final reports rde plan 2013 17

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by  Ella Robinson

Agreement for Industry Capability Building
Activities and Research and Development
Program 2013-2017

Final Report to Wine Australia
Research Organisation:
The Australian Wine Research Institute
Date: 22 September 2017
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Date: 22 September 2017

Disclaimer/Copyright Statement:
This document has been prepared by The Australian Wine Research Institute ("the AWRI") as part of
fulfilment of obligations towards the Project Agreement AWR 1305 and is intended to be used solely
for that purpose and unless expressly provided otherwise does not constitute professional, expert or
other advice.
The information contained within this document ("Information") is based upon sources,
experimentation and methodology which at the time of preparing this document the AWRI believed
to be reasonably reliable and the AWRI takes no responsibility for ensuring the accuracy of the
Information subsequent to this date. No representation, warranty or undertaking is given or made by
the AWRI as to the accuracy or reliability of any opinions, conclusions, recommendations or other
information contained herein except as expressly provided within this document. No person should
act or fail to act on the basis of the Information alone without prior assessment and verification of
the accuracy of the Information.
To the extent permitted by law and except as expressly provided to the contrary in this document all
warranties whether express, implied, statutory or otherwise, relating in any way to the Information
are expressly excluded and the AWRI, its officer, employees and contractors shall not be liable
(whether in contract, tort, under any statute or otherwise) for loss or damage of any kind (including
direct, indirect and consequential loss and damage of business revenue, loss or profits, failure to
realise expected profits or savings or other commercial or economic loss of any kind), however arising
out of or in any way related to the Information, or the act, failure, omission or delay in the
completion or delivery of the Information.
The AWRI acknowledges and agrees that the Information was commissioned by the Grape and Wine
Research and Development Corporation (now the Australian Grape and Wine Authority) under the
terms of the Project Agreement and agrees to the provision of copyright permissions as required by
this Agreement.
The Information must not be used in a misleading, deceptive, defamatory or inaccurate manner or in
any way that may otherwise be prejudicial to the AWRI.

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Table of Contents

Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 4
Cost/Benefit Evaluation ............................................................................................................. 6
Intellectual Property ................................................................................................................ 15
Project 3.1.1 – Identification and origin of volatile compounds responsible for important
sensory attributes .................................................................................................................... 17
Project 3.1.3 – Flavour precursors: contribution to wine aroma, in-mouth sensory properties
and flavour release .................................................................................................................. 37
Project 3.1.4 – Factors affecting wine texture, taste, clarity, stability and production
efficiency .................................................................................................................................. 47
Project 3.3.2 – Influencing wine style through management of oxygen during winemaking . 86
Project 3.5.3 - Formation and fate of positive and negative sulfur compounds ................... 117
Project 2.2.1– Collecting and disseminating information regarding agrochemicals registered
for use and maximum residue limits in Australian viticulture ............................................... 147
Project 2.2.3– Informing Australia’s wine consumers through understanding issues of wine
consumption, health and nutrition ........................................................................................ 151
Project 2.2.4– Increasing Australia’s influence in market access, safety, regulatory and
technical trade issues ............................................................................................................. 156
Project 3.2.5– Safeguarding and realising the potential of the Australian wine microbial
germplasm collection ............................................................................................................. 161
Project 4.1.1– The staging and conduct of extension programs ........................................... 164
Project 4.1.2– Specialised technical troubleshooting and responsive helpdesk services for
the Australian wine sector ..................................................................................................... 169
Project 4.1.3– Library service ................................................................................................. 174
Project 4.1.4– Communication with stakeholders ................................................................ 177
Project 5.1.3– Efficient management and administration .................................................... 181
Appendix 1: Presentations delivered by AWRI staff between 1 July 2013 and 30 June 2017
................................................................................................................................................ 184
Appendix 2: AWRI publications recorded between 1 July 2013 and 30 June 2017 .............. 277

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Introduction

This report details the key outcomes resulting from the 2013 – 2017 funding agreement between
the Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation (GWRDC) and the Australian Wine
Research Institute (AWRI). On 1 July 2014, the GWRDC and Wine Australia merged to form the
Australian Grape and Wine Authority (AGWA), which operates under the name of Wine Australia.

The primary objective of the funding agreement was the delivery of research projects and industry
capability building activities for the benefit of the Australian grape and wine industry. The
agreement specifically sought to enhance the AWRI’s ability to deliver those objectives by fostering a
strong partnership between Wine Australia and the AWRI, and through that co-operation to
progress the commercialisation of project outcomes and to generate intellectual property. The
agreement also recognised the potential for the AWRI to collaborate with other Australian and
international research institutions and companies, in order to optimise benefits for the Australian
industry.

