 1-2 weeks pre-harvest, provide information for vineyard managers and winemakers about the suitability of grapes for delivery to the winery and for wine production. For many years, powdery mildew on grape bunches in Australian commercial vineyards has been quantified using versions of a diagrammatic disease assessment key developed by Emmett and Wicks in various protocols (Allan

2003, Viti-notes 2005). Visual disease quantification is based on estimates of disease incidence and severity, terms which are explained in the previous article. Generally incidence is estimated during berry development while severity is estimated closer to harvest, particularly if incidence in an earlier assessment was high. Various sampling protocols are used by wine companies to select bunches on vines in a patch for inspection and assessment. In most protocols at least 200 bunches are selected in a stratified pattern across each patch (Allan 2003). During vineyard assessments, each selected bunch is examined and scored according to defined categories of

Ltd, Campbells Wines, Casama Group Pty Ltd, Cellarmaster Group, Charles Melton Wines, Clo ver Hill Wines, CMV Farms, Coriole Vineyards, Delegats Wine Estate, Delegat’s Wine Estate Limited, DogRidge, Edgemill Group, Fanselow Bell, Five Star Wines, Fowles Wine, Fuse Wine Services Pty Ltd, Gemtree Vineyards, Glenlofty Wines, Harry Jones Wines, Henry’s Drive Vi gnerons Pty Ltd, Hentley Farm, Hope Estate, Hospitality Recruitment Solutions, Howard Park Wines, Hungerford Hill Wines, Inglewood Wines Pty Ltd, Innocent Bystander, Jack Rabbit Vine yard, Jim Barry Wines, KarriBindi, Kauri, Kingston Estate Wines Pty Ltd, Kirrihill Wines Pty Ltd, Krinklewood Biodynamic Vineyard, L’Atelier by, Aramis Vineyards, Leeuwin Estate, Make WInes Australia, McWilliam’s Wines Group, Memstar, Mondo Consulting, Moppity VIneyards, Moxon Oak, Nadalie australia, Nexthire, Oenotec Pty Ltd, Options Wine Merchants, Orlando The Wine Industry’s Leading Online Wines, Job SitePortavin Integrated Wine Wines, Ozpak Pty Ltd, Patrick of Coonawarra, Plantagenet Services, R&D VITICULTURAL SERVICES PTY LTD, Robert Oatley Vineyards, Rymill Coona warra, Seville Estate, Stella Bella Wines, Streicker Wines, The Gilbert Family Wine Co, The Lane Vineyard, The Scotchmans Hill Group Pty Ltd, The Yalumba Wine Company, Tintara Win ery, Tower Estate Pty Ltd, Treasury Wine Estates, Turkey Flat Vineyards, Two Hands Wines, Tyrrell’s Wines, Vinpac International, Warburn Estate Pty Ltd, WebAware Pty Ltd, Wine and Vine Personnel International,Wines Overland, Wingara WIne Group,Wirra Wirra Vineyards, Zilzie Wines, Accolade Wines Australia Limited, Aravina Estate, Australian Vintage Ltd, Bar wick Wines, Beltunga, Bests Wines Great Western, Bremerton Wines, Brown Brothers Milawa Vineyard Pty Ltd, Campbells Wines, Casama Group Pty Ltd, Cellarmaster Group, Charles Mel ton Wines, Clover Hill Wines, CMV Farms, Coriole Vineyards, Delegats Wine Estate, Delegat’s Wine Estate Limited, DogRidge, Edgemill Group, Fanselow Bell, Five Star Wines, Fowles Wine, Fuse Wine Services Pty Ltd, Gemtree Vineyards, Glenlofty Wines, Harry Jones Wines, Henry’s Drive Vignerons Pty Ltd, Hentley Farm, Hope Estate, Hospitality Recruitment Solutions, How ard Park Wines, Hungerford Hill Wines, Inglewood Wines Pty Ltd, Innocent Bystander, Jack Rabbit Vineyard, Jim Barry Wines, KarriBindi, Kauri, Kingston Estate Wines Pty Ltd, Kirrihill created &Biodynamic managed by Vineyard, L’Atelier by, Aramis Vineyards, Leeuwin Wines Pty Ltd, Krinklewood Estate, Make WInes Australia, McWilliam’s Wines Group, Memstar, Mondo Consulting, Moppity VIneyards, Moxon Oak, Nadalie australia, Nexthire, Oenotec Pty Ltd, Options Wine Merchants,

Go with the site that leading wine industry companies use.

46 Grapegrower & Winemaker

www.winetitles.com.au

December 2015 – Issue 623

ERO VINE TRIMMERS TO SUIT THE NEEDS OF YOUR VINEYARD

ERO ‘ELITE’ DOUBLE IN ROW

ERO VINE TRIMMER ‘ELITE’ • To trim one side of the canopy or up to two complete rows

• Joystick to control entire machine from your fingertips

• 100% hardened stainless steel blades for perfect result

• Hydraulic width and angle adjustment

• Cutter boards with impact protection

• Adjustable lower cutter boards and shoot lifters

• ERO mast is centre-mounted for clear vision

• Designed and built to last

ERO ‘ELITE’ SINGLE IN ROW

Ideal for both summer and winter pruning, the ERO ‘Elite’ range is designed for long life, high work rate & great result every time! With its multiple options it can be customised to suit every vineyard. Find your PERFECT MATCH with our new configurator. WWW.FMRGROUP.NET.AU/CONFIGURATOR AUSTRALIA: 1800 269 773 OR VISIT WWW.FMRGROUP.NET.AU I NEW ZEALAND: 0800 367 583 OR VISIT WWW.FMRGROUP.CO.NZ

grapegrowing vineyards where potential severity and thresholds for crop rejection are low would be categories in the low range. Keys used for research purposes, such as comparison of the effects of fungicides or other factors on disease development, may have more categories over a wider range. In keys it is also important that disease distribution on bunch images is similar to that observed on bunches in the field and the categories represented are sufficiently distinct from one another to minimise uncertainty during assessments. Discussions with wine company assessors and representatives on the project industry reference group confirmed that grape powdery mildew assessment keys for commercial use should differentiate increments of severity in the low range (1-12%) because most thresholds for crop rejection are currently around 3-6% severity. Stummer et al. (2005) showed that severity as low as 1-5% of bunch surface area with powdery mildew could affect Chardonnay wine quality. The width and range of categories is also important for assessment efficiency; the fewer the categories, the quicker the assessment. To test the usefulness of keys for assessment of grape powdery mildew, a range of keys was produced with increments of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6% in the low range from 1 to 12%. Other categories added to all keys for perspective were 0 (nil), 0.5 (trace), 25, 50, 75 and 100%. Severity values of images in the keys were validated using image analysis software (ImageJ, Schneider et al., 2012) and Assess 2.0, American Phytopathological Society, USA).

severity. Often the latter are represented by images in a diagrammatic key for assistance before and/or during assessment. As the assessment of severity is visual and subjective, the accuracy of assessments is dependent on the assessorâ€™s ability to consistently provide a reliable estimate of the diseased proportion of each bunch. While assessment of disease severity is harder and more time-consuming than assessment of disease incidence, disease severity on bunches just before harvest is more directly related to loss of crop quality. Severity assessment can be difficult when areas of disease on berries in a bunch are small, dispersed or not visible from the surface of bunch. For example, the assessment of numerous, small, diffuse patches of powdery mildew on berries in bunches is more difficult than assessment of botrytis rot, where substantial parts of berries, entire berries or clumps of berries are affected.

EVALUATION OF THE USE OF DIAGRAMMATIC KEYS Grape bunch disease severity keys consist of sets of images of bunches of similar size and shape with different proportions of shaded area representing different categories of disease severity. The structure of keys can vary depending on the purpose. For example, the focus of keys used for assessment of powdery mildew severity on bunches in sprayed commercial

48 Grapegrower & Winemaker

A series of assessment exercises was conducted at project workshops in January and February 2014 to: 1. Determine assessor ability to differentiate small increments in disease severity at the low end of the scale; 2. Determine effects of use of keys on assessment accuracy and reproducibility; 3. Assess variation within and among assessors; and 4. Find the most useful key. Three exercises involving 19 assessors with mixed experience were conducted in the laboratory. In the first and second exercises, the area shaded on images of diseased bunches was assessed without (unguided) and with reference to diagrammatic keys (guided), respectively. When assessments were unguided, area assessment variation increased proportionally to the true area. When assessments were guided, use of the key with 2% increments in the low range (2% increment key) provided the best agreement between area assessments and true scores. Repeat assessments of two configurations of 7% area shaded on bunch images were consistent to 1% when the 2% increment key was used. Assessors also ranked the 2% increment key as best for commercial and research purposes. In the third exercise in the laboratory, the area of powdery mildew on detached bunches in trays under lights was assessed without and with keys. In this exercise, results of the assessments were variable and use of the keys did not provide a benefit. Assessments were compromised by insufficient light and inability to move bunches. A further exercise involving 12 experienced assessors was conducted in a vineyard. The area of powdery mildew on bunches in shade and in full sunlight was assessed without and with the 2% increment key. For bunches in the shade and in full sunlight there was difference and no difference among assessors, respectively.

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December 2015 â€“ Issue 623

Irrespective of situation, use of the key had no effect on the resulting assessments. Overall the tests showed that diagrammatic keys were useful in training to assess area but their use during assessment of powdery mildew on bunches did not improve the results. Other studies have highlighted the value of training before field assessments to review assessor skills, address bias and improve accuracy and consistency (Bock et al. 2010). Light conditions affected assessment and powdery mildew on bunches in vine canopies was recognised more readily in full sunlight. Training to recognise disease for severity assessment in a range of conditions was also required.

LATEST GRAPE POWDERY MILDEW SEVERITY ASSESSMENT KEY The latest version of t he sever it y a ssessment key with 2% increments in the low range is shown in Figure 1. The key has a series of images of bu nches w it h d i f fer ent a mou nt s of blue sh ad i ng r epr esent i ng areas on berries in each bunch affected by powdery mildew. The i m a ges wer e computer - gener ated w it h a ssi st a nce f r om L emu r Sof t wa r e. The acc u r ac y of t he sever it y va lue (%) of e ac h i m a ge i n t he key h a s b e en con f i r med to t he ne a r est whole nu mb er for va lues of 1-12% a nd to w it h i n t he cate gor y for va lues of 15% a nd g r e ater u si ng I m a geJ.

December 2015 – Issue 623

FUTURE DIRECTIONS Other research in the project to improve visual assessment of powdery mildew on bunches in the field linked to use of the diagrammatic key includes the development of a smartphone app and an online training tool (see previous article). Research on objective measures of powdery mildew severity to reduce reliance on subjective visual assessments is also progressing.

Acknowledgements The authors thank the industry reference group of Wine Australia project “Objective measures for powdery mildew” and others for valuable feedback during development and testing of the assessment keys, and Wine Australia for supporting the research.

References Allan W. (2003). Winegrape assessment. Winetitles, Adelaide SA. 15 pp. Bock C.H., Poole G.H., Parker P.E. and Gottwald T.R. (2010). Plant disease severity estimated visually, by digital photography and image analysis, and by hyperspectral imaging. Critical Reviews in Plant Sciences 29: 59-107. Schneider C.A., Rasband W.S., Eliceiri KW. 2012. NIH Image to ImageJ: 25 years of image analysis. Nature Methods 9, 671-675. Stummer B.E., Francis I.L., Zanker T., Lattey K. and Scott E.S. (2005). Effects of powdery mildew on the sensory properties and composition of Chardonnay juice and wine when grape sugar ripeness is standardised. Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research 11: 66-76. Viti-notes (2005). Grape purity 1. Diseases – powdery mildew, downy mildew, Botrytis and other moulds and rots. Cooperative Research Centre for Viticulture. 3 pp.

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Bird Control

Net necessity: The physical barrier When it comes to reliable protection for your valuable grape crop from birds, there is one obvious choice. However, once you've made the decision to invest in bird netting; there are a few extra things you need to consider. Emilie Reynolds reports. THERE HAVE BEEN many bird scaring devices developed over the years. From audible scarers and rotating mirrors to gas guns and scarecrows. All of these can be effective in some circumstances, but general opinion across grapegrowers seems to be that the

physical barrier of netting is the surest way to keeps birds off valuable crops. Despite being difficult to maintain, many grapegrowers across Australia and New Zealand rely on netting for one reason- it works.

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December 2015 – Issue 623

Vine Nets Australia places a protective net over a vineyard to shield it from birds.

When scoping out a new net, there are a number of key factors to consider. Aside from price, the most important aspect of a bird-control vineyard net is durability. Due to the initial high capital outlay of netting, people want to be sure they are receiving value for money and their product is going to last many seasons. There are two reasons why nets might not last the distance. Physical damage to nets caused by chafing, snagging or tearing can present a major issue and can occur when nets have contact with post tops or any other rough surface. This is often worsened with strong wind movement which can cause the net to have continued friction and further damage. To minimize the risk of post chafing and the damage it might cause to nets, Vine Nets Australia recommend the use of post caps. While snagging is inevitable with nets on the vine, the problem can be drastically reduced if snags are identified and released prior to the removal of the net. If snags are left unnoticed, they will more often than not result in tearing of the net. Irrespective of the care taken, vineyard nets will suffer damage from time to time and the best way to mend them is by using a small net repair needle and twine. As the size and shape of the damage will vary each time, it is impossible to describe in detail how to mend but main aim is to close up the hole, and providing large pieces of net are not missing, this can be achieved simply by lacing the hole. Start at one end, and thread the twine through the meshes alternating from one side of the tear to the other. It is advisable to tie the twine off after five or six meshes to prevent the hole from re-opening and cut off any excess twine on completion. The ability of a net to resist chafing and tearing increases with the grade and quality of the net and should be carefully considered before purchasing lighter weight nets. Although December 2015 – Issue 623

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grapegrowing Although all nets may look the same, it’s what’s on the inside that counts these nets can be effective tools in bird control, they can end up costing more in the long run as they have to be replaced more often. A general rule is the heavier the netting, the greater the strength and durability. Weight of net is normally expressed in “grams per square metre” when expanded which means a heavier, stronger net is generally more expensive than lighter varieties. Vine Nets Australia promotes the Premium Plus range as the best option for resistance to wear and tear. This is a 600 denier by 2 ply construction net offering superior strength to help reduce tearing. Ultra Violet (UV) light is the second issue reducing the life of netting and is ultimately considered to be the vineyard nets’ worst enemy. Most nets today are produced from polyethylene and without being treated for UV resistance, could potentially breakdown in a matter of weeks. Although there are many UV additives available, all of which may be added to the production process at various percentages, the problem for net buyers is it is almost impossible to determine the type and percentage of UV additives in netting, without scientific analysis. A net with very little, or a low grade, UV additive can look identical to a net fully treated with the best available product, but would have a fraction of the life expectancy.

The UV treatment forms a significant portion of the cost of production, so like with any consumer product be aware that suspiciously cheap options may not be made with the highest quality treatments and materials. Although all nets may look the same it’s really what is on the inside that counts, and that’s what is going to make your net last. Vine Nets Australia proudly stands by their product offering a 10-year warranty against UV degradation. Only the highestgrade raw materials and UV additives available in the Australian market are used ensuring maximum life and durability. To guarantee the maximum life from your netting it is important to ensure that nets are stored correctly when not in use. If nets are stored and treated with care, the life should range from five to more than fifteen years, depending on the grade of net. Unnecessary exposure to the sun, storing when wet or in areas where rats and mice may nest, will decrease the life of nets dramatically. Before storage it is important to ensure nets are dry before rolling up. Then it is best to store in a dry, ventilated area out of sunlight. Many growers use second-hand sea containers to store their nets. These can be purchased in a range of conditions from a variety of suppliers, the majority of which can be found in the yellow pages or online. For more information: If you would like to discuss any of the issues related to netting or would like an obligation free quote for quality netting, contact: Brent or Leanne at Vine Nets Australia P: 1800 677 757 E: sales@vinenets.com.au

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December 2015 – Issue 623

winemaking Extraction of polyphenolic substances: Sensory properties and preserving colour An Italian research team has built on the substantial body of work on winemaking techniques to preserve colour, texture and flavour. This report comes from Enzo Cagnasso, a member of the Group on Wine Research at the University of Turin.

