The 'Chardonnay challenge' facing Australian wine-makers is at the centre of a new project involving an international research team at the National Wine and Grape Industry Centre (NGWIC)  at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga.

 

The project involves three leaders in the field of consumer sensory research: Professor Hildegrade Heymann from the University California Davis in the USA who is currently in Australia; Associate Professor Anthony Saliba from CSU; and Associate Professor Johan Bruwer from the University of Adelaide.

 

The group is collaborating on the project, Attitudes, drivers of consumption and taste preference – a focus on Chardonnay. They hope to establish the effect of wine taste on consumers, how their perceptions affect Chardonnay sales as well as how both of these issues affect each other.

 

Professor Saliba said, “Results will arm the Australian wine industry with sufficient knowledge of the ‘Chardonnay challenge’ to respond by addressing any negative perceptions and promoting styles known to be liked by consumers.

 

“Chardonnay is the backbone of the Australian white wine industry but the sales decline since 2004 has hurt every region in the country.”

 

In the project at the NWGIC:

The project will adopt on a national scale a method already used by Professor Saliba  in his research at the NWGIC for Semillon wine producers in the Hunter Valley of NSW.

 

Leading Chardonnay wine producers in Australia are also involved with the one year project which is due for completion by the end of June 2012.  

 

The NWGIC is alliance of CSU, NSW Department of Primary Industries and the NSW Wine Industry Association.