About Grower, Maker, Researcher - Wine Industry Insights
Welcome to ‘Grower, Maker, Researcher - Wine Industry Insights’ – a podcast from the Australian Society of Viticulture & Oenology (ASVO) funded by Wine Australia.
The podcasts take a very practical approach, talking to practitioners and researchers about current best practice and what changes to expect in the near future.
Hear from highly regarded growers winemakers and researchers in the Australian wine industry as they discuss best practice.
Publisher
The Australian Society of Viticulture & Oenology (ASVO)
Welcome to the 2026 Growing Season Review. In this episode, hosted by Colin Hinze, members come together to share their experiences from the season — the successes, the challenges, and everything in between. We talk about what worked, what didn’t, and the lessons that can help you plan for the year ahead. Whether you’re looking for practical tips or just want to hear real stories from the vineyard, this discussion is packed with insights straight from the people on the ground.
22 Oct 2025
Building Expertise and Career Pathways in Wine with WSET Education
This episode explores how WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) training delivered in partnership with ASVO can enhance knowledge, skills, and career opportunities in the wine industry. We discuss the course structure, key learning outcomes, and why formal wine education is a valuable investment for early-career professionals, while also providing targeted professional development for cellar door staff. Plus, we share a special offer for ASVO and Rootling members and highlight our face-to-face sessions in Orange in November 2025.
15 May 2024
Towards more accurate detection and monitoring of grey mould
This podcast focuses on the latest developments around detection and monitoring of grey mould. Detection of grey mould of grapes is problematic as the fungus is often hidden from sight within the interior of the grape bunch.
Professor Chris Steel discusses the limitations of visual assessment for grey mould and shares results on alternative methods which provide better detection and quantification of the fungus.
27 Nov 2023
Control of scale and mealy bugs
This podcast discusses the widespread and increasing problem of scale and mealy bugs in vineyards. Guests Dr Linda Thomson from the Pest & Environmental Adaptation Research Group at the University of Melbourne and viticulturist, and Jenny Venus from brad case contracting share information on why these insects are a concern to winegrape growers, and discuss how to spot the problem early, and effective control measures.
8 Aug 2023
Accessing long term climate information with My Climate View
In this episode, Ian Thomas from the Bureau of Meteorology explains “My Climate View (https://myclimateview.com.au/)” - an online service which allows vineyard managers to see long term projections of relevant key indices for anywhere in Australia. ‘My Climate View’ is a collaboration between the CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology, as part of the Climate Services for Agriculture program funded by the Australian Government's Future Drought Fund. This ASVO podcast is funded with support from Wine Australia.
14 Jun 2023
Becoming carbon neutral
Hear the story of Ross Hill Wines' journey to become the first carbon neutral winery verified by the Australian Government.
This ASVO podcast is part of a series funded by Wine Australia
1 May 2023
Mitigation of smoke affected grapes
This episode continues our previous chat on understanding smoke taint. (https://asvo.podbean.com/e/managing-smoke-taint-after-bushfire-events/?token=0bf3d450536ea6747630d3f370c49b0e) This episode's focus is on best practices for mitigating the effects of smoke taint. Our guests, Professor Kerry Wilkinson, Dr Julie Culbert and winemaker Alex Cassegrain. This episode is a collaboration between The University of Adelaide, Waite Research Institute and ASVO.
1 May 2023
Managing bushfire events and the impact of smoke on grapes and wine
This episode of Grower, Maker, Researcher discusses the decisions wine growers need to make after smoke exposure of a vineyard. The guests in this episode are Professor Kerry Wilkinson, Dr Julie Culbert and winemaker Alex Cassegrain, and explores tried and tested options to reduce the risk of smoke tainted wine. This podcast is a collaboration between The University of Adelaide, Waite Research Institute and ASVO.
11 Apr 2023
Early warning of smoke taint risk
Early warning of smoke taint is a game-changer for the industry. Ian Porter & Dean Cleave-Smith discuss the smoke sensor network which is dedicated to monitoring smoke taint risk in vineyards.
