Grapegrower & Winemaker - December 2014 by Provincial Press Group

DECEMBER 2014

WINERIES FOR SALE Whose terroir is it anyway?

Success beyond the daily sales total

The case for optimism

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December 2014: Issue 611 features 45

Bird control

Harvesting

Tractors

AWRI annual report

Analytical services

Oak

Legal

Whose terroir is it anyway?

People & places: Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show

Robust powdery mildew control

Bird control: Consider your options

winemaking 55

The case for optimism

Stickiness: A new concept in grape and wine tannin

news

Flexible and versatile pump solution

Success goes beyond the daily sales total

On the grapevine

Winery fundraiser tops $180,000

My view: Mary Retallack reports on the 2014 Len Evans Tutorial

The Frisky Midget comes out to play

Ask the AWRI: The power of pH

Wineries for sale

Warm welcome to China free trade deal

Co-inoculation with yeast and lactic acid bacteria

Movers and shakers

Keep track of temperatures

A lack of trust, but not deliberately dishonest

Using regionality as a selection tool

Regional roundup: It's the festive season and SA producers raise their glasses

Oak discussion at The Great Australian Red

People & places: WISA supplier of the year

Top of the tutorial

sales & marketing

grapegrowing 24

Widespread take-up drives effective sustainability programs

A life split between the vineyard and the boardroom

Young gun: John-Ross Wood

JUNE

Authenticity issues on the rise

A strong new player in wine law

business & technology 96

Reaching the top: Predictors of women in top roles in the winery

Love what you do, love where you do it

2 014

People in research: 24 Dr Justin Cohen 20 “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.

DECEMBER 2014

cover

“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.”

Cohen said he happily made the jump.

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

regulars

“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.

5 What’s online John Casella and Margaret “Working in emerging markets like China Lehmann toast the sale of now is really100 Looking back exciting, because we are past people just espousing their Peter Lehmann Wines to getting thoughts and feelings.Advertiser Our EBI team is index 101 actually doing the research in country. We Casella Family Brands. Responsible for the wine marketing can make arguments and claims about 102 Marketplace classifieds component and research supervision, Dr market dynamics founded in data and not CohenFull said that after Page two exciting just conjecture.” story 7. years 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.

Dr Justin Cohen, Research Fellow, Ehrenberg Bass Wineries for sale Institute for Marketing Science Whose terroir is it anyway?

success beyond the daily sales total

The case for optimism

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. As Research Fellow at the Ehrenberg-Bass

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.

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

“I focussed my energy on commercial research and strategy implementation for property groups, retailers and brands, helping them better understand their

Dr Cohen is also enjoying the growing interest and research competition in wine marketing, saying it can only benefit

from the editor

Publisher and Chief Executive Hartley Higgins Managing EDITOR Elizabeth Bouzoudis EDITOR Nathan Gogoll editor@grapeandwine.com.au Editorial advisory board Dr Jim Fortune, Denis Gastin, Dr Steve Goodman, Dr Terry Lee, Paul van der Lee, Bob Campbell MW, Prof Dennis Taylor and Mary Retallack Editorial Stephanie Timotheou journalist@winetitles.com.au PRODUCTION Simon Miles Advertising Sales Chas Barter sales@grapeandwine.com.au Circulation: Melissa Smithen subs@winetitles.com.au Subscription Prices Australia: 1 year (12 issues) $77.50 (inc. GST) 2 years (24 issues) $145 (inc. GST) New Zealand, Asia & Pacific: 1 year (12 issues) $110 (AUD) 2 years (24 issues) $210 (AUD) All other countries: 1 year (12 issues) $174.50 (AUD) 2 years (24 issues) $339 (AUD) Students (Aus only): 1 year (12 issues) $66 (inc. GST) Winetitles Pty. Ltd. 630 Regency Road, Broadview, South Australia 5083 Phone: (08) 8369 9500 Fax: (08) 8369 9501 info@winetitles.com.au www.winebiz.com.au @Grape_and_Wine Printing by Lane Print Group, Adelaide © Contents copyright Winetitles Pty Ltd 2014.

Nathan Gogoll Editor

Avoiding the questions I'VE BEEN working through the media department of the Federal Minister for Agriculture to try and get something from The Honourable Barnaby Joyce MP for a few weeks now. Something quite specific… I wanted to know why he rejected nominations for the AGWA board earlier this year. I think people who put the nominations forward deserve to know why they were rejected. I think the nominees, the people themselves, deserve to know why they got brushedoff. Call me crazy, but I even think grapegrowers and winemakers deserve to know what was going on when advice from people who represent them was rejected by their Minister. Here are the exact written-out questions I put to the media team… • Why did the Minister reject industry advice on appointments to the board of the recently-formed Australian Grape and Wine Authority? • Could the situation be explained? • Could the Minister respond to the following explanation from Tony D’Aloisio, the president of the Winemaker’s Federation of Australia (made to industry representatives at the recent Outlook Conference)? “In relation to the board, the Minister rejected the industry-based selection process set out in the legislation and proceeded to appoint his own board. Here we have a situation where there was industry unity in the formation of AGWA. There was unity in the process for appointment of the directors and united industry input through selection of those on the selection committee. All of us expected this process to be followed. So, this is an example to remind us how hard it is to achieve change even when that unity or united voice is enshrined in legislation. It still did not win the day.” • And how can the Minister assure the grape and wine industry that future directions, offered with united industry voice, will be accepted? I have seen plenty of politicians ignore questions put directly to them, but I was hopeful my questions, from an industry publication rather than to national broadcast media, which were relevant to

the Minister might have attracted a better response than the sorts of answers you hear offered to the 7.30 Report host. Sadly, I could not have been more deluded. Here’s the response, word-for-word, that I received via email. "Here are comments in response which you may attribute to a spokesperson for the Minister: • Minister Joyce consulted with a number of grape and wine industry stakeholders and took all industry views into account before appointing the acting chair and directors of the Australian Grape and Wine Authority (AGWA). • The appointments of the AGWA chair and directors were made in accordance with the Australian Grape and Wine Authority Act 2013. • The acting AGWA board enjoys the support of industry and has the full confidence of the Minister." I still don’t know what I am supposed to do with this response. But I get the feeling this was the intent under which they were provided. When I asked why... I got an explanation of how. When I asked for explanation... I was referred to legislation. When I asked for a response to criticism from an industry authority... I got nothing. I’m considering what I should do next with my questions. I still think they deserve answers. But I’m a bit torn, because I don’t want to cast any doubt over the interim board at AGWA or the contribution each individual is making. If you are reading this and you want answers, perhaps you could ask around for me? Talk to your regional association, ask your local MP. Give me a call if you get a straight answer. Enjoy the read. Nathan Gogoll Editor Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker editor@grapeandwine.com.au

on the grapevine WA wine veteran dies, aged 107 WESTERN Australia lost one of its oldest citizens in November with the death of Swan Valley vigneron Joe Zekulich, aged 107. According to The West Australian, Zekulich arrived in Australia in 1924 as a 16-year-old Croatian migrant who spoke no English, had no money but was the financial lifeline to his family back home. He spent years on the Goldfields before returning to Perth where he made a name for himself in the state’s viticulture industry. In 2005 he was inducted into the Royal Agricultural Society’s Hall of Fame and was the first viticulturist to be awarded

the honour. Throughout his career he also received the lifetime achievement award at the WA Citizen of the Year Awards and a Medal of the Order of Australia. Zekulich’s son Michael told The West Australian that right to the end, family remained the most important thing in his life. As a former journalist, Michael wrote a book about his father titled So Little, So Much which he said summed up his father’s life perfectly. Zekulich is survived by his four children, 13 grandchildren and 25 greatgrandchildren.

Gapsted Wines takes out top award at National Moscato Challenge

THE inaugural 2014 National Moscato Challenge was held last month and fetched more than 50 entries from a diverse range of regions across Australia. David Morris, chief judge of the challenge, said while it was a tough choice picking the top Moscato, he and his team of judges crowned Victorian winery Gapsted Wines the winner with its 2012 Gapsted Moscato, giving the drop 56 points out of 60. 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 won 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. Peter Holt, president of the AIWS, praised the calibre of wines entered, noting it as a great start to a concept the committee hopes will grow over the next few years. “Hopefully we get to see more of the great Moscato products that are available on the market,” he said. The Moscatos along with the other 250 entries from the AIWS will be available for tasting at the Swan Hill Food and Wine Festival, to be held in March next year. It will also be an occasion for wineries to attend and talk to the public about their wines. Winetitles was a sponsor the National Moscato Challenge and congratulates the winning wineries.

Staff handover at the Grapegrower & Winemaker THE Grapegrower & Winemaker has recently welcomed Emilie Reynolds to the editorial team, as she stepped in for Stephanie Timotheou who took a career move into metro newspapers. We are looking forward to Emilie’s contribution and wish Steph all the best with her new role. Steph said she had loved every minute of her time here. “I’d like to thank each and every one of you for assisting me with stories, being extremely hospitable when I’ve

visited your region, and helping me understand the wine industry which I knew nothing about prior to getting the job as a cadet journalist,” Steph said. “I’ve been given some incredible opportunities I’ll never forget, from watching the barrel-making process at Seppeltsfield’s cooperage to meeting and interviewing Wolf Blass.” Emilie will be on the lookout for news items and you can reach her at journalist@winetitles.com.au.

what’s online Industry sees increase in reports of fraud and authenticity issues Australian wine exporters need to put precautions in place to safeguard themselves against authenticity issues, according to the AWRI. The institute has found a big jump in reports of issues concerning fraudulent Australian wines overseas, reports the ABC.

Rutherglen calls for State Government support Rutherglen winemakers have welcomed Wine Victoria’s recently announced industry priorities, including trade and tourism recommendations. Winemakers of Rutherglen, alongside more than 800 grapegrowers and winemakers, call for a stronger partnership with State Government, including funding for inbound trade activities and regional wine events, reports Winebiz.

TWE boss lashes retailers Michael Clarke, Treasury Wine Estates chief executive, has lashed disgruntled independent retailers who are upset about recent deals the winemaker has cut with Woolworths. In defence of TWE's strategy, Clarke said the company was offering fair terms to all its retail customers and trading this financial year had been strong, reports the Sydney Morning Herald.

Winegrape prices drop 60 per cent in 15 years Winegrape growers have suffered since the late 2000s when production hit a glut and prices dropped, and now it's been documented. A report has been released which looks at the three main grape industries in Mildura - dried, table and wine. For wine, it’s a grim picture with prices paid for red winegrapes dropping 59 per cent since 1997, reports the ABC.

.com.au Australia’s wine industry portal by Winetitles Australia’s wine industry portal by

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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.winebiz.com.au/dwn.

news

my view

The Len Evans Tutorial there is nothing else like it Mary Retallack participated in the 2014 Len Evans Tutorial. She describes it as “one of the most amazing weeks” of her life. I WASN'T sure what to expect when I was accepted into the Len Evans Tutorial (LET), but I knew it would be something very special. James Halliday refers to the LET as “the most exclusive wine school in the world” and when I queried tutor Tim James, he said “there is nothing else like it.” I was delighted to be accepted as one of 12 scholars in 2014 from a field of more than 100 applicants. The places are hotly contested, with good reason. It was a pleasant surprise to me, as one of the first viticulturists to be offered a place in the 14-year history of the tutorial. This is a great example of bridging the gap between viticulture and winemaking. I am delighted to see increasing acknowledgement of viticulturists at wine shows and welcome the opportunity to show winemakers and sommeliers through vineyards, including tasting fruit in the field. My interest in developing my winetasting skills was sparked several years ago through the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) Advanced Wine Assessment Course. Len Evans and his close friends initiated the LET in 2001. Len’s vision and legacy is thriving under the stewardship of the Len Evans Foundation Trustees Sally Evans, James Halliday, Brian Croser, Iain Riggs and Basil Sellers; our tutors James Halliday, Iain Riggs, Ian McKenzie, Gary Steel and Tim James, and past scholars. My overwhelming experience of the week was one of generosity and learning an environment that builds confidence and knowledge. The focus of the tutorial is to expose scholars to wines they wouldn’t otherwise have access to, pass on judging experience to future generations, to give inspiration to those who are passionate about wine quality and to encourage the next generation of wine show judges. LET did all that plus more. It broadened my understanding of fine wine, regions and wine styles and ignited a renewed passion for wine and all that it entails. The sense of generosity is personified by the ongoing support of key sponsors, the myriad of people who work behind the scenes to prepare wine lists, pour wines and polish glasses. There is a sense of pride that shines through, and the input from local winemakers is exceptional. It

6 Grapegrower & Winemaker

simply wouldn’t work as well anywhere else than in the Hunter Valley. We gathered at Peppers Convent in the Hunter Valley on the Monday morning and to start our LET journey which comprised daily wine judging, master classes and dinners with wine options, museum and curio wines each night. The focus was on Champagne, Burgundy (white and red), Bordeaux (right and left bank), Rhône and the varieties Chardonnay, Riesling and Pinot Noir. Australian wines were included in the judging sessions and all wines were judged ‘blind’ using the 100-point scoring system. Australian wines consistently excelled among their peers. We were randomly asked to describe each wine using aroma and flavour descriptors but even more importantly, the overall impression of the wine (mouth feel, complexity, tannin structure, length, balance, line etc). There was lots of discussion and debate. There were some shorthand terms that I hadn’t heard of before such as ‘DRC’ for Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, ‘CdP’ for Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Wine judging and master classes were held at nearby Tulloch Wines. The tutorial is a family affair with Jodie Evans preparing delicious lunches each day. There were many highlights including meeting a group of thoroughly lovely individuals; broadening my wine knowledge and palate and trying some ‘once in a lifetime’ wines. It was a fantastic opportunity to discuss viticultural practices and broaden the conversation. We discussed vine balance, aspect, topography, how to produce wines with lower alcohol, biodiversity and there were many one-on-one conversations about growing grapes. It is hard to single any of the wines out but the 1959 Domaine Armand Rousseau Pere et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin, deserves special mention as it was so fresh and vibrant even though it is 55-years-old. Similarly, one of the oldest wines, a 1938 Chateau d’Yquem, Sauternes was extraordinary. Friday culminated in ‘DRC’ tasting of 2010 Corton, Échezeaux, Grands Éc hezeau x, Roma née -St-Viva nt, Richebourg, La Tâche, Romanée-Conti. www.winebiz.com.au

Retallack’s tips to develop your wine tasting skills: • Taste and discuss a broad range of wines, including different varieties, winemaking styles, countries, regions etc.; • Attend wine tasting events (cellar door, wine retailer, wine appreciation group); and • Volunteer to steward (wash and polish glasses) and/or associate judge at local wine shows, to view a list of calendar events visit http://www. winebiz.com.au/calendar/.

You might also like to look at the vairous wine courses on offer: • TAFE and university wine tasting, viticulture and oenology courses; • Wine and Spirits Trust (WSET) certificate and diploma courses http:// www.wsetglobal.com/default.asp; • AWRI’s Advanced Wine Assessment Course (AWAC) http://www.awri. com.au/industry_support/coursesseminars-workshops/awac/; or • Apply for the Len Evans Tutorial (LET) http://lenevanstutorial.com.au

An extraordinary opportunity to try wines from one of the world’s greatest wine producers. To finish of my extraordinary week, I had the added honour of being able to chat with James Halliday on the trip back to Sydney. The week also personified exemplarily wine leadership, through the actions of many who came together to make the week for the 12 scholars, one they will never forget. LET was a magical week and I would recommend it unreservedly to anyone who would like to develop their professional winetasting skills and knowledge, especially to other viticulturists. I would like to extend a big thank you to The Len Evans Foundation, all of the tutors who volunteered their time and generously shared their knowledge; the numerous supporters of the tutorial including my personal sponsor TarraWarra Estate, who collectively make the LET possible. December 2014 – Issue 611

Wineries for sale One big-name Barossa winery has been sold; another is currently in negotiations; a big McLaren Vale winery will be closed and may eventually be sold; dozens more wineries are officially on the market; and industry observers suspect there are plenty more quietly searching for the right investor/partner. Nathan Gogoll reports. IT HAS been quite a while since the Australian wine industry has seen this level of moving and shaking. Marc Soccio, Rabobank senior analyst, said he thinks it’s symptomatic of the past 10 years “where we have seen profitability squeezed”. “Wineries are now more leveraged, and lots are overleveraged, and it is hard to access growth and find highermargin channels,” Soccio said. “What we are seeing is some wineries carrying too much debt. It is the nature of the cycle, some wineries have the luxury of cash reserves to wait it out – others don’t. The ‘nature of the cycle’ has allowed Casella Family Brands to buy Peter Lehmann wines at a bargain price, according to Kym Anderson from the University of Adelaide’s wine economics research centre. “I believe Hess paid about $180million and now Casella has picked it up for something like $60million. That is a pretty decent discount and it sets them up to make money in the next cycle from a lower capital base,” Anderson said. Casella Family Brands has offered $1.50 per share to acquire 100 per cent of Peter Lehmann Wines. John Casella, the managing director of Casella Family Brands said the proposed acquisition was part of a growth strategy. “We have a clearly defined strategy to extend our Casella brand portfolio to include an incredible range of premium wines that highlight the enormous diversity of the Barossa and its sub-regions,” Casella said. “We are excited by the prospects and opportunities ahead for the business.” Jeff Bond, Peter Lehmann Wines chief executive officer, said the combination of Casella Family Brands and Peter Lehmann Wines could create new opportunities for both the Peter Lehmann brand and the Barossa. “For our growers, employees and customers, the shared vision and values of the two companies will create a strong platform for an exciting future,” Bond said. Margaret Lehmann said John Casella shared the values that led to the creation of the Peter Lehmann company. “I believe Peter Lehmann Wines will continue to flourish because the patient capital of private ownership is better suited to the cyclical nature of the wine industry,” Lehmann said. Accolade Wines and Grant Burge Wines are currently in “exclusive negotiations” and, together with the Peter Lehmann sale, might be the start of a pattern of larger companies acquiring smaller, more-premium brands. Both of these transactions, should the Accolade-Grant Burge deal eventuate, have a lot to do with areas of sales growth opportunity, according to Soccio. “Bigger companies focussed on the mainstream can see there is growth achievable at premium price points, it is hard to create premium products but you can go out and buy brands and match them in with their own distribution channels.” Soccio said large wineries currently have an advantage when it comes to “access to channels”, so he’s not surprised to see Casella and Accolade moving to secure additional premium products. In many ways recent comments from Mike Clarke, the Treasury Wine Estates chief executive, reinforce the current December 2014 – Issue 611

EXPERT OPINION: Marc Soccio, Rabobank senior analyst.

Bigger companies focussed on the mainstream can see there is growth achievable at premium price points, it is hard to create premium products but you can go out and buy brands and match them in with their own distribution channels. trends, especially when you consider them in the light of the recent decision to close the Rosemount winemaking facility, Ryecroft in McLaren Vale. “We don’t have to own all the vineyards,” Clarke told Bloomberg in November. “Brands, know-how, knowledge and strategic thinking are what we want to own.” Treasury reportedly owns more than 12,000 hectares of vineyards and about $575million worth of other fixed assets such as wineries, bottling plants and storage facilities. It recently announced it would cease winemaking in McLaren Vale and move its Rosemount production to other TWE-owned wineries in the Barossa. More than 30 permanent jobs will be affected and no vintage casuals will be required for 2015, taking 30 casual positions out of the region as well. The company has sighted a number of factors behind the closure, including: Improvements to its cost base; making its capital structure more light-weight; delivering supply chain efficiencies; and improved profitability. Plans to relocate Rosemount operations will commence immediately although it’s likely to take several months for this process to conclude. The majority of the production will move to the Bilyara winery (commonly referred to as the Wolf Blass winery) and it is likely the Rosemount premium red wine will be made at Penfolds Nuriootpa. In recent years about 25% of the Ryecroft production was for various other Treasury brands, though the site has been

www.winebiz.com.au

Grapegrower & Winemaker

news

CHEERS: Margaret Lehmann and John Cassela celebrate the announcement that Cassela Family Brands is to buy Peter Lehmann Wines.

crushing around half its capacity for several years. There are no plans to alter the portfolio structure of the Rosemount brand and Treasury will continue with our existing sourcing arrangement from our estate vineyards and our McLaren Vale growers. At this time, no decision has been made on relocating or selling equipment from the Ryecroft site, or selling the site itself. However, if Clarke’s comments reflect Treasury strategy, you could only assume the McLaren Vale site could be on the market at some stage. There are lots of different views on whether the large transactions are a sign toward more positive industry conditions. Soccio said it could be one of a number of factors pointing to more positivity. “A few of the things that have been changing are giving people more hope, obviously the Australian Dollar is coming

down and that puts a lot of people ahead of where they were 18-months ago; we are seeing sales growth at higher price points in some markets; and it has been a long-time since we have seen investor interest in the industry and a long time since we have seen these types of transactions; while some channels are closing up, others are opening – online has a lot of potential for small and premium producers,” he said. Anderson said it might be the start of something. “We’re probably going to have a bit more consolidation and more foreign ownership. But that’s not new, not particular to the wine industry or even to Australia. I was interested to read the statement from the Treasury CEO the company would be all about owning brands and making wine rather than needing to own vineyards and lots of wineries. But there’s a certain pressure that applies for a listed company to deliver to its shareholders. “Brian Croser has always said there’s no future for medium wineries, but I like to point out the success of Penfolds as the counter to that argument. And plenty of people have been suggesting that Treasury sells everything but Penfolds and its most premium brands. I don’t imagine Treasury is very efficient in its current model, but the CEO seems to be keeping the shareholders happy at the moment. “Very big scale is necessary at the low end and depends on buying grapes at low prices and having massive production and storage facilities. It was interesting to note Casella bought Peter Lehmann straight after releasing their own $100 bottles, but Casella has sold other wines than Yellow Tail in the US at much higher prices. Buying Peter Lehmann is a different strategy, because they were able to get it for a bargain.” However, Paul Evans, the Winemakers’ Federation of Australia CEO, wasn’t as up-beat about any industry improvements. “Industry continues to do it tough. Individual wine businesses

We’re probably going to have a bit more consolidation and more foreign ownership. But that’s not new, not particular to the wine industry or even to Australia.

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December 2014 – Issue 611

For some time now I have reinforced widely the view that the wine business as we knew it has changed forever. It is a time for intelligent perseverance, innovation, ideas creation and discipline to generate growth. will continue to have to make some tough calls. In some cases this will be changes in their portfolio, others will be looking to get in investment partners or exiting the business altogether. We appreciate these are difficult decisions for managers and employees,” Evans said. Robert Hill-Smith, the Yalumba Proprietor, provided an interesting point of view when his winery celebrated its 165th birthday on 17 November. “For some time now I have reinforced widely the view that the wine business as we knew it has changed forever,” Hill Smith said. “It is a time for intelligent perseverance, innovation, ideas creation and discipline to generate growth.” Yalumba was founded in 1849 by Hill-Smith’s great greatgrandfather Samuel Smith, a brewer who immigrated to South Australia from Dorset with his family two years prior. Today Hill-Smith, 63, co-owns the fifth-generation Barossa winery with his brother Sam, but this doesn’t mean they don’t know what it’s like to buy a winery. While Yalumba has remained family owned throughout its lifetime, the brothers undertook a complete buy-out of other family shareholders in 1989. However, Yalumba is probably an excellent example of the wineries Soccio described as having the resources to “wait” the current downturn out. Hill-Smith is proud of the heritage of 165 years of his family business, but he’s not resting on his laurels. “Whilst we believe 46 wineries are currently for sale, and

notable sales and closures are in the news, we continue to invest in new vineyards and plantings, winery improvements in bottling and logistics, leadership training and up skilling,” he said. How many wineries are actually for sale is an interesting discussion point. Kym Anderson said there might be 46 wineries being advertised by estate agents, but he thinks there are “lots and lots who are not advertising”. “I think lots of people would be open to a 49 per cent equity stake from a Chinese investor. So Robert’s count is probably a bit conservative. I think there is a lot of Chinese interest in joint investment at the moment and there are advantages for both parties through this option.” Anderson said this sort of relationship opens up access to the China market, but maintains the experience at the winery to continue developing quality wine. “There are already a few examples of this working.” The reality of the current transactions is, according to Anderson, that “none of this helps out those who are already struggling to sell their grapes”. The market conditions also set low prices for those looking to sell assets. “It is very hard to get a good price and it will be up to each owner whether they are prepared to accept the current market prices. Everything still seems to be valued pretty low. Whether this is the start of an upward turn, we will have to wait and see.”

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December 2014 – Issue 611

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Grapegrower & Winemaker

news

Warm welcome to China free trade deal THE END of negotiations on a ChinaAustralia Free Trade Agreement was marked with a ceremony at Parliament House and the signing of a Declaration of Intent by Andrew Robb, the Australian trade and investment minister, and Gao Hucheng, the Chinese commerce minister. This formalised the conclusion of the negotiations and cemented the intent of both Australia and China to take the necessary steps towards bringing the Agreement into force. The news has been warmly welcomed across the wine industry. Tariffs on Australian wine exports would be reduced to zero within four years. The tariff removal will allow Australia to be more competitive in the growing Chinese wine market, particularly with Chile and New Zealand who already have reduced or zero tariffs as a result of their own FTAs with China already in place. Currently the tariff on Australian wine exports to China is 14 per cent for bottled and 20 per cent for bulk wine meaning the economic benefits to the wine sector as a result of this agreement are significant. Andreas Clark, AGWA’s acting chief executive officer said, China continues to hold enormous potential for Australian wine exports and “after the recent contraction of the Chinese wine market and the impact of their government austerity measures, particularly on wine at higher price points, this is a very positive result for Australian wine”. “The wine culture in China is still developing but more and more Chinese consumers are starting to discover and appreciate wine. This FTA means it will be that much easier for us to ensure that as these consumers learn more about wine, it’s Australian wine they’re drinking.” Last year Australia exported close to 37 million litres of wine to China, valued at $210 million. Growth across the past five years has been eight per cent for volume and 17 per cent for value and Australia currently has the highest average-valued wine exports to China of the 10 largest bottled wine suppliers to that market. AGWA’s marketing arm Wine Australia, has a dedicated office in Shanghai and executes an annual calendar of marketing activity in some of China’s largest cities and provinces. Wine Australia recently announced the winners of its second annual Wine Australia China Awards which recognises the efforts of those who have helped promote Australian wine in the Chinese market.

10 Grapegrower & Winemaker

Australian wine in China — quick facts: • In 2013-14, almost 37 million litres of Australian wine were exported to China, valued at $210 million; • The Chinese wine market represents 5.4 per cent of Australian wine exports valued at 11.8 per cent; • Growth across the past five years has been 8 per cent for volume and 17 per cent for value; • China is Australia’s third largest export market by value behind the US and the UK; • China is Australia’s largest export market by value for wine at a price point of more than A$7.50 (wholesale ex-Australia); and • Australian wine exported to China currently has a 14 per cent tariff on bottled wine and a 20 per cent tariff on bulk wine. Tony D’Aloisio, the Winemakers’ Federation of Australia president, said the agreement was a significant breakthrough, which had the potential to add tens of millions of dollars to the Australian wine industry’s export earnings. “Bilateral negotiations with China have been long and detailed,” D’Aloisio said. “Ending the import tariff in China has been high on our wish list for a number of years and the subject of many meetings and discussions with government, particularly in the face of the preferential trade terms enjoyed by some of our competitors,” he said. “While we will need to see the finer details of the China trade deal, reducing the import tariff opens the door for market growth. “As part of the deal, we expect the current import tariff of 14 per cent for bottled wine and 20 per cent for bulk wine to be phased down to zero over four years and I cannot stress the significance of this enough. “This will be potentially a game changer for Australian wine exports to www.winebiz.com.au

China. It will directly benefit commercial and bulk wine and present an opportunity for higher priced wine to re-engage with wine buyers and retailers. “It will create a level playing field when it comes to price and value and in that environment the Australian wine producer stands out in the crowd every time. Following on from the Japan trade deal and the announced Korean-deal due to be ratified shortly, China gives us the winning trade trifecta for 2014." Barnaby Joyce, Australian agriculture minister, said the announcement was an historic one. “This agreement provides our agriculture sector with significant advantages over major competitors like the US and the European Union who don’t have free trade agreements with China,” Minister Joyce said. “It also closes the gap between Australia and those who do have agreements – like New Zealand, and Chile. “Importantly, the agreement has a built-in review process so that three years after it enters into force, Australia and China will discuss further market access. And it isn’t an endpoint – it’s a beginning of a new relationship with China and one which we will use to continue to press for improved market access for our producers and exporters. “At the same time, we will have to work hard to capitalise on those opportunities from the FTA’s with China, Japan and Korea.” Mike Stone, the Murray Valley Winegrowers chief executive, said the free trade deal will provide impetus to Australia’s marketing push into Asian markets, which is the fastest-growing segment for Australian wine. “We have trade deals in place with South Korea, Japan and now China, which combined must be regarded as a breakthrough for an industry that’s been losing market share for the past few years,” Stone said. “Long term, the free trade agreements and declining value of the Australian dollar should aid recovery of the winegrape sector.” Stone said the free trade agreement with China is a breakthrough for the wine industry that offers growers some hope of recovering from years’ of unprofitable production by making Australia more competitive against the likes of France, Chile, Spain and United States. The value of Australian wine exported to China is second only to France – in volume terms, Australia ranks fourth behind France, Chile and Spain. December 2014 – Issue 611

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ASVO award winners: Jason Smith, Sue Bell, Richard Gawel and Mattew Bailey.

THE Australian Society of Viticulture and Oenology (ASVO) awards were held in Adelaide in November and top honours were given to two innovative industry people. Sue Bell from Bellwether Wines in Coonawarra was named winemaker of the year and Matthew Bailey from Pyrenees’ Taltarni was crowned viticulturist of the year. Bell was acknowledged for her enthusiasm, community involvement,

leadership and passionate advocacy for women in wine, as well as her commitment to trialling new grape varieties suited to dry regions. The judges noted that her role in the industry has been “quite inspirational, showing how much can be achieved with passion and commitment”. Bailey was recognised as being at the forefront of integrated pest management thanks largely to the success of his

“insectarium” – a vegetation corridor of 2000 native plants that provides a pollen and nectar source for a range of beneficial insects. The judges said the concept could be adapted in varying degrees by small and large scale viticultural enterprises. Paul Petrie, ASVO president, said it was significant that both winners had found ways to help build strong businesses, as well as make great wine, by caring for the environment. “Environmental sustainability and good environmental management are prerequisites for the wine industry today, and Sue and Matthew are providing real leadership,” he said. Two research awards were also presented at the ceremony and went to Richard Gawel from the AWRI for best oenology paper and Jason Smith from the National Wine and Grape Industry Centre at CSU for best viticultural paper. These were selected from the Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research as being most likely to have an impact on the Australian wine industry.

