DECEMBER 2021
TOP DOG
U N L E AS H E D
SHIP-WRECK
GLOBAL EXPORTS DELAYED
AERATION DURING FERMENTATION DOSING MUST WITH OXYGEN
2021 ANNUAL THEME: SUSTAINABILITY | SPECIAL FEATURE: SPOTLIGHT ON YARRA VALLEY
contents DECEMBER 2021
ISSUE 695
DECEMBER 2021
TOP DOG
UNLEASHED AERATION DURING FERMENTATION
SHIP-WRECK
DOSING MUST WITH OXYGEN
GLOBAL EXPORTS DELAYED
2021 ANNUAL THEME: SUSTAINABILITY | SPECIAL FEATURE: SPOTLIGHT ON YARRA VALLEY
The cover of the December issue of Grapegrower & Winemaker features the 2021 Winejobs Top Dog competition winner, Clive, ‘the Bung Boy’ from Sigurd Wines. Photo credit: Marta Piwko
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REGULARS 7
Winetitles Insights
8
In This Issue
8
GRAPEGROWING
What’s Online
24 FEATURE Are your relationships vintage ready?
20 R&D at Work
28 FEATURE Powdery mildew in Margaret River: proliferation and management
53 Ask the AWRI
105 Producer profile: Renae Hirsch
31 FEATURE Managing weeds: the herbicide dilemma
108 Marketplace Classifieds
34 Grenache Uncorked: a varietal renaissance
110 Looking Back 110 Calendar
60 NEWS 9
Tamburlaine bolster Orange presence with ‘Boomey’ vineyard purchase
10 Campaign launched to stop new coal mines in Hunter Valley
12 SA growers assess damage from severe hail storm
44 4
Grapegrower & Winemaker
14 New report identifies the pressing need for wine market diversification 15 International briefs
16 SPECIAL FEATURE Winejobs Top Dog winner unleashed www.winetitles.com.au
40 Diverse cover crops – Improving soil health, pest pressure and fruit quality
44 SPECIAL FEATURE Regional update: Spotlight on Yarra Valley 50 Wynns’ cheers for 20 good years WINEMAKING
55 Resolving the challenges of smoke taint
60 Realising the benefits of aeration during fermentation 67
FEATURE Vintage Employment for cellar hands – winery grunts or oenologists in waiting?
70 Behind the Top Drops: Domaine A Cabernet Sauvignon
76 Beyond Baumé rounds and tank dips 84 Young Gun: Dave Verheul
December 2021 – Issue 695
Hans Mick Editor
105 BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY 92 Working around global distribution challenges 95 WISA at 21
SALES & MARKETING
98 And now for something completely different: revamping an old design
50 December 2021 – Issue 695
As we reach the end of another year, we look forward to a new vintage. 2021 has delivered ongoing challenges to wine businesses and the sector as a whole. There is a little light at the end of the long pandemic tunnel, however, as cellar doors and wineries reopen for business. Those in locked down Victoria, in particular, are feeling a sense of relief. But the industry is not out of the dark woods yet. The full impact of China’s crippling tariffs on Aussie wine has yet to materialise, and this is likely to reveal itself and its implications for individual operators during the course of 2022. We can only hope that these will be minimal and limited. A separate effect that’s already being felt involves mounting problems related to international freight. Delays to shipping are now being experienced in Australia and New Zealand, with these causing both exports and imports to be held up. Read more about how this is being handled by producers and exporters on page 92. The sun keeps shining on vineyards, however, and with vintage right around the corner, Australian Grape & Wine’s Anna Hooper asks the pertinent question: Are your relationships vintage ready? (page 24). Addressing the everpresent pressures of pests and disease, we take a look at powdery mildew in Margaret River (page 28) and methods of weed management not reliant on chemical herbicides (page 31). Writer Simone Madden-Grey attended this year’s Organic Winegrowers New Zealand Symposium in Marlborough and details information presented on improving soil health and fruit quality by diversifying cover crops (page 40). Our latest regional spotlight focuses on the Yarra Valley and we learn about what’s next for this vibrant region as it emerges from COVID-19 restrictions (page 45). Meantime, Mark Smith writes about the many achievements and contributions of www.winetitles.com.au
retiring Wynns Coonawarra viticulturist Allen Jenkins (page 50). Journalist Harrison Davies looks at the ongoing efforts to overcome smoke taint, including some groundbreaking research taking place in wildfire-hit California (page 55). Sonya Logan investigates aeration during fermentation and the scientific research showing the benefits of this practice in the winery (page 60). We speak to winemaker Conor van der Reest, who shares the story behind Tasmania’s lauded Domaine A Cabernet Sauvignon (page 70). AWRI senior engineer Simon Nordestgaard presents the first part of his examination of tank instrumentation (page 76). We also meet this month’s Young Gun, Melbourne-based chef Dave Verheul, who’s dived into winemaking with gusto to produce acclaimed small batch vermouth (page 84). Wine Industry Suppliers Australia, better known as WISA, recently marked 21 years as a representative association and we cover last month’s anniversary event which