Development of an Oenological Research Program, Examining the effects of Base Wine Temperature and Choice of Yeast, on the Secondary Fermentation of Tasmania Sparkling Wine
Abstract
Linda Donachie attended the 14th Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference to present a poster entitled "An evaluation of the autolysis character of sparkling wines using spectroscopy and multivariate data analysis", as part of the initial work for her PhD studies
Summary
Linda Donachie attended the 14th Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference (AWITC) in July 2010. A poster entitled “An evaluation of the autolysis character of sparkling wines using spectroscopy and multivariate data analysis” was selected by the AWITC poster committee to be presented during the first dedicated poster session. This poster presents preliminary results for a series of sensory and instrumental analyses on cool climate sparkling wines, as part of Tasmania’s first Oenology PhD, partly funded by the GWRDC. The results of this work show potential to be developed as an alternative wine analysis tool to those currently in use by industry.
A major outcome from the attendance of this conference in Adelaide is the establishment of many valuable Australian and overseas contacts; these contacts will continue to be fostered in the interest of collaboration and the sharing of knowledge. Currently there is very little research into sparkling wines either viticulture or oenology based, in Australia, and many people expressed interest in the nature of the project, offering ongoing support in terms of where/how it could be provided. Some of the contacts are relevant not only to sparkling wine oenology, but offer potential to the sparkling wine viticulture project, currently being undertaken by researchers including Fiona Kerslake, and Joanna Jones, in Tasmania. The Tasmanian Institute of Agricultural Research (TIAR) are thanked for funding the stipend for this PhD scholarship, and Wine Australia are thanked for funding both a stipend top-up, and an operational budget. The Wine Australia are thanked for funding travel to present the poster at the 14th AWITC in Adelaide.
This conference, with its varied program content and featured workshops, addressed numerous topics representing the key objectives and strategies of the GWRDC’s research plan. Specifically the management and improvement of wine quality and in particular the very cool climate sparkling wines of Australia relating directly to Linda’s research project.