Board members Ms L.E. Rose, BAppSc, BSc, GAICD Dr J.S. Harvey, BSc (Hons), PhD, Prof. K.D. Kirk, BSc (Hons), Ms E.A. Riley, BAppSc (Wine) Chair – Elected a member under MBA, GAICD PhD, DPhil Elected a member under Clause Clause 25.2 (c) of the Constitution Elected a member under Clause Elected a member under Clause 25.2 (b) of the Constitution 27.1 of the Constitution 25.2 (b) of the Constitution Mr T.J. Bekkers, BAppSc (Ag) (from 1 January 2017) Prof. B.P. Schmidt, AC, FAA, (Hons), Grad. Cert. (Mgt) Mr K.R. Horton, BAppSc FRS, BS (Astronomy), BS (Physics), Elected a member under Clause (Wine Science) Mr B.M. McKinnon, BAgSc AM (Astronomy), PhD 25.2 (c) of the Constitution Elected a member under Clause (Oenology) (Hons) Elected a member under Clause 25.2 (c) of the Constitution Elected a member under Clause 25.2 (b) of the Constitution Mr B. Bryant, BSc (Oenology) 25.2 (c) of the Constitution (until 31 December 2016) Elected a member under Clause Dr D.L. Johnson, BSc (Hons), (until 31 December 2016) 25.2 (c) of the Constitution (from PhD, MBA, GAICD Mr M.R. Watson, BEc, MBA, 1 January 2017) Ex officio under Clause 25.2 (a) of Dr S.C. McNab, BAgSc (Hons), PhD ACA, IPAA the Constitution as Managing Elected a member under Clause Elected a member under Clause Director of the AWRI 25.2 (c) of the Constitution 25.2 (b) of the Constitution The company The Australian Wine Research Institute Ltd was incorporated on 27 Passion April 1955. It is a company limited by guarantee that does not have • Enthusiasm for our people, our industry, and our products a share capital. • Spirit of creativity • Enjoying work and celebrating achievements The Constitution of The Australian Wine Research Institute Ltd (AWRI) • Desire to do better sets out in broad terms the aims of the AWRI. The AWRI’s activities are • Pursuing knowledge and understanding guided by its business and research, development and extension plans, and its stated mission, values and behaviours: The AWRI’s laboratories and offices are housed in the Wine Innovation Central Building within an internationally renowned research cluster on the Waite Research Precinct at Urrbrae in the Adelaide foothills. Mission Grape and wine scientists from other organisations are co-located with the AWRI in the Wine Innovation Central Building. Supporting the Australian grape and wine industry through world class research, practical solutions and knowledge transfer. The Waite Research Precinct is also home to other research and teaching organisations including: Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics (ACPFG), Australian Genome Research Facility (AGRF), Australian Grain Values Technologies (AGT), Australian Plant Phenomics Facility, the ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Cell Walls, CSIRO, South Australian Research and The AWRI’s values provide guidance in how it will deliver its mission. Development Institute (SARDI), the University of Adelaide’s School of These values are: Agriculture, Food and Wine and the Waite Research Institute. • Excellence • Integrity Registered office • Passion Cnr Hartley Grove and Paratoo Road, Urrbrae, SA 5064 Behaviours Postal address: PO Box 197, Glen Osmond, SA 5064 Telephone: (08) 8313 6600 The behaviours that support those values are: Fax: (08) 8313 6601 Internet: www.awri.com.au Facebook: www.facebook.com/The.AWRI Excellence Twitter: www.twitter.com/The_AWRI • Outcomes focused, delivering results ABN: 83 007 558 296 • Personal mastery – being the best one can be • Asking and answering the right questions • Relevant to industry • Collaborating to achieve faster, better or cheaper outcomes Integrity • Accountability to stakeholders • Dealing honestly, impartially and consistently • Scientific and professional rigour Contents Chair’s report 2 Managing Director’s report 3 Board notes 7 Highlights of the year 2016-2017 8 Staff 13 Staff activities 16 Progress reports 18 Environment and sustainability 18 Consumers, customers and markets 21 Improving products and processes 25 Extension and adoption 41 Service capabilities and foundational datasets 48 Commercial Services 51 Financial statements – Directors' report 52 Financial statements 55 Notes to and forming part of the financial statements 58 Memorial funds 67 Appendix 1 – External presentations and talks 69 Appendix 2 – Events organised by AWRI staff 79 Appendix 3 – Posters 82 Appendix 4 – Student supervision responsibilities of AWRI staff 86 Appendix 5 – Teaching responsibilities (lectures) of AWRI staff 87 Appendix 6 – Media interviews 87 Appendix 7 – Papers published by AWRI staff recorded during 2016/2017 89 63rd Annual Report – 30 June 2017 Presented to the Australian grape and wine community AWRI Annual Report 2017 1 Chair’s report Award dinner into the program recognised the importance of inno- vation in the careers of many recipients of this award. Webcasts and proceedings for this event are now available, and planning is well underway for the next event to be held in Adelaide in July 2019. Positive reform is also underway in the research, development and extension (RDE) community. The AWRI and its key stakeholders and investors have closely evaluated the performance of the RDE system and made a number of amendments and improvements, all of which are designed to produce the best possible return for those growing grapes and making wine. 