brought together current and former members in celebration (page 95). Finally, looking at bottling options, journalist Samuel Squire finds out just how practical refillable wine bottles may be as a sustainable alternative (page 98). And, of course, we’ve also gone to the dogs this month, by featuring the winner of the 2021 Winejobs Top Dog competition. If you haven’t already noticed, that’s Clive, the hard-working canine employee at Sigurd Wines, on the cover. Find out more from page 16, where we also feature the winner of the Top Dog People’s Choice Award and select shortlisted entries. There’s a bonus 2022 calendar included with this issue as well that features many more of our favourite winery and vineyard pups for our Aussie and Kiwi readers. Enjoy reading this issue, have a Merry Christmas and see you again in 2022! Grapegrower & Winemaker
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grapegrowing
Pests & Diseases
Powdery mildew in Margaret River: proliferation and management
With changing climatic conditions, producers in the Margaret River region are seeing more frequent conditions conducive to the proliferation of powdery mildew. The fungal disease can greatly impact the health of vines and the overall yield in a vintage. Harrison Davies spoke with Margaret River Wine Association chief executive officer Amanda Whiteland to discuss mildew management in the region.
T
he Western Australian Government has identified powdery mildew amongst the most persistent problems facing WA wine producers. Margaret River experiences the longest period of mildew susceptibility in the state and from early September to late November, conditions are ripe for the spread of powdery mildew; identified by the thin coat of ash-grey/white powder that coats the leaves and fruit of grapevines. If uncontrolled, it can cause serious crop losses and impair wine quality. The region’s flagship white varieties, like Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, are more susceptible to the condition than reds such as Shiraz and Grenache. Margaret River Wine Association CEO Amanda Whiteland said producers in the region plan for the fungal disease each year and prepare plans to prevent its spread. “Growers in the Margaret River region regularly manage outbreaks and the powdery mildew index is very high in the region,” she said.
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Grapegrower & Winemaker
www.winetitles.com.au
December 2021 – Issue 695
Winery Analysis
Resolving the challenges of smoke taint
Ongoing efforts to overcome the aftermath of bushfires
Summer brings many things with it: warm weather means more guests at cellar doors and vintage just around the corner – but it can also mean the onset of bushfire season. As the mercury rises, journalist Harrison Davies explores how smoke can effect grapes and what strategies winemakers can employ to reduce the effects smoke taint has on their fruit.
W
ine regions are commonly located in areas that can experience catastrophic fire danger each summer, with the impact of bushfires often felt long after the last embers have been extinguished. For many producers in Australia, smoke taint is an unfortunate fact of life. Grapes are typically under the greatest threat of smoke taint after budburst and as the berries begin to fruit, coinciding with the summer bushfire season.
Joel Pizzini is the winemaker at Pizzini Wines in the King Valley in North East Victoria, and has had several experiences with smoke taint following major bushfire events in 2007 and 2019. “In 2019, we were fairly lucky as we only had mild levels of the smoke compounds that the AWRI measure, which meant that we were still able to harvest most of
the white varieties, as well as put together a rosé,” he said. “Unfortunately we didn’t pick any of the varieties to make dry red and had to leave the berries for the cockatoos to clean up for us. “2007 was a different story, however, and our whole harvest for that year was greatly impacted by smoke taint.”
The Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) put it quite frankly in their factsheet discussing the impacts of smoke taint on wine. “The exposure of vineyards and grapes to smoke may result in wines with undesirable sensory characteristics, such as ‘smoky’, ‘burnt’, ‘bacon’, ‘medicinal’ or ‘ash’, often described as ‘smoke taint’,” the report stated. Grapes affected by too much smoke are not recommended for use and generally have to be left on the vine, at great expense to producers. As the climate changes and temperatures rise, winemakers around the world, and especially in Australia, will likely have to contend with the effects of smoke taint on their grapes more often.
Unfortunately we didn’t pick any of the varieties to make dry red and had to leave the berries for the cockatoos to clean up for us. JOEL PIZZINI
December 2021 – Issue 695
Researchers exposing grapes to smoke to test the chemical compounds of smoke taint in grapes. Photo: Sean Nealon
www.winetitles.com.au
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