Mick Jagger shakes things up in the Hills THE WINE industry is partly to thank for keeping The Rolling Stones in South Australia way longer than any other world-wide band or artist. Between rehearsals prior to their concert at Adelaide Oval in October, the crew decided a wine tour in the Adelaide Hills was a good idea, according to reports on In Daily. They visited Scott, La Prova, Hahndorf Hill and Shaw + Smith before heading to Basket Range winery Ochota Barrels for lunch with winemaker Taras Ochota. The visit was arranged through a friend of Ochota’s who was involved in the music industry. Ochota was told there could be a chance Mick Jagger might come, “but we really only expected some of the crew (to attend),” he told In Daily. He said before he knew it, a fleet of Audis rolled down the driveway. “The

ROCK STAR: Winemaker, Taras Ochta.

security sussed the place out and then Mick came inside and we had a few beers,” he said. “We strolled around the garden and sat outside under the old hazelnut tree where we had all our wines open with lunch.”

Ochota opened yet-to-be-released wines for his special guests which included The Slint Vineyard Chardonnay, A Forest Pinot Noir and The Fugazi Vineyard Grenache among others. After lunch Jagger reportedly went to lie down on the grass and Ochota’s son Sage began crawling all over him. “Sage then took Mick by the hand and led him to the sandpit where they played with tractors,” he told In Daily. The oblivious two-yearold then led Jagger to their old piano where he sang and played. Before leaving, Ochota said the crew purchased almost all the wine in the winery and they didn’t want to leave. “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, has 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

12 Grapegrower & Winemaker

tonne winery and ancillary buildings; 450,000 litres of bulk wine; the Isabel and Dr Renwick brands; and vehicles and equipment. A Woolworths spokesperson said the initial emphasis would be on quality and improving yields on existing vines. “The land is the epitome of Marlborough terroir, so any future plans will be with the clear aim of contributing to any future fruit requirements reflective www.winebiz.com.au

of the qualities of the region,” the spokesperson told Stuff.co.nz. Philip Gregan, New Zealand Winegrowers chief executive, said he believed Woolworths was the first supermarket to buy into the New Zealand wine industry. “This is an indication they are serious about New Zealand and the Marlborough region,” he said. “I think we should take it as a positive sign.” December 2014 – Issue 611

A lack of trust, but not deliberately dishonest An investigation has concluded the way the Winemakers Federation of Australia handed documents, supporting the assessment of McLaren Vale’s application for the Sustainable Australian Winegrowing program for Entwine accreditation, was less than ideal but not deliberately dishonest. Nathan Gogoll reports

AN INDEPENDENT review into the way the Winemakers’ Federation of Australia handled a document relating to Entwine Australia and the McLaren Vale Grape, Wine and Tourism Association has found no impropriety. In September, the Winemakers’ Federation of Australia (WFA) referred the matter to David Bleby, a retired Supreme Court judge, for an independent assessment. The requirement for an investigation stemmed from a redacted document (with one paragraph and a letterhead edited out) provided to the McLaren Vale association on Friday 5 September. Neither the WFA board, nor Paul Evans the chief executive officer, authorised the edits to the document. Evans explained as soon as he was aware it had been redacted an apology was given and the full document was sent immediately. “It is fair to say as soon as I was aware I reacted immediately, it was taken to my president straight away and it was dealt with by the board as soon as possible”.

Tony D’Aloisio, WFA president, said the board met in the last week of October and adopted the Bleby report in full, including recommendations to improve future processes. “Importantly there was no finding by Mr Bleby of unethical conduct or dishonesty or fraud on the part of any of those involved,” D’Aloisio said. “Nor was there any finding of any systemic issues within WFA or WINEC that needed to be addressed. “Now that this is behind us, I am looking forward to meeting with the McLaren Vale Grape, Wine and Tourism Association to see how we can work together to improve our great wine industry.” The key findings of the Bleby report included: • The motive for the omission was to protect Entwine from disparaging criticism from McLaren Vale together with a possible misunderstanding of the terms of the contract between the parties;

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December 2014 – Issue 611

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Grapegrower & Winemaker

news

WFA PRESIDENT: Tony D’Aloisio

• The omitted paragraph was of marginal relevance to the conclusion in the report, noting “[the omitted para] was critical of one aspect of Freshcare, [and] I have little doubt that it was withheld because of a fear, in the prevailing atmosphere of distrust and suspicion, of pointed adverse publicity, harmful to Freshcare, in the elation of McLaren Vale’s success after four years”; • Nevertheless, he said that the deletion was “a significant error of judgment in an emotionally charged atmosphere of suspicion and mistrust which could only exacerbate such problems and bring the reputation of WFA into disrepute”; and • Bleby concluded there was no doubt that the Aus-Qual report, “whether or not there was a misrepresentation of the letter, would inevitably have resulted in Wine Industry National Environment Committee recommending the granting of equivalence and the WFA board adopting the recommendation, as indeed subsequently happened. The conduct has only served to harm further already fractured relationships”. With Bleby’s report in hand, the WFA board has reviewed

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the role of the chair of Wine Industry National Environment Committee and concluded that an error of judgment did not involve dishonesty or fraud but was based on a motive of protecting Entwine from disparaging criticism and a misunderstanding of the disclosure arrangements between the parties. It has also concluded that when examined fairly and dispassionately and with the benefit of Bleby’s report, asking the chair to resign would neither be fair nor proportionate. Indeed such a step would deprive WINEC of the chair’s commitment and skills and expertise to the detriment of the wine industry. Recommendations from the Bleby report include: • A program of rebuilding trust and respect between the various organisations and relevant personnel should be undertaken; • In the best interests of the whole Australian wine industry the McLaren Vale Grape, Wine and Tourism Association should discourage disparaging public criticism of WFA and its institutions and, if it is part of their agenda, seek greater co-operation and reform from within WFA; • All employees of WFA should be counselled that apparently misleading and deceptive conduct will not be tolerated, and that if it is sanctioned or encouraged by members or committees, they should refrain from the conduct and report the matter to their immediate supervisor or, if he/she is not available, to the chief executive; and • There should be developed, if not already part of the Entwine Refresh program, a clear statement of the minimum requirements for accreditation of a program for Entwine purposes. The week after the redacted audit was sent the WFA board approved an Entwine Australia application from the Sustainable Australia Winegrowing McLaren Vale program. (Entwine Australia is a national environmental assurance program that provides Australian winemakers and winegrape growers with formal certification of their practices according to recognised international standards.) A media release announcing the Entwine approval was sent out late on Wednesday 10 September. The short time frame between the redacted document and the Entwine approval has drawn speculation from social media commentators and the topics have been covered by well-

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read industry e-bulletins and more recently in the mainstream media and international wine media. Evans said the two matters are unrelated. “For programs like McLaren Vale’s, the approval process is overseen by WINEC [Wine Industry National Environment Committee] which makes recommendations to the board. The McLaren Vale application has been knocked back, for various technical reasons, well before my time and before the time of the current WINEC chair. It has been ongoing for four or five years, but we have found a way for accreditation through changes made to the McLaren Vale program – this is a good outcome for all involved.” Marc Allgrove, the McLaren Vale Grape, Wine and Tourism Association chief executive officer, said people in his region were delighted the Sustainable Winegrowing Australia program had been certified by Entwine Australia, the wine industry’s national environmental assurance program. Allgrove organisation and the McLaren Vale wine community wanted to focus on the positives of the accreditation and the benefits of the sustainability program offered to grapegrowers across the country. “This accreditation is good for Australian wine as it gives options to grapegrowers across the country to develop practices that are sustainable and enable continuous improvement. “It’s important that programs are assessed with rigour. We might have felt that the amount of rigour applied in this case was very significant and unnecessarily delayed the process, but that view is subjective. “Developed by Doctor Irina Santiago-Brown, one of the leaders in her field, the program is now able to positively contribute to the whole Australian wine industry.

“The McLaren Vale Grape, Wine and Tourism Association board will meet to discuss the report and will make a formal comment in due course, but there is some disappointment that Dr Santiago-Brown, the most technically-qualified person in her field, was not interviewed as part of the review.” Dr Santiago-Brown’s husband, Dudley Brown of Inkwell Wines, has written extensively about this topic on his blog, The Wine Rules. He is adamant that because Dr Santiago-Brown both discovered and reported the misleading conduct at the source of this matter, then she should have been included in the review process. “If Dr Santiago-Brown was ‘involved’, why wasn’t she ‘spoken to’ as everyone else was and as Hon. Bleby’s terms of reference require? Why wasn’t she given the opportunity to speak to the events everyone else had the opportunity to speak to? Why wasn’t she given the opportunity to explain the substance and context of meetings and emails as reported by Hon. Bleby as others were?” Brown said. Speculation has linked between the matter of the redacted document and the Entwine approval of the McLaren Vale program and criticism of the Entwine program has emerged online. The WFA’s representation of the entire Australian wine industry has also been questioned, but Evans has dismissed the speculation and criticism. “It is not right and there’s no evidence,” Evans said. “Our constitution is arranged so no member has a right of veto over any issue and all sectors of the industry are represented through our committees.” The complete Bleby report, along with a full explanation offered by D’Aloisio to WFA members, is available on the WFA website, www.wfa.org.au.

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Grapegrower & Winemaker

REGIONAL ROUNDUP

Industry embraces summer in SA It’s the festive season and South Australian producers have been raising their glases to new beginnings, festivals and awards. Stephanie Timotheou has the scoop.

All hail the kings of the Vale

THE KINGS: Matt Caldersmith and Nic Bowen were crowned this year’s McLaren Vale Bushing Kings.

CHATEAU Reynella winemakers Matt Caldersmith and Nic Bowen were crowned the Bushing Kings of 2014, ending the two-year reign of Rosemount Estate’s Matt Koch. The lads behind the top drop at the annual McLaren Vale Wine Show were crowned at the Bushing Luncheon held in October and will now take on the role of ambassadors for the region. The 2012 Chateau Reynella Shiraz was the highest scoring wine judged by this year’s panel which included Silver Bullets James Halliday, Huon Hook, Iain Riggs, Brian Walsh and international judge Jeremy Stockman.

Jim Chatto, chair of judges, praised the quality of McLaren Vale’s red wines as well as the region’s willingness to challenge convention. “Certainly the real strengths of the show are the Shiraz and Grenache – including Grenache blends – with the latter claiming a staggering 16 per cent strike rate on golds,” he said. “This really strengthens the region’s claim as the number one place to grow Grenache. Major awards were shared among 13 producers attesting to the depth of quality across the region.” This year’s judging marked the first time the McLaren Vale Wine Show included food in the process and to

extend the food and wine theme further, a series of public dinners were held each evening. Marc Allgrove, McLaren Vale Grape Wine and Tourism Association chief executive officer, said the dinners provided great insight into the wine show process for the general public. “The feedback from the dinners was fantastic and proves we’re definitely on the right track from the consumer’s perspective,” he said. “This was the first year of a very new, regional wine show model and I think we have managed to introduce some ground-breaking concepts while maintaining the integrity of the show very well.”

SAWIA identifies $10m in annual savings MORE than $10 million of potential annual savings have been identified in the South Australian Wine Industry Association’s (SAWIA) pilot trial for implementing ‘lean manufacturing principles’ in 11 South Australian-based wineries. The pilot project used the new ‘LEAN Guide: A primer on lean production for the

16 Grapegrower & Winemaker

Australian wine industry’, developed by the Australian Grape and Wine Authority (AGWA) and identified savings between $21,000 and $5million per annum, with the level of savings varying based on the size and structure of each winery. In addition to the potential savings, the first phase of the pilot project has also shown that the lack of expertise and www.winebiz.com.au

experience with ‘lean manufacturing’ in the SA wine industry can be overcome with the right tools and support. The organisation is now seeking funding to proceed with phase two of the project, which will mentor the 11 wineries to successfully implement the savings opportunities that were identified. December 2014 – Issue 611

REGIONAL ROUNDUP Signature Wines taps into younger audience with app EDEN Valley’s Signature Wines is set to launch an interactive smartphone application to tap into the younger generation of wine drinkers. Rebecca Warden, the company’s marketing and communications coordinator, said the core focus of Signature Wines is customer service which the app will be put in place to

enhance. “The opportunity to reach a new audience is something very important to us,” she told Grapegrower & Winemaker. “The Signature Wines team believes the convenience of the app will increase customer interaction, particularly with younger consumers.” The app is being developed in-house and will allow customers to browse,

purchase, rate and review the familyowned company’s wine. “We are always looking to enhance the brand and having instant customer reviews will help tailor both our product and approach to meet customer demand,” Warden said. The app will officially launch in early 2015 and will be available on iPhone and Android networks.

Local wines showcased at Langhorne Creek Vignerons’ Day RACEGOERS who attended the Strathalbyn Racecourse in November for the annual Langhorne Creek Vignerons’ Day had the opportunity to taste their way through local drops from Bleasdale, Bremerton, Hand Crafted by Geoff Hardy, Howlin’ Gale, Lake Breeze Wines and The Winehouse, among others. Andre Ursini, from the Polenta Bar in Adelaide (a former MasterChef contestant), created a menu for VIPs in the Eden Marquee using local produce to combine spring flavours with his Italian

cuisine. This year marked the Langhorne Creek Vignerons’ Day’s 21st birthday, an achievement Clynt Johansen, the Strathalbyn Racing Club chairman, said highlighted the event’s popularity. “It’s gone from strength to strength over the years and has become a highlyregarded, fun event,” he said. “It’s a great opportunity to enjoy not only the racing, but the fabulous food and wine that’s available right here on the Fleurieu Peninsula.”

Robyn Follett from Lake Breeze Wines was among the group of producers serving her award-winning wine and says the event gives the winery the perfect opportunity to showcase its products. “Our family members have been grapegrowers in Langhorne Creek for 120 years and winemakers for almost 30,” she said. “We’re passionate about the region and producing the best wine possible and this event allows us to bring it all to life.”

Barossa winery of the year announced GREENOCK-based winery Murray Street Vineyards has taken out the Barossa winery of the year title at the Melbourne International Wine Competition (MIWC). Marty Powell, Murray Street Vineyards brand ambassador, told the Barossa Herald everyone at the winery was stunned when they heard of the win. “I think it’s indicative of a great product range,” he said. “This win comes hot on

the heels on the awards we won at the wine show in London. The quality of our wines has stood out among this panel against numerous entries and we are very proud. It’s great for this part of the Barossa too as it highlights the Greenock region.” Winning the title was timely for the five-star winery which recently celebrated its 10th birthday and according to Powell,

was the “icing on the cake” for the team. The winery’s 2009 Barossa SGM also rated highly with the judges at the MIWC, winning gold in the ‘dry red table wine blends’ category. The same wine was also awarded silver at the International Wine and Spirit Competition in London and continues to impress consumers across the globe.

Wolf Blass Foundation launches research scholarship The Wolf Blass Foundation Masters by Research Scholarship was launched in November at the University of South Australia. Wolf Blass explained the scholarship would provide the opportunity to guide marketing innovation and transform the wine industry in Australia. Driven by the vision of Blass, the foundation has partnered with the university’s Business School to enhance best practice in marketing and innovation in the Australian wine sector. As part of the two-year scholarship, recipients will work to explore and test the laws of marketing science as they apply to the Australian wine sector. Five scholarships will be awarded across 10 years and research topics can relate to wine marketing strategy or wine consumer behaviour. The total value of each scholarship is $35,000 per annum, comprising a $30,000 stipend and $5000 towards research costs. December 2014 – Issue 611

DRIVEN: Wolf Blass launches the reseach scholarship.

Addressing delegates at the launch, Blass said the scholarship has great potential for young people to be inspired. “In the wine industry, innovation has been missing for quite some time and we felt we had to do something to inspire www.winebiz.com.au

the younger generation,” he said. “We have been working for a couple of years to get this scholarship up and running so let’s hope it’s a great success as far as the scholarship and the university is concerned.” Grapegrower & Winemaker

news A

WISA Supplier of the Year A. SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR: Fraser Ainsworth, from Tarac Technologies, presents the supplier of the year award to Jason Amos, Tanya Worontschak, Ian Slater and Wayne Thompson from Lallemand Australia. B CHARITY PARTNERS: Alessandra de Matties, Millie Looker, Kate Gilson and Steve Booton represented WISA’s charity partner, The Leukaemia Foundation. C. ENGAGEMENT: The chairman’s industry engagement award was presented to Seppeltsfield Wines and Winegrapes Australia. (L-R) Paul Georgiadias, Seppeltsfield; Tim Duval, the WISA vice chairman; Warren Randall, Seppeltsfield; and Paula Edwards, Winegrapes Australia.

D. CHEERS: Jason Amos, Lallemand Australia, and Amanda Tanga, Chr. Hansen. E. REALXED: Sally McIntire, Randox Food Diagnostics; Blaise Vinot, Felco; and Sam Plumejeau, Bucher Vaslin. F. INNOVATION: Sandy Donaldson, representing DW Fox Tucker Lawyers, presents the innovation award to Paul McNicholas from 3M Purification. G. ALL SMILES: Greg and Kim Jackson from Tarac Technologies.

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F www.winebiz.com.au

G December 2014 – Issue 611

Top of the tutorial MATT BROOKE has been declared the dux of the 2014 Len Evans Tutorial, topping the 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 and what can I say? It’s actually something I’m yet to form proper words for.” As the dux Brooke will receive a return, business-class ticket to Europe thanks to sponsorship from Qantas, as well as an invitation to join the judging panel at the Sydney Royal Wine Show. “I’ve judged at Canberra for a couple of years and that’s been a great experience, thanks to people like Jim Chatto and Steve Pannell who’ve helped to give me a bit of a leg up. I’ve done a couple of other smaller shows, but Canberra has been incredible, you get to see a lot of top quality classes and quite a broad spectrum of Australian wine.” Brooke has recently taken on a big

job for Crown in Melbourne, having previously worked as head sommelier at Brooks Of Melbourne and before that position he was head sommelier at Circa, The Prince and Ortiga in Brisbane. He is also one half of the duo Athletes Of Wine, with Liam O’Brien of Cutler & Co. producing Macedon Ranges Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. John Lethlean reported on Brooke’s late October move to Crown for The Australian: “Crown having just taken on Matt Brooke (ex-Brooks, First Bite, October 21) as director of wine, a big job given the number of restaurants under the Crown umbrella, but one that signals a positive approach to Crown’s priorities. Brooke is a fine sommelier and a parttime winemaker too.” Brooke’s career highlights include a number of Gourmet Traveller awards for wine list of the year and a finalist in the inaugural Sommeliers Australia best sommelier of Australia competition. He is WSET educated, has been a scholar for the Sommeliers Australia Education

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Program and is Court of Master Sommeliers certified. Iain Riggs, Len Evans Foundation trustee, said the tutorial was “all about introducing up-and-coming wine people to the Australian wine show system”. Applications for the 2015 tutorial will open in May and more information is available at www.lenevanstutorial. com.au. The foundation is also open to donations from interested industry partners. “We do rely on industry support to keep this fantastic foundation and wine school operational every year,” Riggs said.

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Grapegrower & Winemaker

D E C E M B E R 2 014

New satellite technology helps grapegrowers forecast water demand

“The majority of growers indicated they saw value in being able to improve their water management through these approaches, particularly when faced with unseasonal weather conditions,” he said. These approaches and techniques are currently being applied in Murrumbidgee and Northern Victoria to help growers monitor water use and when combined with a seven-day weather forecast, can be used to predict crop water demands seven days in advance.

New satellite data and forecasting tools, developed by the CSIRO, are helping Australian grapegrowers improve water management in their vineyards.

water management – in particular irrigation scheduling, which would help growers maximise yields and water-use efficiencies.

The three-year research project, funded by the Australian Grape and Wine Authority (AGWA), was completed earlier this year and means the wine industry now has access to a new free sevenday forecasting platform, as well as a package of new training material and free software.

The project was undertaken in the Murrumbidgee and Northern Victoria growing region, where a large number of grapegrowers rely on irrigation in the vineyard.

CSIRO research team leader Dr John Hornbuckle said the project’s aim was to provide new techniques which growers could apply using satellite data and weather information to improve

“In the end, about 100 growers were involved in trailing the various aspects of the tools developed in the project,” Dr Hornbuckle said. The growers also helped trial the crop and weather data information’s delivery platforms from mobile phone text messaging to web-based platforms.

“Like all industries in Australia that rely on irrigation, staying at the forefront of water management is critical both from a resource utilisation and also community perception perspective,” Dr Hornbuckle said. A final outcome of the project, was also the development of training material, which shows irrigators, consultants, and anyone interested, how to apply these approaches using freely available satellite images and easy to use free software. The final report, Vineyard Irrigation - delivering water savings through emerging technology, and training material can be found on the AGWA website: http://research.agwa.net.au/ completed_projects/vineyard-irrigationdelivering-water-savings-throughemerging-technology/.

Australian Grape and Wine Authority, 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@agwa.net.au | W: research.agwa.net.au

Industry in focus: Andrew Clarke New Nuffield scholar Andrew Clarke is ready for a new perspective as he spends the next 12 months experiencing his role, and the wider Australian wine industry, through the lens of other countries and other agricultural industries. It’s not the first time Yering Station’s chief viticulturist has taken an opportunity to do something a little different, taking a few years out of the industry to study cheese-making in the Yarra Valley, which included a stint in the French Alps. “A former colleague first drew my attention to Nuffield about three years ago. The idea of experiencing the diversity of international agriculture was very appealing,” Clarke said. “Initially, time constraints put me off applying until I realised there would never be a good time to do it, so with the full support of Yering Station and the Rathbone Wine Group I threw my hat in the ring.” Applying is a three-stage interview process – including a written application that outlines your career and study topic, state interviews and then national interviews. Winning means scholars undertake a 16-week program consisting of both group and individual travel – as well as complete an industry-focussed study topic and report. In total, 26 scholarships were awarded from all fields or Australian agriculture.. Clarke started his career in McLaren Vale, working at Normans Wines while studying viticulture at Adelaide University. “I got to work in a number of roles in my first job - from vineyard operations, through to managing the fruit intake of 25,000 tonnes of grapes across two wineries,” he said. “Then I moved to vineyard development and management with Nepenthe Viticulture in the Adelaide Hills.”

After Nepenthe, was a five-year stint outside of the industry before he returned to the viticulture industry to work at De Bortoli Wines in the Yarra Valley. Three years ago he started at Yering Station, part of the Rathbone Wine Group, and his role means he is now responsible for all viticultural programs and vineyard management on the property. As part of the Nuffield Scholarship, Clarke had to nominate a study topic to undertake during his travels. His topic is managing subsoil restrictions in established vineyards.

“I was attracted to soil science because it combined my interest in chemistry and the environment.” In particular, he hopes to use the scholarship to find practical and innovative methods of improving root zone volumes for better vineyard productivity and wine quality. “I think subsoil restrictions are a major limiting factor in the sustainable management of many vineyards across the nation. Many soils don’t permit the vines to access the resources within the full soil depth,” he said. “Any increase in access to these areas of soil may permit the vines to handle extreme weather events better, increase water holding capacity and make the vineyard more profitable.” As part of the travel, Clarke will visit the US to experience first-hand the scale and diversity of the viticulture industry in California. “I think I’m most looking forward to spending time outside the wine sector though. I understand that Israel grows almost all agricultural crops, in some

Andrew Clarke.

pretty unfriendly conditions so their insight into managing inhospitable soils may be interesting,” he said. “The group Global Focus Program, which I am undertaking with 8-10 others in June and July, to the Philippines, China, France, Ireland and the US is also really exciting. I may only see a handful of other vineyards in that time; however the ability to bounce ideas off other farmers from different enterprises, about different industries will be brilliant.” Nuffield Australian Scholarship Program Nuffield Australia awards Scholarships each year to farmers in Australia. The objective is to increase practical farming knowledge and management skills and techniques generally. These scholarships give Australian citizens the opportunity to study farming practices in New Zealand, Europe, Asia and the Americas and those countries best suited to the Scholar. They will also promote a closer understanding between farmers in the countries visited.

Aroma investigated as a harvest date predictor Several NSW wineries are teaming up with scientists from the National Wine and Grape Industry Centre (NWGIC) to investigate how to better use winegrape aroma properties to predict the best time to harvest. The three-year project, funded by the Australian Grape and Wine Authority, will also seek to provide growers and winemakers with new inexpensive online tools to process berry composition, aroma and sensory attributes to calculate harvest dates – 10 to 40 days before harvest. It’s not a new concept, with earlier research already identifying a ‘berry aromatic sequence’ to help predict or assess optimum harvest time over a period of grape ripening. Project supervisor Professor Alain Deloire said tools such as the Dyostem, which measures berry colour in white grapes as an indicator of aromatic properties, are being used extensively in overseas wine regions – but less so in Australia. In red grapes, fruit physiological indicators such as berry sugar and anthocyanin accumulation are used to determine harvest times – based mostly on the type of wine styles being made. Professor Deloire said their research hopes to break new ground in this field of sequential harvesting.

One of the Griffith vineyards, with drip irrigation and a sprawling training system, being used in the sequential harvest research project at the National Wine and Grape Industry Centre.

By using both small lot and commercial winemaking and testing a suite of compositional parameters, they also hope to identify the key marker compounds (e.g. anthocyanins, carotenoids, lipids, and amino acids) for specific wine styles and to identify the links between grape and wine composition and sensory characteristics, Professor Deloire said. “We would like to be the first to develop an online decision making tool with the method this research develops. It would be even better to see the development of a tool that can be adopted by all in the sector and not just a few,” he said.

We will also study and bring new insights into the potential drivers (I mean the abiotic factors in a specific context: temperature at various levels, soil moisture, vine water status, fruit microclimate and light influence) of wine typicality/ regionality/ diversity and uniqueness,” he said De Bortoli Wines, McWilliams Wines, Treasury Wine Estates, Phillip Shaw Wines, Cumulus Estate Wines and Jarretts Wines are providing the vineyards in Griffith, Orange, Tumbarumba, Barossa and McLaren Vale for the research.

New image sensing technology to help predict grape yields Australian grapegrowers could soon be able to predict crop yields from budburst to harvest, with the help of new image sensing technology. A NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI NSW), University of NSW and Treasury Wine Estates project - funded by the Australian Grape and Wine Authority (AGWA) - is seeking to design a suitable system for large scale image collection and robust image processing methods that will allow growers to accurately forecast vine yields and reduce the problems caused by differences between expected intake and actual delivery. “It’s a case of the technology now finally

catching up with the science,” Project supervisor Associate Professor Greg Dunn, from DPI NSW said. “We now have the technology available that will allow us to adapt the existing yield methods to replace the leg work and labour, while increasing the number of measurements and therefore the accuracy of the predictions.” The three-year project will develop three mobile, spatially aware systems based on a high-precision sensor suite, a low-cost sensor suite and smart devices to acquire data. Assoc Prof Dunn said early season estimates of yield would be trialled by

assessing inflorescence number and branching patterns. “The system will also offer a nondestructive tool to accurately estimate berry size, bunch weights and, potentially, berry numbers, later in the season – the level of accuracy this could offer for harvest predictions is immense,” he said. “We are looking at a range of potential adaptable tools and technology to allow us to do this – from adapted Go Pro cameras to purpose built unmanned vehicles that will automatically move up and down vineyard rows, scanning vines and bunches.”

New research helps Australia overcome Chinese language barriers World-first research is set to help Australian winemakers break through the language barriers in China and start an important conversation around Australian wine. After three years of studying the language Chinese wine consumers use to describe imported wine, the research team – of Dr Armando Corsi, Dr Justin Cohen and Professor Larry Lockshin from the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science at the University of South Australia - has completed its final report on the Chinese Lexicon Project and delivered findings aimed at giving Australian winemakers a competitive edge in this challenging but potentially lucrative market. The Australian Grape and Wine Authority (AGWA) officially released the final Chinese Lexicon report last month and will host an exclusive briefing to highlight the outcomes early in 2015. Dr Cohen, who oversaw the process in China, said the team sought to use science and rigour to end the debate about which hypothesised Chinese terms are substitutable for Western terms among Chinese wine drinkers. “There was a small stream of existing literature – particularly by Asian Master of Wine Jeannie Cho Lee MW- but there had never been scientific validation,” Dr Cohen said.

“First we tested if these terms were equivalents and we discovered that many were, but some were not suitable.” The project, Dr Cohen said, also broke new ground in its use of consumers rather than expert panels. “Obtaining consumer responses rather than those of trained panellist allowed for a much richer interpretation of the data,” he said. “It also gave us the ability to comment on not just the language used to describe wine in China, but also Chinese wine drinkers’ taste and consumption preferences for varying Australian wine styles available in China. This project has made a greater contribution than just establishing word equivalences.” Dr Cohen said one of the more important outcomes of the research was the realisation that generic wine descriptors were three times more likely to be used than specific wine descriptors. “This suggests that the average wine drinker in China currently does not have a deep vocabulary for wine,” he said. Dr Cohen believes that the level of wine knowledge among sales people in retail and distribution and service staff in food and beverage outlets is another issue for Australian wine companies. “There’s a real opportunity for Australia to work together with the retail,

Wine drinker participating in lexicon research in China

distribution and food and beverage representatives in the China market to help train them to better understand both the more pervasive Western terminology being used now – and perhaps the more culturally appropriate Chinese terms that could become more common in the future,” Dr Cohen said. “In addition, the Chinese terms can be used to convert and educate alcohol category consumers into buyers of imported wine. This could give Australia a competitive edge in growing consumption of wine in China and at the same time making Australia top-ofmind.”

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Widespread take-up drives effective sustainability programs At A glAnce: Program effectiveness and participation is enhanced when: • Participation can occur at multiple levels in response to the business strategy and available resources; • Local programs that address regionally-specific environmental issues are recognised within a national or industry framework; • Support services and management tools are available to move program participation beyond an overhead cost and that deliver value to members; • Performance benchmarking is available to track individual performance over time and against regional benchmarks; • Advocacy and policy development is supported through industry-wide reporting that demonstrates environmental stewardship to stakeholders and communities.