THE SENSORY QUALITIES of a wine are the result of a complex balance between its components but, in particular, the polyphenolic component makes up the essence that distinguishes and influences the quality of red wines. This group of substances determines colour, sensory sensations of bitterness and astringency, and forms the structure and body of the wine, with an impact on its longevity. The polyphenolic substances of wines basically derive from the grapes, where they are contained in the solid parts of the bunch (skins, seeds and stem) as shown in figure 1; it is common practice in winemaking to only exploit the solid parts of the berries, removing the stems that could also give unpleasant bitter and herbaceous sensations. The term polyphenols indicates various classes of compounds that differ for their chemical structure, properties and concentration; the main classes of polyphenolic compounds of reds wines and the spectrophotometric indices used to assess them are summarised in table 1. The passage of the components in the solid parts, particularly polyphenols, to the liquid phase is not as simple or immediate as that of the solutes in the flesh, requiring an extraction process between different phases that needs contact between the liquid phase and the solid parts; this process is generally referred to as “maceration”. To complicate everything, there is also the varied location and the chemical and physical state of polyphenolic substances present in skins or seeds, with substantial differences also for the same class of substances. The anthocyanins are located in the vacuoles of cells in the hypodermis of skins (rarely in that of the flesh), whereas the proanthocyanidic tannins in skins, contained in the same tissues, represent a highly complex situation, as can be easily seen in Figure 2. The tannins in seeds are contained in the various layers of cells that make up the external coat. Table 2 shows the fractions of flavanols reactive to vanillin (FRV) and proanthocyanidins (PC) extractable from seeds according to the grape variety. In the seeds, monomer flavanols and oligomer forms are predominant, whereas in the skins we mainly find the polymerised forms. The flavanols in seeds have higher values of the FRV/PC ratio than those in skins. The presence and quality of phenolic substances in red wines inevitably requires suitable work in the vineyard and monitoring in order for the raw material to reach optimal phenolic ripeness (see Il Corriere Vinicolo n. 19/2015). During the vinification process, maceration is the fundamental stage for the properties of the wine. It lays the foundations for the quantity and quality of the complex development processes that characterise the ageing of both great red wines and those to be drunk young.

FACTORS OF EXTRACTION The importance of this problem on a winemaking level has prompted ample scientific literature in the last 50 years, with increasingly more detailed contributions, which does not appear to have exhausted itself yet. December 2015 – Issue 623

Figure 1: berry structure and location of tannins (adapted from www. extension.org) Traduzione dei termini: Fossetta = Locule Polpa = Flesh Buccia = Skin Tessuti vascolari periferici = Peripheral vascular tissue Vinaccioli = Seed Tegumento = Coat Endosperma = Endosperm Embrione = Embryo Tessuti vascolari = Vascular tissue Ripartizione delle proantocianide secondo Bourzeix et al. (1986) = subdivision/distribution of the proanthocyanides according to Bourzeix et al. (1986) Vinaccioli 59% = seeds 59% Piccioli 21% = stalks 21% Buccia 19% = skin 19% Polpa <1% = flesh <1%

Since Ribereau-Gayon’s classic work in the 1960s and 70s, we have known how polyphenol extraction occurs with different dynamics between anthocyanins and tannins. The former reach a maximum in the initial stage of maceration-fermentation and then tend to decrease, the tannins on the other hand, increase as skin and seed contact time goes on. Various authors have shown that, on average, the fraction of polyphenols extracted is lower than 50% of the grape content depending on the type of cultivar, the state of ripening and health reached by the grapes and the variables that control the process. The degree of grape skin ripeness influences the maceration process mainly at the initial stage, i.e. the degradation reached by the cell walls regulates the release of easily extractable phenolic substances. Higher levels of seed ripeness, linked to oxidation processes, make it more difficult to extract flavanols. The extraction process is undoubtedly influenced by the solubility of phenolic compounds: higher in aqueous solution for anthocyanins than flavanols, especially polymers, but in both cases it increases with the alcohol content that increases during

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Figure 2: Skin tannins, free and attached to components of the cell structures (Saint-Criq et al., 1998) Traduzione dei termini: Tannini liberi = free tannins Membrana vacuolare = vacuolar membrane Tannini legati alla membrana = tannins attached to the membrane Tannini legati alla parete = tannins attached to the wall Parete cellulare = cell wall

Figure 3: Types of fermentation vats used during a maceration test on Barbera grapes (Gerbi et al., 2011) Traduzione dei termini: 4 vinificazioni 500 hL = 4 vinifications 500 hL 2 vinificazioni 400 hL = 2 vinifications 400 hL 4 vinificazioni 200 hL = 4 vinifications 200 hL 3 vinificazioni 150 hL = 3 vinifications 150 hL 2 vinificazioni 300 hL = 2 vinifications 300 hL 1 vinificazione 150 hL = 1 vinification 150 hL

fermentation; however this is not a limiting factor in itself. During maceration between different phases, the diffusive processes are clearly linked to the separation surfaces between phases. The release from the solid phase to the liquid one is controlled by the state of degradation of the cell walls and membranes (porosity), as well as the diffusion process in the liquid phase and also the establishing of chemical balances that involve the phenolic substances. The phenomena described are widely influenced by the chemical and physical conditions of the system, by the type of equipment used and by the operations applied. Among the chemical and physical variables are temperature (T) and duration (t) of maceration, alcohol by volume (ABV) and use of sulphites. The different factors work in synergy among themselves and it is not always easy to extrapolate the effect of one single parameter. The temperature at which maceration occurs, in consequence of the fermentation phenomenon, is considered a strategic factor of the extraction process since higher temperatures correspond to a clear increase in polyphenolic substances; values between 25-30°C favour mainly tannins that increase their solubility while the anthocyanins do not show any significant improvement. The temperature allows the extraction of flavanols to be regulated and, for young red wines with a limited structure, the temperature should not exceed 25°C. In addition, high temperatures favour the formation of polymeric pigments (various types of tannin-anthocyanin copolymers) with a consequent increase in the colour intensity of the wine. The maceration time generally determines an increase in

54 Grapegrower & Winemaker

the polyphenolic substances extracted, especially, tannins. In fact, as has already been observed, the concentration of anthocyanins reaches a maximum a few days after the start of fermentation, whereas a longer contact with the pomace stimulates the formation of polymeric pigments. Some authors have also reported that the kinetic diffusion of the lessstable disubstituted anthocyanins is faster than that of the trisubstituted ones. Maceration that lasts more than two weeks favours an accumulation of polymers with a larger molar mass, naturally more difficult to dissolve. Although it depends on the type of grape, it has been observed that the extraction phenomena tend to peter out during the 5-6 weeks of maceration. The formation of ethanol during fermentation alters the solvent capacity of the liquid phase; this increases the solubility of tannins with a larger molar mass. Furthermore, the ethanol, disorganizing the external lipid layer that protects the seeds, favours more extraction of flavanols from them. Consequently, the contribution of tannins and flavanol monomers requires longer maceration times. A recent study by Spanish researchers (2012) has shown, however, that the dispersion of flavanols in seeds also occurs in the aqueous phase, although the presence of ethanol intensifies and speeds up extraction in the first stage of maceration (6 days). Under ordinary conditions with healthy grapes, the use of sulphites does not generally show effects on the extraction of polyphenols, other parameters (temperature, time, mechanical action…) clearly having more effect. Vice versa, the extractive contribution of sulphur dioxide turns out not to be negligible in the preparation of rosé wines. Finally, the indirect role of sulphites in protecting and preserving the anthocyanins from possible oxidative degradation should be remembered.

TECHNOLOGICAL OPERATIONS Finally, the winemaking practices used are particularly important and it’s worth mentioning the classic operations of punching down and pumping over, alongside more recent practices such as pre-fermentation cold maceration, the use of maceration enzymes, partial freezing of the must and practices that fall outside the classic scheme of red wine vinification such as thermo-maceration. The start of fermentation in the must, with the formation of large quantities of CO2, causes the “cap” to rise, which minimises contact between the pomace and the liquid phase and creates a slight warming of the mass. The first aspect is very limiting for the efficacy of extraction in the mixed phase. The periodical punching down (manual and mechanical) and pumping over solve the problem by remixing the mass. In the case of pumping over, the efficiency of the spraying process is fundamental for avoiding the formation of preferential routes in the cap which would frustrate the efficiency of the operation. Numerous experimental works show that the performance of the two techniques strongly depends on the cultivar. In general, results are linked to the frequency and duration of the operations as well as the type of equipment used. Undoubtedly, the shape and size of the vinification containers play a decisive role in managing maceration, just like other conditions. In order to exploit space in the cellar, fermentation vats generally tend to be taller rather than wider, with the consequent difficulty in managing maceration, especially for larger quantities, and making the extraction process less efficient, all other conditions being equal (Figure 3). An alternative to classic maceration is the use of rotary macerators or the practice of delestage. The extraction of polyphenols is particularly fast in the case of rotary vinifiers, which enable higher levels to be achieved (Figure 4). It has often been noticed that punching down is less

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December 2015 – Issue 623

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Figure 4: Monitoring of the extraction of total anthocyans and total flavonoids (Barbera grapes) in fermentation tanks where height (A) prevails or with horizontal rotary vinifiers (B) (Gerbi et al., 2011) Traduzione dei termini: AT = TA FT = TF Giorni = days

effective in terms of quantity, when compared to pumping over, but we would like to underline the value of producing less ‘leesiness’ in the wine. The use of maceration enzymes (essentially pectinase) contributes to the degradation of the cell walls (through partial hydrolysis of the polysaccharides of the pecto-cellulosic structure of the wall), which favours the diffusion of the components present. Different authors do not always agree on the real efficacy with regard to the effect on anthocyanins. These inconsistencies can be explained by the different polyphenolic composition of the grape, the different extraction speed and the reactions in which the anthocyanins are involved. The presence of a secondary and not entirely negligible β-glycosidasic activity in commercial preparations could also explain the loss of anthocyans due to the formation of the less soluble aglycone. The possible influence on the anthocyanic profile has also been observed, with an increase in more stable trisubstituted anthocyans such as malvin. Moreover, is has been ascertained that many of the differences initially observed tend to lessen as the wine ages. The extraction of tannins from the skin

is regulated by the type of interaction established with the polysaccharides of the vacuolar membrane or wall (Figure 2). With the use of maceration enzymes, a general increase in tannins was observed, whereas in wines there was an increase in polymeric pigments. Pre-fermentation cold maceration (preservation at 10-15°C for a few days) does not appear to produce striking results in the case of anthocyans, especially for varieties like Pinot Noir and Sangiovese. There is however improved extraction in the presence of high levels of SO2. The influence of this treatment on the extraction of proanthocyanidins is linked to the grape variety. In the case of Cabernet Sauvignon there is a rise in the level of tannins but a decrease in their average degree of polymerisation, which could be explained by an increase in the extraction from seeds; vice versa for Syrah, the treatment did not show significant effects. The use of dry ice, with partial freezing of the must, can produce important effects as it determines the collapse of the cell structures of the berry. Moreover, the carbon dioxide that sublimates creates an atmosphere that protects from oxygen. The anthocyanins undergo increases of the order of 50% with considerable variability between cultivars. A recent study conducted at DISAFA – Department of Agricultural, Forestry and Food Sciences - (2014) has shown similar results for the Barbera and Nebbiolo varieties, with an enrichment in anthocyans and a rise in the fraction of malvin derivatives at the expense of less stable anthocyanins. The effect on tannins shows important increases also due to the breaking of the seed cells caused by freezing.

SENSORY PROPERTIES The sensory sensations of bitterness (taste) and astringency (tactile) that influence the quality of red wines are associated with polyphenolic substances, especially flavanols. Astringency is a complex of oral sensations consequent to the precipitation of salivary proteins that cause a reduction in viscosity and an increased sensation of friction. Both of these sensations have been correlated to the concentration and structure of flavanols: proanthocyanidins are the polymer forms of flavan3-ols (Figure 5), the number of structural units present defines the degree of polymerization (DP), whereas the degree of galloylation (DG) identifies the number of units present in the form of gallic acid esters. Bitterness generally diminishes with the increase in the degree of polymerization, therefore the monomers and proanthocyanidin dimers and trimers appear more bitter. Astringency increases with the degree of polymerization (higher for PC in skins than in seeds), with the presence of units with the lateral B ring trihydroxylate (prodelphinidic units

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December 2015 – Issue 623

typical of skin flavanols) and with the degree of galloylation (higher in the PC in seeds than in skins). Consequently, skin tannins are considered more astringent (higher average DP) but also the DG should be remembered, as a study conducted in France on Cabernet Franc grapes has shown that the fractions of PC extracted from skins and seeds were quite similar in astringency, though with a much higher average DP in skins than seeds, but a high DG of tannins in seeds. Average levels of polymerization and galloylation depend on the grape variety and the former is much affected by the state of ripening of the raw material. A recent work by German researchers (2013), with reference to the subquality of astringency (velvety, puckering, drying), concludes that average DP and DG are less important than they are with astringency intended as a single descriptor. These latest results confirm how there is still a lot to learn about relations between polyphenols and sensory effects. However, it should be remembered that polyphenols are particularly reactive and they establish fairly complex reactions, right from the first stages of fermentation, that alter molecular structure and also sensory properties: for example, the formation of anthocyan-tannin polymeric pigments influences colour but also reduces the sensation of astringency in the wine.

PRESERVING COLOUR As we have already said, colour is a fundamental characteristic of red wines and the one that the taster perceives immediately, often influencing his whole assessment. The technological problem, then, is working to maximize the colouring component during the extraction stage, but this is not enough because it is necessary to favour the chemical transformations that induce a stabilization of the colouring component which, otherwise, is easily subject to degradation or precipitation phenomena. For example, we can remember the influence that a yeast strain can carries out on the phenolic profile of red wines due to the adsorption of anthocyans on the wall of dead cells, the choice of a suitable selected strain could contribute to reduce the phenomenon. Huge research work, and application on a productive level, have made a lot of operational intervention available to winemaking companies, but that is another story.

About the author: Enzo Cagnasso is a member of the Group on Wine Research at the University of Turin Department of Agricultural, Forestry and Food Sciences. The school is located in Alba, Italy, an important winegrowing zone of southern Piedmont. The main work of the group is focused on grape phenols characterisation and wine quality evaluation of the indigenous grapevine varieties including Nebbiolo, Barbera, Moscato Bianco and others. This article has been made available in cooperation between Corriere Vinicolo and Grapegrower & Winemaker. Corriere Vinicolo (corrierevinicolo.com), edited since 1928 by Unione Italiana Vini, is the most authoritative magazine of the Italian wine industry. Established in Milan in 1895, Unione Italiana Vini is the historical association of Italian wine firms: its core business, further to a lobbying activity, is focused on high quality services to the wine industry: analysis laboratories, supply chain checkup, SIMEI exhibition, sustainability program Tergeo. Articles shared between the two publications focus on technical and economic issues, in order to give each readership a broader vision both on Italy and Australia/New Zealand.

December 2015 â€“ Issue 623

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Next gen sustainable solar wineries Ian Jeffery is a semi-retired consultant mechanical engineer with over 40 years’ experience in mineral processing, winery and food engineering. His major areas of expertise are maintenance best practices and project management. In this article Jeffrey looks at the uptake of solar technology across the wine industry. IN THE OPINION of Professor Roger Boulton the price of solar electric modules appears likely to halve in the next six years and reduce to a quarter of the current level in 12 years. (Boulton is an Australian-born chemical engineer who is a currently Professor of Viticulture & Oenology at UC DAVIS California. He is held in high esteem in the USA as a wine industry innovator and lateral thinker.) This decrease in solar module costs, according to David Buetefuer, is likely to usher in a new generation of combined solar module and energy storage systems for wineries. (Buetefuer is Director of Sales & Business Development, The Solar Project Pty Ltd, the designers and builders of the successful solar power installations at the De Bortoli and d’Arenberg Wineries.) David stated, during his presentation at WISA WineTech 2015, in July, that: • Currently solar electrical installations producing 20 to 40% of wineries energy needs are economically viable for many wineries; • Future reduced cost of solar electric modules plus the use of energy storage will significantly increase the size of solar installations that are economically viable for wineries; • There is a range of energy storage systems currently available that will satisfy the differing needs of many wineries; • The cost of a number of these energy storage systems are likely to reduce in the short to medium term; and • One great advantage of solar electrical systems is the ease with which they can be expanded in the future. Already leading innovators in the wine industry are installing combined solar module/energy storage systems (albeit these installations are as yet not economically viable). These include UC DAVIS ‘super teaching and research winery’ and Kendall Jackson.