The agreement, which covered some but not all of the Wine Australia-funded activities at the AWRI
during this period, provided net Wine Australia funding to the AWRI of $24,126,126 over four years,
with the AWRI and other organisations contributing a further $3,910,759. This Wine Australia
funding was pivotal to the conduct of many projects in the AWRI’s 2013 – 2018 Research,
Development and Extension Plan (RD&E Plan), and Schedule 2 of the funding agreement comprised
the project summaries and output targets for each project funded under the agreement. The
progress against each target was reported to Wine Australia and discussed by a joint management
committee on a quarterly basis, with final reports being presented in this document. Almost all of
the Performance Targets in the funding agreement were achieved in their original form, or an
agreed modified form, and in many cases were exceeded.

The AWRI’s RD&E Plan was developed during thirty-six meetings with grape and wine producers and
other stakeholders held around Australia, and was aligned with the GWRDC’s 2012 – 2017 Strategic
Plan, and other industry and government strategic directions. The Plan focused on five themes:
Environment and Sustainability; Consumers, Customers and Markets; Improving Products and
Processes; Extension and Adoption; and Service Capabilities and Foundational Datasets.

Individual projects were led by the AWRI, which is an internationally recognised centre of excellence
in grape and wine RD&E, and were pursued according to the AWRI’s stated values of Excellence,
Integrity and Passion. The breadth and depth of the AWRI’s RD&E capabilities allowed extensive
integration between projects, to more effectively address the priorities identified by industry.
However, wherever possible, collaborations were developed with other agencies, and with grape
and wine producers, if they were deemed to lead to the faster, higher quality, or more cost-effective
delivery of project objectives, in line with the stated objectives of the funding agreement.

Investment provided by Wine Australia under the 2013-2017 agreement, also led to an
enhancement of the AWRI’s pre-existing and proven extension and information dissemination
mechanisms, and resulted in a constant flow of new information and knowledge to industry. AWRI
staff members also worked ‘hands-on’ with grape and wine producers, to ensure that the
information and knowledge was used to drive tangible adoption and innovation.

On the formation of AGWA, the investment framework and four-year duration of the funding
agreement on which this report is based was reviewed by both parties with reference to the
preceding agreement, which had a term of seven years and took a different approach to governance
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and the practical conduct of RD&E projects. This review yielded useful insights into the optimal
structure for partnerships between Wine Australia and the AWRI.

It was recognised that longer-term agreements and a modified investment framework provided
greater longer-term surety and reduced risk when establishing projects, and increased the ability of
both parties to adapt to changing industry needs in the delivery of research projects and industry
capability building activities.

In addition, the AWRI’s and collaborating agencies’ ability to attract, retain, and develop world-
leading researchers and technical experts was increased, resulting in the enlargement of that pool of
talent and capability within Australia, to the benefit of Australian industry and society. The
development of longer-term relationships between researchers, industry, and other partners was
also enhanced, resulting in more resolved project outcomes, and stronger starting points for future
collaborations.

The review also concluded that a longer-term funding agreement and investment framework
resulted in greater productivity and the maximisation of investment of industry funds in value-
adding activities, as opposed to the increased non-value-adding activity which inevitably results from
shorter-term agreements.

The review was instrumental in the formation of a renewed partnership agreement for 2017 – 2025,
with a revised RD&E Plan, which took effect on 1 July 2017.

Through the activities reported here, the international reputation of Wine Australia and the AWRI
was enhanced and, during the investment period, the AWRI became a regular contributor to the
itineraries of Wine Australia’s inbound visitors. Feedback strongly indicates that the showcasing of
the industry’s RD&E achievements was highly valued by those visitors, thereby enhancing the overall
reputation of Australian wine in the eyes of influential writers, buyers, importers and retailers.

The key objectives of the investment agreement have been achieved, and the report presented here
demonstrates the value of the long-term relationship forged between Wine Australia and the AWRI.
Through the joint pursuit of strategic and integrated RD&E by the two organisations, timely,
relevant, and value-adding outcomes for industry were achieved, and the new knowledge generated
has resulted in improved practices, process efficiencies, greater sector profitability, and an enhanced
product offering which is increasingly recognised around the world. Through its partnership with
Wine Australia, the AWRI is proud to play its part in the ongoing success of the Australian grape and
wine sector.