SIMON Whyatt, sustainability manager at Peter Lehmann Wines, has studied the effectiveness of environmental sustainability programs across wine regions in New Zealand, the US, Canada, Chile and South Africa. Throughout May and June of 2014, he visited industry associations, winemakers and grapegrowers to develop a better understanding of the factors contributing to program effectiveness. He also explored the relationship between program design and industry issues in each country. Whyatt, who is also a member of the Winemakers Federation of Australia’s Wine Industry National Environment Committee, toured the regions with the support of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, which has been providing opportunities to Australians to travel overseas to conduct research in their chosen field for almost 50 years. “As a member of the body that administers the Australian wine industry’s environmental sustainability program, I wanted to learn how other countries had responded to their environmental challenges,” Whyatt said. “My approach was from a ‘whole of industry’ point of view.” He has concluded that program design and how it’s delivered, rather than content, is the primary driver of effectiveness. “If you can get broad participation, then you can get people on a journey of continuing improvement and work towards wholeof-industry improvement,” Whyatt said. From what he observed, the most effective programs were structured to encourage participation.

“Having grades, or tiers, within the program make it possible for everyone to engage in a way that suits their own business and still be part of the bigger family,” Whyatt said. “The support services, communication and access to data is all really important because if a program is going to cost you something then there have to be benefits, otherwise why would producers want to be involved?” “California was a stand-out, the industry has really got its act together and there’s a universal attitude from participants that ‘it is the right thing to do’ to look after the environmental resources.” Whyatt said New Zealand was another country to take note of, because the program is well-resourced and continues to innovate and introduce new features, but not at a rate where growers can’t keep up, “because there is real collaboration”. “A consistent message from the producers visited during my Fellowship travel was that program participation was beneficial from an industry perspective, more so than for individual companies.” According to Whyatt, a program can enhance the national or regional brand, benefiting winemakers through improved market access and consumer awareness. “Claims relating to industry environmental performance are enhanced where programs have high participation rates. A good example of this is New Zealand, where the almost universal enrolment in the SWNZ program makes it possible to communicate clear, unqualified messages about the sustainability of their wines.” He found participation rates can be enhanced where

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compliance costs are maintained at a reasonable level, as well as “through the provision of support services that complement program activities and increase value for participants”. The ability to track performance across time and against regional averages was identified in multiple site visits as a valuable resource of each program. Benchmarking is an important feedback mechanism that supports gap analysis against individual performance and the peer group. “This can be particularly useful for companies embarking on a range of environmental sustainability initiatives,” Whyatt said. “Companies are able to focus their sustainability resources more effectively and those with a track-record of excellent environmental stewardship can be identified and recognised, with a potentially beneficial effect on their brand.” Benchmark data can also be used to support the development of strong environmental values within organisational culture. Staff members are informed about the company’s performance and as a result can become more deeply engaged with the execution of environmental programs in the business. Another key element to broad take-up can be tiered membership, according to Whyatt. Providing participants with the opportunity to engage at multiple levels, as well as supporting brand differentiation for individual producers was seen as positive. “This allows participants to certify at a level that can be more closely aligned with their resources and capabilities and is therefore applicable for both small and large wine

26 Grapegrower & Winemaker

producers. Tiers can also be used to provide recognition of best management practice or regionally specific programs.” Access to data and regular reports were also seen to be favourable for program acceptance from both participants and industry stakeholders. “California and New Zealand are both examples where program design has permitted the capture of performance data by the respective industry bodies, which has then been collated to report across regions or industry-wide on key environmental performance indicators, such as water and energy use,” Whyatt said. “Reports of this type support the wine industry in relations with policy makers and regulators. As a marketing tool, industry reports support regional brand value and contribute to improved market access. “As one producer noted, retailers see a positive benefit to their brand in being associated with suppliers who are able to demonstrate good environmental credentials.” Whyatt also noted the difference in levels of support services offered to industry. “Examples of this include New Zealand and Ontario, where program participants were able to access a range of online tools, often developed in collaboration with industry research organisations, to improve environmental management of vineyards and wineries. “Other examples include California, which supports members with topical workshops to share knowledge and develop capability. The Biodiversity and Wine Initiative program in South Africa provides its members with access to consulting services.”

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RE-USE: Mt Veeder Vineyard, California, where recycled pipes are used as posts.

He also noted that because winegrapes are an unbranded product, with no direct interface between the grower and consumer, there is a challenge for program managers to ensure the costs of participation are shared fairly and benefits in the vineyard are clearly articulated and relevant to growers. “Consumer awareness and engagement with environmental programs developed within the wine industry is another area which challenges program managers. The development of a certification seal or other brand mark requires supporting education programs and investment in marketing to ensure

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trade customers and wine consumers understand the value of the system. “The use of brand marks that are self-explanatory, such as the Certified Sustainable Wine of Chile, assists in some degree. However, in the opinion of some of the wine producers interviewed, a term such as ‘sustainability’ may not resonate with consumers sufficiently because of its relatively loose definition.” Environmental programs within the wine industry serve to maintain or enhance wine quality; preserve natural assets such as land and watercourses; and minimise the use of inputs. “They can make a contribution to operational efficiency, support market access and position the industry in relation to policy development and the regulatory environment.” In New Zealand, California and Ontario, the programs have developed from self-assessment, best-management practice checklists and scorecards. These regions have maintained a flexible approach to the recognition of other environmental management systems within the industry program. An iterative, evolutionary development is evident and ongoing refinement in collaboration with program participants is a feature. These programs have aimed for broad participation by the winemaking community to be used as an effective tool for influencing policy development by government. Additionally, they are able to support clear and unqualified claims about the sustainability of the wine industry operating in their respective countries. In Chile, development of environmental sustainability has taken a more top-down approach and has resulted in a rigorous and high quality process-based management system. With a focus on market access, the program is directly compatible with a number of international environmental and social accountability standards. Influence within the policy sphere appeared to be less significant. South Africa is perhaps somewhere between the two ends of the spectrum described above. The Integrated Production of Wine program is widely supported and the Biodiversity and Wine Initiative is unique with its focus on biodiversity conservation. Together, they are a key industry initiative to differentiate the South African wine brand in the global marketplace. Users of these programs were observed to perform a comparable set of environmental management practices in both vineyards and wineries. Program scope, therefore, may not be the primary driver of overall effectiveness. The issues of grower engagement,

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grapegrowing as well as consumer awareness of sustainability more broadly and individual programs specifically will continue to challenge the wine industry bodies responsible for their management and operation. An equitable allocation of costs between growers and winemakers and clear articulation of the commercial benefits of effective environmental management in the vineyard may offer a solution. Consumer education will require significant long term investment and industry bodies will need to continue to allocate an appropriate level of resources. “The timing of this trip has coincided with a review of the Australian wine industry’s environmental sustainability

NEW ZEALAND

A pioneer in the development of an industry-wide environmental management program. From a pilot launched in 1995, the Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ) program has been continuously refined and expanded across viticulture and wine production. Today, more than 94 per cent of New Zealand’s producing vineyard area is certified under the program, equating to 90 per cent of total wine production. The program is managed by NZ Winegrowers, the peak industry body that operates as a joint venture between the New Zealand Grape Growers Council and the Wine Institute of New Zealand. It is currently being enhanced to provide an online benchmarking tool to provide members with a better understanding of their sustainability performance over time and to allow comparison with other growers and winemakers.

CALIFORNIA, USA

The California Sustainable Wine Alliance (CSWA), a non-profit industry body created by the Wine Institute and the California Association of Winegrape Growers, has developed a multi-tier sustainability program. Launched in 2001, the Sustainable Wine Program (SWP) was developed to demonstrate good environmental stewardship. A feature of the programs operated by the CSWA has been the inclusion of benchmark data for participants to measure performance against individual baselines. This allows for flexibility across regions where individual performance metrics may be subject to local environmental factors. In addition, data is collated and published in a state-wide sustainability report as a means of communicating industry performance to stakeholders.

program, EntWine. My report may offer some insight into potential program enhancements, as well as providing a level of assurance around the work that is already underway. “One thing that really struck me was that there wasn’t a single instance where winemakers and grapegrowers weren’t working hard to do things better. And the quality of the wines was also of a very high standard. There’s no way you can differentiate on quality anymore, and Australia might only have a small window of opportunity to differentiate on the basis of good environmental performance because in the not-too-distant future it’s going to be a given as well.”

SOUTH AFRICA

Whyatt reviewed two programs in South Africa, both of which are widely-supported within the industry.

BIODIVERSITY AND WINE INITIATIVE

The Biodiversity and Wine Initiative (BWI) was conceived in 2004 and is managed by the World Wildlife Foundation. Much of the South African wine industry is located within the Cape Floral Kingdom, a unique and important biodiversity hotspot and a World Heritage site. The program is tiered to recognise those producers committing a higher percentage of their land area to conservation. Participants are able to use the program logo on bottles and packaging, with the top tier eligible to claim the additional status of BWI champion.

INTEGRATED PRODUCTION OF WINE

The Integrated Production of Wine (IPW) program was established in 1998. Initially created to promote environmental sustainability at the organisational level, a product-certification scheme was introduced in 2010. The structured approach of the program provides the basis for sharing the ‘technology’ and practices developed by the industry’s research organisations. The IPW program has been well supported by winemakers, with 90 per cent of wines certified under the Wine of Origin program now also complying with the requirements of IPW. The program is not prescriptive, focusing on what environmental sustainability activities need to be implemented without stipulating how this should occur. This approach provides for flexibility in application and caters to individual or regional environmental issues.

CHILE ONTARIO, CANADA

Sustainable Winemaking Ontario was developed with an initial focus on wine production and was launched in 2007 after a four-year research and development phase. The program is managed by the Wine Council of Ontario and operates across Canada’s largest wineproducing province. Industry participants see the program as having increased awareness of ‘what can be done better’ in wineries and vineyards. Through the marketing activity that supports the program, it also provides a level of assurance to wine consumers and trade customers. 30 Grapegrower & Winemaker

Introduced in 2011, the Sustainability Code and its accompanying certification program Certified Sustainable Wine of Chile is operated by the R+D Consortium, a subsidiary organisation of the peak industry body, Wines of Chile. The code is a comprehensive approach to sustainability that grew out of an earlier joint program developed by the University of Talca, Vina Errazuriz and the regional industry body Colchagua Wineries. It incorporates activities and measures across three major areas – vineyards, the winery and social performance. The aim of the Sustainability Code has been to support the differentiation of Chilean wine in the global marketplace.

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A life split between

the vineyard and boardroom

RETIRED Barossa grapegrower Leo Pech has been awarded Honorary Life Membership of the Wine Grape Growers Australia (WGGA). Lawrie Stanford, WGGA executive director, said it seemed an inadequate instrument of recognition, but the organisation was pleased to offer it in humble appreciation for everything Pech has given to, and done for, Australian winegrape growing. Pech has not been shy to share his opinion, so it probably won’t surprise many to read his involvement in industry politics stretches way back to the 1960s with a Royal Commission, no less. He also played a key role in negotiating the vine pull scheme of 1986 and will be remembered as a lone voice opposing the introduction of the accelerated depreciation provisions in the tax legislation in 1993 that allowed the introduction of Managed Investment Schemes for horticulture in 1998. He has always been a passionate advocate for the independent grapegrower and a thorn in the side of any government that dared act against the interest of growers. As an active participant on many committees, boards and industry groups across more than 50 years, Pech’s passion for the industry has not gone unnoticed or unappreciated. His dedication to his local Barossa community has been extensive with involvement in multiple regional committees, serving as Barossa Wine Grape Advisory Council chairman, Barossa Winegrape Committee chairman and his work with the Barossa Grapegrowers Vine Selection Society has already been recognised with life membership of that organisation. Pech has also been an active member of the Barossa Valley Vine Selection Committee, Barossa Grape Growers Co-Operative, Barossa Grape Producers Association and the Barons of Barossa. He received the very first Grape Barossa Grower service award in recognition of his volunteer services to various grape growing bodies. At a state level, Pech has contributed as a member of the Wine Grape Council of SA, the Phylloxera and Grape Industry Board of SA, the United Farmers & Stockowners of SA, the Agricultural Bureau and the South Australian Premier’s Winegrape Committee. He was also the vice chairman of the South Australian Vine Improvement Committee, as well as vice chairman and life member of the South Australian Farmers Federation. In the national arena, Pech has served as chairman of various bodies including the Australian Grape Producers Association, the Winegrape Industry Liaison Committee and the Winegrape Growers Council of Australia. He has also been a devoted member of the Australian Society for Viticulture and Oenology, the Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation, the National Wine Grape Advisory Council, the National Vine Health Steering Committee, the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation’s Geographical Indication Committee and of course, Wine Grape Growers Australia. Pech was part of the fourth generation of his family to grow grapes, his family history in Australia can be traced back to 1850 when Johann Pech set up a vineyard in the Barossa.

32 Grapegrower & Winemaker

Pech’s opinion on... Vine Pull “The vine pull allowed growers who wished to leave the industry to do so. Only around 2500 hectares of vines were removed – or 4.5 per cent of the 60,000ha planted in Australia at the time. Growers were paid $3250 per hectare to remove their vines, so the scheme cost the state and Commonwealth governments around $7.5 million. In 1987, immediately after the vine pull, grape prices in the Barossa almost doubled compared with the previous year.”

Managed Investment Schemes “Although many of these schemes have now gone bankrupt, the vines have not been removed. As a result, vines can now be purchased at rock bottom prices, making it easier for new owners to make a return but further exacerbating the oversupply and driving down prices.”

Oversupply “The oversupply situation we are in now would be worse if it wasn’t for the lack of water, which since 2007 has slowed plantings almost to a halt, and reduced the crush size in years 2007-2009. Growers need to understand that booms don’t automatically follow busts. Some seem to think that if enough vines are pulled out then supply will tighten up and the problems will disappear, but the problem with that is that the wineries don’t have any room to pay higher prices. Believe me, the only thing worse for a grower than being in financial difficulties is if the winery they supply goes broke.”

Succession Planning “Growers must consider their options and look long and hard at what they are doing, and why. Don’t encourage the younger generation to continue if your property is not viable in the current market.”

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December 2014 – Issue 611

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A self-made young man WORKING-CLASS MAN: John-Ross Wood says his hard work got him where he is today – working for one of the biggest producers in Australia.

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December 2014 – Issue 611

A smart man once told me not to see problems, but to see opportunities for improvement. That’s how I see it and although the industry is going through its problems, it’s a great time to be involved as we can help steer it into a new direction.

“Dad’s been doing it for a while so both my brother and I picked up a few things and now we know how to TERTIARY qualifications aren’t the build them and how to break them,” he only way to get your foot in the door of said. “I can also play a whole heap of a career in viticulture. John-Ross Wood instruments but my favourites are the says he’s done the hard-yards instead, guitar and drums.” and described himself as a “self-made While the hard-working youngster man”. The 25-year-old has achieved a lot is still fairly new to the industry, in a short amount of time and said strong he’s already made big plans for his work ethic goes a long way. future. “Ideally I’d like to manage a Wood grew up surrounded by vines in big vineyard,” he said. “I’m an overlyhis hometown of Griffith and learnt the organised person and I like the idea ropes from “smart, practical individuals” of being able to look after a really big who showed him the best way to get enterprise.” things done in the vineyard. As the son He said while he’s just dipping his and nephew of well-known pioneers in toes in the industry so far, he hopes to the industry, Wood always figured he eventually gain the skills needed to take would end up connected to grapes and on such a task. “I also like the idea of wine. the wine industry was pulling him back being a grower liaison officer because I “Two major influences were my uncle in. He returned home to take up a job like to talk and almost never stop once Charles Turkington and my father Robert at De Bortoli Wines as a GLO assistant. I start.” Wood,” he told Grapegrower & Winemaker. He then found a job with McWilliams Throughout his journey so far, he’s “Uncle Charles was a pioneer of the Wines, where he’s currently employed. learnt some important lessons – some Australian wine industry and recipient He works as a leading hand for the which relate to the job and others about of the Graham Gregory trophy in 2005. company and specialises in the running the industry itself. He advised those My dad is also a well-known local wine and maintenance of large scale irrigation wanting to get into viticulture to not be industry personality and steered me into systems. He’s also involved with the “put off” by the state of the industry in viticulture. He worked on a vineyard for winery during vintage as a grape intake its current turbulent form. many years and then became a grower planner where he organises around 40,000 “If it’s an industry you think liaison officer for a local wine company. tonnes of grapes from across Australia to you’ll enjoy, get involved,” he said. I was always interested in the way he be delivered to the Hanwood winery. “A smart man once told me not to see made a living. He says it has taken six solid years problems, but to see opportunities for “As soon as high school was done I of hard yakka to reach the position he improvement. That’s how I see it and went straight to work,” he said. “I worked occupies today. During this time, he’s although the industry is going through for the Riverina Wine Grape Marketing completed seven vintages, all in the its problems, it’s a great time to be Board as a technical officer and, after Riverina. involved as we can help steer it into a three years, convinced myself I should Not only does Wood have a passion for new direction.” try something outside the industry as it getting down and dirty in the vineyard Wood said he’s loved every minute was all I had done.” (literally), but he’s also a bit of a car spent in the wine industry and can’t wait enthusiast and musician. When he’s not Wood stepped outside his comfort McWilliams, zone 3 7and 5 6 tested F l u thimself e 8 8 xwith 1 8 5a _move G G Wto - working 1 2 0 at 1 3 - 0 3 - 2 0 he T 1gets 5 : together 5 8 : 2 5 + to 1 see 1 : what 0 0 the future holds, whether it’s working at McWilliams or building and with his dad and restores vintage cars or Wollongong. But after a year of living running his own business. finds time to play music. by the beach, he realised the gravity of Stephanie Timotheou

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grapegrowing

Whose terroir is it anyway? Louise Curran, Toulouse Business School professor, and Michael Thorpe, Curtin Business School adjunct professor, have studied Chinese investment in vineyards. Here they present an abridged version of their research paper: Chinese foreign direct investment in the French and Australian wine industries - liabilities of foreignness and country of origin effects.

At A glAnce: The key questions considered were: • What is the true extent of Chinese investment in the regions studied? • To what extent can issues of unfamiliarity and discrimination impact Chinese investment? • How does the local context in WA and Bordeaux impact the experiences of Chinese investors?

INVESTMENT by Chinese multinational entreprises in French and Australian vineyards shares two characteristics. Firstly one of the key entry modes – greenfield – is effectively closed to potential investors, as most suitable and available land in the key ‘appellation’ regions is already cultivated. Thus the potential foreign direct investment entry modes are partnership or acquisition. The latter is the most popular strategy that has been adopted. Secondly, investors are generally not seeking to develop the host market, but rather are motivated to secure supply, quality product and expertise for expansion into the Chinese domestic market. Therefore issues of negative perceptions leading to discrimination in the host market are not, generally, an issue of major concern. Unfamiliarity with the host country business context and regulations and discrimination by potential partners, sellers or government are more likely to be sources of concern for investors. It is apparent that there is strong local demand for investment in the wine sector in the wine regions in both countries. Capital is required to expand markets, realise the necessary economies of scale through investment in production and processing

capacity and to upgrade vineyards. However, accessing capital is seen to be problematic, given a recognised lack of commercial interest by local financial institutions and other investment sources in backing the industry. Meanwhile, the dramatic growth in China’s consumer market and lack of suitable opportunities at home, has encouraged Chinese firms to actively pursue supply sources overseas. Studies have looked at how brand and the price of wine impact on Chinese consumer behavior. Country of origin is seen to be a defining element in choice, particularly for giftgiving (which has historically been a very important source of demand for wine). While foreign wine is important it has been found that French wine has a considerable advantage over its competitors in terms of consumer perception. This study focused on two wine regions with rather similar market positioning – the south-west of Western Australia (WA) and the Bordeaux region in France. WA is a relatively new entrant in the Chinese market and indeed relatively new to export. Bordeaux is a more established exporter to China and the historical level of Chinese investment in the wine sector is higher than for WA. This study involves interviews with industry players in the two regions, including company personnel, government officials, consultants and other service providers working with investors. It should also be noted that there is difficulty with official investment figures, which under-report the extent of Chinese OFDI. Trade data comes from the International Trade Centre (ITC) database and Wine Australia.

Figure 1 - Chinese wine imports $m 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0 2004 2005 2006 2007 World

2008 2009

France

2010

2011

Australia

2012

2013

Chile

Figure 1: Trade with China and investment flows into the wine sector.

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We are moving into a time when growers have worked hard to set up crop yield potential and the focus is now shifting towards protecting that investment. In areas with a high Botrytis incidence or where Botrytis infection was high last year, extra vigilance is recommended. The impact of this disease can be devastating, especially when infection gets a foothold between flowering and bunch closure. Botrytis often gains entrance into young fruit through wilting blossom parts that remain attached to them. Scarred tissue on young berries left by the fallen caps is also an ideal entry point, as are wounds caused by mechanical injury, birds, insects, other fungal pathogens or berries split by rain or hail. Between flowering and bunch closure, caps that fall off along with other plant material get caught in the developing bunch and can start to decay. Botrytis can thrive in this high humidity, still air environment of decaying plant material. It can germinate in the presence of free water or in conditions with at least 90 per cent relative humidity for 15 hours. Developing bunches are also an ideal place for insect pests to find safe refuge and gather for a forthcoming feast as the berries mature. A wet flowering period can lead to latent infections becoming established and how the disease progresses from there is really driven by the weather. If conditions remain dry leading up to harvest, infections most often remain latent and cause little damage. However if a wet flowering period is followed by a wet lead-up to harvest, the conditions activate latent infections and assist with their spread, resulting in a perfect recipe for Botrytis. To prevent Botrytis becoming established in the bunches, a systemic fungicide should be applied to susceptible crops at 80 per cent cap fall. 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. In conditions that favour Botrytis development, a further fungicide application may be required. Always remember to follow CropLife resistance management strategies. Details can be found at www.croplifeaustralia.org.au Growers should make use of other beneficial management practices such as narrow canopies and leaf plucking, that will aid air movement and penetration of light and spray applications. Excessive irrigation and nutrition (in particular nitrogen) can build big canopies with a humid microclimate that promote the disease. Control insect pests that feed on developing bunches such as Light Brown Apple Moth (LBAM) larvae. Research has identified that not only were Botrytis cinerea spores found on external surfaces of LBAM larvae, spores and hyphae were observed in their gut contents and faecal matter, with more than 60 per cent of the faeces infected with viable Botrytis cinerea. 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.

Figure 1 shows the evolution of the Chinese market for imports of bottled still wine since 2004. Clearly French wine dominates the market and this dominance has increased over time. France’s market share peaked at 55 per cent in 2011, falling to 47 per cent in 2013. In contrast, Australia’s market share fell from 22 per cent to 16 per cent over the same period. However, it remains the second most important supplier to the market. The other leading four exporters to China each have market shares of around 5-6 per cent. The market slow-down in 2013 was due to several factors and included a build-up of high stock levels in China due to an overestimation of demand; this was in turn linked to the impact an anti-corruption drive by the incoming government. The gift and banqueting market has long been a major source of demand in China at the higher end of the wine market and sales of high quality wine have fallen sharply in China as a result. This change in the market is considered to be long term and is viewed as a major concern by investors and industry observers. Although this has mainly affected the high end of the market, the demand in the mid-level market is not yet considered developed enough to compensate for the decline.

CHINESE INVESTMENT IN THE BORDEAUX REGION In France, Chinese investment is widely spread across the whole economy, but is relatively marginal. Banque de France official figures indicate that the level was only €3bn in 2011, although they note that press and other sources quote figures up to €20bn. Four sectors where Chinese foreign direct investment was particularly strong were highlighted – luxury real estate, dairy, manufacturing and wine. Chinese investment in Bordeaux is much more extensive than elsewhere in France. Our database suggests investment in 76 vineyards, although there are certainly likely to be some others which are not public. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) estimates that there are about 80 vineyards under Chinese ownership (widely defined to include Hong Kong and Chinese Taipei), out of a total of more than 7000 that exist in the region. Although their relative importance remains small, several interviewees noted that the unprecedented speed of acquisitions has created some cause for concern. Rapid expansion, together with the sheer size of the Chinese market, is raising concerns about long term impacts. One explanation for the profusion of acquisitions is the size of Bordeaux chateaux, which average 15ha. To produce the volumes needed for the Chinese market has meant some groups have picked up several vineyards. The largest of these is Haichang group from Dalian, a highly-diversified multinational entreprise. They are reported to own 23 chateaux in Bordeaux covering 500ha. The multiple acquisitions, although individually small, increase the impression that wide scale investment is being undertaken. While the majority of investors in Bordeaux are private companies, one state-owned enterprise (SOE) has been identified as sole owner of a chateau – the agricultural conglomerate COFCO. In addition there are two recent part ownership investments by SOEs - by Bright Food in a wine-merchant (Diva) and two recent chateau majority stakes taken by Liaoning Energy Investment.

CHINESE INVESTMENT IN WA VINEYARDS Vine Talk is compiled by Dave Antrobus, Syngenta Solutions Development Lead dave.antrobus@syngenta.com 0429 133 436 38 Grapegrower & Winemaker

Until recently, Chinese investment in Australia has been concentrated in the natural resources sector and has been relatively small, compared to the levels seen in other countries. Capital outflows from China have accelerated in recent years as part of a concerted government policy and has been accompanied by significant change in the nature and range of www.winebiz.com.au

December 2014 – Issue 611

the sector targets of investment. As well, there has been greater participation by private investors, consisting of both firms and high net worth individuals. Investment has expanded into the agricultural and agribusiness sectors, in particular, with estimates that total Chinese investment in agribusiness reached around USD 1billion in 2012. Four key drivers underpinning this investment have been identified. These are: • A need to access a reliable and high quality supply of produce; • A desire to integrate investment targets into domestic supply chains in China; • To obtain access to local knowledge and IP; and • To achieve capital growth and risk diversification. Private companies are important players in the investment in this sector, representing around 70 per cent of recorded transactions in 2012 (Ferguson and Hendrischke, 2013). These investors also prefer to take majority stakes, in contrast to the historical experience of wholly owned ventures in energy and mining ventures which has dominated the investment landscape in Australia by China for so long. In the wine sector, the database established for this research identified seven vineyards owned by Chinese companies in WA, all involving private companies. Three of the companies own two vineyards each. The first investment arose when the Palandri group was bought in 2008 by Global Wine Holdings (Deloitte, 2008). It comprises two vineyards, including a 350ha vineyard in Franklin River. Grand Farm Group, meanwhile, has invested in Amelia Park in Margaret River, and is in the process of investing in another vineyard in the region. Palinda, owned by a Hong Kong company, owns two vineyards in Margaret River and the Perth Hills. In 2011, a Chinese entrepreneur,

bought a majority stake in a major winery in the Great Southern appellation: Ferngrove (300ha) (Neales, 2012; Ferguson and Hendrischke, 2013). Although the number of investments is low, based on the land area cultivated in WA and the declared size of the vineyards owned or part-owned by Chinese investors, these holdings are estimated to represent more than six per cent of the vineyard land area, likely to be significantly more than in Bordeaux, where exact area owned by Chinese investors is not available, but the number of investments is only about one percent of the total vineyards and lots are small.

ISSUES: UNFAMILIARITY A lack of familiarity with the wine sector has proved difficult for some investors, especially those who seek to micromanage. However, in the case of Ferngrove in WA, although the investor’s primary business in China was ball bearings, the investment worked well, in large part because the Chinese investor focused on distribution of wine in China and interfered little in the Australian (production) side of the operation. While there are examples of such effective synergies in Bordeaux, including in Diva there are several examples of difficulties due to unfamiliarity with the wine sector. Industry margins in Bordeaux are often low and investment needed for the vineyards, many of which were viewed as being in a relatively bad state of repair, is deemed considerable. Several observers have noted that the Chinese investors may have overestimated the likely returns and underestimated their requirements in terms of working capital and this has led to frustration on both sides at times. In addition, wine is a highly regulated sector, especially in France, not least due to the requirements of the Appellation d’Origine Controllée (AOC)

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James Plamen Scott Andrew

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grapegrowing system. Early investors have acknowledged that they were surprised by the many constraints imposed on their production There is also evidence of misunderstanding of the legal framework of the host nation. In France, one investor sought to employ a large group of Chinese labourers to renovate a Bordeaux chateaux under Chinese employment conditions. Major difficulties in negotiating acquisitions have been experienced due to very different expectations on the French and Chinese sides. In WA, the local government organised a conference in April 2014 for potential Chinese investors in agribusiness generally, to provide awareness of opportunities and likely constraints. Overall, difficulties adapting to the local context have appeared to be less evident in WA. Australia, and WA in particular, has a longer history of Chinese investment and is home to a significant Chinese diaspora. Recent figures indicate that there were only 80,000 ethnic Chinese resident in France in 2011 (Insee, 2012) compared to 319,000 in Australia (ABS, 2012). It could be expected that such strong links would foster business relationships. In the case of one key WA investment, a key motivation behind the venture was to maintain an ongoing personal business relationship which had been established through an earlier joint venture in the meat export business. Another factor identified much more often in the Australian than the French context, was the existence of family ties to Australia – often through children attending university, with Chinese making up the largest international student cohort in what is a major export industry for Australia. Such connections and the reduction in unfamiliarity which they foster, are less likely to exist in France.

ISSUES: DISCRIMINATION HAZARDS Evidence of direct discrimination in our study was limited. In terms of public perceptions, Chinese investment in Australia has become the focus of considerable media attention in recent times, driven in part by several prominent and very large investments in the dairy and beef industries. Some politicians have called for government intervention to curtail Chinese foreign direct investment in agribusiness generally, including the wine sector. Although many press reports of actual investments have been favourable, it's a sensitive issue. The title of a recent KPMG report on the issue; ‘Demystifying Chinese Investment in Australian Agribusiness’ bears witness to this sensitivity. It is a fact that Chinese ownership is rarely actively publicised by the parties involved. The manager of one Australian vineyard acknowledged that while his peers sometimes commented negatively on the fact of his Chinese partnership, he experienced no important deleterious effects for his business political interference in Chinese investment, although potentially possible through the Australian government’s Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB), in practice doesn’t impact on the wine industry because the thresholds applied are far higher than any likely investment levels. SOEs, in theory are subject to review for all investments; however, the SOE investor which bought 70 per cent of Diva – Bright Foods – had previously purchased 75 per cent of an Australian food business Manassen with FIRB approval. In the French context, the Bordeaux region, in particular, has a long history of foreign direct investment and industry insiders have indicated that, in general, Chinese investment was welcomed and those that sold their properties were happy with the transaction. Nevertheless many Chinese investors prefer to remain discreet and it was noted that a prestigious or iconic chateau has yet to be bought by Chinese investors and if it was to happen, it could lead to unfavourable local sentiment. Several observers also commented that no owner of a Grand

40 Grapegrower & Winemaker

Cru Classé would sell to a Chinese buyer, indicating that there is discrimination, for whatever reason, at the higher end of the market. Overall, our study suggests negative perceptions are rather limited and underlines the urgent need for investment in the sector and the fact that foreign investment was to be welcomed, regardless of origin.

