ASVO

2022 Awards for Excellence winners announced

By Brooke Howell, President, Australian Society of Viticulture & Oenology

Members of the Australian Society of Viticulture and Oenology and the wine industry celebrated the 10th annual ASVO Awards for Excellence at the National Wine Centre on Wednesday 16 November. Established in 2012, the ASVO Awards for Excellence promotes industry excellence, fosters leadership, and encourages innovation and sustainability in the Australian wine industry.

2022 VITICULTURIST OF THE YEAR: NICK DRY

Nick Dry is a well-known name in Australian viticulture having spent more than 20 years working with grapevine rootstocks. He has an extensive knowledge of variety, clone and rootstock performance, along with an intimate understanding of grapevine trunk diseases, grapevine viruses, germplasm management and nursery practices and was awarded the Gourmet Traveller WINE Viticulturist of the Year in 2019. After 10 years with Yalumba Nick established his own consultancy business, Foundation Viticulture. As a consultant, Nick has been involved with a diverse range of projects including developing planting and redevelopment strategies, working on propagation supply chain strategy and technical communication projects. Nick is currently engaged by Wine Australia as the National Grapevine Collection coordinator.

Nick’s nomination focused on his role as coordinator of the National Grapevine Collection. The concept of germplasm management is not new, however the concept for the National Grapevine Collection is an example of innovation in the Australian grape winemaker. Building on her experience, Sarah completed international harvests in both Oregon and the Rhone Valley. After 12 years in the Hunter Valley Sarah made the move to the Yarra Valley, joining the team at Yarra Yering in 2013 to focus on one single iconic vineyard site. The vineyard is central to wine quality and Sarah considers the Yarra Yering vineyard to be the best she has ever worked with. Now in the role of winemaker and general manager, Sarah hopes to continue to build on the reputation started in 1969 with the first vineyard plantings at Yarra Yering.

Since arriving at Yarra Yering Sarah has been named both Gourmet Traveller WINE and James Halliday’s Winemaker of the Year. Yarra Yering has received James Halliday’s Winery of the Year and Wine of the Year, as well as The Real Review’s Winery of the Year.

The committee commented Sarah showed an extremely high level of industry commitment and leadership. Sarah’s work across multiple regions making great wine, as well as leadership and industry responsibility (Len Evans Tutorial board, wine shows) is amazing. Sarah’s application contained a clear narrative around the development of Yarra Yering and implementation of vineyard management and winery operations to improve wine quality, profitability and sustainability

“It is a great honour to be named ASVO Winemaker of the Year for 2022. Previous

and wine sector. Nick’s project will lead to the availability of planting material with pathogen and genetic integrity, is founded on best practice, is innovative and provides a platform to communicate the importance of germplasm and high-health planting material to the Australian grape and wine sector.

“It’s a proud and humbling moment to be nominated and ultimately win this award,” Nick said. “Bringing the National Grapevine Collection to fruition is a culmination of learning through many phases of my career. I’m excited to be able to promote the message and objectives of what should be an integral part of Australian plant health integrity in years to come and provide security for our industry.

“It’s an honour to be nominated alongside two outstanding viticulturists in Chris Rogers and Richard Leask. Their valued, wide-ranging contributions to the industry and the respect they enjoy within our tight knit community makes this award feel even more significant,” Nick continued. “I would also like to thank all the viticulturists I have learned from and worked alongside since the beginning of my career. The success of the Australian wine industry is in no small part due to the collegiate atmosphere of those who work within it and I’m proud to be a part of it. Finally, I’d like to thank the ASVO for the high calibre technical resource, support, networking and advocacy they provide to all of us within the sector.“

2022 WINEMAKER OF THE YEAR: SARAH CROWE

Sarah began her wine career with vineyard work in the Hunter Valley and within three years had become Brokenwood’s assistant award winners and finalists include many of my mentors, Australia’s finest winemakers and good friends. These are all talented people who selflessly share their knowledge for the greater good of our industry and their local communities,” Sarah said.

“I hope to be known as someone who also contributes to enhancing the fabric of our industry alongside them. We are a small vineyard and work within a small but dedicated team at Yarra Yering and therefore this recognition from the broader wine community is heart-warming and industry participation will remain a priority of mine,” she said.

2022 WINE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY AWARD: DARREN FAHEY

The Wine Science and Technology Award was introduced this year and recognises the work of inspiring individuals working in wine science, wine laboratories, technology, engineering and education/extension.

The ASVO board was keen to recognise the many ASVO members who work in roles that are less visible, but still bring a range of skills, qualifications, talents and experience to the wine community.

Darren has led numerous applied demonstration and scientific trials to drive practice change and realise adoption across the wine industry in his role as development officer for the NSW Department of Primary Industries. Darren’s contribution to the wine industry is extensive with a multitude of projects, events, workshops, presentations and publications over the last five years that have raised awareness, educating and adoption.

The committee remarked that Darren demonstrated his contribution through onthe-ground action, implementing best practice and encouraging its uptake by contractors and wineries, a high level of education work in the industry and clear engagement with the ASVO values at a personal level through the level of volunteering and activities undertaken.