This was a project funded by the Federal and Victorian Governments through a Regional Economic Stimulus and Resilience Grant awarded to the North-East Wine Zone following the 2019-20 bushfires, in partnership with Wines of the King Valley, La Trobe University and Wine Australia
11 Apr 2023
Managing vineyards damaged by fire
Colin Hinze and Richard Hamilton discuss "How should you manage a vineyard that has been directly damaged by fire, and what is the best way to return the vines to productivity?"
The project was delivered by Wine Australia in partnership with the Department of Primary Industries and Regions. It is a Local Economic Recovery project, which is jointly funded by the South Australian and Australian Governments under the National Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.
9 Sept 2022
Post harvest vineyard care - Tasmania
Tasmania-based cool climate viticulturist Ben Pietsch barely has time to take a deep breath between harvest and leaf fall. Some years there’s an interval of just two weeks so activities must be carefully planned. Ben moves fast post-harvest to replenish what’s been removed. Management is site specific but post-harvest vines must have access to water, nutrients and pests and diseases managed.
9 Sept 2022
Post harvest vineyard care - Orange
In Orange, Justin Jarrett deals with different climate and seasonal regimes so his approach is influenced by that, and the organic discipline applied to the vineyard. The approach to nutrition has changed significantly over the past 20 years, from a focus on nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium levels to ensuring soil pH and soil carbon levels are right too. He says his management is about soil health monitoring, soil fungi and biological activity.
9 Sept 2022
Post harvest vineyard care - Hunter
Hunter-based Liz Riley generally experiences the earliest harvests in the country, so the key challenge is to manage growth, pests and even weeds up to 12 weeks before the vines go dormant. The objective is to ensure leaves stay in good condition generating carbohydrates for the following season without applying nutrition to the vineyards because of the growth issues.
9 Sept 2022
Post harvest vineyard care - Riverland/Sunraysia
The warm climate regions of the Riverland and Sunraysia have a window of about 6 weeks between harvest and senescence. Sam Bowman’s focus during this time is on irrigation and nutrition to build carbohydrate stores in the plant. During the post-harvest period, the vines switch from moving carbohydrates into the ripening fruit to building reserves for the next season’s buds. Active management post-harvest is a crucial step in avoiding the trap of biennial bearing.
30 May 2022
Managing grape maturity variability
This podcast gives both a viticulturist and researcher’s experience with managing grape maturity variability and management systems that have potential to modulate grape maturity variability at the time of harvest, as well as the effects on red wine flavour and aroma profiles. PhD student, Claire Armstrong from The University of Adelaide, viticulturist, Pete Balnaves from Balnaves of Coonawarra, and Dr David Jeffery, Associate Professor in Wine Science, The University of Adelaide.
10 Dec 2021
What will my region’s climate look like in the future?
The Australia’s Wine Future: A Climate Atlas helps to answer the question – what will my region’s climate look like in the future? This is essential knowledge for making good management decisions, based on decadal changes, and supporting strategic decisions over the longer term, both within and between regions.
10 Oct 2021
Vineyard irrigation efficiency
This podcast looks at irrigation efficiency and explains the importance of system maintenance and how using data from weather stations, soil moisture probes or plant sensors can reduce water use by 40–75 per cent without affecting yield or quality. Kristy Bartrop, Viticulture Technical Manager at Casella Family Brands and Dr Vinay Pagay, Senior Lecturer in Viticulture at the University of Adelaide
10 Oct 2021
Yield Assessment
This podcasts looks at yield assessment, how growers can make accurate yield assessments based on five-year historical averages, and also to be a step ahead when non-human-based yield assessment systems are improved as they are expected to draw on accurate historical information. Louisa Rose, Chief Winemaker at Yalumba Family Winemakers and Dr Mark Whitty, Senior Lecturer in Mechatronics at the University of New South Wales.
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