ISSUES: RELATIONAL COSTS Another issue for investors is the cost of managing a foreign asset, and this can potentially be high, especially in a context of low trust. Chinese investors are often handicapped not only by distance, language and unfamiliarity with the legal context, but also by lack of experience in the sector. Thus most Chinese investors that we have encountered have tended to adopt a rather ‘light touch’ approach to their investment. However this strategy also involves risks, as the high degree of trust required for such an approach may not always be present. In the case of two of the Australian vineyards, a climate of trust was clearly evident among the business partners and relational costs seemed to be low. A third Australian vineyard had installed Chinese management, perhaps in anticipation of such costs. In the French context, most investors seem to trust the local management to manage the day to day elements of the business. One case where the Chinese investor took a more ‘hands on’ approach rather negative results were identified with the local manager leaving due to differences of opinion on managerial issues and operational decision making. One industry consultant reported that one of his Chinese customers had come close to buying a French chateau, but had pulled out at the last minute precisely because of anticipated relational costs and the sheer distance involved. Many relational hazards are intimately linked to unfamiliarity hazards and the fact that Chinese investors in Australia were more familiar with the context in advance due to family and business links seems to have helped them to reduce such costs.

THE ADVANTAGES OF CHINESE INVESTMENT The key asset of Chinese investors has been identified as the knowledge of their home market, particularly in relation to bureaucratic regulation and retail distribution systems. A recent study has suggested that Chinese investors can secure higher margins for their Bordeaux properties because of the improved access to the large domestic retail market. Having a Chinese partner seemed to provide a clear advantage in terms of export potential. Although much initial Chinese investment in the sector was wholly owned, increasing numbers of Bordeaux investments are now part ownership structures, as are the most successful WA investments. In such cases, if the Chinese investor is competing with other potential investors for the asset, their links to a large market would seem to provide an advantage. This was the case in one of the most recent investments in Bordeaux (Diva), where the seller had received several international offers, but the choice to accept the Chinese partnership was motivated by the investor’s experience of retailing in China and their established distribution network. Ferngrove in WA also saw Chinese investment as a way to expand their export market. Both French and Australian companies recognise they can benefit from Chinese partners who understand the changing dynamics of the burgeoning Chinese consumer market. In terms of the potential negative associations of China as a country of origin for foreign direct investment, the large perceived difference between the legal and regulatory systems highlighted above is seen as a potentially important barrier to ensuring the efficient exploitation of investments. Distrust in France was further fueled by the 2013 annual report of the

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December 2014 – Issue 611

French institution tasked with monitoring foreign investments for money laundering, Tracfin. This reported that the complex structures set up to buy vineyards, including by Chinese investors, are often deliberately obscure and pass through off shore financial centers, making it very difficult to monitor the source of funds (Tracfin, 2013). Chinese investors were not alone in attracting attention. The report highlighted other emerging market sources, notably Russia. However, in June 2014, concerns on Chinese investors were further underlined by the report from the Chinese National Auditors Office which accused two companies of illegally acquiring 14 chateaux in Bordeaux with government funds that should have served to acquire foreign technology. Although there had been speculation regarding such questionable sourcing of funds this was the first official indication that there were verifiable irregularities in the funding of the investments and raised questions about its long term viability.

DIFFERENCES IN THE INSTITUTIONAL CONTEXT The norms for wine production in France are stricter, leading to steep learning curves for the investors in that country. However, unlike discrimination hazards, such unfamiliarity issues can be overcome through learning and adaptation although this clearly involves long-term focus and commitment. The tendency for institutional distance to be an issue appears to have been less evident in WA. This may be related to the role of trust and personal relationships. Chinese investors were often familiar both with doing business in Australia and with their identified business partners, when the investment decisions were made. This was clearly considered to be a factor in the success of the partnerships by WA industry observers.

CONCLUSION Overall, our findings indicate that several contextual factors influence the success of Chinese foreign direct investment in the two regions studies. Key among them are: • Prior experience of Chinese FDI – this can be both an advantage (fostering learning and trust) and a disadvantage (perceptions of large-scale buying up of land by an unfamiliar investor has fostered hostile political reactions in Australia); • Prior business experience between the investor and the acquired company or local partner. In the Australian case, this was very evident. No examples of long term business relationships leading to partnerships were found in France and trust was perceived to be lacking in several instances; • The size of acquisition targets. In France, vineyards are often very small, thus acquiring the scale required for the Chinese market requires investors to buy many different vineyards. In Australia they are much larger, thus through seven investments, Chinese investors control a significantly higher percentage of local production than through the 80 or so bought in Bordeaux. This capacity to achieve scale quickly reduces both transaction costs and potential negative publicity; and • Information is something that is increasingly recognised by all industry participants to be important. The Bordeaux CCI hosts seminars in Hong Kong and Bordeaux for potential investors to ensure that they are well versed in what to expect when they invest in France. The WA government’s 2014 conference for agri-business investors had a similar objective. Such initiatives by the public authorities have the potential to reduce unfamiliarity hazards and ensure that new investors have a realistic understanding of what to expect from their overseas venture.

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Alternative Varieties Wine Show

A. CHIEF OF JUDGES: Jane Faulkner guided the show judges through 716 entries, a new record number. B. CONCENTRATION: The crowd concentrates on the Talk and Taste presentations. C. FELLOW: The inaugural AAVWS Fellowship recipient, Sarah Limacher. D. CONCENTRATION: International judge Walter Speller evaluates another entry. E. OLD MATES: Bruce Chalmers, from Chalmers Wines, and Mark Lloyd, from Coriole, caught up at the Talk and Taste event. F. GEORGIA ON MY MIND: Lado Uzanashvilli, a winemaker from Georgia, presented a range of wines at the Talk and Taste event held at the Mildura Workingman’s Club. G. JUDGING TEAM: (Back, L-R) Stuart Kilmister, Treasury Wine Estates; Walter Speller, Italy correspondent for jancisrobinson. com; Brad Wehr, Wine by Brad; Corrina Wright, Oliver’s Taranga Vineyards; Sue Bell, Bellwether; Sam Connew, Stargazer Wines; Kim Chalmers, Chalmers Wines; Tennille Chalmers, Chalmers Wines; and Jane Faulkner. (Front, L-R) Matthew Di Sciascio, Di Sciascio Family Wines; and Stacey-Lee Edwards, Lake House. H. RAISE A GLASS: The awards were handed out during a long lunch aboard a paddle steamer on the Murray River. I. SUPER CHEFS: Frank Camorra, MoVida; and Stefano de Pieri, Mildura Brewery, behind the scenes of the long lunch. J. EVALUATE: Patrick Iland considers a Georgian white wine presented at the Talk and Taste event.

42 Grapegrower & Winemaker

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December 2014 – Issue 611

Want to try something new this vintage? Premium alternative variety grapes for sale from Chalmers, 2014 GT WINE Viticulturists of the year. 2015 vintage fruit, from both Heathcote and Merbein, available in lots from 200kg to 5+ tonnes. Nero dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Avola, ďŹ ano, sagrantino, vermentino, sangiovese, moscato giallo, montepulciano, aglianico, negroamaro, schioppettino, greco, picolit, refosco, nosiola, prosecco, malvasia Istriana, arneis, lagrein, nebbiolo & more... December 2014 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Issue 611

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grapegrowing PRODUCT UPDATE

Robust powdery mildew protection

GRAPEGROWERS across Australia have another option for powdery mildew protection with Vivando® fungicide from BASF. Vivando is highly effective in its control of powdery mildew and has a range of key benefits including a new mode of action, contact and vapour activity and one hour rainfastness which makes it the ideal fungicide option as a base for preventative spray programs. Vivando provides optimal disease control when applied in a regular preventative fungicide program. The active ingredient in Vivando also inhibits the penetration of the fungi into the plant tissue and stops new infections and therefore the disease cycle. Vivando has the ability to enter the waxy cuticle layer of the leaf tissue and protect areas of the plant that may not have been directly exposed to the fungicide. There is also a vapour effect where significant concentrations of the fungicide could be found in the airspace around the sprayed area for at least 14 days after application. This continues to provide protection to the developing plants and grape bunches. By including Vivando into the scheduled spray program growers have the opportunity to move away from older chemistry which is showing signs of resistance to powdery mildew. Vivando is a Group U8 fungicide and is the first fungicide within this group to be developed. Importantly, there is no known cross-resistance with other fungicide options in the Australian market, making it a key tool for resistance management.

Sigurd Howard, BASF technical services specialist, said the ability to protect new growth through vapour action is one of the unique properties of Vivando. “It offers outstanding protection through vapour action so its activity is not limited to where it hits the plant.” He recommended the use of Vivando early in the season to ensure the crop get protected from the initial stages of development. IPM programs are an important part of the viticulture and horticulture industries and Vivando is fully compatible to ensure key beneficial insects are left through the crops. Numerous tank mix trials have been conducted with other products, including fungicides and insecticides, with excellent compatibility reported. Vivando is a modern, water-based suspension concentration (SC) and therefore disperses rapidly in water with tests showing it fully dispersed within thirty seconds without further agitation. Vivando® also has very good rainfastness with trials showing it to be rainfast within an hour of application. This allows for excellent powdery mildew control, even during wet weather conditions. Vivando® fungicide has proven itself as the ideal option for powdery mildew control for the grape industry. Its excellent control and range of features will provide greater certainty for growers that their spray program will produce the desired yield and quality for a successful harvest.

Drumming up support DRUM Muster has called on industry groups to support its campaigns. Allan McGann, the national program manager, said the program has been conducting research into the ways it can increase participation in the safe disposal of empty agvet chemical containers. “There are still reports of people burning and burying their drums around the country and this practice is illegal in most jurisdictions,” he said. “Increasingly, consumers throughout Australia are demanding that all produce they purchase comes from

44 Grapegrower & Winemaker

quality producers who meet their responsibilities for on-farm waste management of chemicals and used containers, so the burning needs to cease.” The Drum Muster communications team are assessing their current promotional initiatives and have now identified groups and websites that have direct contact with farmers, growers and chemical users. McGann believes the next step is to promote awareness of Drum Muster in the online space. www.winebiz.com.au

“There is little or no coverage of the program to members for over 80 per cent of industry group websites,” he said. “The ultimate aim is to encourage these groups to spread the message that Drum Muster promotes good farm management practice and meets the requirements of QA programs. Drum Muster is trying to make it as easy as possible for farmers to tick those boxes” said Mr McGann. To learn more about Drum Muster, call 1800 008 007 or visit www.drummuster.com.au. December 2014 – Issue 611

Bird Control: Consider your options Bird Control

Many native and introduced birds in Australia can cause significant damage to grapevine – and do it fast. The NSW Department of Primary Industries says the main problem species are starlings, sparrows, European blackbirds, silvereyes, parrots and lorikeets, cockatoos, honeyeaters and corvids.

MANY native and introduced birds in Australia can cause significant damage to grapevine – and do it fast. The NSW Department of Primary Industries says the main problem species are starlings, sparrows, European blackbirds, silvereyes, parrots and lorikeets, cockatoos, honeyeaters and corvids. There is a diverse range of options for managing pest birds. They have variable effectiveness and no single solution is applicable to all situations. Most crop damage occurs during the ripening season, which coincides with the busiest time for growers. As a result, bird management is often not initiated until after considerable damage has already occurred. Integrated pest management is a concept well understood for insect and disease problems, but birds are rarely managed in the same strategic way. Rather than focusing simply on killing as many pests as possible, it is now realised that, as with most other aspects of agriculture, bird management needs to be carefully planned and coordinated. Bird control is just one aspect of an integrated approach to the management of production. Many birds are highly mobile and can readily replace those that are killed in control program. Unless actions are well planned and coordinated they are unlikely to have a lasting effect. When planning bird management there are some important steps that should be considered. What is the problem? In the past, the pest was usually seen as the only problem. Hence the solution was to kill as many as possible. We now know that the situation is more complex. First, determine what the problem is. It may be reduced crop yields, secondary losses causing downgrading of fruit, complaints from neighbours, or December 2014 – Issue 611

emotional stress from worrying about the next attack. Several things impact on each of these problems and controlling birds is often only part of the solution. The following questions will help define the problem: • Where is the problem? • How severe is the problem? • Will the problem change with time?

IDENTIFY THE BIRDS INVOLVED Implementing an effective bird control program requires a basic understanding of the ecology and biology of the targeted pest species and (in some cases) those species affected directly (nontargets) or indirectly (prey species) by a control program. Control strategies can be targeted at particular groups of birds. For example, some species such as rosellas, sparrows and European blackbirds are largely sedentary and may live in and around a crop throughout the year. Trying to prevent them from entering and damaging the crop only during the time it is vulnerable is very difficult without applying some out-of-season management of these species. Top your steel and timber posts with Protecaps to

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At A glAnce: • Identify the birds causing the damage and consider behaviour, movements and legalities. • Measure the damage – how much is bird damage actually costing the grower? • Apply integrated control and consider using multiple techniques. For scaring, start early and use persistence, variation and reinforcement. • Review the bird management strategy. Do the benefits outweigh the costs? If not, change tactics or do nothing other than monitoring in case damage worsens.

This is in contrast to the control strategies appropriate for species such as silvereyes and many honeyeaters that are highly migratory and only move into crops during specific periods.

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Grapegrower & Winemaker

grapegrowing Their control needs to be initiated only if any of these periods coincide with the time that the crop is vulnerable to damage. Native birds need to be identified because most of these species are protected and permits are required for their control. Furthermore, most native birds are beneficial or desirable, so it is important that management does not affect these species. Conversely, some birds can be both beneficial and pests. Honeyeaters for example, can become a more serious problem in orchards during seasons of poor Eucalyptus flowering, but also consume many damaging insects throughout the year. Other information sheets are available on individual pest bird identification, biology, movements, habitat, feeding behaviour and the damage they cause.

ESTIMATE THE DAMAGE CAUSED TO PRODUCTION Estimating the amount of damage and calculating the cost will provide a basis for deciding how to best reduce pest bird impact and how much the grower can afford to invest in any control effort.

BIRD CONTROL: Silvereyes can cause significant crop damage.

Proven Sound Technology ThaT rePelS BirdS Our Clients tell us: “Bird Gard is very cost effective”. Peter Ceccato SA “there was rarely a Silvereye to be seen”. Spike Fokkema WA “crows and starlings are a thing of the past”. David Handyside SA “almost 100% protection”. Denzil Mortimer VIC “it was like a miracle”. Mike Verco SA

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46 Grapegrower & Winemaker

www.winebiz.com.au

December 2014 – Issue 611

The plan must have long term, year-to-year strategies to prevent damage and short term reactive strategies to cope with sudden increases in damage. The percentage of crop damaged by birds in an orchard block can be estimated by randomly or systematically sampling rows, plants, and individual fruit or bunches. Bird damage to individual fruit or bunches can be estimated by counting, weighing or by using a visual estimate. Often sampling and calculating damage for the edges of a crop separately will increase the efficiency.

IDENTIFY ANY KEY CONSTRAINTS Consider legal, social and environmental issues. For example, will scaring devices be acceptable to the local community, and are the techniques legally and/or environmentally responsible and acceptable? And decide when the most cost-effective time it is to implement the plan. Even when good information is available it is often not practicable to be

DEVELOP THE MOST APPROPRIATE BIRD MANAGEMENT PLAN

immediately responsive to short term fluctuations in bird numbers or the damage they cause. When damage becomes significant it is usually too late to implement control. For example, effective use of scaring often requires a ‘start early’ approach to prevent birds establishing a feeding pattern. Likewise, investment in netting cannot be simply withdrawn for those seasons in which damage is below the cost–benefit threshold. Instead, we may need to look at costs and benefits over a longer time frame and make decisions accordingly. If damage in the area is likely to be high or there is a history of high levels of damage, the grower should be more inclined to invest in continuing management action. Measuring damage this year will help in selecting the optimal management option next year and beyond.

Exid

Importantly, the management plan must have details of what will be done, who will do it, when it will be done and how much it will cost. Options can include individual techniques or combinations, and different levels of application. The plan must have long term, yearto-year strategies to prevent damage and short term reactive strategies to cope with sudden increases in damage. For example, in the long term, managers may use netting on a small part of their crop every year. In the short term, when damage is higher, they may also implement a scaring program. This information is based on national guidelines for managing pest birds developed by the Bureau of Rural Sciences and NSW Department of Primary Industries, with assistance from the Natural Heritage Trust and the Australasian Pest Bird Network. More information is avaialable on the NSW Department of Primary Industries website, in the 'pests, diseases and disoprders in horticultural crops' section.

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Email: sales@ehcambridge.com.au • Web: www.ehcambridge.com.au December 2014 – Issue 611

www.winebiz.com.au

www.vinenets.com.au

Grapegrower & Winemaker

Want to see what the G9.330 can do for you? Between January and March 2015, the brand new fully specâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d Gregoire G9.330 will be on tour in NSW, Vic and SA to demonstrate the considerable advantages it offers to growers and contractors. Five Gregoire Select dealers have been appointed as your first point of contact for all new and used Gregoire sales across Australia. All other Gregoire dealers will still provide fast parts supply and excellent after sales service. PFG Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lee Seatter continues to coordinate and manage the Gregoire operation and share his expertise. For more information about Gregoire G9 demonstrations, contact your local Gregoire dealer or call 1800 228 824.

Lee Seatter Australasia Viticulture Manager

Serafin Agpro: Griffith, NSW Darryl Serafin: 0419 687493 Date: First week of February

Vinetech Engineering: Waikere, SA Ben Stephen: 0439 666500 Date: Early March

Vinetech Engineering: Padthaway, SA Ben Stephen: 0439 666500 Date: Mid March

GFT Sales & Service: Mildura, VIC Shane Gillies: 0448 064866 Date: Mid February

GFT Sales & Service: Renmark, SA Shane Gillies: 0448 064866 Date: Mid-late February

Call today for a viewing or demonstration!

www.gregoire-australasia.com.au

Free Call: Lee Seatter 1800 228 824

THE G9.330 JUST GOT BETTER!

The new G9.330 has taken former models to a whole new level with upgrades all round. • • • •

New suspended parallelogram picking head Optional picking heads Greater catcher length More head locks

• • • •

Improved steering design Smart forward light placement Beefy, no nonsense rear axle New front steering columns

Gregoire G9, meeting current and future needs for growers across Australia. PFG CREDIT is also available for anyone wanting lease, delayed or term payment options which we can tailor to your budget. Finance terms, fees & conditions apply to approved ABN holders. PFG Credit is a division of De Lage Landen Pty Limited ABN 20 101 692 040.

www.gregoire-australasia.com.au

Free Call: Lee Seatter 1800 228 824

grapegrowing

Get more done every day, with the newest Farmall tractor THE FARMALL® C, Case IH’s newest mid-size tractor, reliably and cost-effectively delivers the power and performance Australian viticulturists expect, with a superior interior environment. Tractors The well-known Farmall name represents a powerhouse that meets the demand for rugged equipment that gets those day-to-day jobs done while being comfortable and easy-to-operate. “It’s a multipurpose model ready to meet any challenge, whether you are spraying, harvesting or spreading fertiliser,” said Peter Elias, Case IH Product Manager – Tractors. The new Farmall C range provides three options to choose: • Farmall 95C with 82 PTO HP; • Farmall 105C with 91 PTO HP; and • Farmall 115C with 96 PTO HP. Tough-at-heart with updated clean-diesel technology, the new Farmall C models use Case IH FPT Industrial 4-cylinder 3.4-L turbocharged and intercooled engines. Precise electronic fuel metering and electronic high-pressure fuel injection improves efficiency, extends engine life and improves coldengine starting. Most importantly, it provides efficient power. “This unique fuel injection system provides greater fuel savings, even with higher horsepower levels,” Elias said.

The newly designed Farmall cab goes a step above the rest to make the operator’s day better and more productive, with user-friendly features such as a power clutch for easy shifting, and advanced internal control ergonomics that include easyto-read instrument data within the steering column and more accessible remote valves. It also offers unmatched loader visibility, thanks to the standard high-visibility roof panel, and the new climate control system revolutionises in-cab comfort with 10 adjustable vents providing superior control during long days that are hot, cold or dusty. Owners can configure their Farmall according to their unique needs, with a choice of Vision Lift or Prime Lift loaders, and the option of ROPS or cab configuration. It’s a reliable, cost-effective utility tractor that can get it all done. Additionally, complementing the Farmall 95C, 105C and the 115C, a Farmall 75C is available, offering all the features customers have come to expect from Case IH’s Farmall range whilst being designed for lighter operations. “The new Farmall C tractors are your powerful, tough, adaptable and comfortable companions ready to handle any chore – all day long,” Elias said. “These tractors truly raise the bar.”

Case IH Farmall C - Vineyard Specification Farmall 95C

Farmall 105C

Farmall 115C

Engine Type

Fiat Power Train - Electronic High Pressure Common Rail

Cylinder / Displacement (L) Rated Power (Hp)

4 / 3.4 99

107

114

Transmission Standard

24 x 24 Hi Lo Power Shuttle

Creeper

40 x 40 Hi Lo Power Shuttle

3-Point Hitch Lift Capacity (kg)

3570

Dimensions Overall Width Fender to Fender (mm)**

1650

Overall Length (mm)

4241

Overall Height Cab (mm)

2494 - 2581

Overall Height ROPS (mm)

1899

Wheelbase (mm)

2235

Tyres Greater fuel savings with higher horsepower, combined with a redesigned operator environment make the new Farmall C a reliable and costeffective tractor particularly suited to vineyard applications.

50 Grapegrower & Winemaker

Front

335/80R20

Rear

380/85R30

**Factory Forward Order Only

www.winebiz.com.au

December 2014 – Issue 611

New Holland innovations NEW HOLLAND has further extended the T5 range’s appeal with the addition of the acclaimed Electro Command™, semipowershift transmission. The truly allrounder three-model range, developing between 99-114hp will benefit from a state-of-the-art transmission, alongside proven class-leading Common Rail technology for Tier 4A compliance and the segment’s benchmark, deluxe VisionView™ Cab. The Electro Command™, semi powershift transmission is an optimised

version of the acclaimed transmission currently fitted to the popular T6000 range. This highly efficient transmission features 16 forward and reverse gears, and enables operators to select up to eight gears via up or downshift buttons on the dedicated transmission lever without physically moving it. This lever falls naturally to hand whilst working. Range changing is further facilitated by the addition of three buttons on the right hand Command Arc. The gear selected is displayed on the easy to read

instrument cluster, for at a glance gear consultation. The T5 has redefined the concept of medium sized tractor comfort with the industry-leading deluxe VisionView™ cab. When specified with the optional Comfort Ride™ Cab Suspension, the T5 offers an unsurpassed operating environment. Familiar to users of the T6, T7 and T8 ranges, it acts to counteract even the harshest bumps and reduces operator fatigue courtesy of a silky smooth ride, even when driving on

McCormick POWER Ratings Eng kW - (HP)

PTO kW - (HP)

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

McCormick F90N

61 (83)

51.5 (70)

540/750

24 x 12

3/4

2600

55%

$55,400.00

McCormick F80 XL

54.5/74

46.5/63

540/750

15 x 15 (RPS Option)

2/2/3

2600

55%

$60,700.00

McCormick F90 XL

61/83

51.5/70

540/750

16 x 15 (RPS Option)

2/2/3

2600 + 650

55%

$63,200.00

McCormick F100 XL

68/92.5

57/77.5

540/750

17 x 15 (RPS Option)

2/2/3

2600 + 650

55%

$65,900.00

McCormick F110 XL

75/102

63/85.5

540/750

17 x 15 (RPS Option)

2/2/3

2600 + 650

55%

$68,500.00

McCormick F120 XL

81/110.5

68/92.5

540/750

18 x 15 (RPS Option)

2/2/3

2600 + 650

55%

$70,200.00

Brand & Model TRACTORS

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 2014 – Issue 611

www.winebiz.com.au

Grapegrower & Winemaker

grapegrowing uneven roads or across cultivated fields. The T5 range is synonymous with outstanding manoeuvrability, a prerequisite when negotiating tight yards and headlands. T5 Electro Command’s compact dimensions have been maintained within a 2380mm wheelbase, a mere 3cm longer than Dual Command™ versions. The T5 Electro Command can be equipped with 540/65R38 tyres to reduce soil compaction and increase the load capacity in transport operations.

The T5 Electro Command range benefits from New Holland’s acclaimed Terralock™ traction management system. Once engaged, the system automatically controls four wheel drive and differential lock engagement through continuous dialogue between speed sensors, the brake pedal and the rear linkage. The system will automatically disengage during tight turns for example, on the headland. This advanced system eliminates the ‘scrubbing’ effect on tyres when turning as the wheels are

free to turn and not locked together, consequently, productivity-impacting soil scaring is also reduced. This system is also automatically disengaged when forward speed reaches 15kph for enhanced transport efficiency. The T5 Electro Command enables significantly lower fuel bills thanks to the concurrent implementation of an exceptionally efficient CEGR system together and the introduction of Common Rail technology to the 3.4 litre F5C engine.

Ferrari Tractors 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

POA

Eng kW - (HP)

PTO kW - (HP)

Cromo K30 RS

18.6 (25)

16.4 (22)

540

8F/4R

1050

2670

Cromo K40 RS

26.2 (35.6)

23 (31.5)

540

8F/4R

1050

2670

POA

34 (46)

29 (39)

540/750

12F/12R

1300

2800

POA

Cobram 50 RS Reversible Cobram V65 RS Reversible

41.2 (56)

36 (49)

540/750

12F/12R

1800

2800

POA

Cobram V65 RS Reversible

41.2 (56)

36 (49)

540/750

12F/12R

1800

2800

POA

Vega 75EP SDT Dualsteer

51.4 (70)

43.7 (59.5)

540/1000

16F/16R

2700

2650

POA

Vega 95EP SDT Dualsteer

66.9 (91)

56.8 (77.3)

540/750

16F/16R

2700

2650

POA

Vega 85EP SDT RS

61.5(84)

53 (71)

540/750

16F/16R

2700

3800

POA

Vega 95EP SDT RS

66.9 (91)

56.8 (77.3)

540/750

16F/16R

2700

3800

POA

Vega 95EP RS Reversible

66.9 (91)

56.8 (77.3)

540/750

16F/16R

2700

3700

POA

Vega 95EP RS Reversible

66.9 (91)

56.8 (77.3)

540/750

16F/16R

2700

3700

POA

Thor 95 RS Reversible

66.9 (91)

56.8 (77.3)

540/750

16F/16R

2700

3280

POA

52 Grapegrower & Winemaker

www.winebiz.com.au

December 2014 – Issue 611

Antonio Carraro Brand & Model

POWER Ratings Eng kW - (HP)

PTO kW - (HP)

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

TRACTORS 75-90 KW Tigrone Jona 5800

35 (48)

31 (44)

540

Synchro - 12-12

1-3

2100

2000

$30,975

TTR 4400 HST Rev

26 (38)

22 (34)

540/1000

Hydro - 4-4

2-3

900

1950

$37,999

TRH 9800 Rev

65 (87)

61 (83)

540/540E

Hydro - 4-4

3-5

2200

2100

$64,064

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 9800 Rev

65 (87)

61 (83)

540/540E

Synchro - 16-16

3-5

2400

2300

$59,560

TRG 10900 Rev

73 (98)

69 (93)

540/540E

Synchro - 16-16

3-5

2400

2300

$61,360

TTR 7800 Rev Open Cab

52 (71)

48 (67)

540/540E

Synchro - 16-16

3-5

2400

2300

$63,284

TTR 10900 Rev Open Cab

73 (98)

69 (93)

540/540E

Synchro - 16-16

3-5

2400

2300

$65,634

TGF 9800 Pressurised Cab

65 (87)

61 (83)

540/540E

Synchro - 16-16

3-5

2400

2000

$71,739

TGF 10900 Pressurised Cab

73 (98)

69 (93)

540/540E

Synchro - 16-16

3-5

2400

2000

$73,539

TRX 7800S Rev

52 (71)

48 (67)

540/540E

Synchro - 16-16

3-5

2400

2000

$54,514

TRX 9800 Rev

65 (87)

61 (83)

540/540E

Synchro - 16-16

3-5

2400

2100

57,944

TRX 10900 Rev

73 (98)

69 (93)

540/540E

Synchro - 16-16

3-5

2400

2100

$59,744

Mach 4 (Quad track)

65(87)

61(83)

540/540E

Synchro - 16-16

3-8

2400

2000

POA

December 2014 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Issue 611

www.winebiz.com.au

Grapegrower & Winemaker

grapegrowing

New Holland POWER Ratings Brand & Model

Eng kW (HP)

PTO kW (HP)

No. of Cyls

PTO Speeds

Transmission Type Speeds F-R

HYD Outlets StdMax

TPL Category Max Lift KG

TURN Radius mm

INDICATIVE Price only

TRACTORS 40-55 KW TT4.55

41 (55)

36 (49)

540 / 540E

12 x 12 Synchromesh

1-2

2 - 2500

6000

$22,990

TT4.65

48 (65)

42(57)

3TIC

540 / 540E

12 x 12 Synchromesh

1-2

2 - 2500

6000

$26,490

TT4.75

55 (75)

48 (66)

3TIC

540 / 540E

12 x 12 Synchromesh

1-2

2 - 2500

6400

$29,990

63 (86)

52 (70)

4 TAC

540 / 540E

24 x 24 Dual Command

2-3

2 - 3884

4235

$67,330

T4.95

73 (99)

61 (82)

4 TAC

540 / 540E

24 x 24 Dual Command

2-3

2 - 3884

4235

$69,330

T4.105

79 (107)

67 (91)

4 TAC

540 / 540E

24 x 24 Dual Command

2-3

2 - 3884

4235

$73,330

T4.115

85 (114)

71 (96)

4 TAC

540 / 540E

24 x 24 Dual Command

2-3

2 - 3884

4235

$77,330

T4.75F

57 (78)

49 (66)

4 TIC

540/750/1000

16 x 16 Synchromesh

2 - 2600

2900

$73,196

T4.75F

57 (78)

49 (66)

4 TIC

540/750/1000

44 x 16 Dual Command

2 - 2600

2900

$78,194

T4.85F

65 (88)

57 (77)

4TIC

540/750/1000

16 x 16 Synchromesh

2 - 2600

2900

$76,696

T4.85F

65 (88)

57 (77)

4TIC

540/750/1000

44 x 16 Dual Command

2 - 2600

2900

$81,694

T4.95F

71 (97)

63 (85)

4TIC

540/750/1000

16 x 16 Synchromesh

2 - 2600

2980

$80,996

T4.95F

71 (97)

63 (85)

4TIC

540/750/1000

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54 Grapegrower & Winemaker

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December 2014 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Issue 611

winemaking

The case for optimism At A glAnce: SUPER CONSUMERS ARE: • A group of consumers in every category that spend a lot and care a lot. • 10 per cent of your consumer base that gives you 40-70 per cent of your sales.

