Wine Australia signs $4.1 million research deal to benefit industry

Wine Australia has signed a multi-million dollar deal with the University of Adelaide to carry out scientific research on vine science and management that will benefit growers and winemakers across Australia.

The four-year agreement is intended to stimulate long-term research and development initiatives by the University that deliver practical solutions and value for the industry as well as better vine management through research into technical capabilities in key areas.

It will see a $4.1 million cash injection from Wine Australia to carry out research along with an $885,000 contribution from the University of Adelaide. However there is also scope for further additional investment from the wine sector into specific projects, and the two organisations are already in talks with Riverland Wines about a project to deliver an open-access, digital advisory and monitoring system for grape-growers that provides real time information and clear and trusted advice to optimise production.

Some of the projects already determined include measuring and better understanding the relationship between the canopy architecture and fruit and wine quality, looking at the cause and impact of berry cell death in wine grapes, new ways to schedule irrigation based on vine water status and improving the wine microbial tool kit available for fermentation. It will also look at the global drinks market, to analyse and model the impact of trends and policies on Australia’s key markets.

University of Adelaide Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Mike Brooks said the agreement allowed the University to further strengthen its contribution to wine science and production, and underlined the leading role the University of Adelaide plays in Australia’s agriculture, food and wine sectors.

“Our world-leading expertise, aligned with the needs of industry, will provide innovative solutions for Australian grape growers and winemakers alike,” he said.

Wine Australia Chief Executive Officer Andreas Clark said the agreement would give the University greater flexibility to pursue promising areas of research within an agreed framework, as well as ensuring the next generation received a “world class education in all aspects of wine production”.

The agreement is the final in a series of partnerships between Wine Australia and major research institutions, including the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI), the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) and the National Grape and Wine Industry Centre (NWGIC) through Charles Sturt University.