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Australian Viticulture was founded by Winetitles in 1997 to meet the specific needs of Australia's grapegrowers. Our articles feature the latest information on viticultural technology from research centres around the country, all clearly and precisely presented by staff and contributors who are experts in the field. We aim to help our readers face the challenges of a changing industry.

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March/April 2009 issue

The March/April 2009 issue of Australian Viticulture, Australia’s only journal dedicated to the business of grapegrowing, reports on several important topics that have impacted on the industry during the year so far, or is weighing on members of the industry at present.

Editor Lauren Jones visited the Coonawarra region of South Australia in late February to speak to wine business owners affected by the Wattle Range Council’s decision to go ahead with acquiring vineyard land to build a new road to bypass the nearby Penola township. If current legal action from the Penola and District Ratepayers and Residents’ Association, Foster’s Group and the Rathbone Wine Group do not halt the progress of the Council’s plan, the road will cut a swathe through Coonawarra vineyards in order to move 550 or more heavy vehicles that pass through the town each day.

The CSIRO has now released the findings of its DNA profiling of what was thought to be Albarino vine stock from Spain, saying it is in fact Savagnin Blanc (Traminer). Before the announcement, Profitable Viticulture columnist Tony Hoare wrote about the various wine styles that winemakers are producing from the same varieties, such as Zinfandel or Primitivo, Pinot Gris or Pinot Grigio. International viticulture consultant Dr Richard Smart follows on, lamenting the impact that will be felt by growers who have invested heavily in the Albarino.

The Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation (AWBC) is undergoing a re-think of how it collects and collates its world benchmark industry statistics, after the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) advised it would reduce the content of its grape and wine industry collections and substantially increase cost as a result of a cut in Federal funding. The AWBC’s Knowledge and Development Advisory Committee, staffed by several of the industry’s leaders, is dedicated to working through the process during 2009 to decipher what the industry wants for viticultural and other data, and what the industry is willing to pay for it, so that arrangements with the ABS can be set for future years.

The bushfires that burnt through several of Victoria’s winegrowing regions in February caused damage ranging from loss of property to vineyards suffering varying degrees of smoke taint. Australian Viticulture spoke with researchers at the Australian Wine Research Institute, Vintessential and Chemical Analysis to report on the discoveries from the more than 1500 vine and wine samples tested for smoke taint at that point.

Covercropping is a major feature of the March/April 2009 issue and as assistant editor Sonya Logan discovered via the readers’ survey, 59% of subscribers in areas experiencing drought had been forced to change the management of their mid-rows in recent years. Responses to the survey were received from all States, providing a snapshot of covercrop management in the present climate throughout Australia.

In line with managing mid-rows in the ‘big dry’, also included in the covercropping feature is insight from Yasmin Chalmers of Scholefield Robinson Mildura Pty Ltd to the fundamentals of covercropping for drought conditions; and a report from researchers at the University of Melbourne and University of Adelaide, investigating the use of native grass covercrops to contribute to pest control in vineyards.

Also, don’t miss the latest news from Wine Grape Growers’ Australia in The United Grower, appearing in each issue of Australian Viticulture; Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia entomologist Stewart Learmonth’s report about the impact apple looper moth is having in the State’s vineyards; and the Arneis Varietal Report, introduced by third-generation winemaker Sam Miranda, who is having success with Arneis in his winery’s Myhree vineyard.

To secure your copy of the March/April 2009 Australian Viticulture and have access to the full reports mentioned above and other practical information visit www.winebiz.com.au/ausvit/ or telephone Winetitles on +618 8369 9500.