With his sights firmly on the future of the Australian wine industry, Professor Alain Deloire has arrived at the National Wine and Grape Industry Centre (NWGIC) at Charles Sturt University (CSU) as its new Director.

 

The Professor in Viticulture was most recently the Chair of the Department of Viticulture and Oenology at Stellenbosch University in the Western Cape of South Africa. Before that Professor Deloire spent 15 years working in academia in the south of France and 10 years in Champagne working in industry.

 

While busy settling into his new job during an Australian summer in the regional city of Wagga Wagga, Professor Deloire is full of praise for his new home and both the quality of Australian wine and the local wine industry, which he describes as very competitive.

 

“Australia is a fantastic country. After four years at Stellenbosch University, I wanted to leave South Africa and possibly return to France. However this position came up and I was attracted to the National Wine and Grape Industry Centre and its research expertise and facilities.

 

“I believe the NWGIC can do so much to help the local wine industry to move forward. I want us to answer the ‘tomorrow’ questions for the sector.”

 

The NWGIC is an alliance between CSU, the Department of Primary Industries and NSW Wine Industry Association. Located at CSU in Wagga Wagga, the Centre is a resource for the research and development and extension for the Australian wine sector.

 

Professor Deloire cites among the serious challenges for the industry the development of aromatic low alcohol wine.

 

“There is a big market for aromatic low alcohol wine and we must develop the product from the field not only the cellar.

 

“The Australian wine industry must also try and find solutions to cope with the adverse impacts of drought and heat waves on vines and grapes over the next few decades.”

 

Professor Deloire is also eager to develop tools used overseas to predict harvest dates in relation to wine flavours.

 

“The tool is used in Chile, South Africa and France. It needs to be calibrated for Australia to enable local producers to predict the harvest according to the style of wine. It can really help growers answer their markets and help them increase the diversity of wine styles. It could help to choose the correct cultivar and terroir, or site matching, and is an interesting tool to review the comportment of a vine and its fruit in a specific site,” Professor Deloire said.

 

As Professor Deloire continues to familiarise himself with his new position, he will hold a key meeting with Executive Director of the Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation (GWRDC) Dr Stuart Thomson in Wagga Wagga on Wednesday 6 February.

 

Originally from France, Professor Deloire’s major research interests are in grapevine physiology and berry ripening. He has taught in general viticulture, grapevine physiology and biochemistry (berry ripening, vine and water relationships, irrigation and reasoning of harvest potentiality), the concept of terroir, and history of training systems.