MICHAEL Walton, Nielsen’s Consumer and Business Intelligence executive director, is keen for the wine industry to see the glass as half full. He says global consumer confidence levels are lifting, the ageing population should present an attractive consumer target group, and people are starting to realise how to share their stories with younger consumers and attract a new audience. “We know more about consumers than ever before,” Walton said. “And what we can see is some of our consumers are naturally attuned to our stories.” Walton’s positive outlook on selling wine has been matched by an IBIS World report that predicted Australian wine production is set to rebound. Spencer Little recently offered another optimistic outlook in his summation of the industry for IBIS World. “Despite the tough conditions over the past decade, things are looking up for wine production in Australia. Over the next five years, domestic wine production is expected to improve. Operators are addressing the oversupply problem by reducing production and closing underperforming wineries, which should gradually bring the industry back to balance,” Little wrote. “Furthermore, the depreciation of the Australian dollar is reviving industry exports and making cheaper imported products less competitive in the domestic market.” Little also analysed consumer behaviour and made some positive predictions. “Over the next five years, consumer shifts towards premium wine products and increased online liquor sales are expected to benefit local wine producers.” And he looked at the current trend of online sales growth. “Online wine retailers have found success by stocking premium, niche and independent wine labels that may not be available at mass-market, bricks-and-mortar liquor retailers. Cellarmasters, acquired by Woolworths in 2011, has generated rapid growth by focusing on the online fine wine market. Independent online

Despite the tough conditions over the past decade, things are looking up for wine production in Australia. December 2014 – Issue 611

For further information, please contact Kauri NZ Tel: 0800 KAURIWINE NZ Fax: 04 910 7415 Email: winery@kauri.co.nz

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winemaking

OPTIMISM: That glass is half full. Photo: ©Markus Mainka/123rf.com

Steady growth is achievable if you can tap into the right consumers. Across most categories, just 10 per cent of the consumer base will give you 40-70 per cent of your sales. When you ﬁnd the core group, that natural 10 per cent, it’s a bit like the silver bullet for your business. wine retailers are also growing strongly and establishing supply contracts with a range of domestic wine producers.” “The emergence of new online wine retailers, and the shift in consumer tastes towards more premium wine labels, is shaking up the downstream market for wine producers. These trends, coupled with the wine production industry’s expected return to balance, are expected to provide a host of opportunities at both the wine production and retail levels over the next five years.” Looking across recent global consumer sentiment, Walton said people at home haven’t actually been as positive as those who live in the major wine export markets. “Everywhere else you look there are good global stories, but Australia has dipped,” he said. “Overall the world is more positive, and if Australia isn’t, then it’s a local problem. “Consumer confidence is more positive in the UK and the US than here at home. Consumer confidence doesn’t always relate to better spending power, but it’s a good precursor.” Walton said all the data he has access to makes him think that anybody with wine bound for the US at a high price point “should be doing very well” but he sees a lot of positive news across many different markets. “There are huge prizes on offer anywhere there is a growing middle class. Looking across Asia there is expected to be an extra 400 million people in the middle class by the year 2020,” he said. He also listed “millennials” as a very interesting target. “They are not the main game at the moment, but they will be the biggest area for growth.” Who are these millennials? Anybody born between the early 1980s and early 2000s. And Walton said everything that underpins many wine brands actually fits really neatly into what this next wave of consumers already value most. “Huge domestic growth, it’s not gonna happen. But steady growth is achievable if you can tap into the right consumers. Across most categories, just 10 per cent of the consumer base will give you 40-70 per cent of your sales. When you find the core group, that natural 10 per cent, it’s a bit like the silver bullet for your business,” Walton said.

56 Grapegrower & Winemaker

“You need to find the super consumers, those who are economically and emotionally connected.” According to Walton’s colleagues, super consumers fill the “sweet spot between those who spend a lot and those who care a lot”. Rachael Powell, Neilson associate director - shopper; and Greg Dring, Neilson head of demand strategy, teamed up to determine growth is achievable when you find your super consumers. Their findings on super consumers were developed with a realistic view - that achieving sales growth has never been tougher. However, they have observed companies can still find growth within their existing customer base by identifying a category’s super consumers and tailoring marketing and sales efforts. Super consumers could be just as lucrative in both the export and domestic market. “Looking across all fast-moving consumer goods categories in Australia, we found there is a group of consumers in every category that spend a lot and care a lot,” Dring said. “On average, they make up 10-15 per cent of households and more than double that in sales. They have a hidden appetite to buy more even in the most unlikely product categories. “When companies prioritise these Super Consumers they see unprecedented growth, with a direct correlation between brand share of category dollars and brand share of super consumer spend.” Dring said it is worth changing focus to look more closely at super consumers, rather than more traditional category users, lapsed users or switchers. By doing so, companies open up a range of possibilities and insights that hadn’t previously been recognised to drive growth. According to Eddie Yoon, from Neilson subsidiary The Cambridge Group, the decision to find and delight your super consumers can offer growth for your business without any more complexity. “The opportunity is right there, and companies can tap into their super consumers using the data and information they already have and are working with,” Yoon said.

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December 2014 – Issue 611

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winemaking

Stickiness: A new concept in grape and wine tannin

Matthew R. Revelette, Ralph S. Yacco and James A. Kennedy from the Department of Viticulture and Enology at California State University have looked to better identify the influence of various winemaking practices on tannin stickiness. THERE are an incredible range of sensory descriptors that refer to red wine tannin. Words like silky, velvety, dusty, green or hard have all been used by winemakers, wine writers and consumers from around the world when referring to tannins in wines, but what is the underlying chemistry that leads to these descriptors? Developing a standardised vocabulary of mouthfeel descriptors and the chemistry responsible for these descriptors is essential if we are to effectively manage red wine mouthfeel in the vineyard and winery. Our goal as tannin researchers is to understand the chemistry of astringency so that viticulturists and winemakers can manage astringency more effectively. Tannin concentration plays a significant role, but it does not tell the entire story – anecdotes abound regarding wines that have similar tannin concentration but have mouthfeel characteristics that are inexplicably different. The transformation of red wine mouthfeel during micro-oxygenation for example, is an indication that wine matrix components (Figure 1), while important in tannin perception,

Our perception of tannin is influenced by many wine components

Tannin Concentration Composition

Colloidal State

Direct Oxidation Glycerol Anthocynin

Ethanol

Polysaccharide

Oxidation Products Organic Acid

Aroma Compound

Residual Sugar

Mannoprotein Perceived Tannin

Figure 1. Generalised view of the role that tannin concentration and composition, in conjunction with wine matrix elements, drives mouthfeel description.

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58 Grapegrower & Winemaker

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December 2014 – Issue 611

do not fully explain mouthfeel descriptors. Clearly tannin structure modification influences activity, yet, historically the objective and routine measurement of tannin activity has been a challenge. In order to better understand tannins within wine, we need to develop a methodology to determine not only the tannin concentration but also how active that tannin is. In wines, tannins are derived primarily from the skins and seeds of grapes and are extracted during fermentation and maceration. These compounds are considered essential because of the structure and mouthfeel qualities that they contribute to red wines. Astringency in red wine is considered to be a result of the precipitation of salivary proteins by tannins and/or the binding of tannins to our oral mucosa. Tannin structure and subsequently the astringency of wine is modified throughout the various winemaking processes and proceeds through bottle aging of the finished product. Astringency perception in wine may be modified in a number of ways that we can broadly refer to as mouthfeel management (Figure 2). The ‘wine matrix’ plays a role with acidity, alcohol concentration, residual sugar, mannoprotein and polysaccharides all contributing in various ways to the mouthfeel of a wine. Acidity in wine increases both bitterness and astringency, while an increase in alcohol concentration reduces perceived astringency while increasing bitterness and contributing to the ‘body’ of the wine. Residual sugar contributes to the sweetness of wine, which attenuates astringency. Yeastderived mannoproteins and grape derived polysaccharides interact with tannins in wine and can inhibit their astringent qualities. In a perfect world, knowing the tannin composition and concentration would tell us all we need to know about the perceived astringency it would produce, but wines are never that simple. Tannin concentration has a central role in astringency, and in general, the higher the tannin concentration, the more astringent the wine becomes. However, tannin compositional effects such as skin/seed ratio, polymer size distribution, colour incorporation and degree of oxidation are all considered to be of critical importance to understanding the sub-qualities of astringency in wines. Skin tannins have been shown to be less bitter and astringent than seed tannins and higher proportions of skin tannins have also been found to correlate with higher perceptions of quality and price point. Tannin polymer size distribution is an important consideration because higher molecular mass tannins have been shown to correlate with an increase in astringency. Colour incorporation into the tannin polymer is thought to attenuate astringency. Tannin oxidation through barrel and bottle aging is generally considered to influence perception by modifying tannin interaction through shape modification. In order to better understand the role of tannin structure in red wine astringency, it is helpful to understand the underlying chemistry associated with astringency. It is generally considered that this interaction is non-specific as tannins bind equally well Tannin "Wine Matrix" • Acidity

Concentration • Amount

Composition

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• Skin/Seed

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• Residual sugar

• Colour Incorporation

• Mannoproteins

• Tannin oxidation

• Polysaccharides Figure 2. The management of red wine mouthfeel generally encompasses the management of the attributes shown above.

December 2014 – Issue 611

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winemaking

Figure 3. Model conceptualizing tannin hydrophobic interaction with salivary protein.

with other macromolecular structures including yeast and grape cell wall material. From previous studies on the interaction of tannins with model proteins, a three stage process can be proposed where the initial stage of interaction is consistent with a hydrophobically driven interaction. Subsequent stages which lead to the precipitation of tannin-protein aggregates appear to also include hydrogen bonding. This precipitation of salivary proteins by tannins has been hypothesised to create a loss of lubricity in the mouth, which is responsible for the sensation of astringency. Additional calorimetry studies have shown that tannins isolated from skins and seeds interact differently with a model protein. The value in this finding is two-fold: tannin structure variation has been shown to influence extent of hydrophobic interaction and it can be measured. The goal of our research is to develop analytics that can more routinely measure the extent of hydrophobic interaction (hereafter referred to as stickiness). To conceptualise tannin stickiness, the following is posited. A young tannin that would be typical of a pre-veraison grape would have a more rod-like structure that would easily interact with a salivary protein. However, more modified tannins in aged wines would develop more complex intramolecular linkages and functionality thus developing a more globular shape due to structure modification as a result of acid-catalysed reactions and oxidation. Recent developments in determining the shape of tannin structures provides supporting evidence for this shape transformation. This shape modification is

postulated to ultimately lead to a reduction in the surface available for interaction with protein thus rendering the tannin less sticky (Figure 3). This transformation is consistent with sensory evaluation of older wines and the softening effect that occurs. With this interaction in mind, an HPLC method was developed. In this model, a grape-derived tannin (left), a proline repeat that is particularly abundant in salivary proteins (middle) and aged tannin (right). Purple ovals indicate regions available for surface interaction. Based upon calorimetry studies, an analytical method was developed based upon high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The HPLC method consists of a polystyrene divinylbenzene column that would only allow for hydrophobic interactions – the same chemical interaction during the initial stage of tannin-protein interaction, and was modified from a previously published method. To acquire stickiness information for the tannin in question, each sample is analysed at four different column temperatures, and from this temperature response, the stickiness of the tannin towards the HPLC column can be calculated. In addition to stickiness, this HPLC method can also provide concentration information. Operating under the hypothesis that stickiness is a property of the tannin rather than a function of its concentration in the system; it was predicted that stickiness would not be affected by concentration. To investigate this, wine or tannin solutions were serially diluted across a large concentration range (e.g.: from 112 7408-225mg/L) and the results showed that regardless of tannin concentration, the stickiness did not vary (e.g.: -4905 ± 153 J/mol). This finding is critical because it shows that tannin stickiness is an intensive property – an attribute that is independent of concentration. The above finding was strengthened by the standard addition of exogenous tannins to a wine. In this experiment, the stickiness of the resultant tannin was found to be dependent on the fractional composition of individual tannins as opposed to concentration. This finding indicates that this new analytical method not only measures the concentration of tannin within the sample, but how sticky that tannin is. With this finding, we decided to examine this new stickiness parameter with initial experiments designed to show the potential significance of tannin stickiness. In order to explore the potential applications of this method in a winemaking setting, a gelatin fining trial was conducted. The results were consistent with prior observations that the gelatin preferentially removed higher molecular mass tannins, or stickier tannins. Consistent with the predicted result, not only did the concentration of tannin in the solution decline, but so too did the stickiness of the remaining tannin in the solution. This finding shows that gelatin fining not only reduces

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December 2014 – Issue 611

Figure 4. Analysis of wines with groups separated by numbers; Paso Robles Bordeaux varietals (1), research scale cabernet sauvignon wines (2), 2009 Bordeaux wines (3), 2012 estate-grown barrel samples (4)

the concentration of tannin, it alters the tannin composition of the solution also, in contrast to a dilution experiment where concentration is effected while stickiness is not. Lastly, a set of wines was analysed in order to gain insight into the variation of stickiness in a set of commercial Bordeaux varietal wines. California wines were sourced directly from the winery and Bordeaux wines were purchased from a wine shop. This data set varied by age and region, and the analytical results are shown in Figure 4. The set of wines showed that tannin concentration and stickiness varied considerably and that there was a broad range of stickiness values possible at

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any given concentration. There was also a poor correlation (r2 = 0.24) when stickiness values were plotted against concentration values, which reinforces the finding that tannin concentration and tannin stickiness are independent and unique variables. In preliminary work, finding wines with similar tannin concentrations and different stickiness values – and conversely finding wines with different tannin concentrations but similar stickiness values has been the focal point of the preliminary uncontrolled tastings, and the results have been promising. The researchers have also worked in collaboration with winemaking teams in California and have found good

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Figure 5. Tannin concentration versus stickiness graph with various timeintensity curves shown.

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Grapegrower & Winemaker

winemaking correlations between analytical values and sensory descriptors, albeit with a limited data set. Conceptualising the perceptual difference between tannin concentration and stickiness under winetasting conditions is hypothesised as follows (Figure 5). The concentration of tannin in wine is related to the astringency maximum while stickiness is related to its duration. While in vitro and preliminary sensory experiments have shown that tannin stickiness is a unique analytical parameter and with results to date indicating that this parameter has relevance to wine production, controlled sensory studies are required. Linking sensory data to these analytical results is the next phase of this research. To this end, funding has been approved and will involve Dr Hildegarde Heymann at the University of California, Davis. We are currently building a large data set of wines in order to target wines with specific stickiness attributes that can then be directed to sensory studies. This method shows promise with regards to processing decisions that influence tannin composition that may include pressing, racking, micro-oxygenation, barrel aging, fining and filtering. The fining trial and exogenous tannin addition experiments in this study showcased the applicability of this method to practical winemaking scenarios, and current projects including extended maceration and egg-white fining trials. The novel information that this approach captures has the potential to demystify some of the more frustrating issues of tannin, astringency and overall mouthfeel quality. This new approach may help winemakers to better identify the influence of various winemaking practices on tannin stickiness, as well as identifying wine mouthfeel attributes objectively. Gawel R, Oberholster A, Francis IL (2000) A ‘Mouth-feel Wheel’: terminology for communicating the mouth-feel characteristics of red wine. Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research 6: 203-207. McRae JM, Kennedy JA (2011) Wine and grape tannin interactions with salivary proteins and impact on astringency: A review of current research. Molecules 16: 2348-2364. Cerpa-Calderón FK, Kennedy JA (2008) Berry integrity and extraction of skin and seed proanthocyanidins during red wine fermentation. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 56: 9006-9014. Guinard JX, Pangborn RM, Lewis MJ (1986) Preliminary studies on acidityastringency interactions in model solutions and wines. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 37: 811-817. 5. Fontoin H, Saucier C, Teissedre P-L, Glories Y (2008) Effect of pH, ethanol and acidity on astringency and bitterness of grape seed tannin oligomers in model wine solution. Food Quality and Preference 19: 286-291. Kennedy JA, Ferrier J, Harbertson JF, Peyrot des Gachons 190 CP (2006) Analysis of tannins in red wine using multiple methods: Correlation with perceived astringency. American Journal of Enology and Viticulture 57: 481-485.

Kassara S, Kennedy JA (2011) Relationship between red wine grades and phenolics: Tannin composition and size. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 59: 8409-8412. Brossaud F, Cheynier V, Noble AC (2001) Bitterness and astringency of grape and wine polyphenols. Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research 7: 33-39. Vidal S, Francis L, Guyot S, Marnet N, Kwiatkowski M, Gawel R, Cheynier V, Waters EJ (2003) The mouth-feel properties of grape and apple proanthocyanidins in a wine-like medium. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 83: 564–573. Poncet-Legrand C l, Cabane B, Bautista-Ortín AB, Carrillo S, Fulcrand H, Pérez J, Vernhet A (2011) Tannin oxidation: Intra- versus intermolecular reactions. Biomacromolecules 11: 2376-2386. Sarni-Manchado P, Cheynier V, Moutounet M (1999) Interactions of grape seed tannins with salivary proteins. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 47: 42-47. Bindon KA, Smith PA, Kennedy JA (2010) Interaction between grape-derived proanthocyanidins and cell wall material 1. Effect on proanthocyanidin composition and molecular mass. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 58: 2520-2528. Bindon KA, Smith PA, Holt H, Kennedy JA (2010) Interaction between grapederived proanthocyanidins and cell wall material 2. Implications for vinification. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 58: 10736-10746. Watrelot AA, Le Bourvellec C, Imberty A, Renard CMGC (2013) Interactions between pectic compounds and procyanidins are influenced by methylation degree and chain length. Biomacromolecules 14: 709-718. McManus JP, Davis KG, Beart JE, 214 Gaffney SH, Lilley TH, Haslam E (1985) Polyphenol interactions. part 1. introduction; some observations on the reversible complexation of polyphenols with proteins and polysaccharides. Journal of the Chemical Society-Perkins Transactions 2 1429-1438. Ricardo-da-Silva JM, Cheynier V, Souquet JM, Moutounet M, Cabanis JC, Bourzeix M (1991) Interaction of grape seed procyanidins with various proteins in relation to wine fining. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 57: 111-125. Charlton AJ, Baxter NJ, Lokman Khan M, Moir AJG, Haslam E, Davies AP, Williamson MP (2002) Polyphenol/peptide binding and precipitation. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 50: 1593–1601. Jobstl E, O’Connell J, Fairclough JPA, Williamson MP (2004) Molecular model for astringency produced by polyphenol/protein interactions. Biomacromolecules 5: 942–949. Poncet-Legrand C, Edelmann A, Putaux JL, Cartalade D, Sarni-Manchado P, Vernhet A (2006) Poly(L-proline) interactions with flavan-3-ols units: Influence of the molecular structure and the polyphenol/protein ratio. Food Hydrocolloids 20: 687–697. McRae JM, Falconer RJ, Kennedy JA (2010) Thermodynamics of grape and wine tannin interaction with polyproline: Implications for red wine astringency. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 58: 12510-12518. Barak JA, Kennedy JA (2013) HPLC retention thermodynamics of grape and wine tannins. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 61: 4270-4277. Revelette MR, Barak JA, Kennedy JA (2014) High performance liquid chromatography determination of red wine tannin stickiness. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 62: 6626–6631. Peng Z, Iland PG, Oberholster A, Sefton MA, Waters 237 EJ (2002) Analysis of pigmented polymers in red wine by reverse phase HPLC. Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research 8: 70-75. Cole LA, Dorsey JG (1992) Temperature dependence of retention in reversedphase liquid 241 chromatography. 1. Stationary-phase considerations. Analytical Chemistry 64: 1317-1323.

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Flexible and versatile pump solution A RECENT instalment at Berri Estates has highlighted the flexibility and versatility offered by NOV Mono’s progressing cavity pumps. A Mono™ Widethroat pump was chosen as a tried and tested solution, to replace a previous pump which had proved ineffective in transferring highly aggressive and acidic paste produced during the winemaking process. “The pump was needed to work alongside a centrifuge separator which removes sediment from the wine during the clarification process,” said Jonathan Watson Mono’s Industrial Segment Manager. “This thick sediment obviously has a high acidic content and can sometimes also be very abrasive. This was causing rotor, mechanical seal and stator wear to the original pump, as well as joint damage.” The speed and cost of the frequent maintenance and repairs that were needed had become a major issue for the plant operator, with the design of the original pump meaning that repairs were also difficult to manage. The availability of spares was another significant concern as these were only available from Europe, which meant delayed lead times and higher costs. “The customer needed a pump which was tried and tested, which was supported with spares that were manufactured in Australia and backed by local support,” adds Jonathan. “We supplied a Widethroat pump which was specifically designed to fit in-situ and replace the previous unit. It had to fit in the same footprint and have the same open throat dimensions that matched the discharge hopper of the centrifuge. The design of our pump also meant that it was far easier to work on, with the rotor, stator and even the mechanical seal all being relatively easy to access.” The Mono pump also shared many common components with other pumps used throughout the wine industry. Relevant spares are often held in stock at wineries, or are readily available for next-day delivery from Mono. “With the outstanding reputation which Mono pumps have in other areas such as wastewater, agriculture and mining, it’s easy

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to forget that we are also a major supplier to the international food and beverage industry,” Watson said. Mono’s Widethroat Range pumps are designed to handle highly viscous sludges, slurries, non-flowing pastes and de-watered sludge cake with viscosities up to 1,000,000cP, so are perfect for this application. They feature a large rectangular inlet with a screw conveyor that pushes the product into the pumping element. Options are available to modify the inlet with either larger diameter augers, integral bridge breakers or both. NOV Mono is a division of National Oilwell Varco. It comprises a group of specialist companies offering progressing cavity pumps, artificial lift systems, industrial mixers, heat exchangers, grinders, screens and aftermarket replacement parts and services, across a broad spectrum of industrial

sectors including water and wastewater, oil and gas, chemical, pulp and paper, food and beverage and agriculture. The company first began manufacturing progressing cavity pumps in 1935 and industrial mixers in 1952, giving it a heritage of over 75 years that is built on world-renowned design, expertise and excellence. The division has over 1,600 employees and a true global reach. NOV Mono has facilities around the world including Australia, New Zealand, USA, Mexico, Singapore, China, South Africa , France and UK, which are supported by a large network of international distributor and representative partners. For more information: Visit www.monopumps.com.au Or call 1800 333 138

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winemaking

Success

goes beyond

the daily sales total A winery cellar door is the first point of contact for creating, building and maintaining relationships with customers. “It’s about inviting people to the cellar door, involving them in the experience and asking them questions to maintain that relationship,” according to Robin Shaw, Adelaide Hills Wine Region CEO.

Larry Jacobs (left), Marc Dobson and their two dogs outside the cellar door at Hahndorf Hill Winery, South Australia.

In November, the Wine Communicators of Australia (WCA) hosted a webinar which focused on cellar door success. The experts on hand were Robin Shaw and Marc Dobson from Hahndorf Hill Winery. Stephanie Timotheou reports. SELLING bottles of your wine to people visiting your cellar door is a great achievement, but converting people into loyal customers should be your number one goal. Your tasting bench should become the place where long-lasting relationships begin. Positive cellar door interactions influence brand awareness, both direct sales as well as future sales, according to Robin Shaw, the Adelaide Hills Wine Region chief executive officer. She said wineries need to extend their focus past selling more wine to more people across the tasting bench. “Making a sale on the day is a great thing but we want to build relationships with people so they return in the future.” A recent study conducted by the University of South Australia’s Johan Bruwer, and funded by the Australian Grape and Wine Authority, which surveyed cellar door visitors across a two-year period, provides understanding about the motivations of these visitors. The seven main motivations to visit a cellar door include: • To taste and buy wine; • To relax and be entertained; • To spend time with partner, family or friends; • To learn more about the wine; • To dine out for lunch and/or dinner; • To experience a wine region/sightseeing; and • To discover and purchase local produce.

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Shaw said people who visit cellar doors don’t necessarily want to buy wine on the day and might simply come for an experience – an escape from their usual routine. The ‘experience seekers’ can still be converted into valuable customers, but the cellar door will need to deliver an experience to remember. Shaw said it’s important to “ensure each person who walks through the door has an opportunity to engage”. Marc Dobson, who purchased Hahndorf Hill Winery with Larry Jacobs in 2002, said his cellar door offers people an “experience with a difference” through their wine and chocolate pairing. Dobson said it gives people the opportunity to relax with a glass of wine and indulge themselves. He said most visitors do make a purchase, but it’s not necessarily the wine which converts them into repeat customers. “For example we have a dog and it’s amazing how people bond with it whenever they visit,” Dobson said. “They come back to the cellar door five years later and still remember the dog.” According to Bruwer’s research, the majority of people who visit cellar doors (60 per cent) are first-timers and are highlyinfluenced by their visit. But wineries should not assume people who haven’t visited before don’t know anything about what is on offer. Shaw said this is especially true for wineries located a bit off the beaten track. “A wine tourist is usually the

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At A glAnce: • Up to a third of cellar door visitors don’t buy wine; • Only half your cellar door visitors will ever return; • Up to 75 per cent of cellar door visitors will spend an average of $90 on wine and non-wine purchases when they visit and take away an average of four bottles; • People who purchase at cellar doors are more likely to re-purchase in the future and are bigger purchasers of wine overall; • Around 40 per cent of visitors don’t know where the wines they’ve tasted can be purchased away from the cellar door; and • 60 per cent of cellar door visitors make future purchases through retail chains. household’s main purchaser or consumer and most visitors know about your brand before they visit,” Shaw said. Word-of-mouth recommendations are also a big factor, according to Bruwer’s research. More than 80 per cent of visitors recommend wine from a cellar door they’ve visited and they “spread the word at least three times” after their visit according to Shaw. Dobson said referrals and recommendations from other cellar doors also play a large role in this word-of-mouth process, and having peers pass on a positive message to consumers is a huge positive for the business. He said all cellar doors in the same region need to work together and not view each other as competitors. “Customers might come to us because they know we do a good Sauvignon Blanc and then we might tell them if they want a good Pinot Noir to go down the road – it’s all about collaboration.” Shaw said the ideal way for cellar door staff to communicate with visitors would be to treat each one as a journalist. “If you have media visiting, you know they’re going to say something

on the radio or write about it,” she said. “We should be talking to our customers and telling them what we want them to repeat.” She said it’s also about telling your story differently to others in your region, or offering an experience the visitor won’t find elsewhere. Dobson said Hahndorf Hill found a ‘point of difference’ in its early days with dry Rosé. “When we bought the farm there were two German grapes grown which we never heard of,” he said. “We decided to make a drier-style Rosé and all the publicity we got from it was because it was our point of difference. This led us to start producing Austrian varietals.” Dobson said Hahndorf Hill is very careful when recruiting cellar door staff. “I don’t hire staff because of their wine knowledge; I hire them on their people skills and make sure they are kind, sensitive, engaging and warm.” The staff members play a big part in making people feel comfortable, but so does the layout of your tasting room. Having seating available helps, irrespective of the size of your space. Dobson said if people are seated, they connect more emotionally with the environment and the brand. “At Hahndorf Hill we do

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December 2014 – Issue 611

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winemaking We charge a small fee and a visitor can redeem it if they make a purchase. I’ve wanted to do this for three or four years now but it has taken time because it’s a contentious issue. It’s working extremely well and I do it with conﬁdence because 90 per cent of cellar doors in the region are also charging. both standing and seated tastings,” he said. However, seated guests need to be carefully managed so they don’t interrupt, or even block, the experience for others. It is also important to think about delivering a fresh experience. Shaw said feedback often rates tasting bars as “boring” because customers get the same message at every winery they visit. Dobson agreed. He also suggested a wide range of wine on offer can overwhelm. At Hahndorf Hill there are usually six wines available and there’s no prescriptive method to the tasting list. “We normally start by asking them what they like and what they want to try,” he said. “And we are guided by what they say. Getting the sale is more about creating a warm bond which you can do by greeting them, giving them a glass of water and having a box of toys to keep their kids entertained. It’s these little things that show them we care.” Shaw said the wine industry had become accustomed to freely handing out products as a way of promoting their brand, which does have an impact on discussions about tasting fees. “We charge a small fee and a visitor can redeem it if they make a purchase,” Dobson said. “I’ve wanted to do this for three or four years now but it has taken time because it’s a contentious issue.” He said a $5 charge has worked well, but is still a new concept at his cellar door. “It’s working extremely well and I do it with confidence because 90 per cent of cellar doors in the region are also charging.”

