When fire roared through Australian wine regions in the summer of 2019-20, growers and winemakers were desperate for information and support on what they should do next to rescue their vines, fruit and wine. When vineyards around Cudlee Creek, in South Australia's Adelaide Hills, were badly burnt, growers were understandably in a state of panic and shock for a couple of weeks afterwards.
These growers have since shared the things they wish they’d done differently in the weeks before the fire, on the day itself and afterwards. They’ve also told Wine Australia and other industry organisations about the information and resources they wish they’d had immediate access to in the days after the fire or smoke event to help them make an objective and informed decision about the best route forward for their businesses.
In the lead up to what is anticipated to be a challenging fire season in many regions, Wine Australia has reviewed the latest research findings and evidence-based advice from the AWRI, La Trobe University and other agencies and organisations to develop a web-based quick reference guide to support growers and winemakers who are unfortunate enough to be impacted by fire or smoke this season.
The goal is a webpage (easily accessible during the fire season via the home page of the Wine Australia website) of a carefully collated series of easy-to-read, step-by-step guides on what producers could or should do at various key stages before and during harvest, as well as in the vineyard and winery post-harvest, if their vineyards are hit by fire or smoke.
The resources will also summarise what actions producers can take to reduce the impact of smoke and outline a range of juice and wine treatments that have been shown to reduce smoke taint during the winemaking process. In the event that vines are burnt, the resources will show how to manage them in the weeks and months following the fire to ensure vineyards are back up to full production as quickly as possible will also be include.
The science behind the advice will still be accessible via links for those who want to delve deeper, but the priority has been to provide growers and winemakers with exactly what they need to know ‘in the moment’ to guide informed decision-making.
Preparing for fire season, paying special attention to double-checking readiness before catastrophic fire days, will stand growers in good stead.
Watch a video of growers sharing their experiences and advice after the Cudlee Creek fires.
This SAWIA fire preparation page also guides growers and wineries through their fire preparation process.
The AWRI also has a wealth of resources on its website.
The new Wine Australia webpage will be live in coming weeks — keep an eye out for links on our social media accounts (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram), or periodically visit the Wine Australia home page.