SARDI’s crop eco-physiology team led by Associate Professor Victor Sadras hosted a wine tasting workshop at Jacobs Creek Visitor Centre, Rowland Flat where industry members were able to compare, side-by-side, wines from current conditions and wines from grapes grown at 2050 temperature.

The event attracted about 50 people, including grape-growers and winemakers from both small, family enterprises and large companies.

SARDI, with the support of Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and Treasury Wine Estates, has established a research and development program to investigate the effect of elevated temperature on grapevine physiology and wine attributes.

“Opening this window into the future helps the SA wine industry to think of technological adaptations in viticulture and oenology,” Associate Professor Sadras said.

“We established a fully replicated trial with four varieties grown under current conditions vs 2-4 oC increase in daytime temperature. A second trial includes Shiraz grown under current conditions vs elevated temperature, in combination with frequent irrigation vs water deficit.

“Unlike comparisons between wines from hot vs cool regions or between hotter and cooler vintages in the same region, these trials allow for a direct, unequivocal assessment of temperature effects. The wines from the 2011 vintage are ready for tasting.”

Wines from the 2011 vintage were tasted at the Barossa event on 15 December.