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Food availability has a dramatic and positive influence on customer satisfaction, according to Shaw. “When I say food, I don’t mean a full-on restaurant experience,” she said. But anything that enhances the wine experience can encourage people to stay longer and get more connected. The research indicates that repeat visitors are, at best, a 50/50 proposition. But Shaw said genuine brand ambassadors will visit regularly and having extra ways to engage with them helps draw them back. Your mailing list is essential, according to Shaw. She said if a winery wants to maintain relationships with people it’s important to have somewhere to start, and develop, the communication. “People are out there talking about you and that’s great, but you need to influence what they are saying”. Both a positive visit and a positive mail-out are capable of influencing a visitor’s attitude as well as consumption behaviour. Offering a ‘wine club’ membership is another area to continue the relationship with your captive audience members, and is usually designed around encouraging repeat, or regular purchases. “They’re always high spenders and the average length of membership is 26 months,” she said. Dobson added to this, saying most wine club members will support the winery for a few years and then fall in love with another cellar door. “The most important thing is to keep new people coming in and keep the conversation going,” he said. “It’s worth remembering that most wine purchases will be consumed within three to nine months so the initial and subsequent timing of contact post-visit is critical with members.” Dobson said Hahndorf Hill does not offer discounts to customers at the tasting bar because “it’s expensive running a cellar door” however, special deals are offered to those who are signed up to the winery’s loyalty program. Your online sales portal must be both functional and up-to-date. Dobson said wineries should remember they are competing with retail giants as well as niche providers online. “I buy a lot of wine through online cellar doors and you would be amazed at how often they don’t work or the process is too hard so I just give up,” he said. “The best thing you can do is be the consumer. Go through the online cellar door and go through all the processes to make sure it works. If it works for you, it’ll work for your consumer.” If you want to understand cellar door visitation you have to gather data. While you can train staff members to gather customer information, and some point-of-sale systems allow you to capture data at the moment of each purchase, there are also programs available to help. Shaw recommends Cellar Door Metrics (www.cellardoormetrics.com) as a program being used successfully across the world. “It has the ability to track just about everything such as visitor numbers, the number of people per group, where they come from, how long they stay and so forth,” Shaw said. “It’s a very valuable tool and I would encourage all winery owners to use it.” There are many factors involved in converting a first-time visitor to your cellar door into a valued repeat customer, but the effort involved can pay off. Note: All stats were drawn from a University of South Australia study led by Johan Bruwer, which was a feature article in the Grapegrower & Winemaker in September 2014 (608, p 22-26).

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December 2014 – Issue 611

Winery fundraiser tops $180,000 THE OXFORD to Oxford Challenge (O2O) has raised more than $180,000 for cancer research. More than 300 people took part in the challenge, cycling and running 110km from the Oxford Landing Winery in the Barossa to the Oxford Landing Estate in the Riverland. Andrew La Nauze, Oxford Landing winemaker, said the event had a great community feel. “It was fantastic, the weather was perfect,” La Nauze said. “And the fundraising has been phenomenal. Everyone has jumped in, rolled up their sleeves and shown their support.” The winemaker said the idea was participation rather than competition across the back tracks from the Barossa to Waikerie. “I’ve driven that route plenty of times, but to see it while you are riding your bike does remind you of how stark and beautiful that landscape is,” La Nauze said. “People entered in teams and individuals could push their own boundaries, so a few of us were hurting – but we knew it was nothing compared to those who are battling cancer.” Run by colleagues from Oxford Landing and sister winery Yalumba, the O2O Challenge is the largest event of its kind the family-owned business has staged. Hundreds of entrants, across 19 teams, combined for a massive fundraising effort that had raised $159,546 by October 13 for Cancer Council South Australia. An initial fundraising goal of $25,000 was set by the O2O volunteer committee, but this was revised several times as efforts from the participants exceeded expectations. Fundraising activity included raffles, variety nights, auctions and gourmet lunches, while businesses responded by donating items ranging from lawnmowers to firewood, WOMADelaide tickets to luxury accommodation in Queensland. The small riverside community of Morgan also benefited from the event, with local accommodation, hotels, houseboats and the Morgan Riverside Caravan Park at capacity on Saturday night. Olivia Barrie, Oxford Landing marketing manager, urged other businesses to consider holding similar fundraising events, saying the benefits for all involved far outweighed the effort. “It was a team bonding event – it was great to see relationships develop with people across the company; red faced, hat hair, covered in dust, people connected with others they’d never reached out to before,” Barrie said. “Everyone worked together to embrace this sensational concept, which saw challenges won and friendships forged. Everyone gained a huge respect and understanding of each other.” Participants completed a 90km cycle or run in 'relay-style' on Saturday; stayed overnight at Morgan, where there were food vans, bars, entertainment and live music set up at the Morgan Reserve; cycled or ran the remaining 20km to the Oxford Landing vineyard near Waikerie on Sunday morning; and enjoyed a picnic by the River Murray at Oxford Landing Estate at the finish. “The spirit of participation, the community support and seeing everyone having a really good go was overwhelming,” Barrie said. “Children as young as eight were riding more than 40km with their parents, friends were cycling with kids who just wouldn’t give up, the energy people had to push through pain – the course was a really good challenge.” Barrie said the uphill start to the course and warm weather did result in a few initial complaints from participants, though people quickly gained perspective. December 2014 – Issue 611

FERRY FULL: The Morgan Ferry was full of O2O participants as they crossed the River Murray.

“If you have cancer, you don’t have a chance to back out, it’s a constant challenge,” Barrie said. “The atmosphere along the route was fun, supportive and collaborative. One of inclusion, where people were focused on the challenge and conquering it.” O2O was a family event designed to raise money to help find a cure for cancer. All proceeds will be donated to the Cancer Council South Australia.

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The Frisky Midget comes out to play When Andrew and Silke Highet took over the family winery, they wanted to redefine and develop the brand so it really stood out. Their vision was to challenge industry conventions and develop a unique portfolio of fun, playful brands that ooze personality. They engaged Studio Lost & Found to help them turn the vision into reality. Frisky Midget is the first in a series of quirky, tongue-in-cheek brands to be released by Killinchy Wines. The large wrap-around label is a throwback to Communist Russia. As you turn the bottle, a series of traditional Matryoshka dolls are revealed, with the final doll exposed as the nonconformist Frisky Midget. Stephanie Timotheou caught up with Studio Lost & Found's creative director Daniel McKeating who shared his experience with the project. McKeating trained as a graphic designer at Curtin University before obtaining a Master of Communication Design from RMIT University where he specialised in brand strategy and brand management. How does a graphic designer end up working on wine labels? I always knew I wanted to work in some sort of creative field. As a teenager I dreamed of becoming an illustrator, an animator, or even a tattoo artist at one point. I’ve always been drawn to wine labels and food packaging. I’ve certainly been influenced by my family in this regard, as my wife/business partner (Rebecca) was previously a financial controller in the wine industry, and my sister-in-law (Natasha) is a winemaker.

What makes label design more exciting than other projects? I love every aspect of the label design process, but I think my favourite part is seeing the labels come to life on the

70 Grapegrower & Winemaker

printing press, as this is the culmination of a lot of time and effort from those involved in the project.

How did inspiration and the brand message come together for this label? Frisky Midget is the first in a series of quirky, tongue-incheek brands to be released by Killinchy Wines. The large wrap-around label is a throwback to Communist Russia. As you turn the bottle, a series of traditional Matryoshka dolls are revealed, with the final doll exposed as the saucy, non-conformist Frisky Midget. This cheeky character is a celebration of individuality and the freedom of self-expression. Frisky Midget has been featured on a number of highly regarded branding and packaging design websites, including The Dieline, Packaging of the World, Lovely Package, and Branding Magazine. The brand has also developed a bit of a cult following on Pinterest, particularly amongst Russians and Eastern Europeans.

Take us through the specifications of this label. The main wrap-around labels were printed by SupaStik in four colour process on Fasson Estate 8 with a clear, highbuild varnish. The proprietary neck tag labels were printed one colour letterpress on WLK202 with partial ‘adhesive desensitisation’ on the back of the neck tag area, where the barcode is located.

How important are labels in shaping the brand and selling wine? Product packaging is a key component of any effective winemarketing strategy. Research shows the majority of purchases are made not by wine connoisseurs, but by typical wine consumers who rely heavily on extrinsic cues like product packaging and price when making their purchase decision. Product packaging must therefore not only capture the customer’s attention, but also provide them with a compelling reason to buy. In my experience, it is of vital importance to have the right brand strategy in place before embarking on the packaging design process, because good strategy leads to appropriate, effective, creative output. In my view, the

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December 2014 – Issue 611

markets. In China, for example, there are certain aspects of symbology and colour psychology one must take into consideration. Most export markets are at different stages of development too. The strategy one might use in a developed market is likely to be quite different to the strategy one would employ in an emerging market like China.

right strategy matched with appropriate and innovative packaging design is a winning combination.

Wine labels have evolved a lot, but what does the future hold? Australian wine label design was very conservative before the mid 1990s. But as the market has become increasingly crowded, the number of quirky, personality-driven wine brands has increased dramatically in order to stand out from the clutter. Brands like Fifth Leg were the pioneers of this movement, but others have since followed suit; matching unique brand personalities with untapped customer segments. In addition to trends in wine marketing and label design, there will also continue to be new innovations in packaging production. For example, lightweight glass, new closure systems, new paper stocks, digital printing technology, and interactive technology such as QR codes and holographic security foiling.

Can a label help deliver on brand stretegy?

Can you take the same label design to domestic and different export markets? Designers must be sensitive to the local language and culture when developing brand strategies and labels for export

For packaging to be effective in a flooded category like wine, it must be driven by the principles of radical differentiation, focus, and relevance. Radical differentiation will help the brand to stand out from the crowd. But once you’ve captured the consumer’s attention, the marketing messages conveyed by the packaging must be both focused and relevant. A target market of “anyone over the age of 18” isn’t a focused strategy. In our experience, it is incredibly difficult for a brand to be perceived as ‘all things to all people’. Consumers rarely trust brands which are a ‘jack-of-all-trades, master of none’ – particularly in luxury categories like wine. Such brands are often perceived as generic and usually end up competing on price.

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ask the

Ask the AWRI – The power of pH September’s ‘Ask the AWRI’ column looked at acidity and answered the most common questions received about this parameter. This month’s column considers the other equally if not more important partner – wine pH. Some winemakers believe this is the single most important analytical parameter to measure when making wine (closely followed by SO2). What is pH? The pH of juice or wine is a measure of the strength and concentration of the dissociated acids present in that medium. It is calculated using the concentration of hydrogen ions in the formula pH = -log10[H+] and can be adjusted through the addition of acid or base.

Why is pH important? The pH of juice or wine is important to know as it plays a critical role in many aspects of winemaking, in particular wine stability. Boulton et al. (1996) writes that pH influences microbiological stability, affects the equilibrium of tartrate salts, determines the effectiveness of sulfur dioxide and enzyme additions, influences the solubility of proteins and effectiveness of bentonite and affects red wine colour and oxidative and browning reactions.

How does pH influence the effectiveness of sulfur dioxide? Understanding the relationship between pH and sulfur dioxide (SO2) is critical. SO2 has both antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, making it an extremely effective preservative for wine. However, the amount of SO2 that is present in the free and molecular forms that have antioxidant and antimicrobial properties is dependent on the pH of the wine. The higher the pH, the less SO2 will be in the useful free form AND the less effective this free SO2 will be. Therefore, all other things being equal, at a higher pH not only will more SO2 need to be added to achieve the desired level of free SO2, but the concentration of free SO2 required to have the desired antioxidant and antimicrobial properties will in itself also be greater. So if the vintage delivers higher than typical pH values, it’s important to think about adjusting SO2 levels during storage.

Why am I having trouble getting consistent pH results from my pH meter? Calibration of pH meters before use is very important, and during vintage this should be done at the beginning of every day. Analysing a standard to ensure the pH meter is giving the right results is also important. A simple solution of saturated potassium bitartrate should always give a pH of 3.55 plus or minus the error of the measurement. Common sources of errors include protein build-up from analysing juice samples or switching from juice to wine without cleaning the electrode. At the AWRI, the pH electrode is stored in a soultion of 10 g/L potassium chloride in pH 4.0 buffer when not in use, and a cleaning solution is also used at regular intervals for removal of protein from the electrode tip.

Do pH meters correct for temperature? Questions about temperature and pH measurement are often raised. Most instruments do not correct for the temperature of the sample being analysed. This means that if a sample of juice or wine is at 10C, and the pH meter was calibrated using solutions at 20C, then there will be an error in this

72 Grapegrower & Winemaker

MEASUREMENT: A pH meter in action at the AWRI.

measurement. Samples must be the same temperature as the calibration solutions.

What is the magic pH number? It’s not necessarily magic, but there is a figure to be aware of to ensure that pH does not shift in the wrong direction after cold stabilisation. Precipitation of potassium bitartrate is both influenced by, and has an influence on, the pH and titratable acidity of a wine. When wines with pH values below 3.65 are cold stabilised, the pH lowers as potassium bitartrate drops out and the titratable acidity (TA) decreases. This occurs because for every molecule of potassium bitartrate that forms and precipitates, one free hydrogen ion is formed (that had been attached to the tartrate in KHT). However, when wines with pH values above 3.65 are cold stabilised, the pH level increases (whilst the TA still decreases), as one free hydrogen ion is removed. The magnitude of the pH shift will vary depending on the amount of KHT that is removed during both fermentation and cold stabilisation. For more information about pH, contact the AWRI helpdesk team on winemakingservices@awri.com.au or 08 8313 6600.

References

Boulton, R.B.; Singleton, V.L.; Bisson, L.F.; Kunkee, R.E. 1996. Principles and practices of winemaking. New York: Chapman & Hall.

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December 2014 – Issue 611

2014 Report

Dan Johnson, Managing Director

New beginnings At a time of significant challenges for the wine sector, fortytwo new projects in the AWRI RD&E plan 2013-2018 plan have commenced, paving the way for the next wave of technical breakthroughs to support industry prosperity. Record numbers of extension events have provided high levels of engagement with industry practitioners across the country, allowing opportunities for adoption and continuous feedback on the AWRI’s activities. The past year has been one of new beginnings at the AWRI. After consulting widely on new industry priority topics and considering scientific trends and opportunities, the AWRI released a research, development and extension plan for the period 2013-2018. The focus then quickly shifted from ‘big picture strategy’ to implementation and execution, with development of detailed plans for all 50 projects contained in the RD&E plan and associated financing and contracting activities. Pleasingly, at the end of the first year of the plan, 42 of the 50 projects (84%) are active, with 88% of outputs and activities on or ahead of schedule. Starting such a large number of projects at the same time has required significant efforts from across the organisation, necessitating among other things realignment of personnel, new reporting systems, commencement of new domestic and international collaborations and substantial investment in capital infrastructure. I thank all staff for the enthusiastic way that they have launched the new projects, adapted to a new environment and the entrepreneurial, collaborative spirit shown in helping each other and other agencies where needed. I have been very pleased with the administrative and technical progress made so far, in terms of both pre-competitive RD&E activities undertaken in support of levy payers and fee-for-service capabilities, the latter of which saw substantial growth. One particularly pleasing result was the continued increase in analytical service sample volumes, to record levels. This is an industry service that contributes to maintaining a strong database of Australian wine compositional trends and supports the broader RD&E agenda. These are good results for the first year of a new RD&E plan, but there is still considerable work to be done. Some projects are active only across part of the original scope and others are yet to secure funding to allow them to commence. Inactive or marginally active areas which will be a priority to progress in the coming year include wine and health, wine authenticity and yeast strains with the ability to make lower alcohol, full flavour wine. Commencing new projects will not be easy in the current international research investment climate; new partnerships are likely to be required to make meaningful progress. Commencement of a new suite of projects has been accompanied by substantial efforts in wrapping up, publishing and extending information generated in previous projects to ensure that industry has the maximum possible opportunity to adopt that information. The AWRI hosted or co-hosted events at a rate of more than one each week, an all time record. Particular highlights were the 15th Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference (in conjunction with ASVO), WineHealth 2013,

themed masterclasses, and the introduction of a broader suite of viticulture topics, including areas such as climate adaptation, into the AWRI’s regular roadshow program.

Welcome to the Australian Grape and Wine Authority Another new beginning is the formation of the Australian Grape and Wine Authority (AGWA) through the merger of the Wine Australia Corporation and the Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation on 1 July 2014. This new body will combine investment in RD&E with market development and compliance activities, bringing a wide range of capabilities under one roof. The AWRI anticipates a very positive working relationship with the new entity, with which it shares a common purpose and single-minded focus on industry profitability and sustainability. Formation of such an entity is a once in a generation opportunity for AGWA and its key stakeholders, including the AWRI, to ‘hit the refresh button’ and ensure that our industry bodies are collectively operating as effectively as possible. I have been encouraged by the positive dialogue between AGWA and the AWRI to date and look forward to continuing our joint efforts to achieve reductions in red tape, minimise duplication and improve the value, clarity and cost-effectiveness of industry services.

Technical Trends Vintage 2014 was dominated by weather-related challenges across many wine regions and this was reflected in the volume, timing and nature of enquiries received. Throughout the year a total of 4,747 information requests, helpdesk enquiries and problem investigations were addressed, and the AWRI Commercial Services laboratories completed analyses on more than 18,000 samples. More than 1,900 enquiries and requests for assistance were addressed by the helpdesk, greater than 80% of which were answered within 24 hours. The majority of the winemaking enquiries received were from wine companies and suppliers closely aligned with the wine industry, whilst the remaining queries were made up from government organisations, students, legal personnel and journalists. A total of 201 queries turned into investigations where samples were requested and further analysis performed (on 1,059 samples) to identify the problem and how it could be remediated. The source and proportion of the winemaking enquiries received were broadly aligned to the volume of wine-grape production of Australian states.

2014 Report Environment and Sustainability Nitrous oxide emissions from Australian vineyards evaluated An understanding of emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O, a potent greenhouse gas) from Australian vineyards has been gained for the first time. Samples collected from vineyards across five Australian regions showed that N2O is released at much lower levels from vineyards than from other horticultural crops. The influence of different viticultural management practices on N2O emissions is also under investigation. Climate-related workshop delivered The AWRI roadshow workshop ‘Adapting to difficult vintages’ was presented across eight Australian wine regions. The workshop provides participants with strategies to adapt to weather extremes in a changing climate.

A new Chair for the AWRI Board A further new beginning this year was the appointment of Louisa Rose to the position of AWRI Chair. Louisa is a widely respected winemaker with a palpable passion for both wine and science, and I have enjoyed working with her and the other highly capable, engaged members of the AWRI Board. Louisa replaces the outgoing Chair Peter Dawson, who had served his maximum term on the AWRI Board and is warmly thanked for his service.

Looking forward The next year, in which the AWRI will celebrate its 60th anniversary, promises to be one of continued implementation of the AWRI’s RD&E project portfolio. Results will begin to emerge from some of the new, shorter-term projects, with associated opportunities for extension and adoption. Every effort will be made, albeit in a difficult research funding climate, to progress the eight priority topics in the AWRI’s RD&E plan 2013-2018 that did not progress in a meaningful way this year. The Australian wine sector’s RD&E framework and its own research institution, the AWRI, are both global standards, and I have every confidence that the new beginnings this year will position the industry for a sustainable and profitable future befitting the AWRI’s mission – Supporting the Australian grape and wine industry through world class research, practical solutions and knowledge transfer.

Highlights of the year 2013-2014 General Implementation of new RD&E plan The AWRI’s 5-year RD&E plan went live in 2013/2014 with new projects launched under 42 of the 50 project headings outlined in the plan. Record year for AWRI Commercial Services AWRI Commercial Services experienced a year of record demand, with 18,366 samples submitted for analysis. New international networks The AWRI has joined the Oenoviti/ Oenodoc International Network, an association of research and education institutions involved in grape and wine science. This network fosters cooperation in teaching and research and conducts activities such as exchange programs, conferences, student placements and co-supervision arrangements. The AWRI has also been invited to join the Innovative Training Network: ‘INDULGAROMA’ as part of a funding application by a large European consortium under the Horizon2020 program.

Comparative genomics of Chardonnay clones A reference sequence is being created from one of the 14 clones of Chardonnay sequenced previously. Sequence data for the remaining clones will be mapped onto the reference genome in order to identify variations. The project is working towards identifying clone-specific markers that can be used identify clones in the vineyard or nursery.

Consumers, customers and markets Increasing choice of Australian wine by Chinese consumers A shelf simulation online choice test was conducted in China with 1,670 consumers of imported red wine. The results revealed that reading an article about Australia considerably increased the choice of Australian wines over French, Italian or Chinese wines, especially when the article indicated that Chinese consumers prefer the taste of Australian wine, or reinforced the message that Australian food and beverages are clean and unpolluted. The effect of the messages was found to continue when consumers were re-tested more than a week after reading the article. WineHealth 2013 conference hosted The WineHealth 2013 International Wine and Health Conference was held in Sydney from 18 to 20 July 2013. Proceedings have been published in the peer reviewed journal Nutrition and Ageing and are freely available online. MRL harmonisation sought The AWRI is actively supporting the establishment of a maximum residue limit (MRL) for phosphorous acid (phos acid) in key export markets together with Wine Grape Growers of Australia, key regional associations and Nufarm Australia Ltd. Approval sought for processing aids Resolutions were introduced into the Organisation de la Vigne et du Vin’s (OIV) eight-step resolution procedure to enable protease enzymes, potassium carbonate, dimethylpolysiloxane and agar to be permitted for winemaking and wines sold in the EU and potentially other member countries. An application to enable use of protease enzymes such as Proctase in Australian winemaking was lodged with Food Standards Australia New Zealand and is awaiting formal approval.

2014 Report Improving products and processes New synthetic biology collaboration The AWRI has entered into a new partnership with Macquarie University in the field of synthetic biology. The partnership’s first major project forms part of an international collaboration assembling the world’s first synthetic yeast. Macquarie and the AWRI are jointly responsible for synthesising Chromosome XIV of the synthetic yeast’s genome. Impact of metals on ‘reduced’ aromas demonstrated Metal ions were added to Chardonnay and Shiraz wines which were then stored for 12 months and monitored for the formation of volatile sulfur compounds. Significant changes were observed, with the Chardonnay samples showing increases in H2S and DMS, and the Shiraz samples showing increases in H2S and MeSH. This study has demonstrated that the presence of metals in wine can have a major influence on the evolution of unwelcome ‘reduced’ aromas during anaerobic storage. Winemakers looking to reduce the risk of such aromas can consider taking steps to minimise metal concentrations in wine. ‘Pepper’ mapping suggests ripeness and ambient temperature or solar radiation are important for rotundone formation Studies continued into factors affecting the concentration of the ‘black pepper’ compound rotundone, a key flavour compound in Shiraz from cooler regions. The first ever study of within-vineyard spatial variability in a grape-derived flavour compound was published. Results suggest that degree of ripeness, and either ambient temperature or solar radiation are key factors in rotundone formation. New tannin extraction method for grapes provides prediction of wine tannin A new ‘wine-like’ extraction method for grape analysis of tannin and colour was evaluated against the standard extraction method. The ‘wine-like’ method was shown to better predict tannin content in the final wine than the standard method. Metagenomics shedding light on wild ferments Uninoculated Chardonnay ferments were subjected to metagenomic analysis to determine the species present throughout the fermentation. Initial results found a diverse ecosystem of yeasts present at the beginning of the ferment that converged on the wine yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as the ferment progressed. Further work will investigate how the levels of species and strains change during fermentation, and whether regions, wineries or vineyards can be broadly defined by the microorganisms in their wild ferments. In-mouth flavour release from monoterpene glycosides confirmed Experiments showed that significant wine flavour produced in-mouth was derived from monoterpene glycosides, a group of flavour precursors. Time-intensity methodology was used, where a trained sensory panel rates the intensity of in-mouth flavour attributes continuously over a period of minutes, so that the progress of release can be tracked over time. The results may provide a new measure to distinguish wines with desirable flavour persistence from those with a short finish. Consumer-oriented design program launched In conjunction with the South Australian Government, the McLaren Vale Grape Wine and Tourism Association and Scholle, the AWRI established a Consumer Oriented Design program in McLaren Vale. This design approach aims to generate innovative business initiatives or product concepts with emotive appeal to consumers.

Juice clarification investigated A broad scoping study has begun using laboratory-scale experiments to compare the effects of three methods for juice clarification: natural settling, centrifugation and clarification agents. Results obtained in 2013/2014 suggest that fermenting juice containing higher levels of solids may result in white wine with higher polysaccharide concentrations, and that wine polysaccharides are also affected by the juice clarification method used. Juice clarity also significantly affected both wine total phenolics and phenolic profiles. Impact of grape composition on fruit grading investigated Key compounds were quantified in 182 grape samples across Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Chardonnay grapes from multiple regions and compared with the commercial grading of the fruit. At this stage YAN, total phenolics, absorbance at 420 and 520 nm and ß-damascenone appear to be positively associated with higher value grades and TA, cysteine, glutamate and glutathione appear to have reduced concentrations in higher value grades. Results also suggest that mid-infrared spectra of grape homogenates may provide an accurate way of predicting grape grade. Genetic and performance profiling of yeast strains Whole genome sequence data were obtained from 205 wine yeasts and cluster analysis was performed to assess genetic diversity. Strains were then selected for characterisation of fermentation kinetics and flavour outcomes. Model fermentations conducted with a large number of yeast strains have been extensively profiled for their chemical composition, and flocculation behaviour of these strains was also screened. This large multi-dimensional dataset is now being used for benchmarking of novel strains and the development of genomic markers for marker-assisted breeding. New understanding of MLF strains Genome sequences have been generated for 85 wine bacteria. A subset of these strains has been screened for MLF robustness at low pH, high alcohol, and low temperature in red and sparkling base wines. Analysis is underway to identify genetic markers for stress tolerance. Sulfite effects on Brettanomyces explored Work is underway to explore the mechanisms that enable Brettanomyces to adapt to environmental conditions, particularly sulfite stress. A collaboration with the University of Adelaide has been established, working on Brettanomyces cultures continuously exposed to sulfite stress and the next-generation sequencing methodologies needed to monitor them. Detailed genomic maps of 40 Brettanomyces strains from around the world have been created, against which novel variants from the sulfite exposure experiments can be benchmarked to identify relevant mutations.

2014 Report Extension and adoption 15th AWITC staged The AWRI and ASVO delivered a highly successful 15th Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference in Sydney from 13 to 18 July 2013. AWRI staff members were responsible for managing the workshop program and the poster display, and gave numerous presentations in both workshops and plenary sessions. The proceedings of the 15th AWITC were edited, produced and distributed to delegates. Roadshow program delivered Sixteen roadshow seminars and ten workshops were held during the year, covering 23 regions. A record-breaking crowd attended the Riverland roadshow seminar in Renmark in May. Advanced Wine Assessment course brought in-house For the first time the Advanced Wine Assessment course (AWAC) was held at the AWRI, with two courses held during the year. The move allows participants to gain a greater understanding of the AWRI’s capabilities and facilities. World Chardonnay and Pinot Noir showcased Two themed tastings focused on World Chardonnay and Pinot Noir were delivered. The program consisted of eighty wines from across the world, with a large proportion sourced internationally, giving participants a unique opportunity to taste wines not commercially available in Australia. Tool to manage refrigeration demand launched The AWRI Refrigeration Demand Calculator is a spreadsheet-based tool that allows wine producers to model, analyse, understand, and better manage their refrigeration demand with a view to reducing electricity use. This new tool is now available to all Australian wine producers as a free download from the AWRI website. Helpdesk queries answered Project team members responded to 1,953 technical queries on a range of winemaking, viticulture and regulatory topics, with more than 80% answered within 24 hours. Weather-related issues including smoke taint, frost, heatwaves and uneven ripening were common query topics during vintage 2014. Winemaking investigations Over 1,000 samples were submitted and analysed as part of 201 investigations carried out during the year. A high proportion of the investigations were related to hazes and deposits in wine, followed by investigations of taints and contaminations. Information packs added Library staff have collated reference lists and fact sheets into ‘information packs’ on specific topics relating to oenology, viticulture, and sustainability. The information packs are available from the AWRI website and users can browse and order articles online. This type of packaging of relevant information together makes it much easier for library users to find the information they need.

New technical literature published from around the world was abstracted in six issues of Technical Review. Producers were alerted to topical issues in 15 eBulletins issued through the year. Updates of AWRI activities were provided in six issues of eNews, which were emailed to producers. Social media engagement increased The AWRI’s presence on Twitter grew significantly to an audience of more than 2,300.

Service capabilities and foundational datasets New sensory techniques applied The sensory team applied three new techniques to research and industry samples: ‘napping’, ‘difference from control’ and the ‘tetrad test’. Key compounds synthesised Over the last year compounds were synthesised for projects investigating ‘stone fruit’ flavour, formation of sulfur off-flavours, in-mouth flavour release studies, and off-flavours related to grape fungal diseases. Metabolomics service delivering results During 2013/14, the AWRI’s South Australian node of Metabolomics Australia provided approximately 10,000 analyses for over 2,400 samples to a diverse range of clients from the environmental, biomedical and agri-food sectors. New methods applied to understanding wine texture and stability New methods have been established to study colloids in wine (aggregates of tannins, proteins and polysaccharides). Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) techniques are all now in use. Busy vintage for WIC Winemaking A total of 197 ferments were completed during vintage 2014; 73 ferments more than the previous vintage. New processes implemented during the year have boosted efficiency and improved services. Culture collection services provided to researchers and industry The AWRI wine microorganism culture collection (AWMCC) received 220 yeast and bacterial strains from researchers and wineries, and distributed more than 800 strains. 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.

Webinar series continues to grow The AWRI’s third webinar series was held during the year, featuring 25 webinars with more than 375 attendees. Approximately half of the webinars were delivered by AWRI staff and half by invited researchers and industry experts. Face-to-face interactions Throughout the year AWRI staff gave 393 external presentations, coordinated 78 workshops, conducted 41 media interviews, authored 65 posters, presented 24 lectures to university students and supervised/co-supervised 8 students. Publications for industry Grape and wine producers received relevant information through six AWRI reports and six columns on alternative varieties published in the Wine and Viticulture Journal. Eleven ‘Ask the AWRI’ columns covering topical issues from the AWRI helpdesk were published in the Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker.

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, the Australian Grape and Wine Authority (AGWA), with matching funds from the Australian Government. The contribution of collaborators in Australia and overseas is gratefully acknowledged. Photography Jacqui Way Photography, Eric Wilkes, Mark Krstic, Mardi Longbottom

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Co-inoculation with yeast and lactic acid bacteria Analytical Services

Researchers Guillaume Antalick, Marie-Claire Perello and Gilles de Revel are exploring the factors which can impact on aromatic composition in wine, in particular co-inoculation and the benefits it offers compared to the sequential technique.

