CSIRO's winegrape development program is delivering three exciting new grape varieties to the wine market.

The program, which has been running since the 1960s, strives to develop grapes better-suited to Australian conditions. The three latest varieties - the result of more than 20 years' work - are the red winegrape varieties, Tyrian, Cienna and Rubienne.

Two of the latest releases are already on the market and the third is expected to be released commercially soon.

McWilliam's Wines has already commercialised the Tyrian grape, with the first 500 cases produced from the 1999 vintage from the winery's trial block selling out within moments of its release last year.

The winery's production director, Mr Doug McWilliam, said Tyrian had been well-received and inspired McWilliam's to plant a further 20 hectare to the grape, which will eventually produce 360,000 bottles.

"Tyrian has the potential to rival the success of Tarrango, the program's most successful release to date, which is responsible for cementing Brown Brothers' position in the export market, becoming its biggest-selling wine in the UK within two years of its release there," says Mr McWilliam.

"Tyrian will appeal to winelovers seeking something a bit different and will appeal to growers because it is more disease-resistant than the traditional redwine grape varieties," he says.

"People are always looking for new varietal experiences and there is a lot of interest in Australia at the moment in planting some of the lesser-known varieties. Tyrian's got that extra exclusivity because it is purely Australian."

Mr Roland Wahlquist, general manager at Brown Brothers in Victoria, said his company had embraced the Cienna grape, hoping it would duplicate for the company in Australia the success the CSIRO-developed Tarrango variety enjoyed overseas.

"Tarrango sales now account for 20 per cent of Brown Brothers' exports, which represents about a third of the company's total sales," says Mr Wahlquist.

Brown Brothers attached great importance to the CSIRO program in light of the company's decision to focus on niche products to give it a point of difference. It saw huge potential in the Cienna variety which had "very good colour and flavour."

"It is a richer grape than Tarrango and our first target will be the domestic market although we expect to export it within five years," says Mr Wahlquist.

The first wine released from Brown Brothers half hectare trial block of the variety had gone on sale in Australia last year and its success had resulted in the company planting a further 20 hectare to the variety.

Another fan of Cienna is Yalumba. The winery's viticulture manager, Mr Robin Nettelbeck, said Cienna had been planted at its Wrattonbully vineyard, 40km north of Penola on SA's Limestone Coast.

Evaluation of grapes from an initial half hectare trial plot had led to planting a further 2.5 hectare to the variety which is uniquely Australian and boasts good colour and high quality.

The first commercial release of wine from the grape was expected to be available at Yalumba's cellar-door within the next couple of months, Mr Nettlebeck said.

CSIRO's Mr Clingeleffer said a third winegrape produced in the program's latest batch was likely to be adopted commercially.

"I am quite certain Rubienne will be commercialised too, it's just a matter of time," he says.

Visitors to the 11th Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference in Adelaide will have the opportunity to taste some of the new varietal wines at the CSIRO's booth (no. 899).

More information:

Peter Clingeleffer, CSIRO Plant Industry 0429 792 937, 03 5051 3108

Doug McWilliam, McWilliam's Wines 0409 469 607

Angela Gackle, CSIRO Plant Industry 08 8303 8630, 0410 585 038

To display a larger version of the image above click here.