TWE hosts local growers and students in the Barossa; sessions on sustainability, pruning techniques, and market trends highlight the event

Our local teams around the world have always been focused on strengthening communication with its grower networks and earlier this month, our South Australian team hosted growers from wine regions including the Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, Eden Valley, Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale, Langhorne Creek, Coonawarra, Padthaway, and the Riverland, for a showcase of sustainability, innovation, viticulture, and a taste of the vintage’s best drops.

Winemaker Marie Clay named ‘Barossa winemaker of the year’ by the Barossa Barons at this year’s Declaration of Vintage in Tanunda.

The growers attended sessions hosted by TWE Supply Sustainability Manager Lin Lin Low on sustainability, the latest in pruning techniques by international pruning specialists Simonit&Sirch, domestic and international wine market trends by Wine Australia, program certification tips from Sustainable Winegrowing Australia, as well as crop and vineyard management techniques from Elders.

A group of growers from the Barossa and surrounding wine regions visit the Barossa Valley’s Koonunga Hill vineyard, standing under the nylon canopy that encloses the 14-hectare block.

Grower Liaison Officer and host of the Grower Tech Day Amy Hickling said “It’s always a pleasure to host our growers, and I get a buzz out of sharing the latest industry innovations because there’s a flow-on benefit to the quality of grapes and wine that the vineyards are producing.

Long-standing local relationships are the foundation of everything in regional communities, and collaboration benefits everyone – the growers, the regional economy, and consumers all around the world who enjoy our luxury wines.”

The hands-on event included trips to:

• Penfolds Block 42: established in 1888, it features the oldest continuously producing Cabernet Sauvignon grapevines in the world. TWE Senior Vineyard Manager Alex McSeveney shared how we’re maintaining the heritage vines to make sure they continue producing some of the region’s best-quality grapes, and Simonit&Sirch facilitated a mini pruning workshop – one of the most popular sessions of the day.
• Koonunga Hill: the 14-hectare block that’s just had its first season under a custom nylon canopy. TWE Technical Viticulturalist and water specialist Marcos Bonada detailed the promising early results on grape quality and water consumption from the more stable environment under the canopy, compared with grapes grown outside the canopy.
• Also, at Koonunga Hill, Croplands Equipment demonstrated a robotic sprayer in action. The sprayer, developed by New Zealand company Robotics Plus, is one of several in use at TWE vineyards across South Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. Its hybrid engine means quieter operation and up to five robotic spray units can be run by one operator at a time.

A group of growers from the Barossa and surrounding wine regions visit Penfolds Block 42, featuring the oldest continuously-producing Cabernet Sauvignon grapevines in the world.

The best way to top off the Grower Tech Day? With the region’s best wine for this vintage, of course. Award-winning winemaker Marie Clay (crowned Barossa Winemaker of the Year by the Barons of Barossa at the Declaration of Vintage in Tanunda this February) hosted a wine tasting of Riesling, Chardonnay, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon.

The day before, a group of 14 local high school students from Faith College and Nuriootpa High School visited the site as part of the Barossa Australia program, which aims to promote the diversity of jobs in the local wine industry – from robotics and engineering roles to operational viticulture.

Students toured our state-of-the-art packaging facility, including the team’s robot co-workers, or ‘cobots’ and automated palletising systems. They also heard about TWE’s commitment to sustainability through vineyard practices and technology-driven solutions that ensure the vineyards continue to produce the quality fruit for our renowned portfolio of wines.

Students from Faith College and Nuriootpa High School at the entry to the Barossa Valley’s Koonunga Hill canopy site, as part of the Barossa Australia school-based apprenticeships in viticulture program. 

Demonstrating the career pathways available to students entering the wine industry, Assistant Vineyard Manager Michael Lyons spoke about his career experience from starting out as a young graduate to viticulture professional.

Discover more about the Koonunga Hill canopy, or explore a career with us.