UC DAVIS “SUPER WINERY” The UC DAVIS winery is claimed to be the first ‘selfsustainable, on-site, non-carbon energy’ winery in the world. SOME WINERY SOLAR INSTALLATIONS

The winery is totally solar powered 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It has 200kW of Photo Voltaic Modules combined with a hydrogen generator and a fuel cell. Hydrogen is used to both power the winery forklift trucks and winery vehicles and to power the fuel cell which provides all outside daylight hours electrical power. While it is a very elegant engineering solution, but one that is almost certainly not economic at current prices.

KENDALL JACKSON Kendall Jackson (USA) has been installing 6500kW of Photo Voltaic capacity across eight of their wineries, along with 4,200kW of energy storage. By comparison Tyrells has installed 350kW, De Bortoli 230kW, d’Arenberg 200kW, Yealands Estate 99kW of Photo Voltaics. Tesla Motors Inc. have supplied 21 Tesla Lithium Ion storage battery systems free. The agreement is for Kendall Jackson to share the savings from reduced power costs with Tesla. The estimated energy cost saving is $2 million a year, an estimated 40 per cent reduction in energy bill. (Tesla Motors is a manufacturer of premium electric automobile’s, manufacturer of automotive electrical powertrains and storage battery systems.)

ENERGY STORAGE COSTS During his presentation David Buetefuer quoted current approximate prices for energy storage systems. These included: • Lithium Ion batteries $2000 per kW/hr (i.e. those installed in eight Kendall Jackson wineries in the USA, supplied by TESLA Industries); • Flow (Zinc Bromide) storage batteries $500 kW/hr (currently Redflow ZBM batteries are about to be trialled by David Buetefuer, Redflow is a Brisbane-based Australian company that has contracted out manufacture of its storage battery systems to a US manufacturer); • Traditional hot water storage $140 kW/hr; • Traditional energy storage for air conditioning $100 to $400 kW/hr; and • Newly commercialised PCM (Phase Change) energy storage for refrigeration likely to be commercially viable for winery (cost per Kw/hr of storage capacity not given). NOTE: RenewEconomy.com.au (a website focusing on clean energy news and analysis, as well as climate policy) recently reported the cost of TESLA Lithium Ion batteries as $500 US per kW/hr (i.e. Approximately $800 Australian).

COUNTRY

WINERY

AUSTRALIA

d’Arenberg

200

Drayton’s

200

Debortoli

230 + 200 Solar Thermal

Tyrells

350

Yealands

Spy Valley

UC DAVIS

200

Kendall Jackson

6500

Nickel & Nickel

330

PCM ENERGY STORAGE

Far Niente

447

Villiera

140

According to an abstract from Review on thermal energy storage with phase change materials and applications (A. Sharma,V.V. Tyagi, C.R. Chen, D. Buddhi. 2009)... “The use of a latent heat storage system using phase change materials (PCM’s) is an effective way of storing thermal energy and has the advantages of high-energy storage density.

NEW ZEALAND

USA (CALIFORNIA)

SOUTH AFRICA

Glenelly

SPAIN

Matarromera

237

TURKEY

Urla

100

58 Grapegrower & Winemaker

David Buetefuer believes there is value in PCM energy storage for some winery systems. For example, Solar Photovoltaics that powers an ammonia refrigeration system during daylight hours, that freeze an ice bank, that provides fermentation temperature control outside daylight hours.

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December 2015 – Issue 623

SUMMARY OF SOME SUBSTAINTIABLE WINERY SOLAR INSTALLATIONS AUSTRALIA WINERY

COMMENTS

d’Arenberg

200

Cut power costs by 40%

Debortoli

230

230 Kw PV & 200 Kw Apricus solar thermal. Reduce greenhouse gas by 314 tonnes CO2 annually. Saving “Tens Thousands dollars”

200 Tyrells

350

“Through a purchase power agreement with Sunlease, I did not pay any up-front fees for the installation of the system” “I can also look forward to paying a fixed amount per kWh for the winery’s energy consumption for the next 20 years. In my view, this is a stable opportunity for the business” – Tyrells CEO Bruce Tyrell

WINERY

COMMENTS

Yealands

Spy Valley

Estimates will generate 15% of total power, estimated at $0.06 per kWh.

NEW ZEALAND

USA (CALIFORNIA) WINERY

COMMENTS

Domain Carneros

196

Solar provides 40% of power (will reduce CO2 emissions by 2,400 tonnes over 30 years)

UC DAVIS

200

Winery 100% solar powered (PV cells and solar hot water). Hydrogen generated during daylight hours powers fuel cell to produce” nigh time” energy and power forklift/winery vehicles.

Kendall Jackson

6500

6.5 MW of solar power spread over 8 wineries. The 8 wineries also have 21 Tesla Lithium Ion storage batteries storing 4.2 MW of energy. Estimated reduction in power bill of 40% saving $2 million US annually

Nickel & Nickel

330

Far Niente

477

During periods of peak solar output provides all winery energy needs

Frog’s Leap

178

Solar provides 85% of power (260,000 kWhr)

Merryvale

277

Solar provides 90% of power

COMMENTS

ITALY WINERY Luciano Sandrone

Solar provides 31% of power (25,000 kWhr of 80,000 kWhr

SOUTH AFRICA WINERY

Villiera

140

Glenelly

“PCM’s have been widely used in latent heat thermal- storage systems for heat pumps, solar engineering, and spacecraft thermal control applications. “There are large numbers of PCM’s that melt and solidify at a wide range of temperatures, making them attractive in a number of applications.”

CONCLUSION As Solar Voltaic Modules, Solar Hot Water Generation and Energy Storage become more economic expect to see: • More wineries introduce Solar Voltaic Modules and Solar Hot Water Generation; • More wineries expand their existing Solar Voltaic and Hot Water systems; and • Wineries add both thermal and electrical energy storage to their solar energy generation system.

REFERENCES

1. “Chemical Engineering of Sustainable Winemaking”, R. Boulton, December 2013

For further information, please contact Kauri

2. “David Brutefeur presentation on Solar Energy, WISA Wine Tech 2015, July 2015, that,

AUS Tel: 1800 127 611 AUS Fax: 1800 127 609 Email: winery@kauri.co.nz

3. “Review on thermal energy storage with phase change materials and applications” (A. Sharma,V.V. Tyagi, C.R. Chen, D. Buddhi. 2009) December 2015 – Issue 623

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NZ Tel: 0800 KAURIWINE NZ Fax: 04 910 7415 Website: www.kauriwine.com Grapegrower & Winemaker

winemaking

Benchmarking the big red of Rutherglen Rutherglen Durif might not be the darling of Australian wine writers, but it has attracted a niche consumer following. Recently a group of Rutherglen winemakers sat down to evaluate wines from across their region. It was a positive experience according to those involved. Nathan Gogoll reports. RUTHERGLEN’S self-proclaimed ‘own’ red grape variety, Durif, was recently the focus of a group of winemakers at a benchmarking workshop. Internationally-respected wine industry consultant and Master of Wine, Nick Bulleid, was invited to host the one-day educational tasting event by the board of Winemakers of Rutherglen. Wendy Killeen, chair of the Winemakers of Rutherglen, described the day as “amazing” and “incredible”. “We’ve been talking up the virtues of this remarkable grape variety for decades. It is a grape variety widely perceived to be the other grape variety, alongside Muscat, that has found a unique home in Rutherglen,” said Killeen. Durif’s origins in Australia trace back to the early part of the 1900s when Dr Francois De Castella, a senior viticulturist working for the Department of Primary Industries went to Europe to find the best way forward for the Victorian wine industry after the devastation caused by Phylloxera. After many months of travelling through Europe’s most famous wine regions, he arrived home with a wealth of important information and the beloved Durif vine. Initially widely planted for fortified wine production, the variety started to find favour among table wine producers

There is diversity in the interpretation of Durif and we need to encourage that, there are wines with more elegance about them along with the tannins – which almost sounds like a contradiction in terms, but it is possible. in Rutherglen about 60 years ago. The variety has grown in popularity so much so that now 75 per cent of the Winemakers of Rutherglen have Durif positioned prominently in their repertoire of wine varieties. The workshop included the blind tasting and assessment of at more than 40 Durif wines, including some barrel samples from the 2014 and 2015 vintages alongside finished wines. The Rutherglen examples were also benchmarked against Durif from other regions.

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December 2015 – Issue 623

Bulleid is well qualified to facilitate this type of event as he has a long list of professional credentials, including previous benchmarking workshops across the country. He said he was pleased with the participation and the discussions on the day. “We looked at the finished wines first, to look at the range of styles and handling; then we looked at the unfinished wines. I’m sure there were lessons to learn for vintages to come,” said Bulleid (pictured above). The wines were identified only by codes, so only the winemakers who entered knew where their own wines sat in the line-up. But the codes were only available for confirmation after the tasting. Bulleid said this format worked well because it was non-threatening and allowed for positive discussions. “With one of our preferred wines from 201, the winemaker was happy to put up his hand afterwards and say ‘that was my wine’ and tell us it was a gold medal winner at both the Rutherglen Wine Show and at Canberra,” he said. “Even when it came to feedback on negative aspects, such as sulphites or aldehydes on the unfinished wines, the comments offered were encouragement for how these issues can be fixed.” Bulleid said this form of regional tasting was another example of the collaboration available to winemakers to make sure they are not falling victim to their own ‘cellar palate’. “I always recommend winemakers get at least one other person from outside the winery to look at their wines with them – and it doesn’t have to be a consultant, it can be a neighbour – because an objective view is really important.”

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Chris Pfeiffer, the managing partner and senior winemaker at Pfeiffer Wines, said it was a good day. “It has been a while since we sat down and all looked at the Durif and how it all stacks up for the region,” said Pfeiffer.

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December 2015 – Issue 623

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Grapegrower & Winemaker

winemaking

Rutherglen has got something here; we’re definitely on to something with Durif. It has a place in the market, it already has a strong following and that following is growing. I see this event as a way that we can get together and talk about how we are going to keep that all going. He agreed the benchmarking exercise allowed for constructive feedback. “There is diversity in the interpretation of Durif and we need to encourage that, there are wines with more elegance about them along with the tannins – which almost sounds like a contradiction in terms, but it is possible,” said Pfeiffer. “In the 2015 wines we saw good fruit expression; violets and black cherry. And people were also talking about the colour and density of the wines. This group of wines looked quite strong; very promising. “The 2013s looked pretty good as well – I actually like the wines from the 2013 vintage, but I might be in the minority on that one. What we had to deal with in 2013 and 2015 was compressed ripening and we are probably looking to be prepared for that in 2016 as well.” Pfeiffer said one of the key talking points for the winemakers was the picking window for Durif and the search for a balance of sugar and tannin ripeness. “Most of the wines were sitting around 15 or 15.5% alcohol. This seems to be where the balance of fruit is possible, without having any green flavour.” He said there weren’t many examples that stood out for being vastly different. “Nobody is doing anything radical that I know of, instead people are looking at things like extended maceration to soften the tannins of the skins. And that process has been seen right across the region. But we also saw one winemaker using some viognier to lift the florals.” Marc Scalzo, Rutherglen Estates winemaker, said the tasting was not designed to single out the best local examples of Durif. “I suppose the purpose of the day, from my point of view, was to allow the winemakers to look at what we’re doing across the region. The purpose wasn’t to pinpoint a style that will define Rutherglen, or even work best, but to discuss the variety and learn more about it,” said Scalzo. “Rutherglen has got something here; we’re definitely on to something with Durif. It has a place in the market, it already has a strong following and that following is growing. I see this event as a way that we can get together and talk about how we are going to keep that all going.”

THE STRENGTH OF THE REGION While there are a number of factors involved in the widespread planting of Durif in Rutherglen, Scalzo pointed out there was one key element responsible for their success. “Our difference is the weather. Durif is a bit of a sook in the vineyard and it’s very prone to botrytis, it just can’t handle late summer rains. So here in Rutherglen we have a natural advantage with our weather.” There was no officially ranking, or even scoring, of the wines. But as Bulleid mentioned earlier, there were winemakers willing to acknowledge their own wines.

62 Grapegrower & Winemaker

“Our 2013 Renaissance was seen as a style with merit, a strong wine from a quality point of view,” said Scalzo. The Rutherglen Estates winemaker said there was a lot of discussion about tannin and its management. “There was a lot to talk about when it came to picking, because that’s probably the most important decision to get right with Durif. For me, it’s about finding the balance between alcohol and tannin and fruit flavour. “The tannins are abundant and you don’t need to overwork them. If you do push too hard you start to lose the fruit flavours and the mid-palate. We try to get our tannins and colour out early in the ferment, then really back-off with the plunges and pumpovers we do – to make sure we’re not over-extracting our wines. “Days two and three are when we do the most work, and toward the end of the ferment we are basically just keeping the cap wet.” There was also discussion about oak maturation. “Again, the point wasn’t to pick the ‘right’ style, but it was noted throughout the tasting which wines had French and which wines had American Oak. I think it is really important to work with your coopers and understand what impact different seasons and toasts have on your own wines. “What we do see with Durif is that raw oak tannins can really stand out. The cedar character that goes with Cabernet, in my opinion, doesn’t work with our Durif wines. So I don’t go for charry barrels, but a medium to medium-plus toast.” Scalzo agreed there was both positive discussions and constructive advice for winemakers on the day. “It highlights what a united group the Winemakers of Rutherglen already are. We are known as a tight-knit group and that was reinforced on the day – we are striving to get better at what we do as a group. To have Nick hosting was fantastic. So I think everybody got a lot out of it.” Besides the technical wine details, the attention also shifted to the sales environment. Pfeiffer summed up the mood of the room when he said he believed it would be possible to continue attracting more consumers to Durif. Bullied drilled down deeper into this area. “I was asked ‘how do we make Durif more mainstream?’ and I would have to say the consumers who are looking for a big red and who know about Durif and Rutherglen are actually the mainstream already – they know about it, they know where it comes from and they probably already know of a couple of the producers. “But getting Durif to be listed more on-premise needs to be done more carefully, but it can be done with the right restaurant and a menu that can handle it. “We know Durif is sitting at one of the poles of wine styles, but it has certainly got a niche. And there’s a strong franchise for it.”

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December 2015 – Issue 623

How important is seed colour? RESEARCHERS at Washington State University have challenged the industry perception that grape seed colour should be considered when winemakers turn their attention to tannin extraction. “Grape growers and winemakers have looked at the colouration of grape seeds, believing it can tell the amount of tannins the grape will impart into wine,” said Jim Harbertson, a professor in Washington State University’s (WSU) viticulture and enology program. “It just wasn’t true,” he said. “Winemakers should probably pay attention to the colour and taste of grapes, but not worry about seed colour for tannin extraction.” The old theory held that immature grapes, with green seeds, would impart more tannin into wine. More mature grapes, whose seeds become more brown than green, have fewer tannins. But the WSU researchers found that didn’t really impact the amount of tannin extracted into the wine. “My grad student, Federico Casassa, and I thought it would be a good

opportunity to evaluate a long-standing myth,” Harbertson said. “We thought we would get way more tannins from green seeds and prove the myth.” To test the myth, the team made wines from both immature and overripe grapes, then tested for the tannin development in the finished product. They waited about 30 days between picking the fruit, then double-checked the results. “We repeated the experiment twice because we found a result that a lot of people wouldn’t necessarily believe,” Harbertson said. “We found the same thing every time, so decided the results were valid.” Because tannin extraction in red winemaking is influenced by alcohol concentration and different skin and seed contact times, the researchers couldn’t make the same wine from both maturities because the end result wouldn’t be comparable. During each harvest, they took a portion of the fruit and added sugar, or removed juice and added water, in an attempt to mimic the amount of sugar

present at the different grape maturities. This allowed the team to account for the difference in alcohol content. The researchers also changed the maceration period. The only difference, Harbertson said, was that in both the immature and ripe grapes, extended maceration led to increased tannins – but at essentially the same amounts, independent of when the fruit was picked or how much alcohol was present. The extended maceration allowed more tannin to be extracted into the wine. The researchers aren’t telling winemakers to change how they’ve operated for years, but they do hope the study leads to re-evaluation of when winemakers harvest their grape crop. “We’d like them to just re-think how they make their decisions to harvest,” Harbertson said. “We know a lot of older winemakers have spent a lot of time looking at grape seeds. But we’ve been pleasantly surprised that they’re taking our study seriously and have been interested in learning more about what we’ve found.”