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Cost/Benefit Evaluation

This section aims to provide a high-level assessment of the practical implications of the research
results for the Australian wine sector. It also contains insights into the benefits provided more
broadly to grapegrowers or winemakers, including impacts of various AWRI extension platforms.

The AWRI did not undertake formal Cost Benefit Analyses (CBAs) for this final reporting period, as
Wine Australia is required to undertake a more formalised approach to assessing projects via the
agreed Council of Rural Research and Development Corporation Chair’s approach using a random
selection process across their whole portfolio.

Working with Wine Australia, the AWRI obtained copies of reports commissioned by Wine Australia
on a range of different CBAs. The first report was titled ‘Wine Australia: Ex post cost benefit analysis
of selected R&D projects supported by Wine Australia/GWRDC/AGWA investment’ reported by IDA
Economics Pty Ltd in June 2016. Wine Australia commissioned IDA Economics Pty Ltd to undertake
the ex post cost benefit study of a range of selected projects funded by the Grape and Wine R&D
Corporation (GWRDC)/Australian Grape and Wine Authority (AGWA)/Wine Australia. Seventeen
projects were selected by Wine Australia, covering flavour, refrigeration, trunk disease and nutrition,
of which the only AWRI projects assessed were in the flavour and refrigeration areas.

Wine Australia identified the following five projects on flavour for CBA analysis.
• AWRI 06-01 stream 1.1: Defining and controlling important volatile compounds in
wine and their impact on wine aroma and flavour (AWRI-led)
• CRV 6AWR: Viticultural control of flavour compounds in wine (AWRI-led)
• CSP 05/04: Vines to wine - linking fruit quality to wine flavour and aroma (CSIRO-led)
• CSP 0905: Understanding and managing the timing of berry ripening and the flavour-
ripe/sugar-ripe nexus (CSIRO-led)
• UWA 04/01: Environment, site and selected management influences on the
composition and sensory characteristics of Chardonnay growing in selected sites
within a coastal, cool Mediterranean climatic region (University of Western
Australia-led)

The ‘flavour’ projects covered selected flavour and aroma R&D undertaken by CSIRO, the AWRI the
University of Western Australia and the CRC for Viticulture between 1999 and 2010. Taken together
the investment was broadly described as being both of an applied (direct) benefit and of strategic
benefit. A prime focus was on developing an analytical base to better assess flavours and aromas
and enabling growers and winemakers to address specific taint issues. The R&D investment in this
flavour area was considered to have delivered:
• capability in research and analysis
• analytical tools
• targeted future research directions (i.e. a focus for future R&D)
• some, but limited, specific management recommendations for
grapegrowers/winemakers.
Through this analysis the potential industry benefits arising from the better understanding of
flavours and aromas included both cost savings (for example avoiding processing wine that has a
significant adverse taint) and potential revenue increases for producers. The estimated benefits
were a minimum, since a range of other benefits were not included in this analysis.
The investment returns calculated are summarised in Table 1.

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Table 1. Investment in flavour R&D: Investment analysis (2015 NPV, 5% discount rate)
Benefits ($m) $370
Costs ($m) $38
Net Benefits ($m) $332
B/C 10
IRR 33%

Given that the 2013-2018 GWRDC/Wine Australia investment agreement contained a similar project,
(Project 3.1.1 Identification and origin of volatile compounds responsible for important wine sensory
attributes), a similar benefit to cost ratio of 10:1 may be expected in the future for this project, with
some outcomes having significantly shorter lead times where benefits can be realised by industry.

In addition to these Wine Australia CBAs, the AWRI helpdesk (Project 4.1.2– Specialised technical
troubleshooting and responsive helpdesk services for the Australian wine sector) conducted some
evaluative activities to understand its broader industry impact, including a form of CBA. As part of
the investigation service offered through the helpdesk, each client was surveyed once their
investigation had been completed. The survey response rate was approximately 9% of
investigations.

The survey results indicated:
• 86% of respondents rated the access to the helpdesk as easy, or very easy
• 88% of respondents were satisfied or very satisfied that their problem had been resolved
• 83% of respondents indicated that it was easy to understand the solution to their problem
• 70% of respondents were able to avoid product loss through contacting the AWRI helpdesk
• the potential value of wine involved in the 860 investigations conducted was estimated to
be $69m
• 97% of respondents indicated the suggestions provided by the helpdesk team were helpful
• 72% of respondents indicated that they would change their practice based on
recommendations provided by the helpdesk team to prevent a repeat of the problem.