THE WINEMAKING process involves different microbiological processes in which the yeasts, which carry out alcoholic fermentation, and lactic acid bacteria, which carry out malolactic fermentation, play a central role. Malolactic fermentation represents an essential step in the improvement of the quality of most red wines, therefore malolactic fermentation success is an important issue for the vinification of red wines. Malolactic fermentation typically occurs after alcoholic fermentation either spontaneously as a result of the lactic acid bacteria naturally present in the must or after inoculation with a starter culture in order to control this step of winemaking. Actually, the success of malolactic fermentation is not always guaranteed because it closely depends on the medium composition (pH, temperature, alcohol content, SO2, fatty acids) and the addition of a starter culture can improve its viability.

Manual

At a glance: • Despite all the advantages, yeast and lactic acid bacteria co-inoculation has only been intermittently used out of fear the quality of the wine will be compromised. • From an aromatic perspective, co-inoculation is often theoretically associated with a decrease in lactic notes, however, this has never been experimentally demonstrated. • Co-inoculation does not necessarily mean simultaneous fermentations. • The overall lack of consensus shows the metabolic and aromatic changes with co-inoculation depend on the yeast/ lactic acid bacteria combinations as well as grape juice composition.

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Grapegrower & Winemaker

winemaking Table 1: Oenological parameters of the samples

Wine

Origin

Year

Initial malic acid (g/l)

Alcohol degree (v/v)

Yeast/LAB combinations

Timing of bacteria addition

Total time of fermentation in sequential inoculation (days)

a Total time of fermentation in co-inoculation (days)

Timing of MLF compared to AF in co-inoculation

Switzerland

2008

3.3

12.5

U/F

24h after yeast

sequential

Bordeaux

2009

2.1

3.6

14.0

W/F

2/3 AF

simultaneous

Bordeaux

2009

2.4

3.6

12.3

X/B

24h after yeast

Bordeaux

2009

1.6

3.8

14.2

Y/B

24h after yeast

simultaneous

Bordeaux

2009

2.1

3.7

13.5

Z/I

24h after yeast

sequential

a: total time fermentation corresponds to the addition of AF and MLF time in days

Overall, two possibilities of lactic acid bacteria inoculation exist: traditional inoculation after alcoholic fermentation (sequential) or simultaneous inoculation in the must with yeast (co-inoculation). Co-inoculation has several clear benefits compared to the sequential technique. The first advantage is that by introducing lactic acid bacteria at the beginning of alcoholic fermentation, it helps the bacteria to better adapt to the medium. Secondly, the contents of some compounds such as ethanol and SO2, which are known to inhibit lactic acid bacteria growth, are lower and the medium is richer in nutritive elements during the first hours of alcoholic fermentation than at the end. Moreover, it is now well known that co-inoculation reduces the total fermentation time. This reduction limits the risk of spoilage by other micro-organisms such as the Brettanomyces species. In addition, the thermo-regulation time in the tanks can be reduced, thereby decreasing the wineries’ energy costs.

Despite all of these advantages, yeast/lactic acid bacteria co-inoculation has only been intermittently used out of fear the quality of the wine will be compromised due to the heterofermentative metabolism of lactic acid bacteria in musts rich in sugar, which can result in an increase in acetic acid production. However, numerous studies have recently shown that the successful completion of malolactic fermentation induced by co-inoculation have not resulted in adverse increases in volatile acidity. Therefore, the co-inoculation technique has been recently adopted by many more winemakers, particularly in warm climates where high concentrations of ethanol can strongly inhibit lactic acid bacteria growth. From an aromatic perspective, co-inoculation is often theoretically associated with a decrease in lactic notes (milky/ butter) due to reduced diacetyl production as the result of carrying out malolactic fermentation in the presence of active yeast cells.

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December 2014 – Issue 611

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winemaking

Figure 1

Seq. In.

Co-‐in.

Higher alcohol acetates

Ethyl esters of fa1y acids concentration (µg/l)

concentration (µg/l)

2500 2000 1500

1000

2500 2000 1500

1000 500

500

0 M1 A U S T R A L I A

ratio [EEBA] / [branched acids]

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

Branched esters/acids ra7o

Diacetyl concentration (mg/l)

A U S T R A L I A

Figure 2

0.05 0.04 0.04 0.03 0.03 0.02 0.02 0.01 0.01 0.00 M1

Figure 1: Comparison of total concentrations of higher alcohol acetates, ethyl esters of fatty acids, diacetyl and branched esters/acids concentration ratios between wines made by yeast/LAB co-inoculation (Co-in.) and sequential inoculation (Seq.in.)

Seq. in.

Co-‐in.

vegetal

fruity **

fruity ** 5

5 4

1 0

lactic */*

smoked/roasted **/*

vegetal **/*

lactic *

smoked/roasted

Figure 2: Comparison between odour profiles determined using the mean of the sensory descriptors values in the analysis of wines made by yeast/lactic acid bacteria co-inoculation (Co-in.) and sequential inoculation (Seq.in.). Treatments with significant differences are indicated with stars (product effect/judge effect). Code: significant at p < 0.05 (*), p < 0.01 (**). n indicates the number of panellists for each test.

However, this has never been experimentally demonstrated. Some experts also claim the shorter total time of fermentation using yeast/lactic acid bacteria co-inoculation reduces the time during which wine aroma are protected against oxidation by wine microorganism reductive activities. However, few studies have focused on the impact of this technique on the aromatic of wines. The aim of the present work was to conduct a concurrent sensorial and quantitative study that deals with the impact of yeast/lactic acid bacteria co-inoculation on the aromatic profile of wines in real winery conditions. The study involved five different

80 Grapegrower & Winemaker

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Merlot wines made in Bordeaux and Swiss wineries with the use of five different yeast/bacteria combinations. The trials could not be replicated due to the experimental limits in resulting by the choice to work in winery conditions. However controls were carried out in order to check the success of yeast and lactic acid bacteria inoculation in the wines. For each wine, the co-inoculation technique was compared to the sequential technique through a quantitative analysis of 70 aromatic compounds. Two wines were subjected to a sensory analysis in order to compare the aromatic profiles and to try to establish links with the chemical data. December 2014 – Issue 611

CO-INOCULATION DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN SIMULTANEOUS FERMENTATIONS One of the main known advantages of yeast/lactic acid bacteria co-inoculation is to significantly reduce the total fermentation time. The present study confirms on the winery scale what has been shown in previous research on the laboratory scale and the empirical observations from winemakers. Even though co-inoculation results in a significant reduction in the fermentation time, this method does not always lead to simultaneous fermentation (Table 1). The inoculation of wine with bacteria at the beginning of alcoholic fermentation does not guarantee that malolactic fermentation and alcoholic fermentation are performed simultaneously. After co-inoculation, malolactic fermentation can also be carried out after alcoholic fermentation but even in this case, the total fermentation time is reduced, probably because the bacteria already present in the medium since the beginning of alcoholic fermentation are better adapted to the medium.

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YEAST/LAB INTERACTIONS MODIFY WINE AROMATIC COMPOSITION Wine aromatic composition was significantly modified by the criss-crossed yeast/lactic acid bacteria interactions that are favoured in co-inoculation and which modify the metabolism of wine micro-organisms. The compounds derived from fermentation were more affected by the timing of inoculation than varietal aroma (Figure 1). Among all of the compounds derived from yeast metabolism, the esters were probably the group that was the most affected by yeast/lactic acid bacteria interactions in co-inoculation. Changes in the composition of the esters (higher alcohol acetates, ethyl esters of fatty acids) were even observed in the wines in which co-inoculation led to sequential malolactic fermentation (M1 and M5). This probably indicates the simple fact that when wines are inoculated with lactic acid bacteria during alcoholic fermentation, it has an impact on yeast metabolism even if malolactic fermentation is carried out after alcoholic fermentation. Lactic acid bacteria can modify yeast metabolism either by directly altering the compounds produced by yeast or by impacting the expression of yeast genes involved in the aroma biosynthesis. The competition between yeast and LAB to assimilate the nutrients could also be a potential source of variation in the levels of aromatic compounds. It is also possible that yeast might impact lactic acid bacteria metabolism in the co-inoculation technique. In fact, the diacetyl contents were strongly modified by the timing of inoculation whereas this compound mostly derives from bacterial citric acid catabolism. Increases in the levels of diacetyl (butter/milky notes) were observed in the three wines in which co-inoculation led to simultaneous fermentation (wines M2, M3, M4). Simultaneous fermentation imparts a stronger reductive power to the medium which is supposed to decrease the diacetyl concentration by reducing it to acetoin and butan-2,3diols. On the contrary, the simultaneous increase in the levels of diacetyl and compounds derived from its reduction (data not shown) probably reflects a modification in the bacterial citric acid metabolism by yeast in the co-inoculation technique.

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YEAST/LAB CO-INOCULATION PARTICULARLY ALTERS FRUITY AROMA Regardless the timing of malolactic fermentation carrying out, the significant impact of yeast/lactic acid bacteria co-inoculation on the aromatic profile of wine compared to traditional sequential inoculation with lactic acid bacteria was clearly shown (Figure 2). The fruity and lactic aromas were the most affected descriptors but contrary to empirical ideas and December 2014 – Issue 611

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winemaking predictions given in previous studies, yeast/lactic acid bacteria co-inoculation does not always favour the fruity expression by decrease of the lactic notes linked to diacetyl. Although our study shows that this phenomenon is actually possible (wine M1), co-inoculation increased the diacetyl content in most of the cases (Figure 1) and the lactic aroma was perceived as being more intense after co-inoculation in wine M2 (Figure 2). Recent studies have suggested that yeast/lactic acid bacteria co-inoculation could enhance the fruity aroma, thereby increasing the level of esters, which play a central role in wine fruity aroma perception. In contrast, the panellists in our study perceived the two wines made by co-inoculation as significantly less fruity. However, this does not mean yeast/lactic acid bacteria co-inoculation systematically degrades the fruity aroma as one of our previous works showed intensification in the fruity aroma after using this technique in a Pinot Noir wine. Furthermore, the increase in the contents of the fruity markers does not always guarantee the enhancement of a fruity aroma because other aromatic changes can mask the fruity notes. This is the case in wine M1 for which co-inoculation led to the development of a smoked/toasted note that clearly masked the fruity aroma, especially since the levels of esters are higher than in wines made by sequential inoculation. Co-inoculation can also result in decreasing ester contents associated with a reduction in the fruity aroma intensity (M2). Moreover, co-inoculation tends to favour the synthesis of branched acid ethyl esters during wine ageing. Indeed these compounds, mostly synthesised during wine ageing by chemical reaction between branched acids and ethanol, play a central role in the perception of fruitiness in red wines. The

rates and yields of these reactions strongly depend on the ester/ acid ratio. Lower ratio as observed in wines originating from co-inoculation favours the late synthesis of ethyl branched acids esters and therefore the potential development of fruity notes during wine ageing.

CONCLUSION Even though co-inoculation can actually enhance the fruity aroma either by lactic note reduction or by an increase in the contents of the fruity markers over the short term as well as the long term, it can also decrease the intensity of fruity notes either by the degradation of these same markers or by the development of an aromatic mask (lactic, smoked/toasted). This lack of clear trend reflects the complexity of crisscrossed yeast/lactic acid bacteria interactions occurring in co-inoculation irrespective of the timing of malolactic fermentation. The overall lack of consensus shows that the metabolic and aromatic changes that occur with co-inoculation strongly depend on the yeast/lactic acid bacteria combinations as well as the grape juice composition. For more information contact: Guillaume Antalick P: 61 2 6933 4821 E: gantalick@csu.edu.au Dr Antalick is currently postdoctoral researcher at the National Wine and Grape Industry Centre at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga. His research focuses on the study of wine aroma, particularly on how grape composition alters the wine aromatic composition over grape maturation for different cultivars and climates through a project funded by the Australian Grape and Wine Authority (AGWA).

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Keep track of temperatures WHETHER you are in the field or in the office, T-TEC wireless data loggers offer Wine solutions to make sure Additives you are kept up-to-date with temperatures in your winery. The technology ‘talks’ to your computer in real time, to offer accurate updates whenever you need them. The loggers have a range of 350m free space and can be read by a gateway, connected to a PC or laptop. The loggers are battery powered using replaceable batteries with a life time of about one year with normal use. This makes the system very flexible and reliable. The loggers store the temperatures in the memory and they can also send real time updates. They can hang out in the field (up to 350m away) and wake up your computer if the temperature after the grace period drops below the set-point. Then the computer can send an SMS or an email or may be start a buzzer.

The files can be sent to the cloud, if the computer has internet access and be viewed somewhere else. All the important temperatures within the winery can be viewed on the same screen. The files can be downloaded in the background and be ready to view as graphs, statistics, chill factor and more. The loggers can be read by different PCs in the building, because access control may be set into each logger. For some jobs, access to the actual temperatures

and the files will make everything so much easier. TempReport™ creates a data base on your computer as well as storing the files in the loggers. Whenever reports are required, the files can be printed out. For more information, contact: Kirsten Blichfeldt from Temperature Technology P: +61 8 8231 1266 E: sales@t-tec.com.au

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winemaking PRODUCT UPDATE

Protect the winery floor

For further information, please contact Kauri AUS Tel: 1800 127 611 AUS Fax: 1800 127 609 Email: winery@kauri.co.nz

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

YOUR winery’s concrete floor can often become ‘degeneration in progress’. The floor of a winery does it tough. As winemakers and cellarhands all know, the floor is: • Subject to constant traffic; • Subject to impact damage from barrel and equipment handling; • Located in a usually a humid, sometimes acid-rich environment; and • Thanks to gravity, it's where everything heavy lands hard. As you might expect, floors in wineries and breweries are subject to frequent spills and stains as well as heavy foot traffic. However, concrete protected by a high-performance epoxy coatings is impervious to these wear conditions. Caustic chemicals and thermal shock are always a concern in these challenging environments; they require a durable system that is anti slip and meets safety standards. The Roxset SE 123 coating solution will give you superior protection against prolonged exposure to chemical attack and bacteria built up in every area of the winery from the barrel room all the way through to the cellar door. The impact resistance of the ROXSET SE product will also protect areas subject to forklift and pallet movers. Epoxy coatings are offered in high-gloss shine or matt finishes with a vast selection of colours and aggregates to suit the interior or exterior design of the winery. The Roxset SE 123 coating solution is VOC free, non toxic and environmentally friendly. You can expect a minimum of 15 years life which is easy to clean with minimum maintenance costs. For more information, contact Roxset: P: +61 2 9988 4822 E: enquiries@roxset.com.au

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December 2014 – Issue 611

For further information, please contact Kauri NZ Tel: 0800 KAURIWINE NZ Fax: 04 910 7415 Email: winery@kauri.co.nz

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winemaking

Using regionality as a selection tool THERE are multiple options available to a winemaker when it comes to oak selection. In this article Graeme Oak Little, the Seguin Moreau Australia & New Zealand general manager - sales and marketing, will outline some of the factors that need to be considered when selecting oak to match both winemaking goals and budget requirements. Some of the factors that need considering are: • Origin; • Maturation periods; • Ripeness levels; • pH/Acidity levels; • Alcohol levels; and • Cellar temperature.

ORIGIN - FRENCH V AMERICAN Which is best? Both have their places in winemaking, enhancing flavour, structure, volume and sweetness. The style and end market will determine which oak is to be used to meet the end goal requirements of the winemaker. The use of French Oak in Australian winemaking has risen in recent years, at the detriment of American Oak. This trend was influenced by a style of American Oak that was high in coconut and vanilla flavours, and became less popular for being too overpowering, too American. The response from the oak industry has been to select, season and toast American oak that has less of these typical characters, to a point where in some instances it is very difficult to pick French and American oak apart in a blind tasting. In the past few years, the seasonal conditions in our winegrowing regions have had a bigger influence on wine styles than the winemaker applying their craft. In the leaner years, winemakers could have used a higher proportion of American oak in their red wine blends. The American oak will give sweetness and volume to the wine, helping to hide any unripe characters from a lean year, without a heavy influence of coconut and vanilla. Increasing your toast levels will also help add sweetness to both French and American Oak. A small portion of American Oak in your winemaking will also reduce your budget.

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How long will the wine be matured in oak? Traditionally, winemakers have always selected the finest grain oak for use in winemaking, perceiving it to be the best quality. The finer the grain, the better the flavour profile of the oak is the theory. And it does make sense. However, many extra-fine grain oak barrels require longer contact time to integrate, up to 14 to 18 months maturation. If your oak maturation time is shorter, you should use semi-fine or fine grain oak barrels.

RIPENESS LEVELS The maturity of fruit at harvest typically determines the style of wine being made; light, medium and full-bodied wine styles generally depend on the Baume levels. A full bodied wine, where the grapes are picked at 15-16 Baume, will undoubtedly have ripe fruit flavours, and a sweetness of fruit that is enhanced by higher alcohol. It follows that to balance the full ripe flavours, the toast levels need to be lighter to add freshness and not higher, such as medium plus that will add even more sweet characters. Balance is required.

ACIDITY/RIPENESS PROFILE Winemakers don’t often look at the ripeness parameters when they select their oak, but the pH/acidity level in a wine will affect how a wine reacts with the oak. As a guide, semi fine to fine grain oak will work better with lower pH level wines, 3.4 or less. Whilst higher pH wines above 3.5 will require tighter gained oak, fine grain to extra fine grain. The influence of toasting will also be affected by the pH level of a wine. Typically the lower the pH, the higher the toast level required. Higher toast levels are less obvious at lower ph levels, and can help build volume and sweetness. Whilst ph can influence the oak grain and toast level requirements, there are other factors that will determine the oak choice. • Alcohol levels: Higher levels of alcohol will extract higher levels of oak. This will affect maturation times and grain selections; • Cellar temperature: A typical cellar in Europe has a cellar temperature of 10C all year, so oak maturation is slow and December 2014 – Issue 611

Maturation Time

Ripeness Levels

Oak Contact

Maturation Time vs Grain Selection

Ripeness vs Toast Requirement 16 15

Time: Months

Baume

12 18

MEDIUM GRAIN

SEMI FINE GRAIN

FINE GRAIN

UNTOASTED

EXTRA FINE GRAIN

Grain Width

Sweetness decreasing

Figure 1: A guide to selecting oak grain based on how long the wine will be matured in oak.

Oak Selection by Acidity â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ph Levels No Toast

4.0

Light Toast

3.8

Medium Toast

3.6

Medium Long 3.4 pH

Medium Plus 3.2 Heavy Toast 3.0 Medium

Semi Fine

LIGHT

Fine

Extra Fine

MEDIUM

MEDIUM LONG

- Toast Level -

MEDIUM PLUS

HEAVY

Sweetness increasing

Figure 2: A guide to selecting toast levels based on Baume or final alcohol levels

requires time to reach balance. The average cellar temperature in Australia, and in some regions of New Zealand, is as high as 15C or more. The time required to mature wine in oak needs to be reduced when compared to our European counterparts. Wines loose freshness and become over oaked if left too long. As a rule of thumb, a 50 per cent increase in cellar temperature from 10C will reduce the maturation time by up to half. Whilst this article has raised some of the points to be considered when selecting oak, its purpose is to illustrate the vast array of factors that can determine which oak is the best option. Although the suggested parameters for oak selection are made, these are a guide only, and will vary from region to region and more importantly, what you as the winemaker require. Your oak representative should be able to explain how and why the oak recommended, will work with your wines to meet both your winemaking goals and budget requirements.

Grain Selection Chardonnay

Pinot Noir

Cabernet

Shiraz

Figure 3. As the ph of a wine increases, the toast level required decreases. At the same time as the ph of a wine increases the required grain selection needs to be finer.

December 2014 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Issue 611

For more information, contact Graeme Little P: 61 8 8406 2000 E: glittle@seguinmoreau.com.au

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winemaking

Fresh as the day it was toasted MCLAREN Vale-based Diverse Barrel Solutions is in the early days of trial work on locally-coopered, freshlytoasted barrels. The company is trying to establish whether there will be advantages for winemakers to access made-to-order barrels, in the same way the best Burgundy wineries are served by near-by cooperages. “We’ve got a working cooperage on the door step of McLaren Vale, the Adelaide Hills, Langhorne Creek and the Barossa,” said Alex Katsaros, Diverse Barrel Solutions business development and technical manager. “Most oak sold in Australia is coopered overseas and is filled anywhere from three-to-six months from the time it was made. So we want to see if there are advantages for the winemakers in made-to-order barrels compared to those shipped to Australia that end up sitting idle for months before they are filled.” Wineries across South Australia and Victoria have joined in the trial, which is in its early stages. Results from comparative tastings across a range of varieties are expected from mid-2015. “The concept makes sense to winemakers, especially being able to have fresher oak volatiles being imparted on the wine,” Katsaros said. The made-to-order barrels will be marketed under a new name, Kairos, which is Greek for ‘perfect timing’. “We want to see how barrels that are several months old, those that were coopered in France, compare to barrels that have been ‘fired and filled’ within a matter of hours or days of production at our facility,” Katsaros said. “There are several wineries in Burgundy whose barrels are made and filled in this fashion, because they are in very close proximity to their local cooperages. The

concept is a bit like comparing freshly brewed coffee versus a stale cup that has been on the kitchen bench for a day or two. “As a subplot to the trial in general, we are hoping a specific time frame or ‘sweet spot’ for when the timing of the barrel filling is significant will emerge. We have a couple of wineries looking to fill

barrels within 24, 48, 72 hours, one week, two weeks, one month, etc. of coopering to see if we can establish where the magic happens as far as oak performance goes.” We are expecting to see some clear cut differences in the flavour profile as well as in the oak tannin integration of these barrels when compared to the pre-made stock.”

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December 2014 – Issue 611

Oak discussion at The Great Australian Red WHEN the founders of The Great Australian Red sat down with this year’s chief judge the night before the show began, it brought three of the world’s best palates together – Tyson Stelzer, Matthew Jukes and James Halliday - and the topic turned to oak. “It’s a very interesting discussion and was particularly pertinent this year. James, Matthew and I did a bit of a preshow brief over dinner and the first question from James was about the importance of French verses American Oak,” Stelzer said. “He said the increase in the use of French oak across the warmer south-eastern regions was to be applauded. Matthew said those regions had a long history of good results with American oak and perhaps we shouldn’t throw the baby out with the bath-water.” Stelzer doesn’t believe anybody, winemakers or wine writers, need to be prescribed with their thoughts on oak because the quality of what is currently available is so high “even compared to five years ago”. “I’m seeing wines come through in all my tastings that reflect that and often not because winemakers are using less oak, you just have to look at Virginia Willcox from Vasse Felix who is actually using more new oak,” he said.

December 2014 – Issue 611

“I’m seeing more sensitive, more deliberate use of oak. Winemakers are being much, much more careful. The great winemakers are using experiments from years gone past, but they are not going to stop experimenting, they keep trialling and trialling and trialling. Many of them are really embracing diversity and you can really see the results through the detail and enhanced fruit in the wines. “It is a fascinating field. We are seeing the benefits of seasoning at the oak sources and even this seemingly small detail is having a big impact.” So can the experts still taste the difference? “I don’t even try to guess these days, it is no longer nearly as cut-and-dry as it was 15 years ago, and the lines are more-than blurring. I also know some American oak barrels are attracting really high prices and French oak is becoming available at a lot lower price so there’s no longer as big a price differential,” Stelzer said. So it seems to follow, the calibre of Australia’s definitive blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz continues to rise, evidenced by a record number of medals awarded in The Great Australian Red competition, judged at The National Wine Centre of Australia in Adelaide in November.

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SUPER TASTERS: Matthew Jukes, Tyson Stelzer and James Halliday.

“There is no other wine style anywhere in the world that can produce such outstanding quality at both an affordable price and at a super-premium level,” said Jukes. The 100 entries in the ninth judging of The Great Australian Red this year produced a record 13 gold medals, 29 silver medals, 47 bronze medals and an unprecedented medal tally of 89. “This was not simply a case of generous judging,” Stelzer said at the trophy presentation. Those winemakers dedicated to the Cabernet Shiraz blend are working tirelessly to refine the style, evidenced by a record medal tally four years running. The results this year also showcase the outstanding quality of the 2010, 2013 and, most of all, the 2012 vintages. 2012 claimed a clean sweep of all six trophies in this year’s competition. An unprecedented four gold medals in the $25 and under class was testimony to the outstanding value for money offered by this blend, with the $18 Gipsie Jack The Terrier Shiraz Cabernet 2012 outclassing a formidable field of higher-priced wines to win The Orora Closures Stelvin Trophy for the Best Shiraz-Dominant Blend. The Great Australian Red continues to track the evolution of the Cabernet Shiraz blend, and this year the competition

judged a range of brand new flagship blends, from Jacob’s Creek, Heartland, McGuigan and Yalumba. The winner of The Great Australian Red 2014 was Yalumba Caley Cabernet Shiraz 2012, an all-new blend, set for future release, from this longstanding champion of Cabernet Shiraz. The Great Australian Red utilises a uniquely rigorous judging system in which two judging panels of six judges each judge every wine. The judgements of the two panels are then reconciled by the chairman, who also tastes every wine. In this way, 13 scores count against every wine, affording multiple opportunities for every wine to be promoted or knocked back. “If every wine show were this collaborative, I would pay more attention to wine show results,” quipped one judge during the tasting. The unique dual panel judging system of The Great Australian Red also highlights bottle variation in a manner that is not always able to be identified in other judging contexts. This year, three cork-sealed bottles were rejected for cork taint and three inconsistent screw-capped bottles were rejected. “We urge makers to focus on consistency and quality control during bottling and to embrace closures that do not carry cork taint,” Stelzer said.

...when ...when tradition tradition meets meets the t highest standard of quality... Family owned and enriched by the history and experience of three generations of coopers Saint Martin is used by the highest quality references overseas and the finest wines in Australasia. Garry King Director Australasia E gking@saintmartin.com.au M +61 (0)439 766 777 T +61 (0)8 8358 5657 F +61 (0)8 8358 5658

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December 2014 – Issue 611

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winemaking

TOP DROP: Alex John, from AP John, pours a taste of a top blend.

The Great Australian Red 2014 was chaired by James Halliday and panel chaired by Matthew Jukes and Tyson Stelzer. Judges were Elena Brooks (Dandelion), Mike Brown (Gemtree), Andrew Hardy (Petaluma), Brock Harrison (Orlando), Adam Holmberg (Tyrrell’s), Matt Koch (Rosemount), Kate Laurie (Deviation Road), David O’Leary (O’Leary Walker) and Sarah Pigeon (Wynns).

Trophies • The Great Australian Red 2014: Yalumba Caley Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2012 • The Riedel trophy for the best winery of show: Wolf Blass Wines (Runner up: Yalumba Wines) • The Kemenys trophy for the best wine $25 and under: Lake Breeze Bernoota Shiraz Cabernet 2012 • The MyCellars.com.au trophy for the best wine $25-$60: Yalumba Caley Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2012 • The Tonnellerie Saint Martin trophy for the best wine $60 and over: Wolf Blass Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2012 • The A.P. John Coopers trophy for the best cabernet-dominant blend: Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 2012 • The Orora Closures Stelvin trophy for the best shirazdominant blend: Gipsie Jack The Terrier Shiraz Cabernet 2012.

For further information, please contact Kauri NZ Tel: 0800 KAURIWINE NZ Fax: 04 910 7415 Email: winery@kauri.co.nz

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December 2014 – Issue 611

sales & marketing Authenticity issues on the rise Geoff Cowey, The Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) senior oenologist, has seen a jump in the number of enquiries about wine authenticity. He reports on the verification and detection of counterfeit Australian wines. IN THE past few months the AWRI helpdesk has received more than a dozen queries related to grape and wine authenticity, provenance or wine tampering. Historically, authenticity issues have not formed a large percentage of the total queries received by the helpdesk, although when they do occur the quantities of wine involved and the risk of brand damage can be substantial. The AWRI has a unique capability to apply a range of scientific methods to investigate authenticity issues. In many cases, the results of these investigations enable the producer to minimise brand damage and any potential loss of product. Many wines are periodically the subject of substitution or counterfeiting and high profile cases are widelyreported in mainstream media.

December 2014 – Issue 611

Instances of counterfeit wines do not always involve rare, high-end wines; many also involve higher volume products. The level of sophistication of counterfeiting can be extremely high. Some signs of counterfeiting to watch out for include spelling errors on labels or a different capsule, cork, or bottle being used. While counterfeiting of wellknown wines gains the most publicity, the scope of authenticity issues can be much wider. Some of the issues recently reported to the AWRI helpdesk include: • Whether a grape variety submitted to a winery has been accurately represented; • Allegations of grape/wine substitution or blending with inferior product by a contract producer; • Customer complaint samples returned

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to wineries with a replacement wine or other liquid filling the bottle; • Older wines being declared as younger wines or vice versa; • Wines reported to taste different when received after shipping compared to when previously tasted; and • Allegations of wine doctoring during transport.

VARIETY SUBSTITUTION Ten years ago authenticity queries were mostly domestic, for example grape substitution of Sultana in place of higherpriced Chardonnay. Today this is less common, although this year has seen one large volume of grapes represented as a particular white variety shown to have actually been made up of a range of other varieties. If this scenario occurs, and samples of the grapes or unfined juice are available, the AWRI can identify the grape variety based on the composition of the pathogenesis-related proteins, which are specific to each variety (Hayasaka et al 2001). In addition, if portions of grape tissue (leaves, stalks) have been retained in frozen grape samples (often kept for agrochemical compliance purposes) then this can be used for DNA extraction and identification by comparing to reference

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sales & marketing data in the Australian National Nuclear Grapevine collection. DNA extraction from finished wines has been reported in the literature (Pereira et al. 2011), but the method has not been validated in Australia. For now, if grape samples have not been retained, or the issue has not been identified at grape intake, then it is not possible to prove if there has been any grape variety substitution by analysing wine.

