Grapes and wine overview

  1. Overview
  2. Grape genetics
  3. Grapevine management
  4. Grape quality
  5. Grapevine breeding
  6. Grape researchers

Grape researchers

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Grape and Wine Research

The CSIRO Horticultural Crop Improvement Program is working to enhance the production, processing and marketing chain of the Australian grape and wine industry by providing better genetic material through breeding and advanced plant management techniques. 

CSIRO grape and wine researchers are targeting:

  • wine quality characteristics, such as berry colour and flavour
  • production characteristics, such as disease control, flowering and fruit set
  • sustainability issues, such as water and nutrient use.

CSIRO Grape and Wine Researchers

CSIRO wine and grape researchers are primarily located at the Waite Campus, Adelaide, South Australia

Dr Paul Boss: linking grape development with wine flavour and aroma

Dr Paul Boss is researching how grape genotype, environment and management affects wine flavour and aroma.

Dr Ian Dry: fighting grapevine disease

Dr Ian Dry is leading research into grapevine disease resistance, in particular by looking at developing molecular strategies to improve the genetic resistance of all horticultural crops to fungal pathogens.

Dr Chris Davies: unravelling ripening

Dr Chris Davies is investigating the hormonal and genetic control of grape ripening.

Dr Everard Edwards: sustaining grapevine performance

Dr Everard Edwards is investigating the long-term effects of deficit irrigation on grapevines with the aim of improving irrigation management.

Dr Simon Robinson: understanding the contribution of grapes to wine quality

Dr Simon Robinson has an active research program in viticulture, studying the factors controlling ripening and fruit quality in grapes and regulation of the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway in plants.

Dr Mark R Thomas: understanding grapevine genetics

Research by Dr Mark R Thomas is improving our understanding of the function of grapevine genes, helping to improve grape and wine quality.

Dr Mandy Walker: researching genes for fruit quality

Dr Mandy Walker is investigating how the compounds responsible for colour and mouthfeel are made in fruit.

Dr Rob Walker: improving salt tolerance and water use efficiency

Dr Rob Walker is increasing our understanding of how plants tolerate salinity and limited water availability, particularly how some plants can limit the uptake of salt and how this contributes to salt tolerance.