“I’m thrilled to receive the inaugural ASVO Wine Science and Technology Award. However, in my mind the real winners are the growers and winemakers who have listened and learned along the way, implementing and changing practices to benefit their businesses, their environment and the wine industry based off the many trials, workshops and masterclasses that I and the team have delivered over the years while working at NSW DPI,” Darren said.

THE DR. PETER MAY AWARD: SAREL MUNITZ

The Dr. Peter May award was introduced in 2018 to honour the late Dr. Peter May who was the foundational editor of the Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research (AJGWR). The award is presented to the authors of the most cited original research paper published in the AJGWR over the previous five years. Dr. Sarel Munitz, from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, received the award in absentia for his team’s paper:

Munitz, S.; Netzer, Y. and Schwartz, A. (2017) Sustained and regulated deficit irrigation of field-grown Merlot grapevines. Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research 23:8794. doi: 10.1111/ajgw.12241.

“It is a great honor for me to receive the ASVO Peter May Award,” Dr Munitz said. “After conducting field trials over more than 12 years, it is highly satisfying to know that my work has impact on both researchers and wine industry.”

VITICULTURE PAPER OF THE YEAR: MATTHEW AYRES

Each year the ASVO recognises authors of exceptional research articles published during the prior 12 months in the AJGWR for their potential impact on the industry.

This year the Viticulture Paper of the Year was awarded to Matthew Ayres, from the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), for the paper:

Ayres, M.; Billones-Baaijens, R.; Savocchia, S.; Scott, E. and Sosnowski, M. (2022) Critical timing of fungicide application for pruning wound protection to control grapevine trunk diseases. Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research 28:70-74. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajgw.12517

OENOLOGY PAPER OF THE YEAR: MARCOS BONADA

The Oenology Paper of the Year was awarded to Dr Marcos Bonada, also from The South Australia Research and Development Institute, for the paper:

Bonada, M.; Catania, A.; Gambetta, J. and Petrie, P. (2021) Soil water availability during spring modulates canopy growth and impacts the chemical and sensory composition of Shiraz fruit and wine. Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research 27: 491-507. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajgw.12506

For more detail about the award winners and the ASVO Awards for Excellence, visit www.asvo.com.au.

FELLOWS OF THE SOCIETY

Two new Fellows, Prue Henschke, and Russell Johnstone, were announced at the annual general meeting of the ASVO on the 14 November.

The selection of Fellows is always challenging as there are many ASVO members who have greatly contributed to both the ASVO and the wider industry. This year was no different, with a particularly high standard of candidates.

The purpose of the honorary membership category of Fellow of the Australian Society of Viticulture and Oenology is to recognise the exemplary contributions by members to the Society and to the discipline and/or profession of viticulture and/or oenology.

Prue Henschke

Prue became a member of the ASVO in 1981, soon after its inception, and has been a strong and professional contributor to the

The ASVO announced two new Fellows in Prue Henschke (left/top) and Russell Johnstone

association and the Australian wine industry ever since.

After graduating in science from the University of Adelaide she spent two years at the Geisenheim Institute in Germany where she worked in the institute’s vineyards and laboratories as an assistant to the late Dr Helmut Becker. The areas of study in which Becker had made major contributions — an understanding of phylloxera and the importance of vine breeding — became passionate interests that Prue has pursued throughout her career.

Prue’s most significant and recognised contribution to the Australian viticultural industry has been in the field of vine improvement. The South Australian Vine Improvement Society was established in 1975 and Prue quickly recognised the potential benefits of the scheme to the wine industry. She is a former chair of SA Vine Improvement and in that role successfully sought investment by Wine Australia in a national germplasm collection to include certified varieties, clones and rootstocks. She is currently the chair of the Adelaide Hills Vine Improvement group. Prue has always worked assiduously to put the meaning of ‘improvement’ back into vine improvement, believing strongly that vine improvement groups should be responsible for the acquisition and conservation of superior germplasm, as well as the commercial activity of producing and selling high health status planting material. Her family vineyards have also provided sites for some of the improved material now available to Australian vignerons.

Prue’s contributions to the ASVO include involvement in seminars and workshops, particularly in relation to grafting in the 1990s and early 2000s when the many pitfalls of this important technique were less well understood. She has also been actively involved in the Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference planning and program committees where her views and experience have been highly valued.

Russell Johnstone

Russell Johnstone has been a strong contributor to the Australian grape and wine industry since the late 1980s. Russell completed his Bachelor of Science at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand in 1978, and began his career in Australian viticulture in 1984, joining Yalumba as its vineyard nursery manager. In 1986 he went on to be vineyard manager for St Hallett Wines.

In 1991 Russell was appointed the inaugural AWRI/CSIRO viticulturist. He established the foundations for the viticulturist role at the AWRI, in particular agrochemical management in viticulture. This role has since been assumed by a succession of key viticulturists including Alex Sas, Sally-Jean Bell and Marcel Essling. During his time with AWRI Russell commenced a program for a Masters degree focussed on assessing grape quality in the vineyard, an area which remained a key focus throughout his career.

