Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research

While winegrowers usually want to achieve consistent yield targets, there is a high degree of yield and price (and hence gross revenue) variability in winegrape production. The aim of this study was to determine whether there are differences in yield and revenue variability across climates, varieties, and regions in Australia. This was performed by estimating statistical models of the impact of these three variables on the coefficient of variation of yield and gross revenue per hectare. The results suggest that hotter and drier regions exhibit lower interannual yield variability, something that in the past may have been largely explained by the use of irrigation, but which may change in the future with climate change and higher water prices. The results also showed that there are sometimes differences in yield and revenue variability, not only across regions, but also between varieties.

Many varietal aromas of wine are located in the berry skin. In the present study, we evaluated four important Austrian grape varieties: Grüner Veltliner, Sauvignon Blanc, Traminer, and Pinot Blanc. We assessed whether prefermentation skin contact, fermentation with the skin (only for Grüner Veltliner), and stabulation (lees stirring; only for Sauvignon Blanc, Traminer, and Pinot Blanc) could enhance the varietal aromas of the different grape cultivars. The aim was to intensify the varietal aromas without extracting the undesirable phenols. We performed a detailed analytical characterisation of approximately 100 volatile and phenolic compounds as well as a sensory characterisation. Although mash fermentation significantly increased the spicy aromas of Grüner Veltliner, which are affected by climate change (especially the sesquiterpene rotundone), it markedly decreased the fruitiness and increased the bitterness; therefore, it cannot be recommended for this cultivar. For Sauvignon Blanc, stabulation is a possible option; the varietal aromas (thiols and methoxypyrazines) were increased in the final wines of these variants. For Pinot Blanc and Traminer, prefermentation skin contact yielded the best results: for Traminer, it produced the highest content of monoterpenes (especially z-rose oxide), and for Pinot Blanc, it produced the highest content of ethyl esters. To summarise, stabulation will not completely replace classic skin contact, and mash fermentation is certainly not an alternative for the production of standard Grüner Veltliner wine. However, additional investigations are necessary with regard to other grape varieties, terroirs, and vintages before we can make final recommendations.

Rootstocks are used in viticulture to manage plant pests and diseases, particularly phylloxera and root-knot nematodes, and to improve grape and wine production. A wide range of rootstocks are commercially available, making selecting the optimal rootstock a difficult decision. In particular, distinct rootstock genotypes may manifest varying degrees of tolerance or resistance to abiotic stress, necessitating meticulous consideration during the rootstock selection process. This article reviews characteristics of various commercial rootstocks, as well as rootstocks being developed in recent years. This review further discusses responses of rootstocks to drought, soil nutrients, and soil pH. This review mainly focuses on influence of rootstocks on physiology characteristics of grafted scions rather than berry yield and quality. The breadth of this review benefits both researchers and practitioners by providing comprehensive summery of rootstocks to inform selection and to guide future research.

The term minerality is often used to describe high-quality still white wines produced in cooler regions, such as Chablis. What minerality means in sensory terms and what is responsible for its presence is the subject of debate, however. This study explored the concept of minerality by analysing 16,542 Chablis Premier Cru tasting notes entered into CellarTracker between 2003 and 2022 on wines three to seven years old, together with weather, topography, and soil data for the Chablis area. The top three words used to describe Chablis Premier Cru wine were citrus, minerality, and acidity. Mentions of minerality declined between 1999 and 2019 vintages, whereas those of acidity, salinity, floral, orchard fruit, and stone fruit increased. The trends for minerality and salinity were slightly stronger with the year of tasting (2005 to 2022) than vintage. Bigram analysis indicated that consumers were more than 1.5 times as likely to refer to a stony kind of minerality as a saline one and only rarely smoky minerality. Use of the term minerality was correlated with growing season temperature and sunshine hours (negatively with each), as well as vineyard aspect (negatively with percentage vineyard area facing South or South-West), but not with Kimmeridgian soil type. The results imply that soils and geology are not a principal source of minerality in Chablis wine, but growing season warmth and sunshine are relevant to minerality. There is no simple explanation of minerality in Chablis wine; however, the recent decline in the use of this term for Chablis wine may be a consequence of three factors in combination: (i) it has become less fashionable; (ii) consumers are choosing “saline” instead of “mineral” when appropriate, but retaining it for “stony” sensations; and/or (iii) warming from climate change has reduced minerality.

The present work analyzes the feasibility of using solar water heating systems (SWHS) to supply the hot water required in the winemaking industries. The hot water demand of the sector was characterized by selecting patterns that encompass the wide range of existing casuistry. After determining the production potential of the SWHS by using an experimental system, 22500 energy simulations were carried out, combining different locations, energy prices, and prices of the necessary investment. The results demonstrate that the seasonality and irregularity of a winery’s demand pattern drastically condition the viability and profitability of SWHS. In wineries with high demand, which are relatively uniform throughout the year, the solar system with optimized design achieves energy consumption reductions between 32% (low radiation) and 52% (high radiation), with payback between 4.3 and 7.2 years. On the other hand, in wineries with highly seasonal consumption, SWHS are not profitable even in very favorable cases.

Background and Aims. Botrytis bunch rot (BBR) in cool temperate climates is a key constraint to the consistent supply of grapes to winery specifications. BBR severities have been correlated with specific environmental conditions; however, data-driven applications intended to support crop protection decisions are restricted in access and/or of unknown commercial value. The aims of this study were to evaluate variables providing within-vineyard awareness of BBR risk in Riesling vines. Methods and Results. Descriptors of BBR epidemics from eight site years, 2009–2014, were developed for vine areas of ∼0.5 ha within two regions of Tasmania with different climates. Two variables using the daily Bacchus index, from crop stage E-L 19 to E-L 31 or 34, accounted for >80% of the variance in the final mean BBR severity. A BBR risk index (BBR-I), incorporating the mean daily Bacchus index from E-L 19 to E-L 31 and the median daily vapour pressure deficit of air at 15 : 00 during the late-season interval, accounted for up to 99.5% of the variance in the final mean BBR severity. The late-season interval (days) or median daily RH (%) at 15:00 in the same period accounted for 86.4 or 83.3% of the variance. Spatial variability of BBR severity mapped in 4.8 ha of Sauvignon Blanc in 2018-19 confirmed the need to apply BBR risk indicators at an appropriate spatial scale. Conclusions. Environmental variables with biological relevance served as indicators of BBR risk at the study sites and have the potential to discriminate BBR risk among production regions in Tasmania. Significance of the Study. Study findings are expected to support the development of applications that raise awareness of BBR risk at an appropriate spatial scale for in-season adaption of crop protection, diagnosis of crop protection efficacy, and/or site selection decisions. Accompanying formulae with sample data in Microsoft® Excel will support transitions to automated data analyses.