Project details
Status:
At a glance
- This project will establish a Tasmanian cool climate wine research program based at the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture.
- Research will focus on improvements to vine productivity and wine quality.
- International research partnerships will be developed to enhance the visibility of Tasmanian wines and facilitate knowledge sharing.
Project overview:
The Tasmanian Cool Climate Wine Research Hub was developed to support accelerated industry growth and position Tasmania as a leader in cool climate wine research.
By working collaboratively with Tasmania's wine industry, we will focus on high priority research areas to improve vine productivity, wine quality, and boost industry growth.
The project will also seek to develop strategic international research partnerships to enhance the visibility of Tasmanian wines, to knowledge-share, and build Tasmania's global reputation as a specialist hub for cool-climate wine research.
Industry engagement
Targeted research and extension will help wine grape growers to improve their viticulture management practices. We will engage closely with the Tasmanian wine industry (Wine Tasmania and growers) through a co-design process from determining the research priorities to implementing and developing trial designs.
Research trials will double as demonstration sites for industry development and will be co-developed with grower hosts to maximise the opportunities for extension and adoption of research outcomes.
Intended outcomes/goals of the project
This project will increase the visibility of viticulture and wine research to external researchers, industry and stakeholders. We will also build long-term relationships with aligned research institutes within cool climate growing regions around the world.
Our intended outcomes for the Tasmanian wine industry are:
- Improved understanding of issues influencing the environmental sustainability and climate resilience of wine grape growing, such as vineyard floor management
- Opportunities/management options to support growers to make better vineyard floor management decisions by increasing knowledge of vine productivity- floor management- soil health interactions, and identifying means to improve soil health
- Information and access to organic nutritive sources to replace or supplement synthetic fertilisers
- Improved understanding of quality outcomes from on-farm practices, such as machine harvesting, leading to improved confidence in chosen harvesting methods
Over the longer-term, it is expected these could contribute to impacts such as:
- Increased production through improved soil health and nutrient/moisture management
- Increased profitability through improved grape and wine quality and/or practice change
- Improved health and condition of Tasmanian vineyard soils (physical, chemical, biological)
- Reduced reliance on synthetic fertilisers and herbicides, and associated monetary savings
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Acknowledgements:
This program is funded by the Tasmanian Government through a partnership with Wine Tasmania.