WINE SUBSTITUTION The most common authenticity queries encountered today involve disputes between growers and contract wine producers, with growers suspecting their grapes have been substituted or blended with inferior product. Wine sent to a contract bottler is also often suspected of being blended with a different customer’s wine or replaced. A similar issue occurs when a wine exported in a bulk container arrives at its destination and is perceived to be quite different from the wine originally tasted and purchased. The AWRI advises producers to keep a holdback sample whenever wine is sent to a contract provider or exported in bulk. This allows an investigation to be conducted if a dispute arises. Such investigations are currently carried out using a number of methodologies. A simple place to start can be to measure colour and/or tannin profiles. A recent case involved a sparkling-base blend allegedly containing 50 per cent Pinot Noir and 50 per cent Chardonnay, which, when analysed, showed no red wine pigments, phenolics or tannins present. These results suggested that the blend was most likely made up of 100 per cent white varieties. The AWRI WineCloud has proven a useful tool to compare typical tannin levels from a designated region or vintage. For cases where older wines have been substituted with younger wines, some spectral measures can be used to determine whether two wines are about the same age, but this can be hindered if the wines have been stored under very different conditions. For very old wines, for example discerning if a wine is a 1954 Grange or a 2000 vintage substitute, carbon dating could be used, but this is a destructive test and rarely used.

FINGERPRINTING TECHNIQUES Metabolomics Aust ralia can f ingerprint complex sa mples, providing a unique and characteristic representation of hundreds of different features that relate to the aroma, flavour and mouth-feel of wine. A unique fingerprint is captured rapidly using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

94 Grapegrower & Winemaker

(GC-MS) to measure volatile compounds and also by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) to measure non-volatile compounds, which can be used to distinguish between a reference holdback wine and a suspect sample.

OTHER TESTS FOR AUTHENTICITY Trace metal analysis composition is a common method used in authenticity testing of other products. It can be used to profile and compare a holdback wine with a suspect sample, as many of these metal concentrations are unlikely to change over time in a finished wine, even if a wine is heat-affected during transport. More than 60 different metals are normally analysed, with a handful of these (Ba, Li, Mg, Mn, Rb, Sr) plus some rare earth elements being useful for discrimination. The metals can be compared and discriminated as a relative distribution of each sample away from their combined mean, or as a similarity index. The Centre for Forensic Science at the University of Western Australia has used inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and emission spectroscopy to discriminate wines from different regions using metal composition. Researchers at UC Davis are also trying to fingerprint terroir in a similar manner. The Edmund Mach Foundation in Italy is working on a range of techniques to establish food authenticity. To identify a single wine’s country or region of origin based on metal composition, when there is no reference sample to compare to, relies on multi-dimensional statistics of the collective metal composition. Reported classification rates have been promising; however it is important to note that absolute concentrations of many trace elements change at different stages of vinification, such as bentonite fining, potentially invalidating their discrimination. Analysis of isotope ratios, particularly for the element strontium, is another promising approach which has been used for geographical authentication in other foods and beverages. Such isotope ratios are unlikely to change during winemaking or storage. A combination of methods is generally used by the AWRI when comparing a control or holdback wine to a suspect sample. Basic chemical parameters that should remain constant, such as alcohol, pH, volatile acidity, and methanol, in conjunction with organic acid and trace metal profiles are often used to compare samples. In addition it can be useful to analyse for the range of agrochemical residues in the wines. If counterfeit www.winebiz.com.au

wines are sourced from another country they will often have been exposed to different agrochemicals, the residues of which can provide markers to suggest country of origin.

TRANSPORT ISSUES AND CUSTOMER RETURNS One recent case involved a wine transported by flexi-container to Europe where, on arrival, it was noticed that one of the two bag seals were missing. There was no indication that customs had inspected and/or removed the seal. An investigation was made into whether the wine had been tampered with or doctored, or the wine substituted or a portion removed, as well as checking if the wine had been potentially damaged or oxidised due to the seal removal. Analysis showed that the wine composition had not been affected but did not explain what happened to the seal or if a small volume had been taken out. Overall this was a positive result for the wine owner as they were able to sell the wine with confidence. Another type of case on the rise is customer complaints where a customer suggests that a wine they have purchased is ‘not quite right’. Most of these cases turn out not to be counterfeit wines and are often found to involve disingenuous behaviour by the complainant.

CONCLUSION Queries to the AWRI helpdesk relating to authenticity issues appear to be on the rise. These issues are confidentially investigated using a wide array of analytical techniques determined on a case-by-case basis, with results often responsible for minimising or avoiding product loss or damage to brands. In general, however, Australia has yet to develop or adopt a standard approach for origin verification and detection of counterfeit Australian wines in the marketplace. This is an area where more research is needed, to adapt methods in use around the world to Australian wine production conditions.

REFERENCES

Hayasaka, Y, Adam K.S., Pocock, K.F, Baldock, G.A., Waters E.J.; Høj, P.B. Use of electrospray mass spectrometry for mass determination of grape (Vitis vinifera) juice pathogenesis–related proteins: A potential tool for varietal differentiation. J Agric Food Chem. 49: 1830-1839; 2001. Martin, A. E. Watling, R. J. Lee, G. S. The multielement determination and regional discrimination of Australian wines. Food Chem. 133 (3): 1081-1089; 2012. Pereira, L., Guedes-Pinto, H., Martins-Lopes, P. An Enhanced Method for Vitis vinifera L. DNA Extraction from Wines. Am. J. Enol. Vitic. 62(4): 547–552; 2011. Pohl, P. What do metals tell us about wine? Trends Analyt. Chem. 26(9): 941-949; 2007. December 2014 – Issue 611

business & technology

A strong new player in wine law ON 1 OCTOBER 2014, the partners of leading independent SA law firms Donaldson Walsh and Fox Tucker joined Legal forces to create DW Fox Tucker, a new, full-service commercial firm. Both predecessor firms have extensive experience and expertise in the wine industry, bringing together a highly capable team with great capacity in wine law, along with taxation (including WET), IP, property matters, employment and workers compensation, insurance and all general commercial matters. Director Sandy Donaldson, who leads the DW Fox Tucker Commercial and IP practices, said the new firm would be able to provide wine clients with significant capability and depth of resources across all areas of business. “We’re now at a size that’s just about ideal for many clients,” said Sandy. “We have upwards of 80 staff, which makes us large enough to confidently advise on matters of any scale or complexity, but still small enough to maintain our value for money and down-to-earth, personal service ethos.” The firm’s Tax practice leader, director John Tucker, agreed. “I think we’re perfectly placed to provide the wine industry with a strong, cost-effective and responsive alternative to the largest firms in SA and nationally,” he said. John and Sandy said some of the

Sandy Donaldson

DW Fox Tucker wine team’s notable achievements included: • Assisting Torbreck Vintners in its acquisition of the renowned Gnadenfrei vineyard, winemaking and vineyard management agreements and resolution of disputes; • Acting for the purchaser in the due diligence and acquisition of Seppeltsfield winery, vineyards and fortified brands, and the negotiation of complex ongoing brand co-existence, winemaking, grape supply and vineyard management arrangements; • Acting for successful applicants in the Coonawarra geographical indication determination, which remains one of the most significant decisions affecting the establishment of geographical indications in Australia; • Acting for Pernod Ricard Pacific Pty

Here, you’ll always come first.

John Tucker

Ltd in establishing that a worker fabricated a claim; • Acting for many producers in dealings with the ATO concerning WET matters, through audits, disputes, policy settings, the procurement of private binding rulings and supporting advices; and • Advising on an international joint venture for a prestigious Barossa winery. The Donaldson Walsh staff members have now settled into the new offices at 100 King William Street having moved from their long term home at Kings Chambers. While there are new contact details due to the move, all of Donaldson Walsh’s phone numbers and email addresses remain active and have been diverted to ensure you will have no trouble contacting them during the interim period.

DW Fox Tucker is a new full-service commercial law firm, established by the former partners of the respected South Australian teams of Donaldson Walsh and Fox Tucker. Our people have advised many of the leading names in Australian wine, across all areas of business. But if there’s one thing we specialise in, it’s putting clients’ needs first. So whatever your business or commercial objectives, don’t hesitate to contact us. At DW Fox Tucker, you’ll matter most.

December 2014 – Issue 611

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L14, 100 King William St. Adelaide SA 5000 p: 08 8124 1811 e: info@dwfoxtucker.com.au

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business & technology

Reaching the top: Predictors of women in the top roles in the wine industry Jeremy Galbreath, from the Curtin University School of Business, has been researching the roles for women within the wine industry. She suggest that wineries are yet to reap the benefits of having women filling more senior positions. ARE WOMEN in the wine industry advancing to the top? This is a relevant question given recent editions of the Grapegrower & Winemaker have featured stories on women in wine. However, my own research perhaps reveals some more sobering insights. In the June (Issue 605) edition of Grapegrower & Winemaker, results were presented from my study that examined women in the industry over a sevenyear period. Specifically, women in CEO, winemaker, viticulturist, and marketer roles are studied. While what defines a “top” role is subjective, I argue these roles are critical to wine companies and are therefore appropriate from a study point of view. The results suggest the average percentage of women in the CEO role is 13 per cent; in the winemaker role 9 per cent; in the viticulturist role 10 per cent; and in the marketer role 54 per cent. Over the period, only in the CEO role (2.24 per cent) and marketer role (1.23 per cent) was growth achieved for women. Women representation in the winemaking (-1.04 per cent) and viticulturist (-1.47 per cent) roles both declined. The results reveal a few interesting findings. First, in the ASX500 (Australia’s

500 largest companies), the women representation rate in the CEO role is about three per cent, suggesting women CEOs in the wine industry fare relatively well. Second, in wineries in California, one study found the representation of women in the winemaker role is about 10 per cent, on par with Australia. Third, relative to women graduating from Australia’s oenology programs these numbers are not so great. For example, in 2012, 30 per cent of those enrolled in oenology at the University of Adelaide were women – up from around 13 per cent in the 1980s. At the Charles Sturt Wagga Wagga campus, 27 per cent of those enrolled in oenology in 2012 were women, up from 12.5 pre cent throughout 1976 to 1984. At the University of Melbourne, the enrolments of women are equal to men, i.e. at 50 per cent. Although relatively small compared to other programs, at Curtin University, over 2009–2013, the enrolment of women stood at 54 per cent. In light of these figures, where are all these women going after they graduate and what does it take to reach a top role in the industry? This study sought to examine company-level predictors of women in top

roles in the wine industry in Australia. First, in large companies, advancing through the ranks, or obtaining top jobs from the outside, is typically extremely competitive. This can potentially be problematic with respect to women as evidence suggests the embedded traits of women generally result in them being less competitive than men and they may avoid or withdraw from competitive environments. Given the work commitments generally expected by large companies, particularly in higher-ranking roles, women can also be disadvantaged. This is because women appear to prioritise family over work and seek more-balanced lifestyles in preference to career progression. Hence, larger companies are more likely to view such gender attributes and traits as unfavourable. This can lead to negative stereotyping of women, one where a perception is created that women lack the endowed human capital resources or prerequisite traits for top roles. Hence, my study predicted a negative relationship between company size and women in top roles. Second, women appear to express more concern about the natural

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December 2014 – Issue 611

environment than men. This may be due to women demonstrating characteristics of empathy and concern about the well-being of others, particularly where health and safety are concerned, which is relative from the perspective of the natural environment. Research also suggests women are particularly innovative, where they demonstrate an impact on the development of companylevel innovations. The ability to engage in environmental strategies requires innovation because new technologies, technical systems, and processes are needed. Therefore, my study predicted companies demonstrating environmental sustainability credentials would be positively linked to women in top roles. Third, exporting remains a viable strategy for companies who seek to internationalise, and remains one of the most popular options for foreign market entry. Exporting is a growing point of emphasis within the Australian wine industry. However, successful exporting is relational. More specifically, literature suggests the very decision to export, as well as ongoing effectiveness, is dependent upon the establishment and maintenance of a network of foreign relationships. A relational paradigm of exporting therefore argues the ability of

December 2014 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Issue 611

a firm to be truly successful in export markets is dependent upon their ability to develop and manage relationships effectively. From a gender perspective, there is evidence to suggest that women are more orientated towards establishing, suppor t ing, a nd ma inta ining relationships than men. This is expected to help them better understand, effectively deal with, and better meet the requirements of export partners. Hence, my study predicted wine companies with higher export orientations would be linked to women in top roles. To explore the research propositions, I studied women in CEO, winemaker, viticulturist, and marketer roles across all wine companies in Australia from 2007 to 2014. The findings suggest larger companies have less representation of women in top roles, the only exception being women in the winemaker role. Companies with strong environmental sustainability credentials tend to have more women in top roles; namely, in CEO and marketer roles. Lastly, companies with high export orientations reduce the likelihood of women representation in top roles, particularly in CEO and winemaker roles. This is contrary to my prediction. Much of what we know about women

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in the wine industry is based on anecdotal evidence and media reports. This empirical study, which examines all wine companies in Australia across an eight-year period, suggests that if women wish to reach the top roles, there appear to be better opportunities in smaller companies than larger ones and those that take environmental sustainability seriously. Alternatively, companies that are exporting high volumes appear to be less likely to have women in top roles. While the results are modest in that only a few predictive variables were studied, they nonetheless expand our knowledge about women in the Australian wine industry. As noted in my own research, women possess highly valuable human capital, and this capital should be leveraged more effectively by Australian wine companies.

References

Gilbert, L.A. 2011. California women winemakers, their accomplishments, and their progress in a male-dominated field. Working paper, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, California, August 2011. Prestipino, D. 2012. Watershed moment for Margaret River winery. Available at http://www.news.com. au/national/watershed-moment-for-margaret-riverwinery/story-fndo4e3y-1226472874231. Ting, I. 2013. Women in wine are pushing open the cellar door. Available at http://www.theage.com.au/ action/printArticle?id=4186716.

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business & technology

Love what you do, love where you do it The global village of the wine industry lends itself to people working in many different regions and countries throughout their careers. In this month’s Winejobs article, Stephanie Timotheou spoke with six producers from six different wine regions across Australia who have worked across lots of different regions. While their travels have shaped them, they’re thrilled to talk up their current home bases. Andrew Jericho: Maxwell Wines, South Australia ANDREW Jericho works as a winemaker for Maxwell Wines in McLaren Vale and has been employed in the region since leaving university in 2003. The things he loves most about living and working in McLaren Vale include Andrew Jericho the close proximity to beaches and local markets, the quality food on offer and having so many wineries scattered throughout the region. “With Adelaide being only 40 minutes away, it’s easy to love living in the area,” he said. “McLaren Vale has so many things going for it. The climate is ideal for making Shiraz, Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon, so access to great parcels of reds is a real strength of making wine in the region.” Jericho has also worked as a consultant in Shanxi Provence, China, which he says is different in many ways. “It really makes me appreciate how good things are here in McLaren Vale, particularly when growing grapes,” he said. “In Shanxi the vines have to be buried in winter to prevent them from freezing, so the vines are very close to the ground.” He says there is also a high level of leaf roll virus and high growing season rainfall in China, so the vines are more vulnerable to downy mildew and botrytis. “It was a steep learning curve for me to cope with these things and with intensive sorting, the resulting wines can be very good.” The variation throughout the region also creates interesting differences and complex wines and Jericho says even within the vineyards around the Maxwell winery, there is a change in geological formations, so “getting an understanding of the vineyards gives great tools come blending time”.

Emma Norbiato: Calabria Family Wines, New South Wales NORBIATO joined the Calabria Family Wines team as a winemaker in 2010 and has been involved in the industry for more than a decade. Her passion for wine and travel has seen her live and work Emma Norbiato in many wine regions in Australia and across the globe, including the Barossa Valley, Eden Valley, Sunraysia and Montalcino in Italy. She’s currently based in the Riverina where she’s lived for eight years. “The Riverina is home, and home is about the people,” she said. “Not only am I surrounded by my family, we also have a ‘young’ winemakers club who gather about four times a year and we taste great wines, share stories and break those invisible walls between wineries.” She said this is one of her favourite things about residing and working in the region and is a great support network of people who are able to call on each other for help during busy times. “What I also love about the region is that it has a vibrant mix of cultures which in turn

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contributes to a delicious selection of restaurants and festivals throughout the year.” Compared to other regions she’s worked in, Norbiato says Riverina is perceived as “less romantic”, but the community is working hard to change that. “I prefer to look at this in a different light – the Riverina crushes about 300,000 tonnes per vintage which is about 17 per cent of the national crush,” she said. “That’s a big responsibility. We have fewer winemakers blending large amounts of wine, rapidly evolving styles and we're making plenty of people happy.” She said working in the Riverina also enables growers and winemakers to work with a broad range of fruit. “At Calabria Family Wines we source fruit from the Barossa to King Valley and we even use Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand,” she said. “These days location doesn’t define the fruit you get to play with or wines you make. I find working in the Riverina dynamic and even though I’ve been doing this for a while I’m still learning and growing a skill set that can’t be taught in too many other regions in Australia.” While there are many benefits of working in the region, including a great climate for growing grapes and low disease pressure, Norbiato says Riverina is always warm, so picking decisions and keeping fruit fresh is critical. “Heatwaves seem to be our biggest enemy with January and February often reaching 40C,” she said. “If we manage this through irrigation and healthy canopies we seem to fair well for the season.” In recent years water security has also become more scarce and unreliable, so producers have been forced to become more efficient and innovative with regards to water use. “Again it comes back to the people – wineries and growers alike are working together to achieve this.”

Ben Sieber: Vasse Felix, Western Australia BEN Sieber is the vineyard manager for Vasse Felix in Western Australia’s Margaret River. He’s worked and lived in the region for 10 years and says the ocean and lifestyle is what he loves most. Aside from his experience in WA, Ben Sieber his career has taken him through the Barossa, McLaren Vale, Orange, Sunbury, Marlborough and Switzerland. He says Margaret River is the only region he’s worked in that has an annual Inter-Winery Surf Competition and he’s a regular. “It’s very casual and a good chance to catch up with others in the industry,” he said. Sieber says not only is the climate in Margaret River perfect for producing premium winegrapes, but it also allows people to enjoy a healthy, outdoor lifestyle. “With great surfing, diving, fishing, cycling and camping right on your doorstep, you don’t need to spend half your weekend driving to get to places where there are cool things to do away from work,” he said. “There are also some amazing cellar doors and restaurants to enjoy across Margaret River.”

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December 2014 – Issue 611

While the region seems to have everything going for it, Sieber says there are some minor disadvantages. He says although Margaret River produces some amazing wines, this doesn’t come without viticultural challenges. “High disease pressures, variable soil types, birds, weevils and fires just to name a few,” he said. “The spring storms can also be devastating. Strong fronts come through during spring, producing high winds and occasional hail, often perfectly timed with Chardonnay flowering.” He said despite its ups and downs, Margaret River is a dynamic and evolving region. "There are strong cultures of farming, surfing, wine, food and tourism that are all complementing each other and making it an exciting place."

Dylan Rhymer: Ballandean Estate, Queensland DYLAN Rhymer is the chief winemaker for Ballandean Estate in Granite Belt, Queensland. He’s worked in the same region for 14 years and says there are many things to love about Granite Belt including the friendly people, the climate Dylan Rhymer (warm days and cool nights), the good food and wine and mountain biking. Other regions he’s worked in include Hawke’s Bay and Marlborough, and regions across South Australia, Spain, Bulgaria and Romania. “There are so many things that make each region and country different to each other including social, environmental and climatic aspects,” he said. “That’s what I love about winemaking. For example, you and the guy next door can both grow Chardonnay and your wines, with all the factors that influence its making, will never be the same.” For Rhymer, the biggest benefit of working in Granite Belt is the region’s neutrality. “We’re being recognised for our fine alternative varieties unlike other regions that get labelled for being able to grow one thing well, even when it’s not true,” he said. “You ask the average punter what the Barossa or Hunter is famous for and they’ll probably say Shiraz and Semillon. We have the freedom to experiment and we’re showing our class in the different wines the region produces.” Despite these benefits, Rhymer says there are some downfalls, but no more than other regions across Australia. “Frost and hail can be an issue,” he says. “We held our breath in October as the temperature dropped down to -0.55C.”

Matthew Pooley: Pooley Wines, Tasmania MATTHEW Pooley is the viticultural manager for Pooley Wines, located in Tasmania’s Coal River Valley, where he grew up. His future in the region was set when his grandfather, Denise Pooley, established a one-acre vineyard Matthew Pooley next to the family farm near the town of Campania. “As a teenager I vividly remembered preparing the soil and planting the original vines and the big family picking days during vintage,” he said. “It was this start that took me into agriculture and later horticulture.” After school Pooley spent two years jackerooing on a large Northern Midland Tasmanian property before studying farm business management at Marcus Oldham in Geelong. He has travelled through northern and southern New Zealand, southern Queensland and worked in southern New South Wales. He also worked as a farm overseer north east of Melbourne for several years to get a feel of the industry. He returned to Tasmania in 1994 after meeting and marrying his December 2014 – Issue 611

wife in Geelong and continued running the family business. He also picked up casual work at Andrew Hood, Tasmania’s first contract winemaking business and stayed there until 2002 when he decided to set up and operate Pooley Wines. Throughout his career, working in Tasmania has presented him with some great opportunities. In 2013 he was awarded the Nuffield scholarship, sponsored by the Australian Grape & Wine Authority (AGWA), where he was able to travel and study sustainable management and practices in small, cool climate wineries. The study took him to southern, central and eastern China, Louisiana, Washington DC, Origan, Napa, Sacramento, Lodi, Sonoma, Niagra Falls, Ontario, Netherland, Belgium, France, Ireland, and New Zealand. While he’s crisscrossed the world, Tasmania is where Pooley’s heart remains. “There are so many benefits of working in Coal River Valley,” he said. “The business potentials including eco-tourism, warehouse storage and packaging; working and building the family company; the proximity to all the services of the capital city; the seasonal changes; our clean, green environment; the great, relaxed lifestyle; and everything else this great state has to offer.” But one of the biggest disadvantages for Tasmania is the cost of transport into, and out of, the state. “The added cost of doing business limits comparative distribution,” he said. “It’s cheaper to get a container of winemaking equipment from Italy to Melbourne than it is to get that same container from Melbourne to Hobart.” He said the variable climatic conditions also make it tricky to get consistency in cropping levels, quality and wine style. “Having said that, this could be a big benefit for the true wine enthusiast.”

Glenys Dixon: Henty Estate, Victoria GLENYS Dixon is the vineyard manager and joint owner of Henty Estate in the Henty wine region, south west of Victoria. She manages seven hectares of vines which are situated between the Grampians and the coast which mostly Glenys Dixon comprise Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Riesling. Dixon was raised in the district on a sheep farm and lived close to Hamilton most of her life. She says the region is best known for its wool and lamb production and only has a small wine industry. She has taken her experiences from visiting wine regions across Australia, France, Italy and Spain back home. In comparison to the regions she’s visited across the country, she says Henty is one of the coolest growing areas in Australia, so growers need to optimise their sunlight exposure to ensure they achieve their desired ripeness levels, particularly with Shiraz. Shoot thinning and summer trimming are done routinely and harvest in Henty usually finishes in mid-to-late April. “This means we have less pressure with fungal diseases which is another major benefit of growing grapes in our region,” she said. “We also experience increasingly dry summers and autumns which suit our Shiraz vines.” While there are many benefits, Dixon says she is concerned with the issues surrounding smoke management. “Many district cropping farmers routinely burn stubbles, completely unaware of the impact they might have on a vineyard,” she said. “Our regional association has undertaken awareness campaigns and we have made our immediate neighbours aware of the issue.” For Dixon, the biggest benefit of working in her home region is that she’s close to her family, so there’s plenty of help for the picking and packaging processes.

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looking back

Australia & New Zealand

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

December 1984 South Australian Riverland winery Langwarra has been placed in receivership, owing about $3.5 million to local winegrape growers and other creditors. Langwarra was previously known as Monash Winery and Vindana Winery. A meeting of more than 300 winegrape growers and creditors in Berri heard the Langwarra wine group owed about $1.2 million to grapegrowers and a further $400,000 to other creditors. The major creditor is ANZ Banking Group which is owed $2 million.

December 1994 Australia is expected to produce record winegrape crops during the next three years, according to a report released by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural & Resource Economics (ABARE). The report forecasts winegrape production and planned intake by wineries for the three years to 1996-97 on a varietal and regional basis. It predicts the production of grapes for winemaking will increase by 13 per cent between 1993-94 and 1996-1997. More than 95 per cent of this growth is expected to be in premium white and red winegrape varieties.

December 2004 Margaret River producers are feeling more than a little pleased with themselves following the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success at the London International Wine Challenge. Hosted by Wine International Magazine, more than 3500 red wines from around the world were tasted in excess of 163 gold medals awarded. According to information received from the Margaret River Wine Industry Association, in the Shiraz or Rhone-style categories, of the 29 gold medal winners, 18 were awarded to Australian producers and just two were won by the French.

6 Burnbrae's Black Tie BBQ Mudgee, NSW. www.burnbraewines.com.au

15 AWRI - Trunk Disease Workshop (North-East Victoria) Wangaratta, VIC. www.awri.com.au

6 Pyrenees Christmas Racing Shindig Pyrenees Region, VIC. www.countryracing.com.au

16 AWRI - Victorian Trunk Disease Management Workshop (Bendigo/ Heathcote) Maiden Gully, VIC. www.awri.com.au

8 AWRI - Victorian Trunk Disease Management Workshop (Yarra Valley) Yarra Glen, VIC. www.awri.com.au 9 AWRI - Victorian Trunk Disease Management Workshop (Mornington) Merricks North, VIC. www.awri.com.au 10 AWRI - Victorian Trunk Disease Management Workshop (Geelong) Drysdale, VIC. www.awri.com.au

17 AWRI - Trunk Disease Workshop (Grampians/Pyrenees) Bayindeen, VIC. www.awri.com.au 28 December-3 Janurary The Taste of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS. www.thetasteoftasmania.com.au

January 8 Coonawarra Vignerons Cup Race Day Penola Racecourse, SA. www.coonawarra.org

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

10 Vintage Blues Music Festival Albany, WA. www.vintageblues.com.au

24-25 Crush Adelaide Hills Wine & Food Festival Adelaide Hills, SA. www.crushfestival.com.au

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

International December 2-4 Vinitech Sifel Bordeaux, France. www.vinitech.fr/en

4-6 Shanghai International Wine & Spirits Exhibition 2014 Shanghai, China. www.winefair.com.cn

January 13-15 SIVAL Angers, France. www.sival-angers.com

27-29 Unified Wine & Grape Symposium California, USA. www.unifiedsymposium.org

22-25 World Wine Meetings Barcelona Barcelona, Spain. www.wwm-barcelona.com

JD = judging date

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

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AUSTRALIAN & NEW ZEALAND GRAPEGROWER & WINEMAKER *Australia's largest circulation wine industry trade magazine celebrating more than 50 years of publication. *Now available online to all subscribers. *All Marketplace adverts also appear on Winebiz Classifieds * For advertising enquiries please call Chas Barter on 08 8369 9513, c.barter@winetitles.com.au

Winebiz Calendar

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

www.winebiz.com.au/calendar December 2014 – Issue 611

www.winebiz.com.au

Grapegrower & Winemaker

101

Marketplace

All advertisements also appear on www.winebiz.com.au/classifieds/

VINEYARD REMOVAL / RE-WORKING • Providing professional services in Vineyard Removal with rates per Ha. • Tom & his team have gained a high reputation in all regions Australia Wide. • Pulling vines is the sole business for Vine Sight.

Tom Stephens 0428 443 263

www.vina.net.au

www.vinesight.com.au

BIRD NETTING

WINE PRESS SERVICING

• Permanent canopy or throw over net • Fully UV stabilised • Cable, wire and all canopy supplies in stock

• Preventative maintenance & breakdown repairs for all makes and models. • 24/7 coverage during vintage

OBLOMOV TRADING CO.

• Large inventory of spare parts. • Membrane replacement.

PO Box 207, Rozelle, NSW 2039 Phone (02) 9555 4987 Fax (02) 9810 1130 e-mail: sales@otcobirdnet.com.au

Visit our website at: www.otcobirdnet.com.au

GALLI ESTATE WINERY

Wine Grapes For Sale – Harvest 2015 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

ARE YOU STILL REQUIRING CELLAR HANDS for the 2015 VINTAGE?

Marketplace

Vine Industry Nursery Assoc.

• PLC upgrades and design improvements. Electrical & mechanical expertise.

03 9455 3339 • www.rapidfil.com.au

Quality Grapevines Paul Wright PO Box 180 Mt Pleasant South Australia 5235 Ph 08 8568 2385 www.vinewright.com.au

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

brucethegrafter@gmail.com www.brucethegrafter.com

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VINE GRAFTING

Qualified vintage staff?

Talk to us!

The popular WINE EXPERIENCE INTERNATIONAL Program enables young people, from many countries, who are wishing to gain an opportunity to acquire additional practical experience towards their Career objectives. These qualified young people are seeking a period of about three months work and are available for the 2015 Vintage. We can supply your international employees with the correct procedures to obtain their visas and advise telephone numbers. For further information contact:PO Box 3093 KEW, Victoria 3101 Ph (03) 9818 2395 – FAX (03) 9818 7255 Email: auintagx@bigpond.com Web: www.agriculturalexchange.com

08 8374 0077

info@bibber.com.au

www.bibber.com.au 102 Grapegrower & Winemaker

www.winebiz.com.au

December 2014 – Issue 611

Don't rely on what you hear on the grapevine Comprehensive and up-to-date grape and wine industry resource We’ve been doing this for over 30 years Includes snapshot of the industry thorough annual statistical overview Now available in PRINT and ONLINE! • 7,000 Industry listings • 9,000 Personnel • 3,100 Wineries • 4,800 Wine brands • 1,500 Grapegrowers • 2,200 Buyers’ guide listings • 280 Distributors & retailers • 180 Writers & media

PLUS

NEW 2014! FACEBOOK & TWITTER account listings

+ Statistics + 2013 Overview + Calendar of events + Wineshows + Courses + Organisations

If you’re involved with any facet of the industry, The Directory is an invaluable reference for sourcing information

PROVIDING SOLUTIONS TO THE WINE INDUSTRY

To order your copy - Ph: +618 8369 9509 Email: orders@winetitles.com.au Visit: www.winebiz.com.au

POWERFUL. 95% reduction processing time* 83% reduction in power consumption* 23% reduction in wine losses* 21% reduction in labour requirements* *Roget, W. Benchmarking a continuous tartrate stabilisation system. Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker (585): p. 106; 2012.

With over 40 years of innovation and technology in winemaking solutions, our inline on-demand continuous tartaric stabilisation and filtration systems are providing significant savings across the board. Ask us how.

www.dtpacific.com | ph: +61 3 9924-4040 | fax: +61 3 9924-4041 | info@dtpacific.com | twitter: @DellaToffolaPac