In 1994 Russell was appointed senior viticulturist at Orlando Wyndham. As Orlando transitioned to Pernod Richard, his roles evolved from senior viticulturist to group viticulturist to strategic and innovative viticulturist and, finally, to environmental sustainability manager in 2011. During his time with Pernod Ricard, Russell oversaw many key innovations including the implementation of standardised 2.5-tonne picking bins, RFID tagging of bins and weighmaster logging and the collection, coordination and standardisation of grape quality measurements. This included the automation of grape sample processing via the Catdan process. Russell has also been intimately involved in NIR/FTIR implementation in the Australian wine industry, the assessment of latent botrytis and was one of the initial thought leaders in establishing the original Wine Carbon Calculator.

Following his time at Pernod Ricard, Russell went on to start his own wine industry consultancy, Winecycle, in 2013. Winecycle focussed on performance improvement across the wine lifecycle and value chain, with a specific emphasis on overall environmental performance management, management of vintage, winery performance, packaging performance and wine performance in the supply-chain.

Russell has been a true inspiration for many aspiring viticulturists and wine industry researchers throughout his career.

Russell has been a member of the ASVO since 1995 and served on the ASVO board from 1999 until 2009. During this time, he was treasurer for four years (2003-2006) as well as vice president in 2002 and president in 2009.

NEW PRESIDENT AND CHANGES TO BOARD

At its annual general meeting on 14 November the ASVO announced that regional directors Andy Clarke, Alana Seabrook and Nadja Wallington had been re-elected unopposed and that Jeremy Dineen would join the board as regional director for Western Australia, Queensland and Tasmania.

Andy Clarke was elected president, following in the footsteps of Brooke Howell who served in the role for three years and will remain on the ASVO board as a director. Clarke thanked outgoing director Richard Fennessy who has made a significant contribution to the board over two terms (four years).

The ASVO board members for 2022-23 are:

Eveline Bartowsky General Director

Andy Clarke Regional Director, VIC

Katie Dunne General Director

Jeremy Dineen Regional Director WA, QLD & TAS Mike Hayes General Director Brooke Howell General Director

Alana Seabrook Regional Director, SA

Vanessa Stockdale General Director

Nadja Wallington Regional Director, NSW

Connection to place a central theme of Pinot Noir Celebration 2023

The Pinot Noir Celebration Australia returns in February 2023 with a full program of technical, philosophical, cultural and stylistic themes to generate insightful conversations about Pinot Noir as a wine, a variety and, for many, an obsession.

The guest list includes Australian and international thought leaders, scientists, sommeliers, journalists, makers, market analysts, growers and many more.

For Pinot Noir producers, the 2023 event will provide ample opportunities to network with trade and media, share learnings and taste through more than 150 Pinot Noir wines from Australia and around the world.

Editor of the European wine magazine Falstaff, Anne Krebhiel MW, will explore Pinot Noir beyond the bounds of Burgundy and introduce us to the wonders of lesser-known European Pinot Noir wines during her keynote address on Friday 10 February.

Australian-come-Burgundy negociant Jane Eyre will extend an international perspective of Pinot Noir through her experience of crafting a successful wine business in Beaune in a session about ‘Wines and The Stories that Inspire’ with Phillip Rich and Richard Hemming MW.

International and local wine media will be capturing the stories of Australian Pinot Noir as we connect with a deeper sense of place and talk about stylistic fingerprints we have seen emerge in Australian Pinot Noir producing regions over recent years.

The stories we tell will extend to the technical expressions of Pinot Noir wines in multiple hands-on, small group seminars and workshops designed to give participants practical tips and instructions for how we navigate the impacts of climate change, robotics and automation, scientific discoveries and consumer market dynamics.

Climatologist and atmospheric scientist Dr Greg Jones will head a panel discussion about ‘Custodianship and Our Changing World’. This session will explore how viticulturists can prepare for the long-term environmental and climactic changes anticipated and what the potential impacts are on the flavour and structure of Pinot Noir wines.

Guests will also have the opportunity to look up and beyond the here and now with program contributions from soil scientist Dr Dylan Grigg, the AWRI’s managing director Dr Mark Krstic plus notable technology and science leaders Adam Hall, David Gerner and Dr Simon Nordestgaard.

The Pinot Noir Celebration Australia also welcomes the contribution of Wurundjeri elder David Wandin and the Alaskan wine writer, philosopher and Unangan-Sugpiaq and Inupiaq woman Elaine Chukan Brown. Elaine and David will invite us to look back in order to move forward in a way we can all develop more thoughtful connections to deep history and place.

The serious and cerebral session themes will be perfectly balanced with a good dose of celebration through two spectacular lunches and convivial evenings including a night at one of the Mornington Peninsula’s iconic seaside venues.

All ticket holders will need to select a workshop and a seminar on Day 2 of the program so be sure to read through the program and presenters to find out how you would like to explore your love for Pinot Noir.

To find out more and to purchase your ticket to the Pinot Noir Celebration Australia, go to www.pinotcelebration.com.au

10 & 11 FEBRUARY 2023 MORNINGTON PENINSULA VICTORIA WWW.PINOTCELEBRATION.COM.AU