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December 2015 – Issue 623

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Record entries, massive medal haul AIMING TO provide an alternative to the mainstream wine shows, the Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show (AAVWS) stands as a dedicated forum for emerging wine varieties and attracts more than 700 entries from across Australia and New Zealand. More than 500 medals were handed out through the event, with 82 Gold, 146 Silver and 298 Bronze. The gold medals were spread across entries from 25 different wine regions. Golden Grove Estate’s 2015 Vermentino took out the coveted The Dr. Rod Bonfiglioli Best Wine of Show while the TransTasman Award for Best New Zealand Wine was won by Aronui Wines 2014 Single Vineyard Albarino. Jane Faulkner, the chair of judges, said there were lots of highlights and it made her task of selecting the ‘wine to watch’ trophy extremely difficult. So she selected two, a 2014 singlevineyard Albarino from New Zealand’s Aronui Wines and a 2015 Ugni Blanc from Simão & Co. Wines. Faulkner praised the work of the show organisers and her judging panels. “We had a strong judging crew. And you know they’ve done a good job when you see the quality of the gold medal wines they selected,” she said. There were also some highlight varietals that got a mention. “Obviously, the Vermentino keeps getting stronger and stronger,” Faulkner said. “With the increasing numbers you do have to keep a close check on quality, but I think winemakers are doing a pretty decent job – it’s not just a fashion trend. “The Tempranillo and Tempranillo blends were excellent. “And the Nero d’Avola just went ‘boom’. Wow, to think this is only the second or third year we’ve seen Nero in the show… the fact they’ve come up so quickly has been amazing.” Peter Dry, who attended the show, did some work on matching some selected varieties to the regions that had performed best with them (attracting wine show medals). What Dry found was that for three varieties there was one region clearly dominating, or in his words “no other region was even close”. For Gruner Veltliner, it was Adelaide Hills; Prosecco was dominated by the King Valley; and Lagrein has shown to be a strength for South Australia’s Riverland. Meanwhile, some other varieties showed strong results from several regions – particularly Fiano and Sangiovese. Part of the AAVWS event program included the Talk & Taste, which carried a Cool Runnings theme. The afternoon program was divided into two sessions. The first was Defining Cool, with keynote presenter Nick Hoskins, the viticultural consultant at Riversun Nursery, New Zealand. Hoskins discussed the challenges and advantages of growing

The Dry Analysis: Region

Gold

Silver

Bronze

Entries

Strike rate (%)

100

Viognier (combination of classes 1A and 1B) Barossa Valley

Murray Darling

Eden Valley

100

Rutherglen

2 1

Arneis Adelaide Hills

McLaren Vale

Vermentino (combination of classes 6A and 6B) McLaren Vale

Heathcote Clare

100

Murray Darling

Riverland

Fiano (combination of classes 7A and 7B) McLaren Vale

King Valley

100

100 100

Adelaide Hills

Barossa Valley

Clare

100

Heathcote

100

Murray Darling

100

Gruner Veltliner Adelaide Hills Prosecco King Valley

Sangiovese (combination of 15A and 15B) Clare

Hunter

McLaren Vale

Barossa Valley

King Valley

Heathcote

Currency Creek

100

Bendigo

100

Nebbiolo Hilltops

Adelaide Hills

Eden Valley

2 2

100

Tempranillo (combination of classes 18A and 18B) McLaren Vale

Barossa Valley

100

Hunter

Heathcote

Geographe

Lagrein Riverland

Montepulciano Barossa Valley

Riverland

McLaren Vale

100

Nero d’Avola McLaren Vale

Heathcote

100

Langhorne Ck

Barossa Valley

Heathcote

McLaren Vale

Malbec

Louisa Rose, chair of the AAVWS committee, listens intently during the Talk & Taste presentations.

64 Grapegrower & Winemaker

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100

December 2015 – Issue 623

Alex McKay in action during the show judging.

Jane Faulkner, the AAVWS chair of judges.

grapes in cooler regions and what attributes a vine needs to thrive in such places. He also guided the audience through a line-up of Kiwi wines, including alternative varieties. The second session, Chill Out, challenged the notion that Australia is mostly desert. A panel of experts drove the discussion on cool climate regions; suitable varieties; and the impacts of climate change on these cool areas.

Faulkner said there was a touch of sadness and tension at Saturday’s ‘long lunch’ and trophy presentation, due to the death of Tony Mangan the night before. “But Louisa Rose did such a great job of paying tribute to him. The video that promotes his wine brand was played and that relieved some of the tension because, you know, he was such a character.”

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December 2015 – Issue 623

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winemaking Ben Gross behind the scenes with some of the 780-odd show entries.

AAVWS Trophy winners:

The Dr. Rod Bonfiglioli Best Wine of Show Sponsored by Chalmers Wines Australia Golden Grove Estate 2015 Vermentino Trans-Tasman Award for Best New Zealand Wine Sponsored by Riversun Nursery Aronui Wines 2014 Single Vineyard Albarino Best Red Wine Sponsored by Mildura Brewery Hither & Yon 2015 Nero d’Avola Best White Wine Sponsored by Jamesprint Golden Grove Estate 2015 Vermentino Best Red Italian Variety Wine Sponsored by Pernod-Ricard Winemakers Hither & Yon 2015 Nero d’Avola Best White Italian Variety Wine Sponsored by One Idea Golden Grove Estate 2015 Vermentino Best Iberian Variety Wine Sponsored by MoVida Taylor’s Wines 2015 Tempranillo

Chief of Judges Wine to Watch Sponsored by Yalumba Nursery Aronui Wines 2014 Single Vineyard Albarino & Simão & Co. Wines 2015 Ugni Blanc International Judge’s Wine to Watch Sponsored by Select Events Beach Road Wines 2014 Greco Best Blend Sponsored by Casella Wines SAMU 2015 Nero d’Avola Merlot Best Commercial Volume Wine Sponsored by Morellofert Tahbilk 2010 Marsanne Best Fortified Sponsored by CHR Hansen Stanton & Killeen NV Grand Topaque Best Nebbiolo Sponsored by Riedel Glassware Grove Estate Wines 2013 Sommita Nebbiolo Best Nero d’Avola Sponsored by Blaxland Wine Group Hither & Yon 2015 Nero d’Avola

Best Rosé Sponsored by Quality Hotel Mildura Grand Gemtree Wines 2015 Luna de Fresa Best Sparkling Wine Sponsored by AEB Group Dalfarras Wines 2015 Prosecco Stewards Choice Award Sponsored by Macquarie Agricultural Loom Wine 2014 SV Sangiovese Best Organic Wine Sponsored by Mangan Group Gemtree Wines 2015 Luna de Fresa Best Murray Darling Region Wine Sponsored by Sunraysia Cellar Door Golden Grove Estate 2015 Vermentino Best Label Artwork Sponsored by Tasco Petroleum Loom Wine 2013 Tannat Durif Shiraz

The Grapegrower & Winemaker was proud to be a media sponsor of this year’s Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show (AAVWS).

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2015 Report

Implementation and execution Dan Johnson, Managing Director

R&D outcomes continue to provide a solid foundation for increasing the competitiveness of and demand for Australian wine. AWRI projects under the themes of sustainability, consumers and markets, improving products and processes and extension/adoption are all contributing positively to Australia’s reputation as an innovative, environmentally responsible and trusted wine producer. Following development of new strategic plans in 2013/2014, the past year has been devoted to implementation and execution. The 2013-2018 AWRI Research, Development and Extension plan has now been in force for two years. At this point there have been activities conducted in 44 of the plan’s 50 priority projects and 88% of outputs and activities are on or ahead of schedule. This is an outstanding result given the inherently unpredictable and uncertain nature of research. Similarly, the great majority of the projects in the AWRI’s business and operational plan are either on track or completed. These high level outcomes against the organisation’s strategic plans reflect the hard work and commitment of the AWRI team and the many funders, supporters and collaborators, both in the research community and in industry, with which the AWRI interacts. The AWRI turns 60 The 60th anniversary of the AWRI’s establishment took place during the year. A celebratory wine education event was held for AWRI staff and a dinner was hosted for past and present AWRI Directors and Councillors. It was humbling to be able to celebrate this milestone with so many of the people whose service has contributed to the development of the Australian wine industry, including three previous Managing Directors and five former Chairs of the AWRI Board/Council. In addition, substantial effort was made towards publication of a set of scientific reviews covering subjects of relevance to grape and wine producers; publication is expected in late 2015. Finally, a commemorative Barossa Shiraz wine was made during the 2015 vintage that it is hoped will be in excellent shape to drink at the AWRI’s 75th birthday in 2030! The circumstances surrounding the AWRI’s establishment 60 years ago offer an interesting basis for reflection. Combining firsthand accounts and historical documents it is apparent that the genesis was the winding back of an Australian Government Export Bounty and the associated provision in 1947 of a £500,000 trust for the benefit of the Australian wine sector. The application of that trust, a substantial sum at the time, was the subject

of much industry debate. Some two years after the trust was established, the wine sector sought the Australian Government’s permission to use £300,000 for a series of market development initiatives; however the request was denied. A further two years later, in 1951, the sector successfully sought to invest the trust in the establishment and maintenance of its own research institute. It is fascinating to contemplate the deep roots of our industry’s desire for collective investments in both market development and research. In any case, the Australian wine landscape would look very different now without the work of the AWRI over those 60 years. Wine Australia The year saw the first operating year of the Australian Grape and Wine Authority, to be known as Wine Australia from 1 July 2015. Productive linkages have been forged between the AWRI and Wine Australia that befit the organisations’ roles as peak RD&E body and peak RD&E investor, and I thank the Wine Australia Board and management for their efforts and continued support. Industry capability base A high performance research capability takes a long time to build. The AWRI today stands on the shoulders of giants from the past 60 years and is mindful of preserving and cultivating that legacy, but also cannot stand still. While traditional capabilities such as analytical chemistry, microbiology, and engineering remain strong, new services and capabilities also became available during the year. • The viticulture team reached critical mass and established important new projects and partnerships such as those with Wine Grape Growers Australia, Winemakers Federation of Australia and South Australian Research and Development Institute in the areas of biosecurity, environmental assurance and viticultural research respectively. • Advice was provided to a number of regions on consumer-orientated and luxury branding principles. • New or renewed projects commenced in the areas of wine and health, lower ethanol wine production and wine authentication, three topics identified last year as priorities for attention in 2014/2015. • Analytical services were offered for agricultural crops outside of the grape and wine sector, and new platforms were developed for analysis of metal ions in wine and identification of yeast species present in wild fermentations. • Education platforms expanded to include a new one-day training course for wine judges. Staff turnover in the past 12 months was low (2.6%) and average service term increased to 7.2 years, figures that highlight the value of a stable funding environment and positively reflect on the AWRI’s workplace culture.

2015 Report Technical trends The 2015 vintage was one of the earliest, if not the earliest, vintages on record for many wine regions in Australia. It was also a compressed vintage in many regions, which put pressure on vineyard and winery equipment and infrastructure. As with every vintage, there were viticultural and weather-related challenges, but overall the warm and dry conditions that led to the early vintage contributed to excellent grape and wine quality across the majority of regions.

Internally, the year ahead will bring a continued focus on implementing active projects and commencing a small number of additional projects and partnerships. It will also bring the usual extensive planning work that accompanies an Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference, the next being scheduled for July 2016.

During the year a total of 4,708 information requests, helpdesk enquiries and problem investigations were addressed, and the AWRI Commercial Services laboratories completed analyses on more than 22,000 samples. More than 1,900 enquiries and requests for assistance were addressed by the helpdesk, with greater than 80% answered within 24 hours. The majority of the winemaking enquiries received were from wine companies and suppliers closely aligned with the wine industry, with the remaining queries made up from government organisations, students, legal personnel and journalists. A total of 204 queries turned into investigations where samples were requested and further analysis performed (on 1,152 samples) to identify the problem and how it could be remediated. Geographically, the source and proportion of the winemaking enquiries received were broadly aligned with the volume of wine-grape production of Australian states/territories. Financial performance One particularly pleasing administrative result of the past year was satisfaction of the requirements for a charitable exemption from payroll taxes in South Australia. This outcome, the result of several years of work by a small team, permanently lowers the AWRI’s cost structure allowing the organisation to deliver even greater value to industry for the same investment. The exemption ruling was accompanied by a reimbursement of some prior year payroll tax payments. In addition the organisation had a strong financial result in many departments, in some cases the realisation of many years of hard work. The performance of AWRI Commercial Services is particularly notable. As a result of the strong performance, it is pleasing to note that the AWRI Board’s target of an uncommitted reserve equivalent to six months of trading has been reached. In addition, two strategic reserves have been created within the AWRI’s financial statements, one to assist in attracting research grants to the wine sector that would otherwise not be accessible and the other to support strategic investments in the AWRI’s information technology infrastructure. Furthermore, a number of new or expanded research projects can be now be undertaken in the year ahead. These are very exciting developments for the industry as a whole. Looking ahead Our industry continues to face extremely tough trading conditions. Although attention is periodically directed towards green shoots in some markets, a material change will take some time to be realised. Momentum is building for consolidation among producers and indeed industry representative bodies, and major reforms on topics like taxation are in advanced stages. While addressing these broader industry trends there remains the need to look beyond the here and now. Time and again it has been demonstrated that the companies that perform best on the other side of a difficult trading period are those that invest in innovation during the difficult times. Our industry’s collective investments in both market development and RD&E are essential pillars of the improved trading platform that the industry seeks. RD&E in particular is reliant on continuity – it cannot be turned on and off like a tap. Momentum is gained very slowly and lost quickly. Preserving our world class RD&E model is of paramount importance in the efforts to streamline our industry bodies and representative structures.

Highlights of the year 2014/2015 Environment and sustainability Increased understanding of nitrous oxide emissions from Australian vineyards Research measuring emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O, a potent greenhouse gas) from Australian vineyards has confirmed that emissions are consistent with those measured in vineyards in California and are much lower than those from other horticultural crops. The overall results reflect the efficiency of water and nitrogen use in Australian wine-grape production. Use of a native grass as a midrow cover crop has been shown to reduce N2O emissions from a vineyard in McLaren Vale. New workshops on greenhouse gas emissions management Six workshops focusing on greenhouse gas emissions in the wine industry were delivered. Keynote speakers Professors Tim Flannery and Will Steffen from the Australian Climate Council led discussions of climate trends likely to affect the grape and wine industry. The workshops also presented the results of recent work investigating options for GHG mitigation in vineyards and wineries. Regionally tailored workshops will continue across Australia in 2015/2016. Consumers, customers and markets Expanded export assistance Information on analytical requirements for export is now available for regional trading blocs such as the European Union as well as for 39 individual countries, and information on allowable additives and processing aids is now available for 18 individual countries. Aspergillopepsin enzymes approved The AWRI successfully applied to Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) to amend the Australia and New Zealand Food Standards Code to include the enzymes Aspergillopepsin 1 and 2, which can be used as alternatives to bentonite for protein stabilisation of wine. Wines treated with these enzymes can now be sold in Australia and New Zealand and exported to Argentina, Canada, Chile, Georgia, South Africa, the USA, the European Union and China. Research on wine in society Results from a study designed to analyse the price sensitivity of at-risk alcohol consumers in a representative sample of the Australian population suggested that wine consumption appears to be less influenced by the price of wine than by other factors such as health, family and friends.

2015 Report

Improving products and processes Robotic technology used for MLF research A robotic liquid handling system and miniaturised wine fermentations in 96-well microplates were used to screen a large number of AWRI malolactic bacteria strains under different conditions in red and white wines. From these trials several interesting candidate Australian Oenococcus oeni strains have been identified for further lab- and pilot-scale winemaking trials. Importance of thiol compounds in Chardonnay discovered Thiol compounds were shown to be much more important contributors to the flavour of Chardonnay wines than had been previously thought. Thiols are known for their contribution to ‘tropical fruit’ flavour, especially in Sauvignon Blanc wines. Thiol precursors in grapes and thiol concentrations in wine can be significantly modified through harvesting and winemaking practices, giving winemakers practical tools to influence their desired style of Chardonnay. Fate and formation of important volatile sulfur compounds Key precursors to the volatile sulfur compounds H2S, methanethiol, ethanethiol and dimethyl sulfide have been identified. The next stage of this project will compare the roles of yeast fermentation, metals and storage conditions on formation and degradation of undesirable sulfur aromas.