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 high-trust investment frameworks provide greater longer-term certainty and reduced risk when establishing projects, increase the ability of all par- ties to adapt to changing industry needs, and maximise investment in value-adding activities. The review was instrumental in the formation of a renewed Wine Australia – AWRI partnership agreement for 2017-2025, with a revised AWRI RDE plan, which takes effect on 1 July 2017. Louisa Rose A lot has been achieved in a short time, and the key players in this dis- cussion, notably the AWRI and Wine Australia, will continue the reform This has been an important year for the Australian wine community. journey over next year and beyond. Wine Australia is thanked for its The positive signs of improved economic performance evident for commitment to this process and for its continued support for the the past couple of years were sustained and enhanced, and there work of the AWRI, without which very few of the outstanding out- were tangible improvements in export volumes and values, grape comes in this annual report would be possible. prices and general sentiment. The AWRI Board is warmly thanked for its commitment and contribu- Reforms were made in areas across the industry, notably including tions, with a particular acknowledgement this year to two concluding taxation, and new opportunities arose to present Australian wine in Directors, Brett McKinnon and Prof. Brian Schmidt, both of whom made key export markets and ensure that international perceptions align a substantial contribution during their tenure. The Board welcomed Ben with the quality of the wine we produce. Bryant and Prof. Kiaran Kirk from 1 January 2017, and both new Directors have already contributed significantly to the Board’s deliberations. The research community plays a central role in underpinning these successes. The Australian wine industry has come to rely on the research The outstanding AWRI management team and staff, led by Dr Dan network, led by the AWRI as its own research organisation, to be there Johnson, are commended for another very busy year of high quality, in all seasons, good and bad, to provide the answers, support and seeds dedicated science and service. of innovation so essential for its continued success. These factors, and the general sense of optimism, were all on show at the 16th Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference and Trade Exhibition (AWITC&TE) in July 2016. New partnerships saw the sector bring together its key business and marketing event, the Winemakers’ Federation of Australia Outlook Conference, and its key technical event, the AWITC&TE, into a single forum with content of interest to Louisa Rose all across the value chain. Inclusion of the McWilliam’s Maurice O’Shea Chair 2 AWRI Annual Report 2017 Managing Director’s report The innovation story Innovation is one of the defining characteristics of Australian wine. It has been central to our rise from relative obscurity to a global player in the world of wine, worthy of inclusion in any list of great wine producers and exporters. Innovation takes many forms, but at a technical level our wine sector uses it to: • manage production risks, particularly in areas such as biosecurity, and to address some of the inherent challenges that arise in our country and climate such as bushfires, water availability and climate variability • make or save money in production by improving quality and production efficiency – achieving a comparable product at a lower cost, or hitting a higher quality standard or a desired style • prevent or reduce technical trade barriers, and secure access to relevant markets. These benefits are all very evident to practitioners, who go about their businesses very differently today than they did 50, 20 or even 5 years ago. The pace of change is relentless and increasing, and as the half-life of competitive advantages is not what it once was, it can seem like a race without a finish line. Fortunately, innovation is a point of difference for Australian wine. The system we have to support grape and wine research, development and extension (RDE) in Australia is world class. Dan Johnson In the last year or so our sector has started to make that point of differ- ence clearer to the international market and other key thought leaders. Specifically, through a collaboration between Wine Australia and the Technical trends AWRI, visitors from around the world are having, as a component of their itinerary, some exposure to the research that underpins Australian wine.