Influence of novel vineyard cover crops on the aroma and flavour of wine to be explored

University of Adelaide PhD candidate Andrew O’Brien has been awarded Wine Australia’s Dr Tony Jordan OAM Award for 2025 to support his studies into the impact of novel cover crops on the aroma and flavour of wine. 

The Award, named in honour of the late Dr Tony Jordan OAM, recognises the most outstanding applicant of Wine Australia’s annual PhD and Masters by Research top-up scholarship program which is aimed at attracting postgraduate students to the fields of wine, viticulture and wine business research. The merit-based scholarships provide successful applicants with a stipend top-up scholarship of up to $35,000 annually to support their studies, with the Dr Tony Jordan OAM Award recipient receiving $40,000 per annum. 

“I am extremely grateful to Wine Australia to receive the Dr Tony Jordan OAM Award in addition to my PhD top-up scholarship,” Mr O’Brien said.  

“My research will investigate environmental volatile compounds and how the absorption of these compounds in the vineyard can affect wine aroma and flavour,” he explained. “It is well established that the environment surrounding a vineyard has a significant impact on a wine’s characteristics, and understanding this interplay is essential as growers experience changing environmental conditions.  

“Of particular interest is how practices such as cover cropping — which has been shown to provide numerous benefits to vineyards — can be adapted by employing novel crops, industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.), for example,” Mr O’Brien continued.  

“Industrial hemp cover cropping could improve soil chemistry and structure, vineyard biodiversity, weed suppression and provide better pest/disease control. It also has the potential to be harvested by growers to provide an additional source of income.  

“Current research into industrial hemp cover cropping is promising, but more work needs to be done to investigate how it may affect wine aroma and quality.”  

“By collaborating with some of the world leaders in plant science, viticulture, oenology and sensory research at the University of Adelaide, I will be able to investigate a suite of novel cover crops from their viticultural impacts all the way through to wine chemistry and sensory outcomes. This research will begin to unravel how these novel cover crops or surrounding vegetation could be adopted by industry as an emerging technique in viticultural and oenological management,” Mr O’Brien said. 

Four candidates were successful in obtaining a Wine Australia top-up scholarship in 2025 — three are undertaking their studies at the University of Adelaide and the fourth at the University of Newcastle. 

Wine Australia General Manager Research and Innovation Dr Paul Smith said the information gathered during Mr O’Brien’s studies will not only shed new light on the impact of environmental factors in vineyards on wine quality but also provide valuable insights for growers interested in generating a secondary income. 

“Wine Australia looks forward to following the progress of Mr O’Brien’s investigations as well as the studies of all our successful PhD top-up scholarship applicants,” Dr Smith said. 

"These scholarships are an important part of Wine Australia’s commitment to developing high-achieving students and strengthening and maintaining the essential research the Australian wine sector needs to deliver innovative solutions to support its future prosperity,” he said. 

The other recipients of Wine Australia’s scholarships for 2025 are: 

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Photo: Recipient of the Dr Tony Jordan OAM Memorial Award, Andrew O’Brien (JPG)