Understanding the genetic basis for fungicide resistance Next generation sequencing has been applied to investigate the prevalence of genetic variants associated with fungicide resistance in powdery mildew. Initial results showed that the specific genetic variants that correlate with high levels of resistance were readily detected and quantified in the majority of the populations tested. Lowering alcohol without losing tannin One of the ways of reducing alcohol in wine is to harvest grapes earlier but this can lead to less texture and colour in the wine. Through use of enzymes, a lower alcohol Shiraz wine was produced from earlier harvested grapes that had the same tannin concentration as a wine made from later harvested grapes. The sensory impacts are still to be investigated. Genomics of wine yeasts Genome sequences and assemblies have been generated for more than 200 strains of wine yeast, including commercial strains and non-commercial isolates collected from numerous wineries in Australia and overseas since the 1940s. Around 100 of these strains are being characterised for a broad range of properties that are important for successful wine fermentation.

Efficient malolactic fermentation (MLF) Benchmarking experiments established that nutrient additions can in some cases have a major positive impact on MLF efficiency, reducing the time to completion by up to five weeks. Measuring oxygen in the winery Five different sensors were evaluated for their ability to measure oxygen in must and wine. Results showed that the chemo-luminescence probes are suited to in-line dissolved oxygen (DO) measurements during must transfer or pump-over. ‘Mini-DOT’ sensors can be used to monitor DO inside a press or tank. Practical tools to aerate ferments Aeration of must is widely used to enhance fermentation performance, especially in red wine fermentations. A Venturi injector was trialled in a medium-sized winery and was shown to be very effective at high pump-over flow rates, giving up to 40% air saturation directly after the device. On a smaller scale, air-draw tubes gave constant and low DO pick-up, achieving 2-9% air saturation. Both approaches present viable alternatives to the classic method of aeration through ‘cracking the fitting’ which may cause pump cavitation and potentially burn out the pump rotor. Consumer response to ‘green’ flavour in red wines Investigations have shown that the compound isobutyl methoxypyrazine is the greatest contributor to ‘green’ flavour in Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon wines. Dimethyl sulfide can also be important. Consumer studies suggest that controlling what is described as ‘green tannin’ may be more important than minimising ‘green capsicum’ or ‘grassy’ aroma attributes. In-mouth release of flavours confirmed Sensory analysis showed that flavourless monoterpene glycosides can contribute to wine flavour through the release of flavoured monoterpenes in the mouth. Results indicated that flavour released in-mouth from glycosides could contribute to differences in perception of wine between individual consumers. Filtration does not affect macromolecules important for texture Filtering Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz wines using cross-flow filtration, followed by lenticular filters and then 0.65 µm and 0.45 µm membrane filters did not alter the concentration or composition of wine macromolecules (polysaccharides and tannins). These results suggest that filtration is unlikely to affect wine texture. Sensory analysis of samples from the trial will be conducted in 2015/2016.

Extension and adoption Wide range of events delivered AWRI staff were involved in organising 74 events during 2014/2015. These included roadshow seminars and workshops, greenhouse gas mitigation workshops, tailored sensory training, field days and the Advanced Wine Assessment Course. Helpdesk queries answered Helpdesk team members responded to 1,902 technical queries on a range of winemaking, viticulture and regulatory topics, with more than 80% answered within 24 hours. Weather-related issues and smoke taint were the most common query topics during vintage 2015. Winemaking investigations A total of 1,152 individual samples were submitted and analysed as part of 204 investigations carried out during the year. A high proportion of the investigations were related to taints and contaminations, followed by investigations of sensory issues and hazes and deposits in wine. Improvements to the ‘Dog book’ Now in its 23rd year of production, the publication Agrochemicals registered for use in Australian viticulture (‘Dog book’) continues to underpin best practice in agrochemicals usage and to facilitate the export of Australian wine. The design of the ‘Dog book’ was changed in 2014/2015 to more easily distinguish the recommendations

2015 Report

section from the registered products section. Efforts were also made to highlight to growers the importance of recognising the correct growth stage and following label directions accurately. Skills development for NSW The NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI) commissioned the AWRI to design, coordinate and deliver a Skills Development Program to the NSW wine-grape industry during 2014/2015. Activities included installation of a new weather station network. Victorian node renewed The AWRI Victorian node will continue for a further three years to deliver extension services to grapegrowers and winemakers across Victoria. In 2014/2015 the key outcomes for the Victorian node included the delivery of 18 extension events. eBooks launched The library launched a collection of eBooks for Australian levy payers. The collection currently contains 46 eBooks covering winemaking, grape and wine biochemistry, wine chemistry, viticulture, wine economics and wine marketing. Library information requests increased by 36% Requests for information from the John Fornachon Memorial Library increased by 36% to a total of 1,812 requests. Over 2,600 articles were supplied in response. Webinars delivered The AWRI’s fourth webinar series was held during the year, featuring 22 webinars with more than 342 attendees. Face-to-face interactions Throughout the year AWRI staff gave 326 external presentations, coordinated 74 events, conducted 69 media interviews, authored 5 posters, presented 31 lectures to university students and supervised or co-supervised 10 students. Industry-focused publications Six AWRI reports and six columns on alternative varieties were published in the Wine and Viticulture Journal. Twelve ‘Ask the AWRI’ columns covering topical issues from the AWRI helpdesk were published in the Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker. New technical literature published from around the world was abstracted in six issues of Technical Review. Grapegrowers and winemakers were alerted to topical issues in 16 eBulletins issued through the year. Updates of AWRI activities were provided in six issues of eNews. Social media engagement continued The AWRI’s followers on Twitter grew by more than 450 during the year to 2,819. Service capabilities and foundational datasets Record vintage for WIC Winemaking A total of 420 ferments were completed during vintage 2015, more than double the number processed in the previous year. New methods to study wine protein Nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) techniques have been used to study the impact of matrix components (ionic strength, phenolic compounds, polysaccharides and sulfate) on the stability of white wine proteins. Metabolomics capabilities continue to expand During 2014/2015, new HPLC-MS methods were developed that allow the detection of sulfur compounds and their precursors in wine and the identification and quantification of corynetoxins in grains. The facility received record revenue during the year. Culture collection services for researchers and industry The AWRI wine microorganism culture collection (AWMCC) received 427 yeast and bacterial strains from researchers and wineries, all of which were checked for purity, had their identity determined and were prepared for cryogenic storage. In addition, 55 uncharacterised microbial strains currently in the collection were identified. During the year the AWMCC distributed more than 700 microbial strains to researchers and industry.

General Commemorative wine made As part of the AWRI’s 60th birthday celebrations, a commemorative 2015 Barossa Shiraz wine was made by Peter Godden. The fruit chosen was a blend of six sub-regions in equal proportions, all from old vines. The wine will be subject to regular comprehensive analysis over its development and a good proportion of it will be stored for consumption at the AWRI’s 75th birthday. Concessional tax status achieved The AWRI has been granted a charitable exemption under payroll taxation legislation in South Australia, lowering its costs and allowing it to deliver even more value for its industry stakeholders in the future. Biggest year yet for AWRI Commercial Services For the first time, the Commercial Services laboratories processed over twenty thousand samples (22,491) in a year, an average of more than ninety samples per working day. This represents a 38% increase on the average throughput for the last three years. Expanded service offering AWRI Commercial Services has introduced a range of new equipment and capabilities that will expand the services available to Australian grape and wine producers. A new inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) has been commissioned that will greatly extend the range of metals that can be tested in-house. This technology has applications across research, wine production and export certification. A new metagenomics service allows winemakers to understand the microbial species present in their ferments. A new laboratory information system, currently under development, will allow customers to track the progress of their samples and access results as soon as they are available. New director election process An electronic ballot process was used for the first time in October 2014 to elect directors to the AWRI Board. This simplified the voting process for levy payers and greatly improved the efficiency of administering the election. Readers are strongly encouraged to read the annual report in detail rather than relying on the brief details provided here. Other highlights from the year, and the full report, can be found on the AWRI website: www.awri.com.au and in the printed report.

Acknowledgements The Australian Wine Research Institute, a member of the Wine Innovation Cluster in Adelaide, is supported by Australian grapegrowers and winemakers through their investment body, Wine Australia, with matching funds from the Australian Government. The contribution of collaborators in Australia and overseas is gratefully acknowledged. Photography Jacqui Way Photography, Kathryn Thomas Photography, Eric Wilkes and Tadro Abbott.

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Analytical Services

Equipping large winery laboratories Jean L. Jacobson was the laboratory director for Kendall-Jackson Wine Estates for many years and is well placed to look at what wineries need in their laboratories. His expert advice was first published in US Wine Business Monthly and is used here with permission. IN THIS article I would like to take a look at the large wineries and what type of laboratory equipment it takes to handle their massive analysis needs. We consider a ‘large’ winery one that produces more than 500,000 cases a year. This category is very broad since several large wineries have case productions running in the millions—and if the winery is part of a larger company, you could be looking at tens of millions of cases total. Some of these wineries will have a single standalone laboratory while others will have two, three or more laboratories on-site. A single winery having several laboratories on-site may have a division of assays performed (i.e., a large main production laboratory, a quality control laboratory to cover bottling functions, a research and development laboratory and smaller satellite laboratories to handle harvest functions, etc.). I have chosen to look at one site’s largest main laboratory and, in the case of the winery with several labs, will include the bottling/quality control and harvest-related laboratories in order to cover all essential analysis performed at a single winery site. To further pare down this subject, I will be looking at some of the technical instruments used to streamline and increase assay throughput of large amounts of routine analysis, as well as technical instruments used for assays previously performed outside the winery that are now considered routine analysis in many large wineries.

WHERE DO YOU START? At this stage of the game, most winery laboratory managers and directors are well-versed in planning for expansions and/ or increasing analysis throughput. Deciding which instruments to purchase takes some number crunching, marketing and sales projections and the company’s history and future plans. Cost is December 2015 – Issue 623

a huge factor, and justification for high-end instrumentation is a must. The goal is to find an instrument with large throughput and flexibility to accommodate the winery’s growth for the longest period of time. Here are a few items to keep in mind: • Know the current sample load and, as accurately as possible, estimate the increases in that load over several years. Meet with winemaking staff and discuss what future assays they would like to see the laboratory perform; • Look at an instrument’s evolution. How often do the models change and what is the newest, most advanced instrument available? Technology changes rapidly, and it is well worth going for the most advanced instrumentation available to see you through several years; • If cost is an issue or if the winery is experiencing an erratic growth rate, look for an instrument that is an expandable system to meet future needs. You may be able to purchase an instrument where you can buy a larger auto sampler, for instance, rather than an entire new unit as you continue to grow; • With future analysis in mind, choose an instrument that may have add-on modules, detectors, etc. that can be purchased and added to that instrument to perform other assays in the future. You may also find instruments with interchangeable detectors, modules, etc. that can be switched out, depending on the assay you are running; • Utilising advanced technology creates complex data management. Be mindful of the data systems that are recommended/available to ensure compatibility with your current data system. Ease of operation, data reporting and data storage are paramount; • Evaluate the technical skill level required to successfully get

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winemaking labour requirements, accuracy and reliability, cleaning, maintenance, troubleshooting, tech support, downtime, supply and reagent costs and availability, and most important, ask users of the equipment if they would purchase the instrument again.

TECHNOLOGY

your system up and running. You may need to adjust your staffing. Check the company’s on-site training programs and support offers; • Pay close attention to the company’s warranties and service agreements; • To help narrow down your choices, compare sample size, cost of reagents and supplies, gas and instrument power needs and consumption, and other equipment required that is not included with the instrument. Depending on what system you are currently using, you may be able to justify your new instrument solely by the cost savings in labour and reagents. Bringing assays into the laboratory that have previously been performed by professional laboratories will be cost-effective in the long run when more assays are performed; and • Talk to other users of the instrument you are interested in purchasing. Find out about ease of use, real time throughput,

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Wine chemistry is an offshoot of organic chemistry with a bit of inorganic chemistry thrown in. There is very little instrumentation designed specifically for wine chemistry. What has been the key for technology improvement in the wine laboratory is adapting the methods and instrumentation used in organic and inorganic chemistry to make them relevant to the levels and compounds found in viticulture and oenology. Chemistry is chemistry. The advancements of technology in chemistry opens many doors for us in the wine laboratory. Not only do we gain value from those advancements but we gain knowledgeable people to institute them in our laboratories. Many of the fine chemists and technicians we find in large winery laboratories come from other disciplines outside of the wine industry and are well-versed in instrumentation and methodology. For many assays that we perform in the wine laboratory there may be more than one method to obtain the desired results. Some may be more accurate or faster than others—it is up to each laboratory to choose the method and instrumentation with the best fit for its needs. Brix (Baume) and temperature analyses are performed from the time the grapes arrive at the facility to the end of fermentation, this can add up to thousands of tests and hundreds of man hours. This seems to be the first place winery laboratories are willing to make a move into technology, retire the hydrometers and upgrade to a densitometer. These units are available with several different programs: auto temperature correction, hand-held units and bench-top units with auto samplers. A programmable densitometer is commonly used for Brix (Baume) and temperature, specific gravity, extracts and alcohol assays. The Anton Paar DMA 35 hand-held unit and the Anton Paar “Alcolizer” are used in the wine industry. The “Alcolizer” can be matched up with a plug-and-play auto sampling device with 24 positions for 50ml samples and 48 positions for 12ml samples. Alcohol via densitometer is an approved TTB method. Enzymatic analysis via spectroscopy is performed from harvest to post bottling, putting a large load on busy laboratories. Spectroscopy has evolved as well as the instrumentation and sample delivery systems. Today’s instruments not only analyse residual reducing sugar (RS), acetic acid (AC), lactic acid (LA) and L-malic acid (LMA), these instruments can be expanded and programmed for free (FSO2) and total sulfur dioxide (TSO2), volatile acidity (VA), acetaldehyde, ammonia, alpha-amino nitrogen (NOPA), iron and copper, to name a few. Although all of these assays and more can be programmed and performed, the instruments do have limitations on the number of assays per instrument, and you may need several instruments to perform all of these assays. Time and reagent positions are main considerations. Some laboratories I have talked with will run several assays on one machine, such as RS, LMA, LA and AC, to increase the throughput. On a second machine they may run the sulfurs and VA and expand to a third if needed or use a different method and instrumentation. Spectrophotometers for larger sample demands can be divided into two types: Discrete Analysers and Continuous Flow (CFA), also known as Segmented Flow (SFA). A discrete analyser takes an aliquot from a sample and deposits it into a separate container, usually a small “cell,” adds the reagents, mixes, etc. then the sample is analysed. The tested amount is separated from other samples, a “discrete” sample. The

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CFA/SFA method utilises a continuous flow of samples pumped through a small diameter tube. Aliquots of samples are separated by an air or nitrogen bubble with a water rinse between samples. As the samples continuously flow through the system, reagents are added to the sample. The reactions take place as the sample moves along to the detector or other device then discarded. Fourier-transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is utilized in many laboratories to scan samples and identify their make-up or fingerprint. Infrared light passes through the sample where some of the light is absorbed and some is transmitted. The transmitted light is measured as an interferogram and compared to a database for identification and quantification. The Foss Wine Scan is an example of FTIR spectroscopy used in the wine industry. Still one of the most cost-effective methods of determining Titratable Acidity (TA) and pH is via auto titration and potentiometric analysis. Current instrumentation is designed by the titration device required and the automatic sampler needed. Many good companies produce this equipment in modular form to fit any laboratory needs. I looked at two companies: Mettler Toledo International and Radiometer. Mettler’s brand of modular plug-and-play titration stations is the Excellence series. Pair that with a Mettler auto sampler from the InMotion series or Rondo series capable of 12 to 300 sample positions to complete the set-up to meet current needs with growth potential. Radiometer’s Titra Lab workstations and samplers allow for growth and flexibility with 24 to 70 sample positions, burette choice and the option of radio frequency sample identification (RFID). Gas Chromatography (GC) is a method to separate compounds from a sample, identify and quantify the compounds. A common assay performed in large wine laboratories is the determination of alcohol content. The GC method for alcohol/ethanol (ETOH) is accepted by TTB, and for many years GC and distillation were the only accepted methods. GC is used for organic and inorganic compounds that can be vaporized without decomposition. Based on the volatility of a compound, the GC separates the sample mixture and measures the relative proportions of each compound in that mixture. The sample is vaporised and carried by a gas (Helium or Nitrogen) through a tube (column). The smaller the compound, the faster it travels through the column. The ‘elute’ is what December 2015 – Issue 623

emerges from the column and contains the compounds from the mixture. Each compound (pure compound) emerges from the column at a different time, which is called the ‘retention time’. As the compounds emerge from the column, they are electronically detected, identified and quantified. GC is widely used to identify compounds and separate a mixture to produce a pure compound that will go through additional analysis, such as Mass Spectroscopy (MS). Hig h Per for ma nce Liqu id Chromatography (HPLC) is similar to GC but is more specific for other compounds, such as organic acids, and uses a liquid solvent (water, methanol or acetonitrate) to move the sample mixture through a column. The column is filled with an adsorbent material, such as silica, which causes different flow rates for different compounds. The compounds separate as they flow out of the column where they are electronically detected, identified and quantified. GCMS analysis utilizes the mixture separation ability of GC into pure compounds and the more specific identification and quantification of the compound and its components with mass spectroscopy. MS isolates ions and categorises them according to their mass, thus creating a mass spectrum used for identification. GCMS is most often used in the wine laboratory for analysis of 4-Ethylphenol (4-EP), 4-Ethylguaiacol (4-EG) and Haloanisoles. A special sampling technique called Head Space Solidphase microextraction or HS SPME, is required for the analysis of 4-EP, 4-EG and the haloanisoles. This is a sampling technique that involves a specific coated fibre that extracts an analyte from the headspace of a sample. The fibre is transferred into the GCMS for analysis. Metal analysis can be found in some of the large winery laboratories. The use of Flame Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (FAAS), Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (GFAAS) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS) are most often used. Look at Agilent, Thermo and Perkin Elmer to start your search. A significant advancement in bottling quality control has been the introduction of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) technology. Quantitative PCR is a DNA amplification method using Taq polymerase and is a reliable and fast technique for the identification of organisms in wine: Oenococcus oeni, lactic acid bacteria, acetic acid bacteria, Dekkera, Bruxellensis, S. Cerevisiae and Zygosaccharomyces species. The cost of www.winetitles.com.au

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winemaking doing in-house PCR has become very affordable for winery laboratories. To find the PCR best suited to your laboratory needs start with the Roche Lightcycler Series, Eppendorf’s Mastercycler Series and QIAGEN. These companies carry an assortment of PCR instruments and supplies.