Further to this survey a basic economic return on investment was calculated, with each client asked
to indicate how much wine was involved in the investigation conducted and the quality grade of the
wine involved. Using these two figures an approximate cost of the wine involved in the investigation
could be estimated, where bulk wine was assumed to be $0.98 per litre, premium wine was assumed
to be $5.94 per litre and ultra-premium wine $14.81 per litre based on export approval data
(sourced from Wine Australia). The value of wine involved in the investigations (potential direct
savings) ranged from $0 to $594,000 with a mean value of $81,029. Extrapolation of the data to the
total number of investigations conducted (860) suggests the potential direct savings over the project
was $69,685,083. This equates to a benefit to cost ratio of 25:1 on a $2,750,418 investment from
Wine Australia over the investment period. It should be noted, however, that while this figure of
25:1 is based on the work of the helpdesk as a discreet project, in reality the success of the project is
highly reliant on the rest of the work at the AWRI and elsewhere which informs the investigations
conducted and advice given.

While every effort has been made to communicate and facilitate uptake of R&D in a timely manner
over the life of this agreement, the full value of a project’s outputs and the associated tangible
benefits will be realised over an extended period ahead. Hence the AWRI has focused on qualitative
evaluation approaches of project benefits, seeking to map the investment agreement projects to
Wine Australia strategies and collecting key outputs, outcomes and, where possible, evaluation
metrics. Table 2 captures the key outputs and outcomes from each project classified according to
the original GWRDC theme/area and the new Wine Australia strategy.
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Table 2. table of major project outputs, outcomes and benefits from 2013-2018 Wine Australia/GWRDC – AWRI investment agreement

AWRI Project GWRDC Wine Australia Key project outputs, outcomes and benefits
theme strategy
/stream
Project 2.2.1 – 1.4 Pest and 4 Biosecurity, pest and • 850 Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) notifications and 110 APVMA gazettes were
Collecting and disease disease management reviewed for viticulture-relevant information and the information was used to update the
disseminating management ‘Dog book’ and associated online resources.
information • More than 30,000 ‘Dog books’ were distributed to the Australian grape and wine
regarding community.
agrochemicals • As part of ongoing efforts to have an MRL established for phosphorous acid, a major
registered for dossier was submitted to the Joint Meeting of Pesticide Residues.
use and
• Residues in wine were averted after changes to the residue definition for captan in the EU
maximum
were identified and acted upon.
residue limits in
• A ‘Dog book’ app was developed for Apple and Android devices. Since the launch of the
Australian
app there have been more than 5,412 downloads.
viticulture
• The following active constituents were reviewed and evaluated: amisulbrom, boscalid,
captan, clothianidin, cyflufenamid, diuron, fenamifos, fenpyrazamine, fluazinam,
flumioxazin, fluopyram, phosphorous acid, proquinazid.
Project 2.2.3 – 2.2 Market 2 Regulatory Services • Nine peer-reviewed papers, two book chapters and six articles were published on a range
Informing Access and 7 Market Access of wine and health/nutrition related issues.
Australia’s wine • In May 2016, a paper authored by the AWRI and collaborators in Italy entitled ‘The case
consumers for anthocyanin consumption to promote human health: a review’ won a Tanner Award as
through the most-cited paper published in Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food
understanding Safety in 2013.
issues of wine • Five industry fact sheets were produced on wine and cardiovascular diseases, cancers,
consumption, cognitive decline/dementia, diabetes and obesity; twelve complementary AWRI wine and
health and health fact sheets and frequently asked questions were revised and disseminated via the
nutrition AWRI website.

