Tasmanian cool climate wine research hub

Intended outcomes/goals of the project

This project will increase the visibility of viticulture and wine research to external researchers, industry and stakeholders. We will also build long-term relationships with aligned research institutes within cool climate growing regions around the world.

Our intended outcomes for the Tasmanian wine industry are:

• Improved understanding of issues influencing the environmental sustainability and climate resilience of wine grape growing, such as vineyard floor management
• Opportunities/management options to support growers to make better vineyard floor management decisions by increasing knowledge of vine productivity- floor management- soil health interactions, and identifying means to improve soil health
• Information and access to organic nutritive sources to replace or supplement synthetic fertilisers
• Improved understanding of quality outcomes from on-farm practices, such as machine harvesting, leading to improved confidence in chosen harvesting methods

Over the longer-term, it is expected these could contribute to impacts such as:

• Increased production through improved soil health and nutrient/moisture management
• Increased profitability through improved grape and wine quality and/or practice change
• Improved health and condition of Tasmanian vineyard soils (physical, chemical, biological)
• Reduced reliance on synthetic fertilisers and herbicides, and associated monetary savings

Progress update

• The Tasmanian Cool Climate Wine Research Hub (Tas Wine Hub) was established in January 2025 in partnership with Wine Tasmania and funded by the Tasmanian Government to support growth and innovation in Tasmania's wine sector.
• Two PhD candidates have been recruited to build local research capability: 
  • Andrea Barker, who brings extensive international wine industry experience and a Master’s degree from the Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute at Brock University in Canada.
  • Lauren Utzinger from Utzinger Wines, a recipient of a Wine Australia Research PhD top-up scholarship, contributing directly to industry-linked research in Tasmania.
• Two Honours research projects have commenced with Tasmanian students enrolled in the Bachelor of Agricultural Science and the Bachelor of Science at the University of Tasmania, supporting the development of the state’s future agricultural workforce.
• Strategic international partnerships are being developed to bring global expertise and innovation into Tasmania’s wine industry.
• A study tour and partnership engagement in September–October 2025 connected the Tas Wine Hub with leading research organisations, strengthening knowledge exchange and creating opportunities to apply global insights to Tasmanian conditions. Visits included Hochschule Geisenheim University (Germany), National Institute of Botany (UK), Institute of Vine and Wine Science (ISVV)/University of Bordeaux (France), L’École Supérieure des Agricultures (France).
• Collaboration has led to a Master’s student from L’École Supérieure des Agricultures undertaking a Tasmanian wine industry-focused research project in partnership with Jansz Tasmania (Hill-Smith Family Estates).
• The Tas Wine Hub has joined the Oenoviti International Network, a global network of 69 partners coordinated by ISVV, providing Tasmania with access to international expertise, collaborative research opportunities and researcher mobility.
• Tas Wine Hub Lead Harriet Walker has been invited to present at the Oenoviti International Network annual symposium in Portugal, raising the profile of Tasmania’s wine research on the global stage.
• The Hub has further strengthened Tasmania’s international presence through attendance and a poster presentation at the International Cool Climate Wine Symposium in New Zealand in January 2026.

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