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I talked with several main winery laboratories of various sizes and production levels about the types of technology they are currently using and what technologies they are looking to add. Rodney Strong Wine Estates, located in Sonoma County, California, produces approximately 830,000 cases of wine a year, and their laboratory performs an estimated 50,000 assays a year. Laboratory manager Leana Sanchez has significantly increased the laboratory’s throughput of Brix (Baume) and temperatures by using the Anton Paar DMA 35; alcohols analysis via ‘Alcolizer’; as well as enzymatic analysis using a ChemWell discrete analyser. Sanchez said GCMS may be in the laboratory’s near future. Chateau Ste. Michelle Wine Estates in Washington produces approximately 8.2 million cases of wine a year and their largest laboratory performed an estimated 250,000 assays last year. Caleb Culver, director of analytical services, gave me a run-down of the technology they utilise in the largest laboratory. According to Culver, they have all the bases covered to maximise their output by utilising the Anton Paar DMA 35 and ‘Alcolizer’, a Horiba discrete analyser, the Astoria Pacific SFA, a Radiometer auto titrator, and FTIR for sample scanning as needed. In addition, they perform GCMS/SPME analysis for 4-EP, 4-EG and haloanisols, HPLC for organic acids and ICP for metal analysis. Culver also added they use a Roche ‘Lightcycler’ 480 model PCR with a QIAGEN probe plus plating for their bottling quality control. To top off this formidable group of laboratories I contacted Trinchero Family Estates’ Pamela Scott, laboratory manager for the newest winery and bottling facility in Lodi, California. Trinchero’s annual wine production prior to 2015 was 20 million cases. “The new winery has been open for four or five years, but we have only been bottling since May 2015,” said Scott. This new facility plans on bottling approximately 10 million cases this year and ramping up to 20 million cases in a few years. According to Scott, the laboratory has been performing around 160,000 assays a year and is looking at that number increasing greatly over the next couple years with the addition of the new bottling lines. At this large laboratory, Scott and staff utilise the Anton Paar DMA 35 for harvest, the Wine Scan FTIR and a Mettler Toledo auto titrator. They are using a Roche Cobas Mira discrete analyser and Agilent GC and GCMS for alcohols and pesticides, respectively. Metal assays are performed with a Perkin Elmer ICP. Currently, they are doing plating only for bottling with an eye on an Eppendorf brand PCR. Companywide, the laboratory’s equipment list for high tech equipment looks like this: HPLC 2, GCMS 4, GC 8 and 2 ICP units. No matter how big or small you may be, the goal is to produce the most accurate results for winemaking and production, in the least amount of time, for the least amount of money—and most important: deliver a quality product to your customers.

About the author:

REF:212

74 Grapegrower & Winemaker

x/marketing/advertising/212.Grape.Growers16.11.15

Jean L. Jacobson is the former laboratory director for KendallJackson Wine Estates as well as a writer and author of the book, Introduction to Wine Laboratory Practices and Procedures, published by Springer Publishing, NY, NY.

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December 2015 – Issue 623

Yeast

Yeast Q&A: Quick updates from AB Mauri

Q: Are Mauri Yeast Australia products made in Australia? A: Yes. Mauri Yeast Australia uses proprietary yeast manufacturing technology for the manufacture of its yeast products. Our wine and beverage yeast factory in Toowoomba, Australia, is AS/NZS ISO 9001:2000 quality management system and CODEX HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) & GMP (good manufacturing process) certified. Our manufacturing plant certifications are a symbol of the companies’ commitment to providing our customers with reliable, high quality yeast that performs in all applications. Our factory conforms to international food safety laws and are subject to continuous improvement policy objectives aimed at satisfying market conditions and expectations. In addition, continual monitoring of yeast strains through exhaustive quality control/ quality assurance measures ensures a consistent, high quality product within

strict specifications is achieved with every batch of dried yeast. Q: Does Mauri Yeast Australia provide technical support? A: Yes. Mauri Yeast Australia has developed a strong reputation for supplying quality products backed by quality technical support. In-house application and technical support is extended to all customers. Through our extensive network of highly qualified oenologists, microbiologists, fermentation technologists, chemists and quality control experts, as well as a vast array of laboratory and winery resources, we can attend to your queries with a rapid response time. Q: Is there a strain available that produces less alcohol? A: Yes. Research studies undertaken by Dr Vladimir Jiranek’s group at the University of Adelaide show that Maurivin B produces less alcohol per

gram of sugar utilised. In addition, this strain also consumes more L-malic acid toward the end of fermentation. Q: Does micro-oxygenation really help to provide wines with ageing characters? A: Yes and No. There are distinct benefits to the yeast by providing a small injection of oxygen to regenerate sterols and long-chain fatty acids throughout fermentation. On the other hand, the sensory impacts of the wine need to be assessed by the winemaker. Q: Are any of the Maurivin™ yeast range genetically modified? A: No. AB Mauri does not have any active dried yeast available on the market that have been genetically modified. For more information, contact Ian Walsh: P: +61 02 9888 0249 E: ian.walsh@abmauir.com.au

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December 2015 – Issue 623

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Grapegrower & Winemaker

winemaking

Oak

Latest directions in oak: Trends and the future Decisions made to match oak grain width and toasting rate to specific wines can take as long as two years to be rewarded. In this article Graeme Little, the Seguin Moreau Australia & New Zealand general manger for sales and marketing, explains grains and toasting rates then looks at how they can be matched to winemaking requirements.

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December 2015 – Issue 623

35 YEARS AGO, the Seguin Moreau Cooperage commenced importing oak barrel into Australia via Chateau Remy in the Pyrenees in Victoria. Chateau Remy was owned then by Remy Martin, a sister company to Seguin Moreau whom also owned the Quelltaler in the Clare Valley. This relationship allowed Seguin Moreau to commence importing barrels and supplying famous wineries in 1980 and after, such as Leeuwin Estate, Penfolds, Mount Adam, Rosemount, Hardy’s, De Bortoli, Grosset, Petaluma, Bowen and Wendouree. Initially the cooperages at the time offered oak based on forests, Nevers, Vosges, Tronçais, Limousin and Allier. Not much was known regarding oak quality in terms of impact on wine, though winemakers quickly developed favourite forests for particular wines. It wasn’t until the late 1980s that various toast levels were researched studying toasting time and intensity. Seguin Moreau were the first to successfully define specific toasting profiles that allowed winemakers a selection of oak characters that could be used to impart in wine: woody, vanilla, dried nut, toasted almond or smoky aromas to match their wines, depending on the target enological objective. Winemakers were able to turn up the intensity of their wines, using heavy toasted barrels to add power, sweetness and char to the wines. The public who were just beginning to explore the various new emerging wine styles based on varietals such as Chardonnay, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon after years of quaffing, Hock, White Burgundy, Claret and other styles, where becoming sophisticated and began wanting more in terms of quality. The cooperages reacted by researching and investing in development projects, wanting to know more about the resource, Oak and how to manipulate oak profiles through seasoning, oak selection and toasting to provide consistency. The first major change was a move away from regional forest selection of French Oak, and to commence selecting oak by grain width. This provided consistency of product, and winemakers could rely on cooperages to deliver consistent oak barrels each year. The grain selections provided to winemakers typically are: • Wide Grain – used mainly for spirit production; • Semi Fine or Medium Grain – used for short maturation periods (the amount of time wine is matured in oak), from eight to 14 months; • Fine or Tight Grain – used for moderate maturation periods, from 12 to 18 months; and • Extra Fine or Extra Tight Grain – used for longer maturation periods, from 18 to 24 months. The extra fine grain is the best option to use in making wine, the oak is slow growing resulting in very fine grain, the flavours are subtle and elegant, but it requires a longer period of maturation to reach balance with the wine and oak profile. It is critical for winemakers to understand that all oak barrels have a ‘maturation cycle’ and the finer the grain, the longer it will take to reach balance. When tasting wine during the first 12 months of contact in an extra fine grain barrel, the wine will have dusty oak, pencilly, timber-like characters and the wine will appear raw, out of balance. The most important aspect of oak selection, is matching the maturation requirement of a wine with the correct grain designation. If the wine needs to be ready for bottling with 12 months, then the oak selected should be Semi-Fine Grain. The above chart is a simplification of the time required to reach oak/wine balance – ‘maturity’, when the oak characteristics are in balance/harmony with the wine. December 2015 – Issue 623

Figure 1. Maturation time to reach oak/wine balance –‘maturity’ – a guide

Using the scale of 0 to 10, the following information can be used as a guide: • 0 to 6 – the wine is unbalanced, oak will appear dusty in the wine, ‘pencilly’ characters are obvious and the oak can appear raw; • 6 to 8 – the wine is reaching balance with the oak, dusty oak characters are not obvious, wine is starting to become harmonious with the oak; and • 8 to 10 – oak maturity is reached, wine is balanced, oak is not overt. Once oak maturity is reached, it is important to note that continued ageing beyond the point of oak maturity, can result in the wine becoming ‘over oaked’, loss of oak freshness in the wine and fruit characters.

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winemaking The point of Oak Maturity can also be influence by: • Cellar Temperature – a warmer cellar will accelerate the rate of maturation; • Fruit Weight – Fuller styles will appear to reach maturity earlier; • Variety; and • Alcohol content, pH and acidity levels.

CURRENT TRENDS There has been a slow change in wine styles being produced and this is changing the style of oak being used, with a push for wines that are approachable, generous, have soft tannins, subtle oak influences but importantly ready for consumptions immediately, but with

some potential to age. The reasons behind the style change are numerous; however the demand to be able to consume wine directly off the bottleshop shelf is probably more of a general change in our lifestyles. No time to wait for a bottle to mature in a cellar, the public want it now. The latest statistics have the average bottle of wine being consumed within hours of purchase. No cellaring time. Likewise, companies are pushing winemakers to release wines earlier to increase cash flow of the business rather than age in the cellar for two to three years before release.

www.seguin-moreau.fr www.seguinmoreau-icone.com Graeme Little

Mobile: +61 (0)437 060 943 glittle@seguinmoreau.com.au

Dan Eggleton

Mobile: +61 (0)438 824 493 deggleton@seguinmoreau.com.au SEGUIN MOREAU AUSTRALIA Post Office Box 5 Hindmarsh, South Australia 5007 Tel.: +61 (0)8 8406 2000 Fax: +61 (0)8 8406 2001 admin@seguinmoreau.com.au 78 Grapegrower & Winemaker

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December 2015 – Issue 623

winemaking So what tools are available to winemakers requiring oak in their wine that can expedite the ageing process, reduce oak impact but maintain quality? • Use Semi Fine/Medium Grain oak barrels. As mentioned above, wider grain barrels reach oak maturity with a wine in a shorter time period; • Use ‘water bent’ barrels (Aquaflex) as opposed to traditional fire bent barrels. The water bending reduces the oak impact allowing for better varietal definition; • Look to use larger format oak. Over the past few years there has been a shift from 225/228 litre barrels to 300/500 litre and larger vat formats. Using larger format barrels reduces the surface area to volume ratio of a barrel, reducing oak impact and producing more subtle wines; • Use of American Oak. There has been a large shift away from using American Oak over the past 10 years, with many winemakers having a preference for French Oak. The use of American Oak as a portion of a blend with French Oak, especially in red wines will sweeten, give volume to a palate and make a wine more approachable at an earlier maturation point. Many coopers offer American Oak with very subtle oak characters, low levels of coconut and whiskey lactones, which were very obvious in the past, but not now. It is time to re-think; • Toast levels. Every cooper has their own toasting regime; there is no industry set of standards. A Medium Toast offered by one cooper could be a Medium Plus Toast from another and vice versa. At Seguin Moreau we offer eight standard toast levels and another five toast levels for water bent (Aquaflex) barrels.

Matching the correct toast level to the grain of oak and intended use is vital in determining the oak impact of a barrel on a wine. Generally, a lighter toast level will have more oak impact than a heavier toast level, however a point is reached when heavier toast levels also have a drying effect on a wine; • Seasoning. Oak is typically seasoned for two years in the stave yard before production. Seasoning longer will reduce the oak impact, both aromatically on the nose and structurally on the palate. Ordering three-year seasoned barrels will reduce oak impact on a wine, but can also have a drying effect on the palate if the oak becomes ‘over-seasoned’; and • Alternative Oak Options. Clever use of alternative oak can help reduce the period of maturation required before release of a wine. In most situations, the endeavor to reduce oak impact on a wine through various methods is a compromise of options, with the selection process being to make the best possible wine under the demands of the market and business goals. The more information that a winemaker possesses, the better the solution in selecting the best oak options. For more information, contact: Seguin Moreau Australia & New Zealand P: +61 08 8406 2000 glittle@seguinmoreau.com.au The selection process and oak usage will be the topic of a workshop by Graeme Little at the Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference in 2016.

Barrels from Vallaurine now available in Australia & New Zealand Australia: Geoff Henriks - mob 0412 947 090 fax 08 8423 0239 e-mail geoff.henriks@gmail.com New Zealand: John Belsham tel 03 572 7940 fax 03 572 7941 e-mail john@foxes-island.co.nz 80 Grapegrower & Winemaker

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December 2015 – Issue 623

Barrel care advice WINEMAKERS are always keen to fill their new barrels, but there are some important steps they need to follow to make sure their new oak is ready for their top quality wine. The cooperage that supplies the winery also wants to make sure their barrels meet the expectations of the winemaking team. A winemaker with a brand new barrel that is leaking is probably not going to be a happy customer. So, there are a few things that coopers encourage each winery to carry out before filling the new barrels. In this advice piece from Cooperages 1912 Australia, you will find a handy, step-by-step guide to make sure the winery gets the best results from a new barrel. It all starts with a simple recommended: Make sure both the outside and inside of each barrel is examined upon delivery.

PREPARATION FOR WINE: A WATER SOAK & TEST It is important to follow these re-hydration and inspection steps when you are going to fill the barrel immediately with wine.

Option 1: • Fill the barrel with 10-20L of filtered, chlorine-free, hot water. Use the hottest water possible, with 82°C the ideal temperature; • Place a silicone bung in bunghole; • Rotate the barrel from side to side, completely wetting the barrel’s interior; • Stand the barrel upright on one head up to four hours to completely hydrate the head; • Rotate and stand upright on the other head up to four hours repeating the hydration; • Check for leakage (see instructions below if present); and • Empty the barrel and allow it to drain and dry completely (this will take about an hour).