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Project 2.2.4 – 2.2 Market 2 Regulatory Services • Tentative provisions for additives metatartaric acid and yeast mannoproteins have been
Increasing Access and 7 Market Access developed by the WHO/FAO Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) based on
Australia’s submissions prepared by the project team and submitted on behalf of WFA, WA, DAWR
influence in and OIV. Together with the toxicological evaluation, they will be presented next to the
market access, Codex Committee on Food Additives for its consideration and adoption.
safety, • Following an AWRI submission, Food Standards Australia New Zealand provided
regulatory and permission for the use of specific enzyme processing aids, Aspergillopepsin I and II, in
technical trade Australian winemaking.
issues • Potassium carbonate has been included in the International Code of Oenological Practices
of the OIV, authorised for the reduction of titratable acidity and actual acidity in
winemaking
• Processing aids dimethylpolysiloxane and Aspergillopepsin I and II (Proctase) have
advanced to Step 5 in the 8-step resolution process of the OIV prior to inclusion in the
International Code of Oenological Practices.
• Analytical and other supporting scientific data were provided which prevented the
potential for establishment of an OIV maximum limit for phthalates in wine.
• Analytical and other supporting scientific data were provided which promoted the
revoking of a maximum limit for manganese in wine internationally.
• The AWRI’s online databases were expanded to contain information on analytical
requirements for the export of Australian wine specific to 44 individual countries and
trading blocs, and on permitted additives and processing aids for winemaking and wine
importing countries for 28 individual countries.
Project 3.1.1 – 3.1 Objective 3 - Wine provenance • The main compound known to be responsible for ‘green’ flavour in Cabernet Sauvignon,
Identification measures of and measures of isobutyl methoxypyrazine, which was previously thought not to be biosynthesised in
and origin of quality and quality Shiraz grapevines. was found to contribute ‘green’ aroma in Shiraz wine made with stems,
volatile assessment notably in whole bunch fermentations.
compounds systems • Nearby windbreak trees were found to contribute ‘green’ flavours to harvested grapes
responsible for and thus wines.
important • The monoterpenes geraniol, linalool and nerol were found to give Viognier wines their
sensory distinctive ‘apricot-like’ flavour.
attributes
• Thiols were confirmed as major contributors to Chardonnay flavour, with 3-
mercaptohexanol and 3-mercaptohexyl acetate contributing, at moderate levels, ‘citrus
fruit’ character and at higher levels ‘tropical’ aromas, and benzyl mercaptan adding
‘flint’/‘struck match’ aromas.

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Project 3.1.3 – 3.1 Objective 3 - Wine provenance • Glycosides in wine, previously considered to be flavourless, were shown to release flavour
Flavour measures of and measures of during consumption, enhancing fruit characters and aftertaste without giving any
precursors: quality and quality bitterness.
contribution to assessment • The flavour release was highly variable across individuals, providing further insight into
wine aroma, in- systems the possible reasons for individual differences in perception and wine style preferences.
mouth sensory • Increasing glycoside concentration in wines, by addition of glycosides isolated from grape
properties and skins from a floral variety high in monoterpene glycosides using a simple procedure, gave
flavour release increased ‘fruit’/ ‘floral’ aroma and flavour with no bitterness and has potential as a
practical means of enhancing flavour in some wine types.
Project 3.1.4 – 3.1 Objective 3 - Wine provenance • Compositional drivers for texture, hotness and bitterness were identified.
Factors measures of and measures of • Improved tests for haze and potential alternatives to bentonite were identified.
affecting wine quality and quality and 6 - Efficient • New understanding was gained that winery filtration processes do not affect
texture, taste, assessment winery production macromolecules important for texture.
clarity, stability systems • Ways of lowering alcohol without losing tannin and texture in wine were identified.
and production • A new tannin extraction method for grapes was developed that provides prediction of
efficiency wine tannin.
• New methods were applied to understand wine texture and stability.
Project 3.2.5 – 3.2 6 - Enhanced yeast and • The AWRI wine microorganism culture collection (AWMCC) now contains more than
Safeguarding Germplasm bacterial performance 10,000 wine-related microorganisms with some isolates dating back almost 80 years
and realising (yeast and (more than 3,000 natural yeast isolates and laboratory-modified yeast strains for
the potential of bacterial) research; a wine yeast genome deletion library of more than 1,700 strains; a laboratory
the Australian yeast genome deletion library of around 4,800 strains; and more than 1,100 bacterial
wine microbial strains, the majority of which are malolactic bacteria).
germplasm • During the investment period, the AWMCC received 1,301 microorganisms from industry
collection and researchers (1,012 yeast and 289 bacterial strains) and 2,423 microorganisms were
supplied to industry and researchers (1,804 yeast and 619 bacterial strains).
• A back-up collection was established at a secure offsite facility (TechinSA) to ensure the
ongoing integrity of the collection in the event of a catastrophic failure of the storage
facilities at the AWRI.
• A total of 1,763 deletion strains from the wine yeast deletion library were provided to
researchers at the University of Adelaide for a Wine Australia-funded project.
• A total of 83 previously difficult-to-classify yeast strains were identified, and more than
400 microbial isolates were provided for genome sequencing projects.

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