New method to assist yeast strain development
A chance to taste the shipwreck beer
Science week event explores future of wine
Discover vineyards of the world on the AWRI website
Registrations for CRUSH 2018 now open
New method to assist yeast strain developmentHybrid yeast strains that have a traditional wine yeast as one parent and a non-traditional yeast as the other parent are an important part of the AWRI’s yeast strain development research and can bring interesting new characters and behaviours to wine, without any genetic modification. As part of this work, AWRI researchers have developed a new method to isolate hybrid yeast strains with improved fermentation kinetics. The approach uses ‘adaptive evolution’, similar to that described by Charles Darwin as ‘survival of the fittest’, in a fermentation environment and has been recently published in the high-impact journal Frontiers in Microbiology. Initially, an interspecific hybrid strain was generated (through traditional breeding techniques) which it was hoped would reduce the volatile acidity generated in high-sugar fermentations. However, the new hybrid strain showed reduced fermentation robustness compared to the wine yeast parent strain. To understand this further, the hybrid was placed in a fermentation environment, and progressively evolving cells were screened for loss of chromosomal material and evaluated for fermentation fitness. While a number of chromosomal alterations were identified, by the end of the experiment all the ‘fittest’ hybrid yeast cells were found to have lost Chromosome 14 from the non-S. cerevisiae parent. Evaluating the evolved hybrids that had lost Chromosome 14 from the non-S. cerevisiae parent showed they retained the targeted trait of reduced volatile acidity production while also exhibiting improved fermentation kinetics. This highlighted chromosomal mutations as a potential new method for screening hybrid yeast. The full paper detailing these results is accessible via the AWRI library: Bellon, J.R., Ford, C.M., Borneman, A.R., Chambers, P.J. 2018. A Novel Approach to Isolating Improved Industrial Interspecific Wine Yeasts Using Chromosomal Mutations as Potential Markers for Increased Fitness. Front. Microbiol. 9 (1442): 1-12. |
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A chance to taste the shipwreck beer |
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A further brew of ‘The Wreck – Preservation Ale’ has been made, giving scientists, historians and beer lovers across Australia a chance to try this unique beer. Brewed with the yeast isolated by AWRI scientists from bottles found in the 1797 wreck of the Sydney Cove, the beer is the result of a partnership between the AWRI, the Queen Victoria Museum & Art Gallery in Launceston and James Squire. Kegs of ‘The Wreck’ are being distributed across NSW, Victoria, Queensland, SA and Tasmania in early August. A 750 mL bottle of the beer will also be available in very limited release through Dan Murphy’s from 23 August. Contact the AWRI for more information about where to try the beer in your state. |
Science week event explores future of wine |
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Wine as you see it today isn’t the same drink it was 200 years ago – It’s better! Find out how scientific breakthroughs have made wine more delicious than ever! The wine-loving scientists from the AWRI have put together another fun evening of science, wine tasting and story-telling for National Science Week – to be presented in Adelaide on 14 and 15 August. This event – Grape Expectations! The Future of Wine – will explore some of the key discoveries that have made wine what it is today, as well as the emerging technologies that will change the future of how wine is produced, viewed and consumed.
Featuring tastings, activities and stories, this event is suitable for anyone with an interest in wine. Register now via the AWRI events page or find out about other National Science Week events at https://www.scienceweek.net.au/. |
Discover vineyards of the world on the AWRI website |
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From 1999 to 2004, Dr Peter Dry published a series of articles in the Wine Industry Journal (now Wine & Viticulture Journal) profiling key grapegrowing regions across the world. While it is some time since these articles were published, the information they contain is still highly relevant today. The full set of articles has now been reproduced on the AWRI website with permission from the original publisher, Winetitles. So, if you’d like to know more about how grapes are grown from Franciatorta in Italy to Vancouver Island in Canada, check out the collection now. |
Registrations for CRUSH 2018 now openCRUSH is the key grape and wine science forum for early career researchers. It provides a unique opportunity to share the latest knowledge in viticulture and oenology research, and to network with industry peers and academics. This year’s symposium takes place on Tuesday 25 and Wednesday 26 September at the Charles Hawker Centre on the Waite Campus, Urrbrae (SA), with a conference dinner on the Wednesday night. The event will run back to back with the Australian Society for Viticulture & Oenology seminar on Fermentation – converting research to reality, which will be held in the same venue on Thursday 27 September. To register for CRUSH, please visit http://www.thewaite.org/crush. CRUSH is coordinated by the Wine Innovation Cluster, a partnership of the four leading Australian grape and wine research agencies (the AWRI, CSIRO, University of Adelaide and SARDI). |
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AWITC less than a year away |
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It’s now less than a year until the Australian wine community gathers in Adelaide for the 17th Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference (21-24 July 2019). To receive the latest news about the conference program and associated events, subscribe to the AWITC email mailing list and follow @The_AWITC on Twitter.
Expressions of interest are currently being sought from people interested in convening workshops at the conference. A program of 30 workshops will be presented across a range of themes, with all workshops to be held on Sunday, 21 July 2019. Follow this link to express your interest in presenting relevant, practical content that would work well in a workshop format. Applications close on 10 August 2018. For more information about the workshop program, contact Con Simos and Francesca Blefari (workshop coordinators) on 08 8313 6600 or workshops@awitc.com.au. |
eBook collection expandsEleven new titles have recently been added to the AWRI’s Grape and Wine eBook Collection. Highlights include an exploration of glass and its central importance in both transporting and enjoying wine, the rising popularity of rosé, a history of Margaret River’s wine industry and strategies to capitalise on the emergence of the Chinese wine visitor boom. To review the latest titles, visit the eBooks page on the AWRI website and browse the two eBook platforms. Access to the collection is reserved for Australian growers and winemakers who pay the Grape Research or Winegrape levy. For further information on using the collection, please consult the online guides or contact the AWRI information services team. |
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Notes of congratulationsSeveral AWRI staff have recent achievements that are worth celebrating:
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Order the latest AWRI staff publications onlineAccessing the latest AWRI publications is easy. Visit the AWRI Publications web page to:
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AcknowledgementsThe AWRI acknowledges support from Australia’s grapegrowers and winemakers through their investment body, Wine Australia, with matching funds from the Australian Government. The AWRI is a member of the Wine Innovation Cluster in Adelaide, South Australia. |
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