STORAGE OF NEW BARRELS: COOL, HUMID ENVIRONMENT It is recommended that you keep the plastic film on the barrels if you are storing the new barrels for an indefinite time period. If the plastic wrap has been damaged in transit, a quick re-wrap with some shrink-wrap would be a good idea. Please remember a new barrel must be stored in a cool, humid environment at your winery to maintain its integrity.

CLEANING AND STORING BETWEEN WINE FILLS • Barrels must be thoroughly rinsed with water until the draining water is clear; • Completely dry by placing the bunghole down and draining the water; • Apply 10-20 grams of sulfur sticks (or the equivalent in gas form) to prevent microbial growth; and • Tightly insert a silicon bung. • Continue storing the barrel in a cool, humid environment; • Repeat the sulfur treatment monthly for extended storage of empty barrels; • Complete Option 1 or 2 above for barrel preparation prior to refilling with wine. For more information, contact Cooperages 1912 Australia: P: +61 (08) 85631356 E: ahamann@cooperages1912.com.au

Option 2: (Cold Water/High Volume) • Completely fill the barrel with filtered, chlorine-free, cold water; • Let the barrel re-hydrate for 24 to 48 hours; • Check for leakage (see instructions below if present); and • Empty the barrel and allow it to drain and dry completely (about an hour).

Check for leakage: • If leakage is present, drain the barrel and allow it to dry completely (about an hour); • With chalk, circle the area where the leakage was present. Examine that this exterior area is completely dry; and • Repeat Option 1 or Option 2 above and re-examine for leakage. If the leakage continues, it is important to call your account manager or cooperages immediately. Empty the barrel, allow it to drain and dry completely, treat each barrel with 10-20 grams of sulfur sticks (or the equivalent in gas form), and re-insert the bung. Again, be certain the barrel is completely dry prior to sulfur treatment. Remember that water should not sit in a barrel for more than 48 hours without sulfur and citric acid. Also, use caution when removing bung due to internal pressure build-up. December 2015 – Issue 623

THE ART LIVES ON… Our barrels are works of art, crafted with expertise and perfection to honour wine. Partner with Tonnellerie Quintessence to create your masterpiece. www.tonnelleriequintessence.fr

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winemaking

Explosive idea: The Wine Grenade A YEAR ON from winning the University of Auckland’s Dragon’s Denstyle business competition, a wine industry start-up’s ‘grenade’ is already in commercial trials with a major Hawke’s Bay winery. Wine Grenade, a micro-oxygenation tool that removes the cost and complexity associated with maturing wine, won the Spark $100k Challenge in 2014 and has now been named as a finalist in the New Zealand Innovators Awards. Winemakers can drop the device into their wine to mimic the maturation process that usually happens within oak barrels, making it cheaper and quicker to get the product to market. It was created by five students studying the Master of Commercialisation and Entrepreneurship (MCE) degree and is quickly moving from concept to reality. CEO Hamish Elmslie, Jonathan Boswell, Philip Cockrell, Jorg Kampschreur and Mike Moore teamed up last year to identify possible commercial pathways for a piece of technology developed by Plant and Food Research.

“We were told that, if the technology could be used to deliver a very precise amount of gas in a very precise way, we might be able to design an application in the micro-oxygenation of wines,” said Elsmlie. During the MCE program, the team explored market validation, technical validation, intellectual property protection and ascertained the market was big enough to justify developing a product. “I can’t give too much away at the moment,” said Elmslie. “But we’ve developed a prototype and we’re undertaking our first set of commercial product trials. We’ve given it to a worldrenowned Hawke’s Bay wine maker who is currently using it to treat 11,000 litres of Merlot and 11,000 litres of Pinot Noir. Initial results look pretty promising.” When the first 10-week trial is complete, the results will be used to develop further trials in Bordeaux in France, and California in the US. Wine Grenade is among more than 110 start-up ventures the Spark program has

We’ve developed a prototype and we’re undertaking our first set of commercial product trials. We’ve given it to a worldrenowned Hawke’s Bay wine maker who is currently using it to treat 11,000 litres of Merlot and 11,000 litres of Pinot Noir. Initial results look pretty promising. helped launch since it began in 2003. In total, these ventures have attracted $200 million in investment, created more than 400 jobs and are selling products and services in more than 35 countries.

Long associated with some of the world’s best producers. France: Jayer Gilles, Jean Grivot, Meo Camuzet, Ramonet, Ann Gros, Denis Mortet, Emmanuel Rouget, Francois Carillon, Hudelot Noellat, Robert Groffier, Jean Fournier, Pascal Marchand, Phillip Leclerc, Talbot, Lagrange, Caillou, Alain Graillot, Chapoutier

•

• USA: Spottswoode, Dunn, Hess, Beaux Freres, Hobbs, Calera, Ramey

• Australia: Howard Park, Savaterre Cavin Difference:

• Access to the highest quality oak and forests available in France thanks to family who are among the largest oak buyers in France .

• If you believe in terroir you will want to buy oak by forest not just grain. A choice of toast.

• Aged a minimum of 24 months outside in the snow, heat and rain.

• Provenance is guaranteed and traceable.

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82 Grapegrower & Winemaker

Traditional or the House Style (EP): The house style is a long slow toasting on a small oak fire that deeply penetrates the wood but produces only a light char compared to the traditional toast. This is recommended for wines that require extended barrel maturation. Traditional is also available and uses a slightly stronger flame for a shorter time for earlier drinking styles.

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www.tonnellerie-cavin.com December 2015 – Issue 623

Supplier Update

Tanks built to meet your needs Crown Sheetmetal: Wine tank specialists Crown Sheetmetal are specialists in designing and manufacturing stainless steel tanks for the wine industry. The Crown brand also incorporates Crown Stainless Systems, which specialises in winery equipment including walkways, conveyors, drains and fittings. Based in Invercargill, Crown has been in business since 1974 and joined the NDA Group in early 2008. Since then, it has expanded to incorporate two workshops in Blenheim, giving it a presence throughout the South Island – and a base in one of New Zealand’s premium wine-growing regions.

READY FOR ANYTHING The three sites also produce a range of other products, including vessels for the dairy and biodiesel industries, and cabinets and control centres for the electrical industry. The 3500sqm Invercargill workshop includes a high bay, which makes it easier and more efficient to build large vessels such as wine tanks. With a high bay also a part of the Blenheim facility, Crown Sheetmetal can build vessels of up to 19 metres high and weighing in at up to 60 tonnes. A team of skilled designers and draughters work closely with our

Tanks

fabricators, welders and polishers to ensure that your project is delivered to the highest standard.

GANIMEDE STATIC RED FERMENTATION WINE TANKS Crown Sheetmetal are the licensed New Zealand manufacturers of the Ganimede Static Red Fermentation wine tanks. These tanks contain a simple diaphragm that uses the naturally-occurring CO2 from the ferment to continuously mix the marc. This allows for a gradual release of colour, tannins and flavours, and results in a more aromatic wine with subtle tannins and a smooth finish.

MANUFACTURING TO YOUR REQUIREMENTS Because we manufacture on-site we can produce tanks to virtually any dimensions you need, with optional glycol cooling and insulation. Tank sizes range from 2,500 litres to 540,000 litres and can be either plinth-mounted or freestanding. For more information contact: Andrew Horton: P: +64 3 214 4817 E: andrew@crownsheetmetal.co.nz

Wine Tank Specialists

32 SPEY STREET, INVERCARGILL 9810 • Ph 03 214 4817 • Fax 03 218 3354 • Email andrew@crownsheetmetal.co.nz December 2015 – Issue 623

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people & places

Wine industry’s largest networking event AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND winemakers and viticulturists were among 31,000 industry representatives from 90 countries who interacted with more than 600 exhibitors at SIMEI in November. SIMEI, the International Enological and Bottling Equipment Exhibition organised by Unione Italiana Vini (UIV), is held in every second year and 2015 was the 26th edition. The venue was Milan, Italy, the bi-annual SIMEI wine industry exhibition

and seminars in November. Anecdotal feedback suggests there was solid interest from Australian and New Zealand companies to purchase winemaking and bottling equipment and some sales were completed. Francesco Pavanello, UIV general director, said the event is focussed on industry technology and has become an important must for professional development and international relations. The Australian representatives at the event included Robert Mark and

Louise Rhodes from Willunga, South Australia, Grapegrower and Winemaker subscribers who collected free flights and accommodation in Milan though a magazine promotion. In 2017, SIMEI will debut in Munich for the next drinktec (11-15 September 2017), the World’s Leading Trade Fair for the Beverage and Liquid Food Industry, where it will be present as the WINE FOCUS, covering an area of about 20,000 square metres dedicated exclusively to the wine industry.

Viniquip International: Horst Klos, marketing director, and Aaron O’Keeffe, director, reported sales of bottling machines to Vinifill Australia and The Garage Project, Wellington, New Zealand.

84 Grapegrower & Winemaker

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December 2015 – Issue 623

Exhibition action.

Della Toffola: Blair Hanel was on hand as Della Toffola showcased a wide range of equipment on one the largest stands at SIMEI. Hanel reported sales to Australian wineries included a bio-thermo unit, presses and crossflow filters.

Bucher Vaslin: Samuel Plumejeau, Melbourne-based area sales manager, with Clare de Nadaillac, Reussit Vigne journal editor.

Melbourne based manufacturer Peter Oâ€™Brien (in the colourful shirt) demonstrated his Great Engineering Benchmark labelling equipment.

Winequip and Famoritalia: David Manglaviti, Andrew Watt, Rob Gove and Justin Coates.

Robert Mark and Louise Rhodes, from Willunga, with Mary Retallack (left), viticulture consultant and Australian Grape and Wine Authority board member.

December 2015 â€“ Issue 623

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Grapegrower & Winemaker

sales & marketing

Dare to be different There are lots of products that attempt to play to those ideas, but do it as a novelty. I didn’t get that impression from the Hentley Farm team at all, they retain all the qualities of authenticity. KEITH HENTSCHKE said one of the strengths of his Hentley Farm wine brand has been the willingness to show a little bit of “daring”. He said he’s prepared to walk the line between going way out on a limb and staying safely within the mainstream. This attitude seems to have been central to the business since it first began, with a knock on a farmhouse door in Seppeltsfield nearly 15 years ago. “I had started getting interested in doing my own thing and was lucky to have lots of mates and connections in the industry, so I started asking them about what was exciting people,” said Hentschke. “They were all talking about the Seppeltsfield area, the red-brown dirt that sometimes had some limestone buried beneath it.” Hentschke was already a fan of Greenock Creek, so he didn’t need much more encouragement to start searching the western pocket of the Barossa for his own project. He armed himself with a map and set a few pre-requisites and soon identified something he liked. “I found the site and knocked on the door, when the lady opened it I did something I probably shouldn’t have – I asked to speak to her husband. She started crying. He had just died, so that didn’t get off to a great start.” But the conversation soon improved and when the property owner decided it was too much for her to manage on her own, the sale was negotiated. “It was a real case of this was where we wanted to be and we ended up setting up right here,” said Hentschke.

86 Grapegrower & Winemaker

WINE BRAND GROWTH The first two Hentley Farm wines weThe first two Hentley Farm wines were released in 2002 and the 800 cases went straight to the US. “We just waved them goodbye in those days, but like all things that seem too good to be true – it didn’t last for long.” But Hentschke probably doesn’t fit into the ‘overnight success’ category. In fact, he has built his business on the back of expansive industry experience. “My dad and uncle came up with the crazy idea to plant a vineyard in 1970 in Lameroo,” he said. The site in the Murray Mallee isn’t a renowned winergrape region and the nearest neighbouring vineyard was at Loxton, 140km north. “When I was 15 dad asked me to manage the vineyards and then I ended up at Roseworthy doing Agricultural Science and doubling up with Wine Marketing. I ended up working for Orlando from 1992 in all sorts of roles, from production right through to international marketing.” He also worked with FABAL and Nepenthe following his stint with Orlando. All this experience meant Hentschke was in a good position to understand all the different aspects of managing his own business – including the rapid rate of development. The wine portfolio quickly grew: The Beast arrived in 2003; The Beauty in 2004; The Stray Mongrel in 2005 etc. The winery has not been afraid to strive to achieve at the premium end. “Sure you can make great wines, but that’s only part of it. And that’s part of my passion for marketing,” Hentschke

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said. While he’s keen to do luxury, it still has that element of daring behind it… “eclectic luxury”. “The evolution of the brand has become more embedded in the luxury end. And we’ve been able to come up with a few variations of the themes. That’s the case with the sparkling Black Beauty; it’s something unexpected, but still very luxurious.” The elongated bell-shaped bottle is something different, so too is a crown seal on a premium sparkling product. Of course it wasn’t just the marketing that evolved, the winemaking has also kept up with the growth. And the young man responsible for the Hentley Farm wines since 2008 has been Andrew Quin. “When he presented he was really passionate and aligned to what we were thinking,” said Hentschke. “Early on I was quite closely involved in the wine style and called myself the ‘style police’, but Andrew has taken over the creativity and he’s got complete control. Like our brand he has the daring to do things just a bit different. “He has classical winemaking skills, but like our brand he also has the daring to do things just a little bit differently. He’s actually got an ability that not many others have, and it borders on being a bit of a freak, he sees things and can just think his way through and get everything to work.” Hentschke said the wet spring and summer before the 2011 vintage through up some challenges, but was an example of Quin thinking outside the square and delivering the solution.

December 2015 – Issue 623

“We were pretty worried with the quality of the fruit and what that would mean for the wine, but for The Creation that year he came up with the concept of an Amarone-style wine… and it has really stood up.”

INDIVIDUAL TOUCHES Hentschke said that texture has always been important to the brand; since The Beast was released wrapped in tissue paper and carrying a dog tag to let you know what was hidden beneath. There are also felt elements on a couple of labels and interesting raised elements on others, the Field Blend is a great example with its raised outlines of puzzle pieces on the label. The latest label project has another texture element; “possibly the first triplewrapped wine label in the world”. It was developed together with Annalise Rees, a graduate of the Adelaide Central School of Art. “We’ve come up with the idea to use a different artist each year, not just for the labelling of The Creation, but for the whole package,” said Hentschke. “Annalise’s original idea was to have every single label hand drawn,” said Hentschke said. “Even though it’s only a small production we had to discourage that idea.” The winery received great support from Studio Labels to bring the whole project together. “They were brilliant because, to be honest, it was a bit of a bugga to work with.” Rees grew up on Kangaroo Island, in South Australia, and completed a Bachelor of Visual Art with Honours, majoring in sculpture from the Adelaide

December 2015 – Issue 623

Central School of Art in 2004. She has an impressive artistic résumé with a lengthy collection of exhibitions, awards and public commissions. Rees said it was “great” to work with the winery and apply her skills in a different way. “To look at what I could do with a more commercial outcome in mind was also really good.” The artist said it was clear the winery team, Hentschke and Quin in particular, had a very keen attention to detail and valued hand-crafted and high quality. “Their ethos aligns perfectly to a visual artist who doesn’t produce something that is widely available,” said Rees. “There are lots of products that attempt to play to those ideas, but do it as a novelty. I didn’t get that impression from the Hentley Farm team at all, they retain all the qualities of authenticity.”

EACH LABEL HAS A STORY Hentschke said the Hentley Farm packaging helps to tell the stories of the property and the individual wines. “We use three different label suppliers because they each offer different things we’re looking for, and we’ve actually got to the stage where we are confident to design some of our own labels,” he said. While the labels and packaging is just one part of this winery business that is helping to create attention, it would be hard to argue it’s not a big part. “It’s an interesting story about the creation of a really strong brand in a relatively short time. And it looks a lot shorter for people who are just looking across the fence.”

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Grapegrower & Winemaker

people & places

David Evans (Scholle Industries), Ben Gibson (Pernod Ricard Winemakers), Anita Poddar (Accolade Wines), Phil Martin (Michels Warren PR), Amanda MacMillan (DeBortoli) and Erik Bosch (Scholle Industries).

Supplier of the year WINE INDUSTRY SUPPLIERS AUSTRALIA (WISA) hosted its 9th annual Supplier of the Year awards at the Adelaide Festival Centre recently, with more than 150 guests in attendance to toast the success of its supply sector.

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The WISA chairman and his deputy: Darren Oemcke from DO Consulting (right) and Tim Duval from DW Fox Tucker. www.winetitles.com.au

December 2015 – Issue 623

Rick Collis and Catherine Baylis (Barossa Enterprises), Ashleigh Falconer-Edwards (Finlaysons) and Dan Brannan (Winetitles Media).

Lukas Mojzisek (EcoTrellis), Tim Gniel (award sponsor and judge from Tarac Technologies) with Steve Pearce (EcoTrellis).

December 2015 â€“ Issue 623

The Leukaemia Foundation crew: Kadin Harvey, Kane Stoddard and Laura Barker.

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Grapegrower & Winemaker

business & technology HOW TO: Get the best vintage casuals employee is working and the role they are undertaking.” For a smaller winery like Sirromet Wines in the Granite Belt, chief winemaker Adam Chapman said they rarely need to advertise for casual vintage staff. “We normally do not need to advertise as there is a large fruit industry like apples, peaches and vegetable crops around the Granite Belt so getting casuals locally is no worries,” Chapman said. “We also only really need them at pruning stage and not so much at vintage time as we have two harvesters.”

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

BE A GREAT EMPLOYER

Casual vintage staff will be inspired to work harder if they feel their employers care.

EACH YEAR during vintage a barrage of workers from all walks of life world flock to wineries across Australia to lend a hand in the vineyard. Some are graduates progressing their career, some are locals looking to pocket a bit of extra cash and the majority are working travellers who want to extend their Visa by undertaking three months of rural labour work. The Australian wine industry relies heavily on these employees to get through the chaotic vintage months so it’s imperative that casual workers are reliable, passionate and up for a challenge. With most wineries across Australia starting their vintage in the first few months of the year, there’s no time like the present to get the ball rolling on acquiring quality casual vintage workers.

SLAM DUNK YOUR ADVERTISEMENT Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) estimates more than 280 casual workers are employed across its Australian and New Zealand wineries each vintage. For a massive company like TWE, that means a lot of applications to filter through. In order to cut down the time of this process, ensure that job advertisements reflect exactly what you want out of your temporary worker. Many smaller wineries like Bleasdale Vineyards in Langhorne Creek and Taltarni Vineyards in Pyrenees call for at least one to two years of experience for their vintage applicants while TWE, who advertise across a range

90 Grapegrower & Winemaker

of online job sites, are happy to employ workers with little or no skill in the wine industry, as well as working holiday Visa applicants. A company spokesperson said this is because TWE provides substantial on-the-job training. “Like any TWE employee, all casual employees working at a TWE site have to undertake a pre-employment medical. Prior to undertaking any work in our wineries, causal employees complete an extensive induction program (two weeks) focusing on all areas of Occupational Health & Safety and learning and being assessed on, TWE’s Standard Operating Procedures (SAPs), covering all the tasks they’ll be undertaking in their casual employment with the company.” In their advertisements, TWE outlines the prior education, skills and attitude necessary to work a successful vintage and also provides information on pay categories and approximate working hours, warning that 12-hour days are common. “The business also uses contract labour hire companies to provide additional vintage workers for some of its facilities including, the Karadoc winery and to undertake some vineyard tasks, such as hand picking grapes in some of our smaller premium vineyards,” a spokesperson for TWE said. “The majority of TWE’s vintage casual workers are employed in our wineries (80 per cent) with the rest employed to work in our vineyards (20 per cent). Employment periods can generally range from 6-12 weeks depending on the site where the www.winetitles.com.au

A recent study from Harvard Business School found the commitment of an employer to “actively invest in meeting the multidimensional needs of their employees” directly influences how those employees work. In other words, if you treat all of your employees like the valuable assets they are, it will drive them to do the best work they can. A great example of an employer who goes above and beyond for their vintage staff is Brokenwood Wines in the Hunter Valley. Iain Riggs, chief winemaker and managing director of Brokenwood, said the reason the winery treats its staff so well is because of how important they are in the grand scheme of things. “I don’t think the Aussie wine industry would survive if it wasn’t for casual vintage staff,” he said. “Work load is pretty high and where as it used to just be locals, over the last 25 years internationals have made to trek to Australia in big numbers. “The concept of ‘Flying Winemaker’ really started with Australia and as our wines grabbed attention in the 80s and our winemakers worked overseas, the northern hemisphere guys wanted to work down under to see what we are up to.” Those lucky enough to be employed by Brokenwood are treated to a range of perks from accommodation to a special vintage chef. “We have had a large number of vintage workers from all over the globe,” Riggs said. “We started off providing accommodation here at the winery and shareholders also used to take holidays and help out, particularly on the pans. This then morphed into having a chef/ cook on board for eight to 10 weeks over December 2015 – Issue 623

the harvest. Admin and Cellar door staff join in for lunch as well. Accommodation is still here at the winery.”

THE SEASONAL WORKER SCHEME It’s been in the news a lot lately for all the wrong reasons but it’s worth checking out the seasonal worker scheme to see if it could benefit your winery. The program was established by the Australian Government with a goal to contribute to the economic development of participating countries by providing access to work opportunities in the Australian agriculture and accommodation industries. It offers seasonal labour to employers in the agricultural industry who can’t meet their seasonal labour needs with local jobseekers. Dr Joanna Howe, Adelaide Law School senior lecturer, said although the regulatory burden is currently higher for producers who engage Pacific workers, research shows that there are productivity and cost benefits to taking the trouble. “When I speak to growers who have used the Seasonal Workers Program, they all speak to the fact that the workers they get are committed and motivated

December 2015 – Issue 623

AT A GLANCE The current wage rates for the Wine Industry Award Classification level

Minimum weekly wage

Grade 1

$ 666.40

$ 17.54

$ 21.93

Grade 2

$ 695.30

$ 18.30

$ 22.88

Grade 3

$ 724.10

$ 19.06

$ 23.83

Grade 4

$ 764.90

$ 20.13

$ 25.16

Grade 5

$ 812.80

$ 21.39

$ 26.74

Minimum hourly wage

Casual hourly wage

Vineyard staff keeping busy during the harvest at Brokenwood Wines.

and they’re here to do that work,” she said. “When I speak to growers who get backpackers, they say, ‘well they’re great people but often they just don’t have that

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same commitment.’ They don’t realise how hard the work is going to be, and they take much longer to do it - that’s if they show up for the second day of work.”

Grapegrower & Winemaker

calendar

looking back We step back in time to see what was happening through the pages of Grapegrower and Winemaker this month 10, 20 and 30 years ago. December 1985 The Riverland Grape Industry Committee called on the Federal Government to implement the proposed vine pull scheme and control wine imports. In an open letter to the Primary Industry Minister John Kerin, the RGIP outlined its concern about the critical oversupply problem which it says will emerge in the 1986 vintage and called for action to relieve the problem.

December 1995 Surfing the net can be thirsty work. Now net-connected wine lovers have access to e-wine, a new World Wide Web site from Australian wine club, Cellarmasters: The Wine Cellar. Described as “the most refreshing site in the cyberverse”, e-wine offers a range of competitively priced wine offers and tasting notes. Users may order selections online for home delivery Australia-wide. The site is even updated monthly.

December 2005 The split between the Wine Industry Suppliers Association (WISA) and Exhibition Management is now just a chapter of a book that has closed, according to Exhibition Management’s executive director, John Kelly. But it was a chapter that left him dismayed and angry. The row erupted when WISA announced its “new alliance with AWITC” and the decision for WineTech and AWITE to merge so that one major industry event could be staged. Kelly, who discovered the news through a press release, said Exhibition Management had a binding agreement with WISA for the conduct of WineTech every two years until 2013.

Australia & New Zealand December 4 Barossa Generations Lunch Tanunda, SA. www.barossa.com 5 Burnbrae's Black Tie BBQ Mudgee, NSW. www.burnbraewines.com.au

28 December 2015-3 January The Taste of Tasmania Hobart, TAS. www.thetasteoftasmania.com.au

January 6 (CD) The South Coast Wine Show Ulladulla, NSW. www.southcoastwineshow.blogspot.com

14 Coonawarra Vignerons Cup Penola Racecourse, SA. www.coonawarra.org

7 Pinot Noir NZ 2016 Wellington, NZ. www.pinotnz.co.nz

21 (JD) South Coast Wine Show Ulladulla, NSW. www.southcoastwineshow.blogspot.com

9 Wignalls Vintage Music Festival Albany, WA. www.vintageblues.com.au

23-24 Crush Wine & Food Festival Adelaide Hills, SA. www.crushfestival.com.au

10 Cape Jaffa Seafood & Wine Festival Cape Jaffa, SA. www.capejaffafest.com.au

International December 4-6 Shanghai International Wine & Spirits Exhibition 2015 Shanghai, China. www.winefair.com.cn

January 22 (CD) Challenge International du Vin Bordeaux, France. www.challengeduvin.com 25-27 Millésime Bio 2016 France. www.millesime-bio.com

JD = judging date CD= closing date

For a comprehensive list of events, visit www.winetitles.com.au/calendar

Winetitles Calendar Australia’s most comprehensive wine industry related local and international events and courses – available online! Search for conferences, trade shows, competitions, courses, festivals & Australian & international wine shows.

www.winetitles.com.au/calendar 92 Grapegrower & Winemaker

www.winetitles.com.au

December 2015 – Issue 623

industry profile

Dr Brian Freeman Freeman Vineyards Location: Hilltops, NSW Size: 103 hectares Tell us about your current role: After a career in viticultural science and tertiary education I decided to establish my own vineyard on the western slopes of the Great Dividing Range, near Young. Since planting the home Altura vineyard in 1999 with Australia’s only plantings of two Veronese varieties Rondinella and Corvina, I have acquired several neighbouring vineyards. The Freeman estate now comprises 103 elevated (560m) hectares. The viticultural focus is on the efficient cultivation of high quality traditional red grape varieties – Merlot, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon, and more recently Tempranillo, grapes that are predominantly sold to major companies in Griffith and the Hunter Valley. This enterprise underpins my passion for making savoury Italian style wines. The Freeman portfolio has evolved over a decade to include estate grown and made Freeman Prosecco, Rondo Rosé (from Rondinella), Fortuna Pinot Gris Plus (a field blend), and our ‘little sticky’ Dolcino, awarded Sweet Wine of the Year at the 2015 International Sweet Wine Challenge. But the real ‘Italian stallions’ in the company’s line-up are our flagship Freeman ‘Secco’ Rondinella Corvina made with dried grapes akin to Amarone, and its red stablemate Nebbiolo. These three varieties thrive in the December 2015 – Issue 623

Hilltops continental climate, and are arguably among the last grapes to be picked in Australia. Last vintage we were still picking in late May.

Can you tell us more about your career in the industry? Previously I was Professor of Wine Science at Charles Sturt University, at a time when the industry was in a more expansionist phase than now. The courses I pioneered were intended to develop winemakers and viticulturists with real and practical skills. Some of the research at the time has had a pivotal impact, especially in the area of mechanical pruning and irrigation research.

What are you most proud of? Creating a family wine company and niche brand in a region that is still to be fully appreciated for the abiding calibre of its red wines, and increasingly wines are made from Italian-origin varieties. We are constantly experimenting in the vineyard, thinking laterally. For example, we grafted two Nebbiolo clones onto 40-year-old Pinot Noir vines with pleasing results. Soon we will add a Sangiovese to our Italian story.

What are the current challenges you are facing? Seeing the glass half full is critical in this business, especially in the past few years when excess grape and wine supply has plagued the Australian wine www.winetitles.com.au

industry. Recent currency adjustments and trade pacts conceivably may finally see export demand grow. In a good season we send out three B-doubles a night and look forward to seeing grape prices rise accordingly. Probably the greatest challenge surrounds our endeavours to be a cost efficient producer benefiting from economies of scale. Freeman Vineyards is fully mechanised in both harvesting and pruning, and yet labour represents 63% of our costs of production and increases every year. Machinery costs are set to rise with the fall of the Australian dollar, which also challenges our efforts to improve efficiency.

Where do you go for support on these issues? Talking with industry colleagues always helps.

How important is the Grapegrower & Winemaker magazine a source of information? Industry journals like G&W are a vital resource, especially now that I am less actively involved in research and education. Keeping abreast of industry developments, benchmarking ones viticultural and winemaking practices all contributes to consistency and quality, the two fundamentals that underpin our winery’s reputation. G&W presents plenty of practical information. Grapegrower & Winemaker

Marketplace e tag

Vin

201

The Wine Creche, located on Melbourne’s northern fringe, now has additional processing capacity on offer from Vintage 2016. We can process through to bottling batches as small as 1T through to 10T. For all enquiries contact Mark Matthews on +61432438325 or email: info@winecreche.com.au

HARVESTER & PRUNER FOR SALE

Marketplace

VINE GRAFTING

1999 Pellenc 3400 with GRE800 Smart Picking Head and 2009 TR60 Pellenc Double Cordon Pruner 150HP Perkins with just 847 engine hrs. Pruner includes 5 pairs of munchers and horizontal precision cutters. Also included is a Pellenc Utility/Weight Tray and trolley. Private use only on 50Ha. Well maintained with new belts and rollers. Change of ownership, priced to sell.

94 Grapegrower & Winemaker

Port Phillip (Sunbury) & Central Victoria (Heathcote) Regions. Low Yielding Vineyards Varietals: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon. Details upon request Contact Office: 03 9747 1444 e: vineyard@galliestate.com.au

www.galliestate.com.au

WINE PRESS SERVICING • Preventative maintenance & breakdown repairs for all makes and models. • 24/7 coverage during vintage • Large inventory of spare parts. • Membrane replacement. • PLC upgrades and design improvements. Electrical & mechanical expertise.

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Bruce Gilbert 0428 233 544 Brian Phillips 0417 131 764 fax 03 5025 2321

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Wine Grapes For Sale – Harvest 2016

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Maria Stephenson on (08) 8369 9513 or m.stephenson@winetitles.com.au December 2015 – Issue 623

ines Great Western, Bremerton Wines, Brown Brothers Milawa Vineyard Pty Ltd, Campbells Wines, Cas a Group Pty Ltd, Cellarmaster Group, Charles Melton Wines, Clover Hill Wines, CMV Farms, Coriole Vin ards, Delegats Wine Estate, Delegat’s Wine Estate Limited, DogRidge, Edgemill Group, Fanselow Bell, Fi ar Wines, Fowles Wine, Fuse Wine Services Pty Ltd, Gemtree Vineyards, Glenlofty Wines, Harry Jon ines, Henry’s Drive Vignerons Pty Ltd, Hentley Farm, Hope Estate, Hospitality Recruitment Solution oward Park Wines, Hungerford Hill Wines, Inglewood Wines Pty Ltd, Innocent Bystander, Jack Rabb neyard, Jim Barry Wines, KarriBindi, Kauri, Kingston Estate Wines Pty Ltd, Kirrihill Wines Pty Lt rinklewood Biodynamic Vineyard, L’Atelier by, Aramis Vineyards, Leeuwin Estate, Make WInes Austral cWilliam’s Wines Group, Memstar, Mondo Consulting, Moppity VIneyards, Moxon Oak, Nadalie austral exthire, Oenotec Pty Ltd, Options Wine Merchants, Orlando Wines, Ozpak Pty Ltd, Patrick of Coonawarr antagenet 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Wines Pty Ltd, Krinklewood Biodynamic Vineyar Atelier by, Aramis Vineyards, Leeuwin Estate, Make WInes Australia, McWilliam’s Wines Group, Memsta ondo Consulting, Moppity VIneyards, Moxon Oak, Nadalie australia, Nexthire, Oenotec Pty Ltd, Optio ine Merchants, Orlando Wines, Ozpak Pty Ltd, Patrick of Coonawarra, Plantagenet Wines, Portavin Int ated Wine Services, R&D VITICULTURAL SERVICES PTY LTD, Robert Oatley Vineyards, Rymill Coon arra, Seville Estate, Stella Bella Wines, Streicker Wines, The Gilbert Family Wine Co, The Lane Vineyar he Scotchmans Hill Group Pty Ltd, The Yalumba Wine Company, Tintara Winery, Tower Estate Pty Lt easury Wine Estates, Turkey Flat Vineyards, Two Hands Wines, Tyrrell’s Wines, Vinpac Internation arburn Estate Pty Ltd, WebAware Pty Ltd, Wine and Vine Personnel International,Wines Overland, Wi ra WIne Group,Wirra Wirra Vineyards, Zilzie Wines, Accolade Wines Australia Limited, Aravina Estat ustralian Vintage Ltd, Barwick Wines, Beltunga, Bests Wines Great 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